| Devotional | A Precious Promise of God's Completing Work
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)
Now, we return to the category we are calling "precious promises." (2 Peter 1:4). Here we have a priceless one concerning God's commitment to complete the wonderful work of salvation that He began at our ...read |
| Devotional | A Precious Promise of God's Perfecting Work
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me. (Psalm 138:8)
Again, we look at one of God's "precious promises." (2 Peter 1:4). This one pertains to His perfecting work in the lives of those who know Him and humbly depend upon Him. This priceless promise is the Old Testament antecedent of the one we recently considered from Philippians 1:6. "He ...read |
| Devotional | A Precious Promise of God's Provision
By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises . . . And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (2 Peter 1:4 and Philippians 4:19)
In recent meditations, we have looked at two differing categories of promises: "exceedingly great and precious promises" and "unpopular" promises ...read |
| Devotional | Access to Grace through Humility and Faith
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble . . . through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. (James 4:6 and Romans 5:2)
Thus far in our daily meditations on growing in the grace of God, we have examined various areas of biblical truth: such as, the Old Covenant of law, the New Covenant of grace, God's su ...read |
| Devotional | An "Unpopular" Promise Regarding Persecution
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12)
For a final visit, we return to the category of "unpopular" promises. This promise guarantees persecution for serious believers in Jesus Christ. In a church world where many treasure comfort and popularity, this promise is not well-received.
This ...read |
| Devotional | An "Unpopular" Prophetic Promise of Apostasy
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
As we continue to alternate between "precious promises" and "unpopular" promises, we come to a prophetic ...read |
| Devotional | Another Proper Response to God's Promises
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (Hebrews 11:17-19)
As demonstrated in ou ...read |
| Devotional | Coming to the Lord for Edifying Grace
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)
Coming to Jesus habitually for the grace that we need daily is at the heart of grow ...read |
| Devotional | Coming to the Lord for Grace
Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me... and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)
Our previous meditation on Jesus promising spiritual rest provides an excellent opportunity to reflect again upon the relational aspect of living by the grace of God. God's grace does not abound toward us ...read |
| Devotional | Contrasting Results for Self-Exaltation and Humility
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men" . . . everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:11, 14)
The importance of Jesus' teaching in our present verse can be seen in its being repeated on various occasions (Matthew 23:12 and Luke 14:1 ...read |
| Devotional | David Confessing God as His Refuge
Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us . . . . You are my hiding place . . . You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 62:8 and 32:7)
David often confessed God as his refuge. This is another indicator that he typically lived by the grace of God (that is, by trusting God to work o ...read |
| Devotional | David Confessing God as His Strength
The LORD is the strength of my life . . . The LORD is . . . my strength, in whom I will trust. (Psalm 27:1 and 18:2)
Living by grace involves depending upon God to work in our lives. For the greater part of his life, David was an outstanding Old Testament example of such living. This was certainly evident in the way David frequently confessed the ...read |
| Devotional | David Confessing the Lord as His God
I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away my life. But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." (Psalm 31:13-14)
Living by grace involves looking to the Lord as the one who must work His ways in and through our lives. Another distinctive indication ...read |
| Devotional | David Relying upon the Lord's Lovingkindness
Show Your marvelous lovingkindness . . . Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You . . . Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You . . .. Cause me to hear your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust. (Psalm 17:7; 36:10; 63:3; and 143:8)
There are many reasons why David is a wonderful Old T ...read |
| Devotional | David Urging Others to Trust in the Lord
Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:3-5)
Those who live by grace trust in God to work in their lives. We can see David's heart to ...read |
| Devotional | Even More on David and the Lord's Lovingkindness
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house. (Psalm 36:7-8a)
We have been meditating from Old Testament passages upon God's lovingkindness (a term very much like the word grace in the New Testament). We have ...read |
| Devotional | Even More on God's Promises and God's Law
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect. (Romans 4:13-14)
These words from the book of Romans continue our consideration of God's promises and God ...read |
| Devotional | Exceedingly Great and Precious Promises
By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises... And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (2 Peter 1:4 and Matthew 4:19)
As we have seen, faith is the proper response to the promises of God. Let us now return to individual consideration of God's wonderful promises. They are so wonderful that ...read |
| Devotional | God Dwelling with the Humble and Contrite
For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15)
God delights in pouring out His grace into humble hearts. "God . . . gives grace to ...read |
| Devotional | God's Promises and God's Rest
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest. (Hebrews 4:1-3)
Through th ...read |
