Daily Devotions
"I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3 NLT
DECEMBER 17
"looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."- He 12:2
When Jesus was delivered to be crucified for our offenses, he became the author of our faith. He was the finisher because his perfect life, given for us, covers our imperfections and makes our justification possible. We look to Jesus and away from the afflictions and persecutions that may come as a result of our loyalty to him. Haggai 2:9
December 17
Beloved,...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12, 13)
IT was God that provided for us the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, and it is God that has drawn us unto Himself and that has promised us all needed grace to walk in the paths of righteousness; and more, even to follow in the footprints of Jesus in the way of self-sacrifice. While, therefore, with fear and trembling,--with great carefulness--we endeavor to work out our salvation, it is our privilege always to realize the promised grace to help in every time of need, and to be confident that our best efforts toward righteousness are acceptable to God when presented through the merit of the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us by faith.
December 17
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. Judges 7:20
OUR Captain, the Lord, has given special instructions to those whom he will specially use in the conflict of evil now in progress. Each one shall follow the example of the Captain of our Salvation. First, he shall blow upon the trumpet, representing the proclamation of the truth, and proclaim that the sword of the Spirit of truth is of Jehovah and of his anointed Son; and secondly, they shall break their pitchers and let their light shine out. The pitchers represent our earthly vessels, and the breaking of them in order to let the light shine out signifies that to which we are exhorted by the apostle, saying, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, ...your reasonable service." We see how our Chief-Captain broke his earthen vessel; we see what a light streamed forth. Our highest ambition must be to follow his example, to walk in his steps, to lay down our lives for the brethren as he laid down his life for us. Meantime the blowing of the trumpet is to progress as well as the shouting in the name of Jehovah, our Captain, and the sword of the Spirit of truth is to be wielded. The result will be victory; the enemies of the Lord will be overwhelmed.
Devotional Books
Exceeding Great and Precious Promises
