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Daily Devotion June 28th

SUNDAY 28th

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

We will return to where I left off yesterday, the amazing transformation that is going to take place at the moment of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Incidentally, if in doubt about a possible future rapture or being caught up as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, do not forget it has happened before! Remember a few weeks ago we looked at Enoch, who was not, because God took him. (Genesis 5:24) Elijah who was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire, witnessed by Elisha (2 Kings 2:11-12) and Jesus was taken up (Acts 1:11) – Jesus knew the wonder of resurrection and rapture! As a result, we who believe in him will experience one or the other, depending on whether we are dead in Christ (resurrection) or living in Christ when he returns. (Rapture)

What is the transformation that is going to take place? Read what Paul has to say, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ‘Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.’

Paul says ‘we shall be changed’ in these few verses he is saying or declaring what is to be factual in the future, that is that the perishable shall be transformed into imperishable, and the mortal shall be transformed into immortality. It will be the final moment when death will be ultimately defeated, swallowed up in victory. Understand this, that once we have gone through this transformation, death will never haunt us again, we will live for ever, spiritually, and in the new resurrection body.

In the Scripture we read the accounts of men and woman who had died but through the means of a miracle had been raised from the dead, but the problem was that they would all have to face death again! When Lazarus came out of the tomb all wrapped up, once the grave clothes had been taken off he might just as well have washed them and packed them in a bag and kept them in a cupboard, because he would have to use them again one day. When Jesus arose from the dead, the grave clothes were folded and left where his body had lain, Jesus could have put a note on them, free to anyone who wants them, because I will not need them again, because he was raised to the power of an endless life.

Let us remind ourselves regarding our loved ones who have died in Christ, the place where we have laid their earthly remains is only temporal! They will rise again, and we will meet them in that meeting in the air.

And this incredible transformation that will take place when Jesus comes again, means that we will be transformed or changed from the earthly and natural to the heavenly and spiritual. From perishable to imperishable, from immortal to immortality. As in Adam we all die, so in Christ shall we all be made alive.

In verse 42-44 of 1 Corinthians 15 Paul says, ‘So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.’ And the same transformation will happen to the bodies of those who are alive when Jesus comes again.

I want us to note the word used there in those verses, ‘it is raised in glory’. This is where I had intended to be back three days ago when I mentioned in the devotion those words ‘from glory to glory he’s changing me’ but I have got carried away with the excitement of it all!

Here on earth we have bodies that are fallen, fragile, life is futile (especially outside of Christ). Should the Lord tarry we will all go the same way, the way of death, and Paul says when we are buried, we are sown in dishonour. But the good news is that we will be raised in GLORY!

We are going to know the fullness or the completion of our redemption!

Face to face with Christ, my Saviour,

Face to face—what will it be,

When with rapture I behold him,

Jesus Christ who died for me?

Face to face I shall behold him,

Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all his glory,

I shall see him by and by!

Only faintly now I see him,

With the darkened veil between,

But a blessed day is coming,

When his glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in his presence,

When are banished grief and pain;

Death is swallowed up in vict’ry,

And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!

Face to face—to see and know;

Face to face with my Redeemer,

Jesus Christ who loves me so.

Mrs Frank Beck CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 27th

SATURDAY 27th

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Does anyone remember this old song?

‘There’s going to be a meeting in the air,

in the sweet, sweet bye and bye,

I’m going to meet you, meet you over there,

in the home beyond the sky,

such singing there will be,

never heard by mortal ear,

‘twill be glorious I do declare,

for God’s own Son, will be the leading one,

in the meeting in the air!

I remember it vividly, being sang especially at the annual conventions we used to have in Hereford, because my late grandfather used to be the song leader, and I can see him waving his arms around with all the effort he could to get the song sung with full gusto. The song speaks of something future, it is a song that is seeking to portray something of what will happen after the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when the redeemed of the Lord will be assembled in praise and worship around the throne. (Revelation 5) It is going to be amazing, but immediately prior to that meeting in the air something else is going to happen and to quote Scripture it will happen ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’. (1 Corinthians 15:52) (‘in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye’ NIV)

It is what we call the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of the living believers at the second coming of Jesus. Now, I am not going to use this devotion to go through all the varying views concerning the timing of the second coming, except to say that my personal view is that of pre-tribulation and pre-millennial.

Jesus is coming again, he promised he would and that is good enough for me, he also said that when he came again he would take the disciples to be where he was going to, which was to where his Father was. (John 14) This promise also stands for those of us who have subsequently come to faith. Paul tells us how Jesus is coming again and what will happen, or how he will take us to be with himself, it is either via resurrection from the grave or by being snatched, taken up. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ‘For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.’

During the week, I was having a conversation with a man who I had never met before, I was out walking and videoing the birds and he had seen me with my camera and enquired what the bird was up in the top of the tree. After telling him, the conversation continued, and he recommended to me a place to go to for a walk with the camera. I said I would need to write it down as I didn’t really know the area and would forget and so I got my phone out and typed the place in. The conversation continued and a few minutes later, he said, ‘I don’t think you have heard me right, it must be our accents,’ and proceeded to tell me the name of the place again. ‘Ah,’ I said, and repeated it and so the place name was changed. However a few minutes later he said ‘I still don’t think you have heard me correctly,’ and again sought to tell me the name of the place and yes he was right I had heard it wrong so a third attempt was made and I finally had the correct name. Initially I heard him say with his ‘very difficult’ to understand northern accent (difficult to me!) something like ‘Cler Bank’ He had actually said Clay Bank, I heard Claire Bank, then Clear Bank before finally getting to Clay Bank.

When it comes to what Paul has to say in 1 Thessalonians 4 concerning the second coming, we cannot mishear it, we do not need Paul to repeat it two or three times, the information is very clear and precise. Let us break it up:

The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel

At the same time there will be the sound of the trumpet of God

The dead in Christ will rise first

We who are alive, who are left will be caught up into the clouds

Together (the dead that have just been raised and the alive who have been caught up) will meet the Lord in the air

And so we will always be – that is with the Lord

That’s cler, ah no, that’s Claire, oh no, that’s clay, silly me, that is clear!

What will happen, which we reminded ourselves earlier will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and will be incredible. Imagine it, the dead being raised. I’m one of those who likes to walk around graveyards reading the tomb stones, and am amazed at the amount of effort that has gone into some of the massive slabs of stone or concrete covering them, and in a jiffy, at the shout and trumpet blast the bodies of those who have died in Christ are going to break through whatever has been placed upon the tomb, and as they ascend through the soil, concrete or stone, we the living believers are going to join with them and ascend into the presence of Jesus. Surely this is something worth getting excited about! And, in that instant an incredible transformation is going to take place. It is this transformation which was intended to be my subject today but I have gone the way I have and so we will have to continue tomorrow.

Let us get excited about the amazing future we have in Christ, a future that will last throughout the countless ages of eternity. There is going to be a meeting in the air, will I see you there?

You have heard of little Moses in the bulrush,

You have heard of fearless David and his sling,

You have heard the story told of dreaming Joseph,

And of Jonah and the whale you often sing.

There are many, many others through the Bible.

I should like to meet them all, I do declare!

By and by the Lord will surely let us meet them

At the meeting in the air.

There is going to be a meeting in the air,

In the sweet, sweet by and by,

I am going to meet you, meet you over there

In that home beyond the sky.

Such singing you will hear, never heard by mortal ear,

‘Twill be glorious, I do declare!

And God’s own Son will be the leading one

At the meeting in the air.

Many things will there be missing, in that meeting,

For the mourner’s bench will have no place at all,

There will never be a sermon preached to sinners,

For the sinner had refused to heed the call.

There will be no mourning over wayward loved ones,

There will be no lonely nights of pleading prayer,

All our burdens and our anguish will be lifted

At the meeting in the air.

There the doubters will be missing altogether,

All the sceptic will be absent on that day,

There will be no grumblers present to disturb us,

And the Achans will be busy far away.

There the saints will have His seal upon their foreheads,

Dressed in raiment none but ransomed ones can wear,

All who have the wedding garments will be present

At the meeting in the air.

CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 26th

FRIDAY 26th

2 Corinthians 4

Yesterday I touched on the subject of being victorious in our suffering, in today’s devotion I want to enlarge further by looking at what Scripture says about our present suffering and place it in the context of what Paul says in this chapter, that is, that whatever we go through will be outweighed by that which is eternally prepared for us. Verses 16-18 ‘So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’

In his earlier letter to the Corinthian believers Paul had written ‘But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.’ (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Now we know that God has prepared for us in the present, that is everything that is wrapped up in our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ which we are blessed with today, but he has also prepared for us in the future, that which is yet unseen but will be revealed when we enter into his eternal presence. Jesus in one of his parables indicates this in Matthew 25:34 ‘Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ James talks of the crown of life that is promised and therefore is prepared for those who remain steadfast in trials. (James 1:12)

The verses before us today remind us that though the outward is perishing, that is our mortal flesh, the inner man which has been made anew by the Spirit of God is being renewed daily. In other words, outwardly we are aging and decaying, it doesn’t matter how much anti-aging remedies we may be using to try to stop it, we will fail! Yet at the same time inwardly, we are being renewed and to use the words of Paul again we are being changed from glory to glory, 2 Corinthians 3:18 ‘And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.’

Now it may seem strange to speak of us being changed from glory to glory, as we always ascribe glory as being related to the Godhead, but in the context here it is talking of us who have been redeemed, becoming more like Christ, the more we are renewed inwardly the more we are being changed to become like Christ. The NIV brings this out ‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’

I remember as a young lad our Church often singing the chorus:

From glory to glory He’s changing me,

Changing me, changing me.

His likeness and image to perfect in me.

The love of God shown to the world.

For He’s changing, changing me,

From earthly things to the heavenly.

His likeness and image to perfect in me,

The love of God shown to the world.

It’s a wonderful thought that as Christians, although we are aging outwardly, losing all the youthful features and good looks (if we had them in the first place) something more wonderful is happening inwardly, we are becoming more like Christ. This is the work of sanctification taking place. But there is more good news, the aging, decaying body is not going to be left out of the process of glory! For, that which is temporal, will one day be made anew, and clothed with that which will be eternal. There is going to be an eternal glory, again as a lad I can remember the preachers talking of our justification, sanctification and our glorification, glorification is not only our becoming more Christlike, but also our being changed from temporal to eternal, from momentarily to eternal, from decay to eternal and it is Paul again who brings the wonder of this truth to us in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verses 35-49, I quote here verses 42-49 ‘So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.’

I quote Paul again from 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 ‘For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.’ (Did you notice prepared again)

We will continue to look at the resurrection of the body in the next devotion, but may we be encouraged and reminded today with the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:11 ‘If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.’

What is at present is temporal, but what will be, will be eternal, no more sickness, no more suffering, no more pain, no more decaying, no more aging, no more dying, instead we will be entering eternally into the joy and the presence of the Lord.

There’s a place where the streets shine

With the glory of the Lamb

There’s a way we can go there

We can live there, beyond time

Because of You, because of You

Because of Your love, because of Your blood

No more pain no more sadness

No more suffering, no more tears

No more sin, no more sickness

No injustice, no more death

Oh, our sins are washed away

And we can live forever

Now we have this hope

Because of You

Oh, we’ll see You face to face

And we will dance together

In the city of our God

Because of You

There’ll be joy everlasting

There’ll be gladness, there’ll be peace

There’ll be wine ever flowing

There’s a wedding, there’s a feast

Matt Redman CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 25th

THURSDAY 25th

Romans 8:31-39

Yesterday I left this portion out of our devotion because I wanted to share it for today, v 37 says ‘No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’ We are more than conquerors! But what are the ‘all these things?’ they are all the things that seek to separate us from the love of Christ. (v35) Paul lists tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword. It is a comprehensive list, a list that very clearly identifies so much of what was coming against the believers in the early Church.

Paul was well enough qualified to not only ask the question ‘Who shall separate us . . .’ but also to answer it. He had been through so much – and remember what he went through was already predetermined by God even before he had been converted. In Acts 9 after the Damascus road experience, God speaking about Paul (Saul) to Ananias said ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’  Did you get it? ‘how much he must suffer for the sake of my name’. Can I remind us in this devotion that if anyone preaches or teaches that true believers only suffer (including sickness) because of a lack of faith or because they have sinned in some way are teaching and preaching a lie. The Scripture is clear that in the life and ministry of Paul, he was going to suffer and not because he will have sinned, nor because he lacked faith but because it was the predetermined will of God! ‘I will show him how much he must suffer . . .’ And it happened, read the list that Paul gives us in 2 Corinthians 11:22-29 and 2 Corinthians 4:7-8 and then in 1 Corinthians 4:10-13 he says ‘We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labour, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.’ And in it and through it his faith was not weak or tottery it was strong, when he was shipwrecked in Acts 27 he was confident that God was going to not only save him and bring him safely to the shore, but everyone else who was sailing in the ship as well,(v31, 34) his faith was so strong that he could say with confidence in Romans 8 that ‘. . . in all these things we are more than conquerors . . . neither death nor life . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

I must of course put on record that yes sin does cause suffering, and bring on sickness, we only have to look at the addict or alcoholic, but if I am suffering as a firm believer in the Lord Jesus Christ it doesn’t mean it is because I am sinning, nor does it mean I lack faith, but what it most definitely means is that God is allowing something and I must learn to respond in the same way that Paul did, it should bring me closer to the heart of God, it should bring me into a deeper relationship with him, it should cause my faith to be strengthened because God is faithful and his Word says, ‘No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.’ (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Yesterday our subject was victorious and Paul in Romans 8:31-39 reminds us that positioned in Christ, in and through every circumstance in life we can be victorious because there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from the love of God. What about death, will this separate us from God? Absolutely not for death for the believer is the moment in which we will enter God’s eternal presence. Again, to quote Paul, he was so confident in his faith and trust in the gospel that he said, ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ Philippians 1:21

We have been looking at the word Saviour, it is such an amazing word because it describes who Jesus is because of what he has done at Calvary. He is the Saviour, the only Saviour, because he has saved us and as Saviour he keeps us so that whatever or whomsoever would seek to comes against us, his saving grace is sufficient to keep me from falling and to bring me into his eternal presence.

I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus,

Trusting only thee;

Trusting thee for full salvation,

Great and free.

I am trusting thee for pardon;

At thy feet I bow;

For thy grace and tender mercy,

Trusting now.

I am trusting thee for cleansing

In the crimson flood;

Trusting thee to make me holy

By thy blood.

I am trusting thee to guide me;

Thou alone shalt lead;

Every day and hour supplying

All my need.

I am trusting thee for power,

Thine can never fail;

Words which thou thyself shalt give me

Must prevail.

I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus;

Never let me fall;

I am trusting thee forever,

And for all.

Francis R Havergal CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 25th

WEDNESDAY 24th

Colossians 2:6-15

We continue with the word Victorious today and use it in relation to us who have been born again by the Spirit of God. Yesterday we saw Jesus as victorious and the good news is because of his victory we can know victory as well.

In Colossians 2 we have the following verses ‘And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.’ (vv13-15) These verses remind us of Christs victory, but notice what is embedded in this statement concerning us:

‘having forgiven us all our trespasses’

‘cancelling the record of debt that stood against us’

Christ has given us victory as well! The sin that dragged us down and condemned us has been forgiven, the record that was written against us has been destroyed! This means that we should be living victoriously in the victory that Christ has accomplished for us.

As I am preparing this I am listening to some music and the song being sung is ‘There is a fountain filled with blood’ We have been plunged beneath the flood and all our guilty stains have been removed. Just as the dying thief rejoiced to see the fountain in his day, so we though vile as he can come by faith to the stream and know it washing away all our stain, cancelling the record of debt against us.

Now, I am going to mention here that although we share in Christs victory it does not mean that we are going to sail through life without any storms etc. You will know already where I come from in these matters from our previous devotions. We will still know trials, sickness and of course should the Lord tarry death, but he helps us to live victoriously in the circumstances. Rather than going over the same ground again I will share the Word of God.

Philippians 4:13 ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me.’

2 Corinthians 12:9-11 ‘But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’

1 John 5:4-5 ‘For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 ‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, I believed, and so I spoke, we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’

Yes, we are victorious in Christ Jesus and one day, and what a day it will be we will know the completeness of that victory when we know the experience of 1 Corinthians 15, the future resurrection unto eternal life. Then will come to pass the saying that is written ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (vv54-57)

‘Therefore, my beloved brothers (and sisters), be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.’ (v58)

O what a SAVIOUR!

In Jesus I’ve found a sweet rest

From sorrow, from toil, and from care;

In Him I am happy and blest,

For He all my burdens doth bear.

Oh, how happy am I,

With my Saviour so nigh!

I have found sweet rest

On Jesus’ dear breast.

I came to the Lord for release,

When burdened with guilt and with sin;

He cleansed me, and gave me His peace,

The Spirit to witness within.

Though many the troubles I meet,

He’ll keep me, and help me along;

I’ll sit at His glorified feet,

For He is my joy and my song.

All glory and praise to Thy name

For what Thou didst suffer for me;

For saving my soul when I came

And gave myself up unto Thee.

L S Riggs CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 23rd

TUESDAY 23rd

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Today we come to the last of our letters in the word Saviour, V for victorious.

We have a dual aspect look at this word, first to remind ourselves that our Saviour was victorious and secondly that we share in his victory.

Way back in the garden of Eden, our fore-parent, Adam along with Eve failed. God had given them an instruction and they chose to disobey, and the rest is sad history. But thank God there was a second Adam, the man Christ Jesus who came, and he lived an obedient life and as a result was victorious. Where Adam failed, Christ triumphed. Let us allow Scripture to speak:

1 Corinthians 15:21-28 ‘For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says, all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.’

It is continued in verses 45-50 ‘Thus it is written, the first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.’

Back in the garden of Eden, God had declared ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.’ (Genesis 3:15) In this single sentence God was predicting and proclaiming the final victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over the devil and sin and of the final destruction of the devil himself. Back then as far as time was concerned it was something that would happen a few thousand years later, but in God’s purpose it had already happened! The victory was already a guaranteed victory. And try as he would in all manner of ways to bring humankind to destruction, in God’s plan the devil was defeated and through the victorious and conquering Saviour at Calvary it became a reality.

And what a victory, for the victory has brought about everything that we have been considering in our words taken from the word SAVIOUR and so much more. He the second Adam has conquered and triumphed. He has fought the battle and won the fight, he who was the Lamb slain has become the Lion who has conquered. He who was taken and executed at the hands of cruel men, was raised triumphant and victorious by the power of God. (Acts 2:22-24 ‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.   God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.’)

Isaiah 53 portrays for us a picture of the suffering servant, which is prophetic of the death of Jesus. Isaiah says this ‘He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.’ (v3) Isaiah has much more to say, but overall, it is the picture of a pathetic looking man, who has become ridiculed, beaten, and crushed. At first it does not seem to speak much of triumph and victory and yet it was through his suffering, his humiliation and his death that he won the victory! Thanks God the story did not stop the moment his dead body was placed in the tomb and the stone was rolled in place. There was something big about to happen! Isaiah continues in the same chapter with ‘Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.’ (vv10-12)

Isaiah prophecies that the one who suffered and died will see his offspring (v10) it also continues that he would divide the spoils which speaks of someone having conquered and taken from the enemy camp. (v12) This takes us into the New Testament and to the resurrection story in Luke and the good news I mentioned ‘He is not here, he is risen’ The one who was despised and rejected is now the conquering victorious Saviour, he has taken the spoils, and  he will see his offspring, all those who come to him by faith, who are born again by the Spirit of God.

I will close with some verses of Scripture, that show us that the man who hung on the Cross is now seated upon the throne! Victorious.

Philippians 2:5-11 ‘Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Thank you for the cross, Lord

Thank you for the price You paid

Bearing all my sin and shame

In love You came

And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love, Lord

Thank you for the nail pierced hands

Washed me in Your cleansing flow

Now all I know

Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb

Seated on the throne

Crown You now with many crowns

You reign victorious

High and lifted up

Jesus Son of God

The Darling of Heaven crucified

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb

Darlene Zschech CCLI788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion June 22nd

MONDAY 22nd

Acts 4:8-12

Our next letter in SAVIOUR for us to consider is U and Unique.

This will be considered in two ways, first Jesus is UNIQUE as Saviour, and secondly because of God’s concern for each one of us we are individually unique.

In the Scripture above, Peter and John are defending their involvement in the healing of the lame man and they make an important statement (Acts 4:11-12) ‘This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’

This is an affirmation of what Jesus had said while talking to his disciples in John 14:6 ‘. . . I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’

The gospel that we have believed and accepted is the only gospel, the only good news. The Lord Jesus Christ whom we have come to believe on and accept is the only Saviour. There is no other way, there is no other name, there is no other Saviour. He is unique, the gospel is unique, any other effort or endeavour to seek to placate God and reconcile mankind into his presence is to no avail.

In John 10 in which we read of Jesus as being the good Shepherd, we also read that he says that he is the door or the gate. The hymn writer puts it like this, ‘There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin, he only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in’. Jesus not only unlocked the gate of heaven with his atoning work but he himself is the gate. ‘One door and only one, yet its sides are two, I’m on the inside, which side are you?’

Jesus is unique in that he is the only Son of the true and living God, who through his obedience in coming to earth and going to Calvary became the unique Saviour.

In regard to our own personal uniqueness, when God created man in his own image, the first thing we need to understand, God was not creating a man that would be cloned in every person that would be born, like a mass production of robots from an assembly line, yes, every person would be recognisable as a person, but not one of us is exactly the same, we have our own personality, our own consciousness, our own preferences, we are physically different but even more important we all have our own individual soul, spirit. We are individuals made in the image of God, with our own uniqueness stamped upon us. This should help us to understand that each one of us is special, we are all unique in our own way. But there is something special about our uniqueness in the unique Saviour. We have a new identity, we have a new name and its written down in glory. I am who I am and what I am by the grace of God, and you have become who you are by the grace of God. God looks at us en-masse, and sees us as the Church, the body of Christ and the bride to be of Christ, yet at the same time he looks at us as unique individuals, he sees each one of us separately as his workmanship in Christ, he sees us uniquely as new creations, he sees us as individual sons and daughters who have been adopted into his family.

Today if you are struggling with who you are, with identity, remember that God has called you and saved you, he sees you as unique and special, he sent his Son to redeem you and to save you, he has a plan and a purpose for your life which only you can fulfil.

This thought leads us to the next letter in Saviour O – Ordered

This is a simple thought and it is this. God has a plan for each one of us, in redeeming us he has firstly brought order into our lives, one song says that ‘my life was full of so much confusion, my life was full of sin and shame, but Jesus came along and he touched me, I have never been the same.’ And the reason why we have never been the same is because Jesus the Saviour has tidied up our sin filled lives, he has thrown out the rubbish and brought order in the place of confusion, chaos and mess. And as he works in our lives, he causes us to live ordered lives, lives that are lived fulfilling his plan and his purpose. He has prepared good works for us so that we can walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Psalm 37:23 ‘The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way . . .’

Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.’

If anyone is reading this and you are finding that things seem to be in a mess at this moment, your life is all confused and you don’t know which way you are heading, turn to the Saviour, refocus your attention towards him, centre your desires and your will around what he desires and wills and allow him to bring order and direction back into your life. Allow the one who says we are his workmanship to do the work that he needs to do to keep us in that place, which is the safest place, the centre of his will.

I’m special because God has loved me

For He gave the best thing that He had to save me

His own Son Jesus, crucified to take the blame

For all the bad things I have done

Thank You Jesus, thank You Lord

For loving me so much

I know I don’t deserve anything

Help me feel Your love right now

To know deep in my heart

That I’m Your special friend

Graham Kendrick CCLI788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion June 21st

SUNDAY 21st

Romans 8:14-17

Accepted and Included

On resurrection morning we read some of the best news that the world has ever heard, it is found in Luke 24:5-6  ‘And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee . . .’ If we go to John’s gospel and chapter 20 we read of another statement that was made at the tomb which is also significant and important news John 20:17 ‘Jesus said to her, Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’

Did you catch the good news? Jesus is saying that his Father was now also Mary’s Father and that his God was now also Mary’s God and he included the disciples in the good news.

The work of redemption not only saves us and brings forgiveness and reconciliation but it also brings us into the privileged position of being accepted or adopted into Gods family as his sons and daughters, the God who we were estranged from because of our sin and iniquity is now our God and our Father and he calls us his children. He includes us in his family. Revelation 20 tells us about a book called the book of life, it is a record of all who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but for a moment think of it this way, it is a book that records all that have been accepted and included into the family of God, the household of faith. It is a family record, is your name included?

The modern translations miss out something that is found in the KJV in Ephesians 1:6 ‘To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.’

We are only accepted by God through our being positioned in the Lord Jesus Christ and we are positioned or placed in Christ through the new birth experience. Outside of being in Christ all mankind is hopelessly lost and will in the final analysis be banished eternally from his presence. Our being positioned in Christ is an incredible place to be, it is the place in which we are brought near to the very presence of and to the heart of God.

Ephesians chapter 2 which we have come to many times during these lockdown devotions is a great chapter in that it helps us to understand the whole idea of our being included in the purposes of God because of and through our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember what it says in verses 11-13 ‘Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands — remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility . . .’

As Gentiles unbelievers we were separated from, without hope, and without God. Earlier in the chapter Paul reminds us that we were dead, following the course of this world, living in the passions of the flesh and were children of wrath. But v4 gives an amazing BUT, ‘But God’, through his grace and mercy and through the redemptive work of Christ has reached out to us and has accepted us and included us in all that he has purposed to do. Because we have been accepted and included, we have access in one Spirit to the Father, we are no longer strangers and aliens but are now included as fellow citizen with the saints and members of the household of God.  (verses 17-19)

It almost impossible for me to put into words what I want to be saying today, I trust that what I have said will cause us to rejoice again and to have hearts that are full of appreciation for what God has done in Christ Jesus to bring us back into his family and into his household, we are children of God. I will close with some verses of Scripture.

Romans 8:14-17 ‘For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.’

Galatians 4:4-7 ‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.’

Galatians 3:25-26 ‘But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.’

I’m accepted, I’m forgiven

I am fathered by the true and living God

I’m accepted, no condemnation

I am loved by the true and living God

There’s no guilt or fear as I draw near

To the Saviour and Creator of the world

There is joy and peace

As I release my worship to You, O Lord

© 1985 Kingsway Thankyou Music CCLI788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion June 20th

SATURDAY 20th

Romans 5:1-11

Today we will look at the word Reconciled.

Reconciliation is an important aspect of salvation, for on the cross Jesus was not only taking our place, taking our sin and the punishment for the sin, he also as we learned yesterday bore on himself the wrath of God toward that sin on our behalf bringing us forgiveness, appeasement and the hope of eternal life. At the same time, he was at work to bring about reconciliation, the act of reconciling us back to God.

You will have to forgive me if I am repeating anything that I have shared in previous devotions, but at the end of the day the whole wonder of our salvation is worth repeating time and time again. Sometimes we need to get back to the basics of grasping again a fuller and hopefully richer understanding of all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus.

Back in the garden of Eden, man was banished from the presence of God because of a tree (Genesis 3:8, 22-24) the banishment meant becoming alienated from God, remember that Scripture says that before the fall, God would come down in the cool of the evening (Genesis 3:8) and spend time in fellowship with Adam and Eve, but after the fall they became lost in the big wide open world.

But there was another tree, at a place called Calvary, a tree which welcomes us back into the presence of God, no longer banished or alienated but reconciled.

Aside from the cross, the story of the prodigal or lost son in Luke 15 portrays a picture of reconciliation. We know it well the son was estranged from the family because of his own selfish ambition and desire. He looked out and thought the grass was greener. He left the safety of the homestead and the loving atmosphere of the home to do his own thing. He squandered not just his possessions but his very life until he came to his senses and was wanting to return as a slave, but the father welcomed him as a son again. He expected to be in the servant’s quarters but was reconciled back into sonship and into the homestead. Reconciliation led to restoration in position and relationship.

Although Ephesians chapter 2 does not use the words reconciled, reconciliation or reconcile it covers the theme. Ephesians 2:12-13 ‘. . . remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility . . .’

We also have 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 ‘From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’

We who were exiled, alienated from God, cut off because of our sin and iniquity, in Christ have been reconciled and welcomed into the family of God and we can call him our Father. We are no longer slaves to sin, but we have become sons and daughters of the living God. This takes us to our third and fourth words which are accepted and included which we will look at tomorrow.

Reconciled, I’m reconciled

I’m reconciled to God for ever

Know he took away my sin

I know his love will leave me never

Reconciled, I am his child

I know it was on me he smiled

I’m reconciled, I’m reconciled to God

Justified, I’m justified

It’s just as if I’d never sinned

And once I knew such guilty fear

But now I know his peace within me

Justified, I’m justified

It’s all because my Jesus died

I’m justified, I’m justified by God

Magnify, I’ll magnify

I’ll magnify his name for ever

Wear the robe of righteousness

And bless the name of Jesus, Saviour

Magnify the one who died

The one who reigns for me on high

I’ll magnify, I’ll magnify my God

CCLI788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion June 19th

FRIDAY 19th

Hebrews 9:11-28

Continued from yesterday. Yesterday we looked at we have been saved, today we continue with We are being saved.

Once we have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we are still living in the hostile sinful world, the enemy of our souls would love to drag us back, pull us back into his kingdom of darkness. We are reminded by Peter that the devil is going around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour – (1 Peter 5:8) Peter is writing to believer’s; therefore, he is warning believers. Let us remind ourselves today the devil would love to distract and divert us in our walk of faith, he would love us to deviate and eventually to get us back onto the road that leads to destruction. Peter continues that the believers needed to ‘resist him’. As we have been saved, so we will continue to be being saved as we continue to resist the devil and walk faithfully in our new-found lives as believers or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank God that the Scripture reminds us that as we walk in this hostile world, as we become determined in our hearts to persevere in the struggles of life and in our ongoing relationship with Jesus that he is able to keep us, to prevent us from falling away. Jude 1:24-25 ‘Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.’ In verse 21 Jude has told the believers ‘keep yourselves in the love of God’

I appreciate that on this matter there are two camps, those who believe once saved always saved and those who believe in the possibility of backsliding or falling away. Whatever our position, let us remind ourselves that the Scripture has many references to our need to be watchful, of the need to persevere, and of the need to keep our focus upon Jesus and the finishing line.

We will be saved. Hebrews 9:28 ‘. . . so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.’

One day the race will be over, whether it be through natural death or as a result of the Lords return, and at that moment we who have been saved and who have been kept will be saved throughout eternity, safe as we often say ‘in the arms of Jesus’ or ‘in the presence of Jesus’. Reminding ourselves again of what Jude said, ‘presented blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy’ (Jude 1:24) What a day that is going to be, the day when we finally stand in the presence of Almighty God, the day when we at last will see with our own eyes the Lamb that had been slain, our wonderful and beautiful Saviour, the day when we will gather around the throne with all the redeemed of the Lord and sing out ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’, when we will lift our voices together and sing with those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb from every tribe and language and people and nations, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing’.

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Will you be there?

The same Scripture that reveal to us God’s wonderful plan of redemption also warn us of the dreadful fate of those who have refused to believe, who do not know the wonder of this great redemption story, of those who have rejected it and spurned the incredible and amazing love of God. It says that as we who have believed will be rejoicing in our full and complete salvation, those who have rejected God’s mercy and grace, whose names will not be found in the Lambs book of life will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire. Heaven is real, but sadly so also is Hell. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart but come by faith and believe and accept God’s offer of grace and mercy as he has shown it though the sacrificial death of his Son at Calvary. God loves you, God has died for you, was raised for you and he waits with his arms open wide to welcome you.

One final Scripture, it precedes the verse I commenced this little section with in Hebrews 9:27 ‘And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment . . .’

There is coming a day,

When no heart aches shall come,

No more clouds in the sky,

No more tears to dim the eye,

All is peace forever more,

On that happy golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,

When my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand,

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

There’ll be no sorrow there,

No more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain,

No more parting over there;

And forever I will be,

With the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,

When my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand,

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Jim Hill CCLI788682