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Isaac and Jacob Viewing the Future, by FaithScripture:By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. B...
29/10/2021

Isaac and Jacob Viewing the Future, by Faith

Scripture:

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph. (Hebrews 11:20-21)

Reflections:

Since we have previously considered Abraham's offering of Isaac (again, in the section on God's promises), let's move on to consider Isaac and Jacob. While pronouncing prophetic blessings upon their descendants, these two men became examples of viewing the future, by faith.

The first example given, Isaac, actually occurred in the midst of a deceitful plot by one of his own sons. Isaac wanted to pass on a blessing to his oldest son, Esau. "Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him...'Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die' " (Genesis 27:1, 4). Jacob (the supplanter or "schemer") disguised himself and lied to his father, attempting to steal the blessing. "And Jacob said to his father, 'I am Esau your firstborn...sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me'...And he did not recognize him...so he blessed him" (Genesis 27:19, 23). Although Esau later was given a blessing as well, the blessing for Jacob passed on the headship of the family to this younger son. "Be master over your brethren, and let your mother's sons bow down to you" (Genesis 27:29). When informed of the deceit, Isaac let the blessing stand. The Lord indicates this was an act of faith in the purposes of God

The second example given, Jacob, also occurred in an unusual setting. Joseph was bringing his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to his father for a family blessing. "Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them" (Genesis 48:10). Joseph brought Ephraim (the younger) toward Jacob's left hand and Manasseh (the firstborn) toward his right hand. However, Jacob crossed his hands, thereby switching the primary blessing. "And Joseph said to his father, 'Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.' But his father refused and said, 'I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he' " (Gen 48:18-19).

These actions may not seem significant to us. Yet, the Lord lists them as notable steps of faith in Him. These blessings reflected and instituted aspects of God's sovereign plans, in spite of inappropriate scheming and established traditions.

Prayer:

O sovereign Lord, I bow in faith to Your perfect plans and purposes. What a comfort to know that Your will cannot be thwarted by inappropriate schemes or established traditions. Teach me to view the future with faith in Your wisdom and Your sovereignty, Amen.

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of FaithScripture:And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant... (f...
07/10/2021

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Faith

Scripture:

And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant... (for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength)... Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You." (Isaiah 49:5, 8)

Reflection:

Numerous times throughout these hundreds of meditations, we have examined the relationship of "humility and faith" to "growing in grace." Such repeated opportunities assist us in apprehending the means of living day by day by grace. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble...we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (James 4:6 and Romans 5:2). For a number of days, we have been considering humility and grace. In a recent meditation, we saw that Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. Now, we turn to give considerable attention to faith and grace. Concerning faith, we begin where we left off with humility — with Jesus as our example. Again, we will see that Jesus is the ultimate example of faith.

Our present verses are a prophecy involving the Father and His Son, the Servant Messiah, who would go forth to provide God's gift of salvation. "And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant." An angel would eventually announce this prophecy as coming to fulfillment. "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The confession of the Messiah is also given here prophetically. "My God shall be My strength." When the Son would leave heaven for His incarnation, He would function by faith in the Father. The Father's reassuring words affirm this trust in Him. "Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You'."

The fact that Jesus lived by faith in His Father was a part of His own teaching ministry. "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner" (John 5:19). Herein, Jesus (who had laid aside the independent exercise of His deity) was exemplifying how man should live in humble dependence upon the faithfulness of God.

Prayer:

Dear Savior, I humble myself before You, expressing my desire to grow in grace. I know that faith accesses grace. Lord, please teach me to place my faith in You, just as You fully relied upon the Father, Amen.

Josiah Humbling Himself before the LordScripture:Then Hilkiah answered and said... "I have found the Book of the Law in ...
26/09/2021

Josiah Humbling Himself before the Lord

Scripture:

Then Hilkiah answered and said... "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD"... Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes... [and said] "... great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD." (2 Chronicles 34:15, 19, 21)

Reflections:

When Nebuchadnezzar and Manasseh humbled themselves before the Lord, our great God poured out amazing grace upon these formerly godless and prideful kings. Of course, it is not necessary to first be rebellious in order to be humbled and to become a recipient of further grace from God. This truth is illustrated in Josiah's humbling himself before the Lord.

Josiah began to reign in Jerusalem at a very young age. "Josiah was eight years old when he became king" (2 Chronicles 34:1). When he was yet in the teen years, he began to pursue the Lord. "For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David" (2 Chronicles 34:3a). His quest for God led him to serve the Lord faithfully and courageously by destroying the implements of idolatry in the land. "In the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down" (2 Chronicles 34:3b-4).

Later, he ordered the temple to be repaired. "Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent...[various leaders]...to repair the house of the LORD his God" (2 Chronicles 34:8). There, they found copies of God's word, which had been neglected for many years. "Then Hilkiah answered and said...'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD'." Immediately, they took these precious writings to King Josiah. "Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes."

The Lord had instructed His leaders to rule by the truth of His word. "It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book...And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes" (Deuteronomy 17:18-19). Josiah was humbled with intense grief, knowing this had been neglected and that severe judgment was in order. "Great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD."

Prayer:

O Lord God, my heart is torn when I think of the way Your word is neglected today. National leaders generally ignore it. Many church leaders compromise it. I have not given it appropriate attention. Let me be a Josiah in these wicked days, Amen.

Access to Grace through Humility and FaithScripture:God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble... through whom...
19/09/2021

Access to Grace through Humility and Faith

Scripture:

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; Romans 5:2)

Reflections:

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 sufficiency for godly living, living by the promises of God, and Old Testament saints who lived by God's grace. Now, we return to an extended consideration of how we avail ourselves of the glorious riches of God's grace. As noted earlier in our studies, God's grace is accessed through humility and faith.

If we desire to live by God's grace, we must be willing to renounce pride and to walk in humility. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The Lord is opposed to the path of self-sufficiency. When we pridefully assume that we can produce the kind of life God calls us to live, spiritual progress is prevented. Humility involves agreeing with God's pronouncements concerning our inadequacies. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves" (2 Corinthians 3:5a). The person who is willing to walk humbly before the Lord has an accurate understanding of our comprehensive need for the Lord to work in and through our lives. "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5c).

Along with humility regarding ourselves, God wants us to walk in faith regarding Him. The Lord wants to work in our lives by His incomparable grace. Faith accesses grace: "through whom [Jesus] also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand." The Lord is pleased by the path of "Christ-dependency."

Whenever we face any issue of life by faith in Jesus Christ, we are drawing upon the abounding grace of the Lord. When we dependently accept that God can produce the kind of life He calls us to live, spiritual progress is assured. Faith involves agreeing with God's pronouncements concerning Him being our adequacy: "but our sufficiency is from God" (2 Corinthians 3:5b). The person who is willing to walk in faith toward the Lord has an accurate understanding of His comprehensive ability to work in and through our lives. "He who abides in Me...bears much fruit" (John 15:5b).

Also, as noted earlier, humility and faith are relational realities. Neither can be produced by us. They are not the result of human labor. They can only develop as an increasing reality through a growing relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I humbly admit my own insufficiency to produce the life You want me to live. Nevertheless, I confidently confess Your grace as my sufficient resource for abundant fruitfulness. Lord, I want to know You better, that humility and faith might be growing realities in my life, Amen.

Isaiah Encouraging All to Wait on the LordScriptures:Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength... And I will...
15/09/2021

Isaiah Encouraging All to Wait on the Lord

Scriptures:

Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength... And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him... And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." (Isaiah 40:31; 8:17; 25:9)

Reflections:

Isaiah's desire to live by grace was evident in his proclaiming that God's power was available for those who would admit their own weakness. Now, we see Isaiah's heart for God's grace in his encouraging all to wait on the Lord.

One of Isaiah's encouragements to wait on the Lord came in conjunction with God's promises to give power to the weak. "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength...They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:29, 31). This gracious work of God in people's lives hinged upon their waiting on the Lord. "Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength."

Another of Isaiah's encouragements to wait on the Lord occurred in a time when Israel was rebelling against God. "For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people" (Isaiah 8:11). The Lord strongly urged Isaiah to stand against Israel's rebellion, even though they were threatening the prophet. "Do not...be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear" (Isaiah 8:12-13). Isaiah's encouraging testimony revealed that his heart was fully set on the Lord. "And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him." God was not revealing Himself to rebellious Israel. On the other, Isaiah would "wait on the LORD" (that is, he would "hope in Him").

Isaiah's ultimate encouragement to wait on the Lord is related to God's establishing of His everlasting kingdom. "And it will be said in that day: 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation'." Those who place their hope in the Lord during their pilgrimage on earth will eventually rejoice forever when the Lord eternally implements the fullness of his salvation for His people!

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I am aware of my utter weakness, so I wait on You for Your strength and stamina. At times, I am intimidated by rebellious people, so I wait on You for protection and vindication. I have experienced so many earthly heartbreaks, so I wait on You for the joy and gladness of Your everlasting kingdom.

David Urging Others to Trust in the LordScripture:Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His fai...
08/09/2021

David Urging Others to Trust in the Lord

Scripture:

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)

Reflection:

Those who live by grace trust in God to work in their lives. We can see David's heart to live this way, as he urges others to trust in the Lord. "Trust in the LORD...feed on His faithfulness...Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him."

God wants His people to be characterized by goodness. Yet, David affirmed that no one does good on their own. "There is none who does good, No, not one" (Psalm 14:3). So, for anyone to do good, the Lord must do a good work in and through their lives. Those who place their trust in the Lord find the will and the strength to do that which is good in the sight of God. "Trust in the LORD, and do good." To be faithful in doing good, God's people must be nurtured in God's faithfulness. "Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." Those who place their trust in a faithful God become increasingly faithful servants of God.

Of course, the work of God in lives is centered in the heart of man. David prayed for an undivided heart of reverential trust toward the Lord. "Unite my heart to fear Your name" (Psalm 86:11). Everyone who is willing to let the Lord be the captivating joy of their inner man will have God Himself planting godly desires within their heart. "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." These implanted desires are then worked outward unto godly living.

As this godliness is developing, we desire that the Lord's path for our lives would become increasingly evident. We have a growing interest in walking in the ways of the Lord. David had such a desire in his heart toward the Lord. "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me" (Psalm 25:4-5). The Lord teaches those who are willing to entrust their lives into His directing. "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." Those who do place their lives under the sovereign care of God enjoy the great privilege of having the Lord God almighty governing the very steps that they take day by day.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I want to trust in You that I might see Your goodness developing in my life. I want to have You as the ultimate joy of my heart that You might have free rein to plant Your desires deep within me. I want to entrust my life into Your hands that I might have You controlling my daily path, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.

Even More on David and the Lord's LovingkindnessScripture:How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the chil...
06/09/2021

Even More on David and the Lord's Lovingkindness

Scripture:

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)

Reflection:

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 been considering verses from David's life and testimony. David treasured the lovingkindness of the Lord. "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!" An understanding of the far-reaching implications of the Lord's lovingkindness gave him this perspective. David learned that the Lord's lovingkindness (His zealous, steadfast love for His people) drew hearts to seek God for His gracious protection. "Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." David also knew that God's lovingkindness fully satisfies hungry hearts that seek the Lord's fullness. "They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house."

Man is so needy, and God has so much to give. The needs of man could hardly be overstated. The resources of God could only be understated. Words like emptiness and deficiency describe humanity. Words like fullness and abundance describe our God.

Man begins his human existence in spiritual bankruptcy (born in sin and ready to pursue ungodliness). "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me...The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies" (Psalm 51:5 and 58:3). For these desperate needs, the Lord has forgiveness and salvation. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered...The LORD is...my salvation" (Psalm 32:1; 18:2). Yet, once redeemed, man still must not look to himself, nor to the world from which he came.

"My soul thirsts for You...in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1). The Lord must be the new supply for the new man. Like David, we must find what we need from "the fullness of [God's] house." When we look to God's fullness to replace our inadequacy, we will find today the same spiritual satisfaction that David testified about long ago. "My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips" (Psalm 63:5). We also will rejoice, because we will be "abundantly satisfied."

Prayer:

Dear God of spiritual abundance, I am so blessed to be in Your family. Please remind me often that the world and the flesh are spiritually bankrupt. Teach me to draw upon the fullness of Your house through humble dependence upon You. Every time I have ever done that, my heart has been fully satisfied!

Joshua Leading the People in God's VictoryScripture:And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho... a Man stood oppos...
02/09/2021

Joshua Leading the People in God's Victory

Scripture:
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho... a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my LORD say to His servant?" (Joshua 5:13-14)

Reflection:
When Moses pointed Israel to the Lord for battle, he was teaching God's people to live by grace (which involves God at work on behalf of His people). "The LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:4). Joshua demonstrated this same truth, when he led the people in God's victory.

Before the first battle at Jericho, God gave Joshua the opportunity to commit to the Lord as the Commander of the army of Israel. "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho...a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries'?" The Lord appeared in the form of an armed soldier. Joshua asked if the man was for Israel or against them. The Lord responded that it was not a matter of being for or against Israel, but that He was in charge of Israel. "'No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped. 'What does my LORD say to His servant'?" At this point Joshua fully yielded to the Lord as the leader of God's army. Any victories would have to be supplied by this divine Commander.

At Jericho, this divine Commander would cause the walls to fall down, as His people would humbly trust Him, obediently marching around the city. "And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat" (Joshua 6:20). At Ai, the Commander gave Joshua a two-pronged ambush strategy. "We will flee before them. Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand" (Joshua 8:6-7). Against the Amorite kings, large hailstones and an extended day were used by the Commander to bring a mighty victory. "The LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven...So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day" (Joshua 10:11, 13). Whether by perplexing marching orders, by understandable strategy, by "natural phenomenon," or by miraculously extended time, the Commander brought victory.

Prayer:
Mighty God of Israel, I look to You to be the one who is in charge of my battles, the one who fights for me. Lord, help me to allow You to bring forth victory by any means You desire—whether perplexing, understandable, "natural," or miraculous, Amen.

Joshua and Caleb Entering the Promised LandScripture:Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years ol...
30/08/2021

Joshua and Caleb Entering the Promised Land

Scripture:
Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb... and Joshua... for they have wholly followed the LORD. (Numbers 32:11-12)

Reflection:
Those who live by humble faith enter into the fullness of God's provisions of grace. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble...we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (James 4:6 and Romans 5:2). Joshua and Caleb illustrated this truth by entering the Promised Land.

As we have seen, God's great salvation is both "from" and "unto." "We have passed from death to life" (1 John 3:14). Also, this life we have been given is to be experienced in abundance. "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Israel's calling by the Lord from bo***ge in Egypt to fullness in the land pictures this truth. "So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8).

Joshua and Caleb were the only adult Israelites in that first generation who went "into the fullness" of God's calling. They alone went into the land. "Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land...because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb...and Joshua." Joshua would not only enter the land, he would lead Israel into God's victory. "Then Moses called Joshua and said to him...you must go with this people to the land...and you shall cause them to inherit it" (Deuteronomy 31:7). Caleb would not only enter the land, he would still be strengthened by faith even in his old age. "Here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war" (Joshua 14:11).

Unlike Joshua and Caleb, the other Israelites followed the Lord's calling out from Egypt, but they did not follow Him into the land. Many Christians repeat this same error today. They have followed the Lord as He led them out of the spiritual death of sin and guilt. They are "out of Egypt." They are forgiven of their sins. They have new life in Christ. However, they do not follow the Lord on "into the land." They do not follow by faith into abundance of life. They do not follow the Lord in humble dependence for transformation, for fruitfulness, for a life of spiritual victory.

Prayer:
Dear God of Israel, Thank You for bringing me out of the Egypt of my own spiritual bo***ge. Now, as Joshua and Caleb did, I long to follow You wholly into the fullness that you desire me to walk in, in Jesus' name, Amen.

The Most Precious Promise of Shared LifeScripture:By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises...
25/08/2021

The Most Precious Promise of Shared Life

Scripture:
By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature... Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law... that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 3:13-14)

Reflection:
Here, we get at the heart of God's "exceedingly great and precious promises." By means of promise, the Lord has made it possible for us to share in His life: "that through these [God's promises] you may be partakers of the divine nature."

What a remarkable prospect this is — that man could participate in the divine nature. Yet, the promises of God make this available to man. Of course, this does not mean that man becomes divine (as many false religions and some aberrant theologies espouse). God alone is, and will ever be, divine. "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me" (Isaiah 46:9). Nonetheless, man can share in the life of God, even though he will never become "a god" himself. This is accomplished by Jesus Christ coming to dwell within the lives of those who believe in Him. The Lord Jesus died for us that He might give life to us. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life" (John 6:47). This life that Jesus wants to share with us is His own life. "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life'...Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' " (John 11:25; 14:6).

The Apostle Paul taught this great truth extensively. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:1). He understood that his apostolic ministry was not only anchored in God's will, but it also depended upon the life that God promised. Thus, he confessed Christ as his very own life: "Christ who is our life" (Colossians 3:4). Paul was not the source of the daily Christian life that he lived. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). The Lord Jesus was Paul's life source.

This is what the promise of the Spirit is about. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law...that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." At new birth, the Holy Spirit also comes to indwell those who believe. The Spirit reveals these truths to us through the word of God. Then, the Spirit pours forth the life of Christ through every humble, dependent child of God. "It is the Spirit who gives life" (John 6:63).

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for making Your life available to me. What a precious promise that is! Teach me to walk according to Your Spirit, that Your life might be expressed through my life day by day, Amen.

Prophetic Promise of ApostasyScripture:Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the fait...
24/08/2021

Prophetic Promise of Apostasy

Scripture:
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)

Reflection:
As we continue to alternate between "precious promises" and "unpopular" promises, we come to a prophetic promise of apostasy. Among those who are actually drifting into apostasy, this promise is certainly "unpopular." Additionally, in a church world that wrongly accepts what sounds positive and rejects what sounds negative (instead of rejecting error and accepting truth), this promise is often met with disinterest or, worse, disdain.

"The faith" is the message of the word of God. It is the divine truth in which we are to place our faith, our trust. It especially includes the good news of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our present promise forewarns that there will be those who fall away from "the faith" as the days press closer and closer to the end of the church era. "In latter times some will depart from the faith." Since this is a departure, they seemed to adhere to the word of God for a season. Then, they turned away from it. If they remain active in the church world, their message will no longer reflect the true content of the scriptures. Peter gave a similar warning. "There were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them" (2 Peter 2:1). As sure as Israel had false prophets, the church would have false teachers.

Paul provided some insights into their path of apostasy. They would be "giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." Their errors would result from paying attention to concepts that were perpetrated by demonic deception. The devil and his army of evil spirits are intent on confusing and distorting the teaching of the word of God. Typically, such errors feed man's fleshly desires to glorify self.

These apostates would also be "speaking lies in hypocrisy." Not only would their teaching be erroneous, their lives would be marked by falsehoods related to pretense. They would add untrue testimony to their inaccurate message. Perhaps, the reports of their ministerial prowess would be grossly exaggerated.

They would also be "having their own conscience seared with a hot iron." They would teach errors and live lies until their consciences were no longer convicted of sin. Be forewarned. Such apostates undoubtedly abound in these last days.

Prayer:
Lord God of truth, thank You for lovingly warning me of the danger of apostasy. Enlarge my appreciation of such "unpopular" promises. Please help me to cherish the truth of Your word. Give me a heart to know Your word. Sharpen my discernment concerning error. Keep my heart and my message anchored in the truth of scripture, Amen.

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