Category: Daily Devotions

The earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever.
Isaiah 51:6

Like Flies

Daily Devotion – November 26 ,2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 51:6


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Care for a few factoids about common flies? Here goes…

#1. A common housefly can lay 500 eggs every 3–4 days.
#2. Flies taste with their feet.
#3. Flies do not chew. Instead, they excrete an enzyme that liquefies their food so they can drink it.
#4. Flies are vital for breaking down carcasses and turning them into fertilizer for our soil.
#5. Forensic investigators often depend on the predictable work of flies to determine the time of death at crime scenes.
#6. Thank the fly for your chocolate, for it is flies that pollinate the cocoa tree.
And a 7th and final factoid about flies? The average lifespan of a common fly is twenty-eight days.

Twenty-eight days. That’s less than a month. If one were looking for a creature that symbolizes the shortness of life in this fallen world, it would be hard to find one better than the common fly.

It’s no accident, therefore, that the Lord, through the prophet Isaiah, used the lifespan of flies to emphasize that our time on this earth is short. Everything that’s part of this world—everything we buy, drive, wear, collect, and pursue for amusement—breaks, wears out, and dies, including you and me.

Thankfully, Jesus entered this broken, temporary, sin-filled world and confronted the very thing that makes you and me pass away like flies. He confronted our sin. As our substitute, Jesus fulfilled the standards of sinlessness that a holy, eternal God demands. On our behalf, he endured the horror of eternal death on the cross to wash away our every sinful stain. Then, to assure us that eternal life is ours through faith in him, he raised himself back to life.

The result? The next time a common fly lands on your sleeve, remember all the things that are so temporary in this life. But Jesus is not. His promises are not. And now, in him, you and I are not either.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are eternal. This sinful world is not. Move me to remain in you. Amen.

My salvation is on the way.
Isaiah 51:5

On the Way

Daily Devotion – November 25, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 51:5


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During World War I, Eddie Rickenbacker received a Congressional Medal of Honor for his prowess as a fighter pilot. Years later, during World War II, Eddie received a request to monitor military operations in the Pacific as a civilian observer. He and six others climbed aboard a B-17 for what should have been a routine trip. However, all sense of routine in this mission vanished when the plane went down. Suddenly, seven men were huddled in life rafts in the middle of the ocean.

As the days passed into weeks, their prospects went from hopeful, to serious, to critical, to desperate. Finally, on day twenty-one, they heard a sound. As Rickenbacker looked up, he saw a U.S. Navy plane flying overhead. It came in close—so close that he could see the pilot smiling at them and waving. From that moment on, they knew everything would be all right. Help was on the way.

Perhaps you have had periods in your life when you feel as though you were drifting on an empty ocean. Perhaps you are in such a period right now. At such times, you can feel hopeless, anxious, desperate, confused, and alone.

Sin can do that—your sin and mine. It isolates us from God and others. It smothers us in grief and regret. It surrounds us in unease and fear. It puts us in a dark void where the devil can convince us that we are all alone.

But that’s why Jesus came. He came to rescue us from our ocean of desperation. On our behalf, he lived the life of perfect faithfulness you and I have failed to live. In our place, he washed us clean of our every sinful failure through his suffering and death on the cross. Then he rose from the dead and walked out of his tomb.

For that reason, you have something far more certain than a smiling, waving Navy pilot. You have the cross and an empty tomb. And now, through his Word, your Savior assures you that he is on the way. He surrounds you in his grace. He is guiding all things for your good.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, because of you, I know your deliverance is on the way. Thank you. Amen.

[Jesus said] “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”
Mark 13:32,33

Surprise

Daily Devotion – November 24, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 13:32,33


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Surprises break the monotony of the mundane. Surprises often please us. If our experience with surprises has been good in the past, we most likely look forward to having more of them. Of course, there are no surprises for God. He knows all things before they happen. He even knows when the end of the world will take place.

But while God is never surprised, he has given us reason to be, and pleasantly so. When our first parents—Adam and Eve—sinned, they broke the bond of a loving, trusting relationship with God. That brought physical death into the world. The result was eternal separation from God. But surprise! Instead of condemning them to hell, God immediately told Adam and Eve that he would send a savior to reestablish that relationship with himself.

Again, we’re surprised by the way Jesus came to this earth—as a lowly, humble human being. (Yes, he’s truly God, but he is also truly human.) Jesus kept God’s laws, the laws that we have broken. He was perfect! So, we’re again surprised when we see that Jesus had to suffer and die. Why did he do so? Because he was taking our sins on himself and paying the full price for them. So, through Jesus, our relationship to God has been repaired. And really, that is no surprise; it fulfills what God told Adam and Eve.

So, there will be no real surprises when Jesus returns. He’ll come back and take his believers to live forever with him. We do not need to worry about that whatsoever. The only unknown is when it will take place. That is God’s final and wonderful surprise.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that because of what you have done to save me from my sins I do not need to fear the day this world comes to an end. Help me to be ready for that day, whenever it may come. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
John 5:25

Power Over Death

Daily Devotion – November 23, 2024

Devotion based on John 5:25


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We all know what dead is. Dead is powerless and permanent. When someone or something has died, there is no coming back from it. The chances of recovery are now gone. The best veterinarian in the world cannot do anything for a dog that has been tragically killed by a car. The best doctors cannot dig up a grave and revive its occupant.

Since death is so severe and so permanent, it is terrifying. But then there is Jesus. The almighty Son of God has power even over death. He showed that power several times during his earthly ministry by restoring life to someone who had died. He proved it beyond any doubt by rising from the grave himself.

Jesus’ power over death is for you. He said, “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.” Jesus has the power to give you life right now. In fact, his power is so great that it comes simply through his voice.

The voice of Jesus is heard in the Bible. It is here that you hear the life-giving fact that your sins have been removed forever—washed away by the blood of God’s own Son.

We need to hear that life-giving voice because nothing kills like guilt does. Our mistakes haunt us because we know that we can never go back and undo what we have done. Try as we might, we are still powerless to remove those black marks from our record and make ourselves right with God.

Jesus is not powerless. He paid the price to remove your sin and guilt. And now, through his Word, he gives you the life-giving message that because of what he has done, you are right with God.

Listen to his voice and live.

Prayer:
Jesus, my Savior, you alone have the power to give me life. Open my ears so that I may hear your voice in your Word. Touch my heart that I may trust it and live. Amen.

“But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Daniel 12:1,2

The Book of Life

Daily Devotion – November 22, 2024

Devotion based on Daniel 12:1,2


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Picture the scene. A courtroom with a judge and jury. A gallery full of people. The prosecutor armed with damning evidence. And a defendant who knows his guilt. The prosecutor has a book full of the wicked things the defendant has done. With a smirk on his face, he begins to open his book. He can’t wait to tell everyone the terrible things written on the pages.

But before that prosecutor can speak, the judge pulls out his own book. He silences the prosecutor before he utters a word. This book isn’t full of deeds. Instead, it’s full of names. He looks at you with a smile, and he reads your name.

This book is like God’s family register. It’s his book of life. All it contains is names, not deeds. All believers in Jesus have their names written in the book of life. They are not acquitted because of the things they’ve done. Instead, their names are written in this book by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ.

God does speak of another type of book. And this book does have deeds written in it. These are the sins of those who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They will be condemned because of their works. They are without excuse. God has the evidence. He does not make his judgment arbitrarily or unfairly. A summary of all those sins could simply read, “Rejected God’s love and salvation.” That is ultimately what leads to “shame and everlasting contempt.”

But those who trust in Jesus as their Savior can be assured that deliverance is certain. Their names are written in the book of life. No matter how dark the world may feel, they belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken. God is in control, and his kingdom will ultimately reign.

Prayer:
Dear God, it is by grace alone that you record names in your book of life. Help me to always trust in you and the grace you show through Jesus. Amen.

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.”
Daniel 12:1

No Need to Fear

Daily Devotion – November 21, 2024

Devotion based on Daniel 12:1


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The people of Judah were living in exile, far from the land God had promised them, forced to settle in Babylon—a foreign land filled with false gods, foreign customs, and oppression. Their temple had been destroyed, and many of them felt as though God had abandoned them. Their situation was bleak, and discouragement must have often settled in their hearts. Babylon was not their home, yet they had no way of returning to their homeland. In such times of uncertainty, God’s Word to Daniel would have been a powerful source of hope.

We, too, can find ourselves feeling like exiles in this world. There are times when the world around us seems filled with chaos and darkness—wars, natural disasters, and moral decay surround us. It can feel like we’re living in Babylon, far from the peace and promises of God. It’s easy to become discouraged when we see injustice prevailing or when life brings distress and hardship that seem unending.

But God reminds us that no matter how bad things get, we have no reason to lose hope. God showed Daniel a future time of great distress, but he also highlighted a powerful truth: God has supernatural forces fighting on behalf of his people. Michael, the great archangel, is named the protector of God’s people. God’s angels, including Michael, are at work, ensuring our deliverance.

Those angels fight against a defeated enemy. Jesus conquered every spiritual enemy by mastering the devil’s temptations and overcoming the world’s hatred of him. Jesus even defeated the miserable enemy of death by his resurrection from the dead. While these enemies may still cause distress, they are ultimately defeated.

When dismay tries to overwhelm us, we can remember that God has not abandoned his people. Just as Michael arose to protect Judah, God also protects his Church today. We have nothing to fear, for our victory is secured in Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for conquering all my enemies. Come to me quickly when I am in distress. Amen.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27,28

Our Time of Grace

Daily Devotion – November 20, 2024

Devotion based on Hebrews 9:27,28


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No one can escape death. And just as certain as death is the judgment that will come after it. That can be a terrifying thought. No one likes to face judgment.

The thought of being judged at the end of our life for all the things that we have done and have not done sounds excruciatingly painful. We don’t want anyone to judge our life and see the terrible things we’ve done or hear the awful things we’ve said.

The standard of judgment is not about being pretty good or mostly good. It’s not about being better than others. It’s not even about getting better and better as life goes on. No, God’s standard of judgment is perfection. Either you are perfect, or you are not.

Since no one can live up to that standard, God made a plan. His Son, Jesus Christ, came into the world and lived perfectly. He kept every standard God set. He never failed or faltered. He is perfect. More than that, Jesus faced God’s judgment for sin on the cross. His sacrifice satisfied the wrath of God for humanity’s imperfection and sin.

Now, God gives people an opportunity during their life to hear this good news called the gospel. He wants all people to believe that Jesus is their Savior and to receive the forgiveness that Christ offers. God gives each of us a time of grace to put our trust in him, acknowledging that his sacrifice is sufficient so that we can live in the assurance of sins forgiven.

Everyone who puts their faith in Jesus will not have to fear death and judgment. God will judge believers based on the works of Jesus and his perfection. When Jesus comes again, he will bring salvation to all waiting for him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for enduring judgment in my place. Help me to trust in your finished work and eagerly wait for your second coming. Amen.

Nor did [Christ] enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:25,26

Sacrificed Once for All

Daily Devotion – November 19, 2024

Devotion based on Hebrews 9:25,26


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Before the time of Jesus, the Israelites gathered around the temple every year for the Day of Atonement. God reminded them that there needed to be amends and reparation for their wrongdoing and sin.

It was one of their most sacred days. The air filled with a solemn silence. They watched the high priest fulfill his duties. Instead of wearing his usual ornate robe and bejeweled breastplate, he wore simple white linen. There was no room for outward glory, only humility before God.

Only on this day could the high priest enter a room in the temple called the Most Holy Place. A veil separated it from the rest of the temple. Inside, the high priest sprinkled blood on the mercy seat. The blood symbolized the atonement of sin, a vivid reminder of the cost of sin.

During the day, a goat was chosen. The priest confessed the sins of the people onto the goat and sent it into the wilderness. The people watched the scapegoat carry their sins far away. God not only forgave the people their sins, but he also removed them far from his people.

This day played out year after year because no animal’s blood could pay for a single sin. No goat was powerful enough to carry sins. All these acts pointed forward to a time when God would send his Messiah, the Christ, to be the Savior. This Savior would make real atonement for the sins of his people.

Jesus Christ acted as both priest and sacrifice, offering his very blood for the eternal atonement of humanity. The blood of Jesus is holy and precious because it is the very blood of God. His one sacrifice was enough to restore humanity’s broken relationship with God caused by our sin. Because of Jesus, God has removed our sins forever.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for paying the terrible cost of my sin. Help me to treasure my restored relationship with you. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”
John 5:28,29

All Will Rise

Daily Devotion – November 18, 2024

Devotion based on John 5:28,29


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There is a large cemetery near where I live. From the road, you can see headstones for what looks like miles. Driving into the cemetery, you are surrounded by graves. Rows and rows of plots and places where the dead sleep, entombed in a coffin, covered by six feet of dirt.

Every time I accompany families to that cemetery for the burial of a loved one, I have the privilege of assuring them this will not be their loved one’s final resting place. It doesn’t matter how well the coffin is sealed or how much dirt is on top of it. It doesn’t even matter what condition the body is in. That body, that person, will rise when Jesus comes.

Jesus makes it clear that all people will rise when they hear his voice at his second coming. Cemeteries, tombs, and mausoleums will burst open with the once dead who are alive again. No grave will have the power to hold onto its corpses.

At that time, Jesus declares that those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. But who can do good when God defines good as perfection? No one is perfect except for Jesus. But, God promises to credit Jesus’ perfection to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior. Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior rise to eternal glory; those who do not believe rise to eternal condemnation.

All the dead will rise at Jesus’ voice on the Last Day, but believers rise from spiritual death at the voice of Jesus in the gospel. During this life, he invites you to come to him for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He beckons you with his gentle voice to find your rest in him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to hear and listen to your voice so that I may rest forever with you. Amen.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.
Hebrews 9:27,28

To Savor Life

Daily Devotion – November 17, 2024

Devotion based on Hebrews 9:27,28


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William Saroyan was a great Twentieth Century American writer. William was known for his extreme zeal for life. He once said, “Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep really to sleep. Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might . . . You will be dead soon enough.”

On one level, his advice makes sense: Life is short. Death is coming. Savor the time you have.

When you study his later years, however, it appears that William took this to mean that living life is a frantic race against time. As he grew older, he isolated himself in his home to get more words down on paper. He drank gallons of coffee and often worked for up to two days without sleep. And when he did sleep, it was on an army cot next to his typewriter.

One day, relatives found him unconscious. They rushed him to a hospital. Within a short time, William Saroyan was dead.

On the one hand, you and I want to do what William Saroyan advised. During our days on this earth, we want to try as much as possible “to breathe deeply” to taste life fully.

For us as Christians, however, there’s a difference. We savor this life, not because this life is all we have, but because Jesus Christ has made it sweet.

Despite difficulties and disappointments, this life is sweet because full forgiveness through faith in Jesus has made it so. Despite troubles and pain, this life is sweet because God, in Christ, is using us to touch the lives of others. Despite tragedy, illness, old age, and death, this life is sweet because Jesus has turned the end of this life into the door to life eternal.

Because of Jesus, you and I can savor the life he has given us and know that the best is yet to come.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you washed me clean in your blood and covered me in your perfection. Through faith in you my life is sweet. Move me to savor this life as I await the life to come. Amen.