| Devotional | God's Purpose in Chastising
Hebrews 12:1-13
God's purpose in chastening us is so that we might learn not to sin. We cannot expect forgiveness and then be turned loose to go on living in the sin that brought God's displeasure.
God fixed a gulf between sin and righteousness. This must be maintained. Absolutely no compromise is possible. No attempt should ever be made by ...read |
| Devotional | God's Royal Law
James 2:1-13
James summed up man's responsibility to his neighbor by urging him to fulfill the "royal law" (James 2:8).
He who fulfills this law of Christ will love all men alike and will look with contempt on none. Because he will be concerned about the value of a human soul, he will see no distinction between the rich and the poor.
Ob ...read |
| Devotional | Have You Looked in the Mirror?
James 1:22-25
Whereas James 1:22-24 view the person who does not act upon the basis of the Word, verse 25 looks at the person who does act on the basis of the Word of God. He is like one who does something about what he sees in the mirror. His positive attitude is beautiful, as was David's when he said, "Search me, 0 God, and know my heart: t ...read |
| Devotional | He Is at the Door!
James 5:7-12
To "grudge not" is to "complain not." We are not to groan or grumble against each other. In this life, where there is the tendency to be partial to others who have more than we do, James reminded us not to be grumbling and complaining about others. We are not to develop an attitude of thinking the other person always has it bet ...read |
| Devotional | His Unfinished Work
1 John 2:1-6
First John 2:1 could be translated: "These things write I unto you that ye do not commit a single act of sin." John was not dealing with habitual sin but with single acts of sin. This is a high standard, and you may wonder if it is possible for a child of God to successfully live this way. We need to realize what Christ has actua ...read |
| Devotional | It Just Does Not Belong!
1 John 3:1-10
To live under the dominion of sin without any evidence of righteousness demonstrates that the person has not been born again. The reasons for this are clearly pointed out in some of these verses. First John 3:4, for example, says that sin is contrary to the law of God. Verse 5 says that sin is contrary to the mission, or the work, ...read |
| Devotional | Keep the Armor On!
Ephesians 6:10-18
The armor is not to be put on and taken off periodically but to be put on and left on. The armor is actually an attitude of faith; therefore, it is something that is put on by an act of the will and left on. As we mature in the Christian life, we will discover areas in our lives where our faith is not as strong as it should be; ...read |
| Devotional | Keep Your Eyes Open!
Ephesians 5:7-17
Because of the subtle works of darkness and the importance of being a witness for the Lord, Paul said, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise" (Eph. 5:15).
The word translated "see" means "to look, to consider, to take heed." It was as if Paul was waving a sign before them that said, "Stop, loo ...read |
| Devotional | Law, Grace and Victory
Galatians 3:1-14
The Christian life is a "by faith" life not a "by Law" life. Paul makes a very strong statement at the end of Galatians 2 when he says, "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (v. 21). If we could save ourselves and if we could live a righteous life by our ow ...read |
| Devotional | Learning to Love
Ephesians 5: 1-5
Does the standard of God's love seem too high to attain? Having received Jesus Christ as Saviour, we have been born of the Holy Spirit and have become members of God's family. We have become partakers in, or sharers of, the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4), and the essence of the divine nature is love. It is the kind of love that lo ...read |
| Devotional | Let God Be Justified
Job 32:1-12
The great principle underlying Job's spiritual problem was given centuries later by our Lord: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it" (Luke 9:23,24). Job wa ...read |
| Devotional | Life, Eternal and Abundant
Ephesians 1:1; John 3:13-21
Eternal life is procured by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By His death Jesus paid the penalty for sin; by His burial He took sin away; by His resurrection He lives in the believer. This is all involved in the new birth. On the other hand, the abundant life is procured for the believer through the ...read |
| Devotional | Life, Light, Love
1 John 1: 1-4
There are three key words in the epistle of 1 John. They are "life," "light" and "love." These words are used many times in this epistle.
That God has given us eternal life is clearly stated in 1 John 5:11-13, which are key verses to the study of this epistle. God has given us eternal life, and that life is in His Son. If ...read |
| Devotional | Life's Most Important Fear
Romans 3:9-18
Romans 3:18 is not speaking of a reverential fear of God that a person has who recognizes Him as the great Potentate of all ages and as the Almighty God we serve. Rather, this verse refers to those who have no concern for the existence, character or attributes of God. They do not think that God merits any thought at all. They compl ...read |
| Devotional | Living to Please God
Colossians 1:9-12
As Paul prayed for the Colossians and their walk, or way of life, he did not pray that it might be pleasing to man but to God. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul said of himself, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (1:10). Of course ...read |
| Devotional | Love Must Serve
1 John 3:11-24
The word for love in 1 John 3:11 does not refer to a sentimental love but is a strong word that describes God Himself It is the kind of love that recognizes a need and responds to that need.
An illustration of this contrast is seen in the case of Cain, who was of the Wicked One and killed his brother (v. 12). He killed Abel be ...read |
| Devotional | Make a Decision!
1 Kings 18:20-24
God worked not only in Ahab's heart but also in the hearts of the Israelites. He subdued the king so that he obeyed Elijah's orders, and He also made the people of Israel willing to gather at Mount Carmel. Even the 450 prophets of Baal attended, though the 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah may have anticipated what was to fo ...read |
| Devotional | Needed: True Friends
Job 2:11-3:5
Friends can be very valuable. The right kind of friends can help us over the difficult spots in life. But the quality of friendship expressed by these three men left much to be desired.
When they saw Job's plight, they were shocked. They hardly knew what to think. The man whom they had known as the greatest man in their part of ...read |
| Devotional | New Life
1 Kings 17:17-24
The death of her son apparently reminded the widow of some past sin. Her conscience was aroused, and she wanted to vindicate her character in her own eyes. Under such circumstances a person wants to turn the blame, if there is any, on someone else.
Perhaps our reaction to some sorrow or loss or problem is "Do I deserve this? ...read |
| Devotional | No Room for Envy in the Church
Romans 12:6-16
What a shame when there is a spirit of envy among the members of the Body of Christ. Instead, there should be praise for the way God is using each one. One translator paraphrases Romans 12:3: "Now I have a warning for you, prompted by the divine grace bestowed on me--and I address it to all who are among you:--do not be uplifted ...read |
Theodore Epp