No Other Rock

They may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by the Lord’s servant unto the will of God. ~ II Timothy 2:26

Note: This devotion is from November 10-11

Stan will use all types of strategies to turn souls from the truth. The word “recover” in this passage is remarkable. Literally, the clause is, “That they may return to soberness.” A strange intoxication often goes with error.

There is a sobriety about the true Christian faith.

We Christians should always be ready and patiently waiting to guard younger believers from the clever heresies and siren-voiced false Gospels of our day. We should seek to know well the teachings of the Bible and we should take the trouble to read what able evangelical Bible scholars have written in clarification of the true faith against bewitching modern perversions of it.

Each one of us may be considered the Lord’s servant in this connection. Our weapon is the Word; but the vital handling of it is in the spirit we show and the way we behave.

Today, I pray that you and I will intervene to bring sobriety to our Christian faith.

Lay hold on Eternal Life ~ I Tomothy 6:12

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. ~ II Timothy 2:26

Note: This devotion is from November 8-9

Laying hold is a metaphor (yes, more with metaphors) for faith. We should “lay hold” upon Him as a man who lays hold on a suddenly found treasure. Sadly, there are so many who do now know the Gospel and a many of them do know it, but remain unsaved because they will not let go of the world.

Today, I pray that you and I will let go of the world, and lay hold to Him.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. I Peter 2:17

Note: This devotion is from November 6-7

We Christians recognize the stamp of the Creator upon all men, even upon the brow of the demoralized savage. Despite the degradation caused by sin, superstition and Satanic oppression, we believe that fundamentally, in his mental and moral nature, man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26).

To be Christian is not merely being a part of a club or even a church for that matter. We are members of a family. There is not a different spirit within each of us, but one Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” When we allow the new nature in us to have its way, we do love one another, and delight in each other and sympathise with each other.

When the apostle Paul wrote “Fear God” and “Honor the king” the man seated on the throne was Nero, who was one of the vilest monsters.

The idea of “Fear God” and “Honor the king” are intricately linked for this reason. That’s because the fear of God is the one sure safeguard against giving the wrong kind of honor to an unearthly ruler or leader. For patriotism apart from godliness is rooted in evil. Call it false idol worship . . . but it is evil nonetheless.

Today, I pray that you and I will fear God and honor the one true King.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7

Note: This devotion is from November 3-5

Here, we are presented with three metaphors – a fight, a race and a trust.

Each metaphor describes an aspect of Christian life. It is a fight for there is a foe to quell . . . a race for there is a goal to reach . . . a trust for there is a truth to guard. However, all of them come together and are necessary to each other. For the Christian life demands bravery, perseverance and fidelity to triumph in the fight, race and holding that trust.

We use the war metaphor throughout so many facets of our modern age (i.e. the war on drugs), but at our conversion, we enlisted in the Christian fight, or war. In I Timothy 6:12, he defines this battle as “the good fight of the faith.” This war is the “good fight” for complete mastery over sin and Satan. And yet, while we battle on the side of God, He will not conquer our temptations for us if we do not fight them ourselves.

When Paul says, “I have finished the course,” he speaks with the stadium and the Olympic racecourse in mind. It differs from war, fight or battle in that it is more individualistic. Paul means that he has now completed the special track or stretch of ministry that has been set before him (Acts 20:24). This special course is divinely set and marked for each of us to persevere. As in a physical race, the runners keep their eye toward the prize – and so we must keep our eyes firmly placed on the goal of our heavenly prize.

Today, I pray that you and I be brave, persevere and hold strong to our fidelity

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne. ~ Revelations 3:21

Note: This devotion is from November 2

In this promise, the Lord refers to His Messianic throne and millennial reign. Evil shall be subjugated. Righteousness and peace shall be dispensed to the nations.

It will be wonderful to live under that reign, yet it will be even more wonderful to reign with Him; and this is what Jesus promises. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne.

Are all believers overcomers?

The letters to the seven churches suggest that is not the case. Our standing in Christ is no artificial position of immunity. As there are degrees of punishment so there are degrees of reward. One is made ruler over ten cities, another over five. “One star differeth from another star in glory.”

Today, I pray that you and I will ever be among the “overcomers”.

Joy and peace in believing. ~ Romans 15:13

Note: This devotion is from November 1

You might say that the ultimate goal of life is to receive or achieve joy and peace. God has allowed us to do so . . . but we cannot accept such grace when we indulge in our self-centered sin-filled nature.

While we should rejoice, we must be mindful that it should be with no such conceit as that of old-time Pharisees who imagined themselves the objects of an arbitrary divine favoritism. Further, let us be prayerfully concerned for those who have not even landed on the path to such joy and peace.

Today, I pray that you and I will share this secret with others.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me. And He said unto me: My grace is sufficient for thee… II Corinthians 12:8-9

Note: This devotion is from October 31

This devotion speaks a lot of grace. Moreover, it discusses the fact that the grace of the divine Christ shines and that it is sufficient. Certainly, we cannot understand an infinite grace.

But I got to thinking . . . what does grace mean to you? I have a feeling, we all view grace with unique sets of eyes. Those who are saved will likely view it with regard to their moment of salvation and answers to life’s trials.

Thoughts?

Today, I pray that you and I will meditate on this work.

That holy being which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. ~ Luke 1:35

Note: This devotion is from October 30

“Dear Saviour, I thank Thee Thou wast crucified with Thin arms outstretched to show that there is a welcome for everyone. I thank Thee that the old devil was not allowed to tie Thy hands behind Thy back. Nor were they just folded on Thy breast, but outstretched wide to invite the whole world to Thy bosom.”

Today, I pray that you and I will meditate on this gratitude.

There go the ships. ~ Psalm 104:26

Note: This devotion is from October 29

“Human beings and ships have much in common. Like the shops, we human beings are meant to fulfill the pre-formed purpose of our Maker and Owner. We have to sail this wide and perilous sea of life with its changeful moods and varying currents. We are meant to sail with a definite purpose and port before us, not just to float like rafts, anywhere or nowhere. We encounter rough weather and fierce storms: we can founder mid-seas, or break to pieces on jagged rocks and hidden reefs. Like ships, we need to be under safe and wise control.

“How easily we turn or drift into errors and sins which wreck lives and ruin souls! Oh, we need Jesus in control. As the rudder obeys the helmsman, so the helmsman needs his orders from the captain. Jesus is the one sure Captain. Let our prayer this day be: ‘Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.”

Today, I pray that you and I will ask Jesus to pilot us.

Good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10

Note: This devotion is from October 27 and 28

God has a plan for each life. I firmly believe this. But that is not to say that everything that might happen to a person is predetermined by God. That would be confusing foreordination or predestination with foreknowledge. God surely did not ever predetermine sin or disobedience to His will. That belongs to the lower level of His permissive will.

All that God permits, however, he foresees and overrules. Sadly though, an individual’s self-will often frustrates fulfillment of God’s plan.

But how do we know His plan? Through daily consultation with Him. We must practice consulting with Him on everything . . .but especially about those things which seem like frustrations or contradictions.

Often, pain is a part of that plan too. But remember, whenever God sends a trial with one hand, He gives grace with the other. The trials will become triumphs.

I remember seeing a sign or quote once that read: “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” That still makes me smile every time I think about it.

Today, I pray that you and I will consult with God daily to ask about His plan.