There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 105:1–4 KEY VERSE: James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The Lord tells us in His Word that when we seek Him, we will find Him (1 Chron. 28:9; Jer. 29:13). But have you ever thought about what is actually involved in seeking God? It is not a matter of just attending church or following a certain religious tradition. Seeking God is a matter of the heart. This one activity leads you to cross over being a “churchgoer” to becoming a follower of “the way of Christ.” You seek Him, not in a mysterious mythical sense, but through intimate devotion. In your seeking, you thirst after God much like the psalmist who wrote: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God” (Ps. 42:1). A longing to your seeking ushers you into the presence of God where you experience the fullness of His love and undivided care for your soul. Jesus was quick to ask those who followed Him, “Why do you seek Me?” Was it the miracles He performed, or was it the closeness of His presence that drew them? Why do you seek the Lord? Is He an emergency switch you push in times of crisis, or do you truly long to experience His presence on an intimate level? God desires your love and devotion. By itself, memorizing amounts of Scripture will not draw you closer to Him. What grabs God’s heart is the humble, abiding love of someone who seeks Him above everything else.
Give me a heart to seek You above all else, Lord. I want to experience Your presence on an intimate level.
Stanley, C. F. (2000). Into His presence (p. 83). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
I don’t know how much we really think about becoming perfect. I don’t know how important it is for us, that our faith would become mature, perfect. But maybe that’s why we tend to respond to the bad things that happen to us in the same way that an unbeliever would. Maybe that’s why we have a hard time really believing that God uses bad things to produce something good, and why we find ourselves becoming discouraged and angry and bitter because of the things that have happened to us. Because growing in our faith isn’t as important to us as having the life we want,or as having things go the way we thought they would, the way we had planned.
It’s okay, in fact, it’s right and good to cry out to the Lord in our suffering, and God in His Word encourages us to ask Him for relief. Faith prays. Faith means looking to God for all that we need. That’s Jesus’ point in the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). But becoming bitter and angry with the Lord is a symptom of immaturity. It means that we can only be happy if the Lord gives us what we want.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).
Suggestions for prayer
Ask the Lord to help you to set your heart on His goal in your salvation: to become mature, and perfect in Christ.
Rev. Dick Wynia graduated from the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in 1986, and was ordained to the ministry in 1987. He has served four congregations, in Aylmer ON, Calgary AB, Wyoming ON and in Beamsville ON. After almost 37 years in active ministry, he recently became a minister emeritus. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
A small sandbar off the coast of Tybee Island, Georgia, emerges during extremely low tides. Area natives love to venture out to it because it is a haven for sand dollars and small shells. However, there is a trick in navigating the walk. The sandbar is located at the mouth of an inland river, and returning high tides can quickly overtake and strand inexperienced people. What appears to be a short journey back to shore can quickly turn into a dangerous venture. Beachcombers often start back to shore with a certain destination in view. But with little warning, ankle–deep water soon becomes knee deep and then chest deep. Before they know it, they are drifting off course into dangerous waters. The same thing happens to people when they are entangled in matters that hinder their devotion to God. Those who fall prey to spiritual drifting never see it coming. They think, I’m just a little off course. I can get back. But before they know it, they have been swept away by an invading sin or temptation. Make it your goal to stay on course with God. Ask Him to order your daily steps and keep the devotion of your heart turned toward Him.
Order my daily steps. Let the devotion of my heart be turned toward You, Father. I don’t want to drift into dangerous waters. Keep me on course.
Stanley, C. F. (1998). Enter His gates: a daily devotional. Thomas Nelson Publishers.
For the nations around us and all the countries of the world.
You, LORD, rule over the nations: Psalm 22:28(ESV) Who will not fear you, O King of the nations? Jeremiah 10:7(ESV) You sit on the throne, giving righteous judgment; Psalm 9:4(ESV) judge the world therefore with righteousness, and judge the peoples with uprightness. Psalm 9:8(ESV)
Lord, hasten the time when you will make wars cease to the end of the earth; Psalm 46:9(ESV) when nation shall no more lift up sword against nation, nor kingdom against kingdom, but swords shall be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, and they shall not learn war anymore. Isaiah 2:4(ESV)
Make kings foster fathers, and their queens nursing mothers, to the Israel of God. Isaiah 49:23(ESV)
And in the days of these kings, let the God of heaven set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, Daniel 2:44(ESV) even the kingdom of the Redeemer. And whatever purposes there are in men’s minds, Lord, let your purposes stand, Proverbs 19:21(ESV) and fulfill the plans of your heart to all generations. Psalm 33:11(ESV)
For our own land and nation, which we ought in a special manner to seek the welfare of, that in its peace we may have peace.
We must be thankful to God for his mercies to our land.
I bless you that you have planted me on a very fertile hill, Isaiah 5:1(ESV) and have not given the arid plain for my home or the salt land for my dwelling place, Job 39:6(ESV) but the land I inhabit yields her increase. Psalm 85:12(ESV)
Lord, you have been favorable to my land. Psalm 85:1(ESV) I have heard with my ears, and my fathers in the faith have told me, what deeds you performed for your church in their days, and in the times of old; Psalm 44:1(ESV) and as I have heard, so have I seen, for I have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. Psalm 48:8-9(ESV)
And because the Lord loved my people, therefore he has set a good government over us, to execute justice and righteousness; 1 Kings 10:9(ESV) to be a terror to bad conduct, and a protection and praise to those who do what is good. Romans 13:3(ESV)
We must be humbled before God for our national sins and provocations.
But my nation is a sinful people, a people laden with iniquity, an offspring of evildoers; Isaiah 1:4(ESV) and we have a great deal of reason to sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed among us. Ezekiel 9:4(ESV)
Iniquity abounds among us, and the love of many has grown cold. Matthew 24:12(ESV)
We have not been forsaken nor forgotten by God, though our land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. Jeremiah 51:5(ESV)
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. Joshua 10:40 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Job 40:1–14
Divine authority is again interposed in the text to acquit Joshua of any charge of cruelty. Since God had destined the swords of his people for the slaughter of the Amorites, Joshua could do nothing but obey his command. By such a decree all mouths are stopped and all minds restrained from passing censure. When reading that Joshua slew all who came his way, even though they threw down their arms and begged for mercy, we may be disturbed, but when we read further that God had commanded Joshua to do so, we have no ground for pronouncing sentence on Joshua anymore than we do against those who pronounce sentence on criminals. We might also think the children and the women that Joshua slew were without blame. If so, let us remember that the judgment seat of heaven is not subject to our laws. Rather, when we see how green plants are burned in the judgment, let us who are dry wood fear a heavier judgment for ourselves. Certainly, any person who thoroughly examines himself will find that he deserves a hundred deaths. Why then should not the Lord find grounds for the death of an infant that has only passed from its mother’s womb? In vain should we murmur or complain that God has doomed all the offspring of an accursed race to the same destruction, for the potter has absolute power over his own vessels and over his own clay.
FOR MEDITATION: Passages like this selection from Joshua often incite rebellion in our hearts. Like Job, we must learn to put our hands over our mouths and humble ourselves before Almighty God, knowing that he who created all creatures also will determine, sovereignly and justly, what is right for them.
Calvin, J., & Beeke, J. R. (2008). 365 Days with Calvin (p. 40). Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books.
SCRIPTURE READING: John 6:65–69 KEY VERSE: John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
In his classic book The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan told of the adventures of Christian on his spiritual journey as a believer in Christ. Christian knew that the straight and narrow path—the way of Jesus—was the only road to heaven, the Celestial City. But the path was often rough and rocky; trials and temptations surrounded him. Discouraged, Christian looked away from the road at the soft grass of By–path Meadow and took what he thought was a shortcut, another way to God. Moments later, he was thrown into a dark dungeon as a prisoner of the Giant Despair. Christian got a hard look at the hopelessness of other options and learned where they led—away from Christ. Understanding who Jesus is will keep you from false, tempting choices. When compared to Jesus, all other options pale. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6 NASB). Nothing else will do. No other course brings true and lasting rewards. There are no substitutes, no bypass. His love and forgiveness are all–sufficient. He gives direction and purpose to your life. The way may be arduous at times, but it is the best route to a meaningful life.
Jesus is the way. There are no other options for me! Keep me on the right path this day, even though it might be difficult. Thank You, Lord, for the direction and purpose You give my life.
Stanley, C. F. (1998). Enter His gates: a daily devotional. Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Yes! from everlasting the precise period of redemption was determined, and the appointed time of the vision could not tarry. Every intermediate event ministered to this one glorious æra, redemption by Jesus. The Church was in Egypt four hundred and thirty years, and in Babylon seventy. But we are told in the former instance, “the self-same night the Lord brought them forth with their armies, and the latter did not outstay the hour of their promised deliverance. So when the fulness of time was come, the Son of God came for the redemption of his people. And observe how graciously Jesus speaks of them: he calls them his redeemed. They were so in the covenant from everlasting; and when the time arrives for calling them by his grace, he claims them as the gift of his father, and the purchase of his blood. My soul, is this thy jubilee year? Art thou living as the redeemed of the Lord? If so, plead with thy redeemer for the hourly renewed visits of his love to thee, and for the year of redemption to all his unawakened.1
“So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.” – Job 1:5
For many, the Old Year ended with celebrating, and that drew my attention to our text. We read in the opening verses of Job that his children lived in luxury. Daily they held a feast. Weekly their hospitality continued. When each cycle had run its course, Job knew he had to do something. He knew his children were not perfect. Sin easily enters into celebrations.
Before we go further into the New Year, we do well to consider our standing, and that of our families, before the Lord. Maybe in our celebrations this season, we have sinned. Can we enter a New Year with a burden of sin upon our hearts? No. Surely it is the desire of every disciple of Jesus that we have a sanctified (that is, holy) start before God, as we advance into the New Year.
The Spirit of God gave Job to see that a sanctified life (a life dedicated to God) is no once in a while thing. That is why Job gathered his family for a time of worship with a sacrifice every week. It was his constant practice.
May the year 2025 be off for a good start for you. Know your need: you must be sanctified. Offer to the Lord a sacrifice of prayer and praise each week as you attend worship. Above all, look to Jesus and His sacrifice to cleanse and renew you. As a forgiven disciple, enter into the New Year with your burdens removed, your sin pardoned, your heart encouraged and your life set in the right direction.
Suggestions for prayer
Seek the Lord’s forgiveness through the sacrifice of our Saviour. Pray for discipleship that seeks worship, fellowship and forgiveness week by week.
Rev. Gregg V. Martin was ordained to the Gospel ministry in 1977. In his years of service, he pastored a total of five congregations in three Canadian provinces. He also served for more than seven years in Latin America as a missionary providing leadership training in Reformed mission churches. He is presently retired and living in Toronto. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
Jesus is coming soon! Of course, we have been hearing that for almost 2000 years! But don’t let that make you dozy, for He will come on a day when you least expect. Any who continue to live in disobedience, who do not take holiness seriously, who live out of harmony and fellowship with God, refusing to live by faith, will suddenly find it too late for all the words of this prophecy will have come true. Then there will be no time to change. Today is a day of salvation! Jesus is coming, bringing His recompense (reward) with Him.
Romans 2:6-11 says, He will render to each one according to his works, to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury … God shows no partiality.
Those who wash and make themselves clean will enter the city. But those who do not wash, those who love and practice falsehood, will go into the lake of fire. Jesus sent His angel to testify about these things for the churches. The word “you” in v. 16 is plural, meaning this is for all believers to hear and take to heart. Be comforted, He is the Christ, the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star.
Are you comforted in the coming of Jesus to reward each one?
Suggestions for prayer
Pray for strength to be awake and watching for the day of the Lord. Rejoice together in the certainty of His return to bring us into the fullness of our inheritance!
Rev. Calvin J. Tuininga was born in Grand Rapids Michigan, but as a PK grew up in different places, mostly in Canada. He served in four churches: Burdett Alberta (CRC), Telkwa, B.C. (CRC), Trinity St. Catharines, Ontario (CRC/URC) and Covenant URC in Pantego, North Carolina. He retired in September 2019, and he and his wife presently reside in Washington, North Carolina. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
The rush is spongy and hollow, and even so is a hypocrite; there is no substance or stability in him. It is shaken to and fro in every wind just as formalists yield to every influence; for this reason the rush is not broken by the tempest, neither are hypocrites troubled with persecution. I would not willingly be a deceiver or be deceived; perhaps the text for this day may help me to try myself whether I be a hypocrite or no. The rush by nature lives in water, and owes its very existence to the mire and moisture wherein it has taken root; let the mire become dry, and the rush withers very quickly. Its greenness is absolutely dependent upon circumstances, a present abundance of water makes it flourish, and a drought destroys it at once. Is this my case? Do I only serve God when I am in good company, or when religion is profitable and respectable? Do I love the Lord only when temporal comforts are received from his hands? If so I am a base hypocrite, and like the withering rush, I shall perish when death deprives me of outward joys. But can I honestly assert that when bodily comforts have been few, and my surroundings have been rather adverse to grace than at all helpful to it, I have still held fast my integrity? then have I hope that there is genuine vital godliness in me. The rush cannot grow without mire, but plants of the Lord’s right hand planting can and do flourish even in the year of drought. A godly man often grows best when his worldly circumstances decay. He who follows Christ for his bag is a Judas; they who follow for loaves and fishes are children of the devil; but they who attend him out of love to himself are his own beloved ones. Lord, let me find my life in thee, and not in the mire of this world’s favour or gain.1
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
A key to living above your circumstances is leaning on the faithfulness of Christ while refusing to be caught up in the instability of your surroundings. Paul used the analogy of a runner to explain how you are to respond to life’s circumstances (1 Cor. 9:24–26).
You are to fix your gaze on the finish line and race with all your might toward that goal. Once God places a goal in your heart, never give up. Instead, move toward it with swiftness and courage.
Paul’s goal was to take the gospel message to Asia. Three completed missionary journeys proved he had a plan and purpose. Personal testimonies bear witness he achieved his goal, but not without cost. No one completes the race of life without facing many trials and tribulations.
Paul had a wonderful system for bypassing negative thinking and potential defeat. He looked beyond his circumstances to the sovereignty of God. He focused on the positive results of his ministry, not the personal pain.
In the end, the trials of Paul matured and strengthened his spiritual walk. Even though you are hard-pressed on every side, Jesus will bring light to all you are facing. Trust Him, and you will see His victory.
Dear God, fix my gaze on the finish line. Help me race with all my might toward the goal. I rebuke negative thinking and potential defeat. I will finish my journey in victory.1
1 Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 377). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
—Matthew 17:6
“Awesome wonder and overpowering love” in the presence of that ancient Mystery, that unspeakable Majesty, which the philosophers call the Mysterium Tremendum, but which we call our Father which art in heaven….
The evangelical rationalism which tries to explain everything takes the mystery out of life and the mystery out of worship. When you have taken the mystery out you have taken God out, for while we may be able to understand Him in some measure, we can never fully understand God. There must always be that awe upon our spirits that says, “Ah, Lord God, Thou knowest!”—that stands silent and breathless or kneels in the presence of that awful Wonder, that Mystery, that unspeakable Majesty, before whom the prophets used to fall, and before whom Peter and John and the rest of them fell down as if dead, before whom Isaiah recoiled and cried, “I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). WMJ005-006
Lord, the disciples heard Your voice and fell on their faces before You, as did Isaiah when he caught a glimpse of Your glory. May I be overwhelmed today with a glimpse of the Mysterium Tremendum. Amen.1
O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
—Psalm 108:1
I will refer to one of God’s great souls of the past and his book, The Cloud of Unknowing. We do not know the name of the devoted saint who more than 600 years ago wrote in his pre-Elizabethan English for the purpose, as he declares it, “that God’s children might go on to be ‘oned’ with God.”
At the beginning of his book, he breathed a brief prayer of longing and devotion, and I come back to it often for the good of my own spirit.
He said, “Oh God, under whom all hearts be open, and unto whom all will speaketh, and unto whom no privy thing is hid, I beseech Thee, so for to cleanse the intent of my heart with the unspeakable gift of Thy grace, that I may perfectly love Thee and worthily praise Thee!” …
I can discern no trace of theological fault or error in this prayer of devotion and desire breathed long ago by this saint of God.
“Oh God, fix my heart so I may perfectly love Thee and worthily praise Thee!” Nothing extreme and fanatical there. The true child of God will say “Amen” to this desire within the being to perfectly love God and worthily praise Him. ITB033-034
Father, may I love You and praise You with the same devotion; may I be one with You. Amen.1
They took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.”
The result of seeking God is a life abandoned to Him. Oswald Chambers asserted,
The destiny of my spiritual life is such identification with Jesus Christ that I always hear God, and I know that God always hears me (John 11:41). If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God, by the devotion of hearing all the time. A lily, or a tree, or a servant of God, may convey God’s message to me. What hinders me from hearing is that I am taken up with other things.
It is not that I will not hear God, but I am not devoted in the right place. I am devoted to things, to service, to convictions, and God may say what He likes but I do not hear Him. The child attitude is always, “speak, Lord, for Thy servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). If I have not cultivated this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times; at other times I am taken up with things.
In seeking God, we make a choice either to take time to listen or to spend our lives frantically working in our own strength. God’s guidance is always clear. There may be valleys and hills along our way; but because we have spent time with Him, we can know He is near. As you open His Word today, pray that He will speak specifically to your heart.
Precious Lord, I am devoted to things, service, and convictions—but I need more devotion to You. Help me listen for Your direction rather than spend my life working in my own strength.1
1 Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 348). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Is your family getting ready for Advent? Loosely defined, Advent is the period of time leading up to Christmas when we commemorate Christ’s first coming and anticipate His second coming. And what better way to do so than by making Bible study and worship part of your family tradition? Here are some awesome Advent resources for young and old alike. Most of them are free, but the ones that aren’t, I’ve marked with a 💰.
December Advent!– Here’s an advent calendar, craft, and devotional all rolled into one! Naomi’s Table is a women’s Bible study resource that I highly recommend for sound doctrine and right handling of God’s Word. Have a listen to their daily Advent podcasts and make the Advent calendar that goes with them!
Need a good Advent playlist? I’ve created one on YouTube.1 Your favorite Advent (not Christmas) song isn’t included? Leave a comment and I’ll add it if appropriate.
As the Darkness Clears Away by Dr. Tom Ascol. I have been waiting since July – when I first found out about it – to share this wonderful Advent devotional with you.
“This little book is meant to be used as a daily devotional guide throughout the Christmas season. It is broken into five sections of five devotions. Each section focuses on one passage of Scripture that is considered verse-by-verse.” Designed for family or individual use, with Scripture memory passages in each section and study questions at the end of each of the 25 lessons. Encouraging Christmas poetry from Dr. Tom Nettles is also sprinkled throughout the book, which is available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.💰
Looking for an Advent devotional, but you’re more of a watcher/listener than a reader? Try Let Earth Receive Her King, a 25 day video devotional from Apologia Studios. “Pastor Jeff Durbin guides and teaches this Advent series and takes you and your loved ones through the Scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments. Celebrate God becoming a man and the King. Feast, Laugh, Rejoice, and Worship together with us during this blessed season!”
You must subscribe to the website for access to the devotional, but there is a free subscription option.
Is observing Advent new for your family? Children are often “hands on” learners, and this Advent wreath craft could be a great way to explain the significance of Advent, the wreath, and each candle as they create it. Follow the step-by-step instructions here, using your own design, or subscribe to the email list to download the free printables.1
25 Christmas Myths and What the Bible Says– Was Jesus Born on December 25? Did the angels really sing to the shepherds? And what about that inn keeper? In his book, 25 Christmas Myths…,Gabriel Hughes tackles some of the folklore and false assumptions that have sprung up around the Christmas story and shares what the Bible really teaches. One lesson for each day December 1-25.💰
How about incorporating Advent into your homeschooling lessons? Becky, of This Reading Mama, alerted me to her free printables for Advent that are based on the Jesse Tree, and I’m so glad she did!
“The Jesse Tree tradition … is based on Isaiah 11:1, in which Jesus is referred to as the Shoot growing from the stump of Jesse, King David’s father.
To use the Jesse Tree during the Advent season, you start on December 1st with the Old Testament and work your way up to Jesus’ birth on December 25. Each day, you also hang an ornament on the tree that represents the day.”
Manger in Danger– This charming family devotional and game centering on the incarnation of Christ was created by Pastor Grant Castleberry and his wife, GraceAnna. “Manger in Danger is a fun, interactive family tradition that brings the Christmas story from the Bible to life in 25 days of family devotionals!”💰
Looking for a daily Bible reading plan for Advent? Try this one from the ladies at Calico and Twine. “For this reading plan, I assigned a chapter of Luke to each day along with a few cross-references that speak to the main points of the reading.
My hope for this plan is that we would behold Christ while we read about his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, all while looking forward to his second coming with great expectation.” Includes a free downloadable printable of the plan.1
Why buy an Advent calendar when you and your family could enjoy making one together instead? Try this DIY Advent Calendar (with FREE Printables!). “…each little white bag will be decorated and include a number (for the date) on the outside. Inside each bag will be a card with a verse from the Biblical Christmas story and chocolate (if you so choose).” Make it as simple or fancy – and include as much candy – as you like!1
Just what The Doctor ordered for Advent. “Over the course of his ministry at Westminster Chapel, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones delivered many Christmas sermons. The Christmas sermons offered here are delivered in the clear, expository preaching style for which Dr. Lloyd-Jones was known and appreciated. The central message of these sermons is the true meaning of Christmas: the Son of God came to the world to rescue sinners.” There are more than enough of Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ sermons here to listen to one every day of Advent.
As Far As the Curse Is Found– “This Advent devotional explores the grand narrative of Scripture from creation to redemption, connecting key biblical themes and highlighting how Jesus came to remove the curse of sin. Through 14 thoughtfully crafted devotions, readers will trace the unfolding story of God’s plan for salvation and the hope that culminates in the birth of Christ.” By David Attebury. (Free download)
What’s your favorite Advent resource?
1I do not endorse anything on any of these sites that deviates from Scripture or conflicts with my beliefs as outlined in the “Welcome” or “Statement of Faith” tabs at the top of this page.
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
James 3:13
✧✧✧
Wisdom teaches us how to handle adversity.
In his wonderful commentary on the book of James, Robert Johnstone wrote the following about meekness:
That “the meek” should “inherit the earth”—that they bear wrongs, and exemplify the love which “seeketh not her own”—to a world that believes in high–handedness and self–assertion, and pushing the weakest to the wall, a statement like this of the Lord from Heaven cannot but appear an utter paradox. The man of the world desires to be counted anything but “meek” or “poor in spirit,” and would deem such a description of him equivalent to a charge of unmanliness.
Ah, brethren, this is because we have taken in Satan’s conception of manliness instead of God’s. One man has been shown us by God, in whom His ideal of man was embodied; and He, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: He for those who nailed Him to the tree prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” The world’s spirit of wrath, then, must be folly; whilst than a spirit of meekness like His, in the midst of controversy, oppositions, trials of whatever kind, there can be no surer evidence that “Jesus is made of God to His people wisdom” (The Epistle of James [Minneapolis: Klock & Klock, 1978], 272–273).
Johnstone recognized more than a hundred years ago what we need to know today—that the wisdom of man is arrogant, conceited, and self–serving, whereas the wisdom of God is humble, meek, and non–retaliatory.
The contrast between false wisdom and true wisdom is crystal–clear. Be sure you handle adversity in a Christlike way, knowing that every detail of your life is under God’s sovereign control.
✧✧✧
Suggestions for Prayer: Thank the Lord for His example of how to respond to adversity (cf. 1 Peter 2:21–24).
For Further Study: Read Philippians 2:1–11, applying Christ’s example to your life (vv. 1–5).1
As a flower of the field, he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
James 1:11
Wealthy people usually do not realize that they can’t take their riches with them. Only those who have been humbled before God know that life is “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).
In today’s verse, James writes about the blooming grasses and flowers of Palestine that flourish with beautiful color in February and dry up by May. James also borrows part of his illustration from Isaiah 40:6–8. The burning heat, which could refer to the scorching wind known as a sirocco, destroys the vegetation in its path. It is illustrative of the fury of death and divine judgment that put an end to the rich man’s earthly life and his material possessions.
When the rich man’s possessions are burned up, he will have the true riches, just as the poor man does. If you are wealthy, make sure you have a true spirit of humility and don’t trust in the possessions of life.1
He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Even with all of the crowds pressing around Him, with continual requests and a desire just to be with Him, Jesus sought time alone with His Father. Jesus made clear what He believed is the most important part of fellowship with God. In spite of the demands on His energy, He made communing with God His priority.
Is prayer the first thing on your list for the day? The last? Somewhere in between? Read what the apostle Paul said to the believers in the church at Colosse: “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2 nasb).
The word devote here doesn’t convey the complete meaning of the original Greek, which was “giving constant attention to” or “persevering.” We are to make the conscious decision to set aside time to talk to the Father and to listen to Him as He works in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and His Word.
It is tremendously helpful to set a specific time to pray. Make an “appointment” with the Lord, and write it down on your list for the day. If you keep in mind that you are making arrangements for a special encounter with God, you will treat this meeting accordingly.
You can combat the clamor of the day to find victory and joy in prayer, and a vital part of doing so is finding freedom from avoidable distractions.
Ask God to show you how rich your relationship with Him can be.
Father God, I make a conscious decision today to set aside time to talk with You. Set me free from avoidable distractions. Show me how rich our relationship can be.1
1 Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 300). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
You are not here by chance but by God’s choosing. You did not invent yourself, nor did you have any part in your own creation. You were intricately knit together in the womb (Psalm 139:13). The hand of God formed you to be the person that you are; He created you at the exact moment that He desired, and He has placed you at this point in history so that you, in Christ, by grace, through faith, might do good deeds—good deeds which He has planned for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).
In other words, you have received grace upon grace that you might do good.
While the concept of “doing good” may not be our first thought when we consider the impact on ourselves of God’s transforming grace, it was virtually number one on the apostle Paul’s list. In his letter to Titus, he writes that God, in Jesus, “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14, emphasis added). This emphasis appears several times throughout the letter, culminating in Paul’s closing exhortation: “Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works.”
Paul’s particular zeal for good works was and is completely countercultural, both in his day and in our own. We live in a world that is full of enticements to pursue self-centered lives of leisure. How, then, are we to imitate Paul and excel in good deeds?
First, we need to be clear that our pursuit of good deeds does not earn God’s favor. We do not do good to be saved but because we’re saved. Without grace as its foundation, the call to virtuous living is pure externalism and will either exhaust us or puff us up. Second, we need to remember that our pursuit of good deeds does bring God pleasure; we live “not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). So, we are to be marked by God-honoring, Christ-exalting goodness as a living testimony to our great salvation.
Our ability to do good is also, Paul says, a learned behavior. We are called to “learn to devote” ourselves to goodness. Our actions shouldn’t just be the result of an emotional surge or come about only when we feel like it. Instead, we are to endeavor on a daily basis to do the kingdom work that God has planned for each one of us, and do it intentionally and habitually. And we are to look at those further on in their faith who live this kind of life and seek to learn from them.
In Christ, all of your days and all of your deeds may be good for someone and for something. Learn to begin each day asking for His help to do good to others as a response to His grace to you, trusting that He will graciously enable you to give evidence of your beliefs by your actions.
“Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.” Psalm 15:1-5 (NLT)
There is a dear lady at the Bible study I attend. Her clothes look old, and they often don’t match. She doesn’t wear make-up, and she keeps her hair plain.
As I have gotten to know her, I have seen her deep desire to grow in her knowledge of God, and to serve Him whole-heartedly. She comes early to help set up, and she stays late to help put things away. She never seeks attention for herself, and always gives glory to God.
In the secular world, she would be considered a nobody. But to God, she is beautiful, valuable, treasured. She is one of the faithful Christ followers we are called to honor.
The Bible gives us many lists of attributes that describe genuine Christ followers. Those in our culture, and even Christians who are distracted by the world around them, see these lists as nothing but a bunch of rules; they might describe them as backwards, old-fashioned, or only for legalists.
However, Scripture describes the life of a believer in this way because living this way brings glory to God, and joy to those who serve Him.
The Apostle Paul reminds us
“the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:25a).
What doesn’t make sense to the world around us makes perfect sense to God; and what strikes the world as incredibly wise doesn’t even compare to the foolishness of God.
Lord God, You are infinitely wise. Help me to trust Your Word, even when it is difficult and makes no sense to me. I believe that it makes sense to You, and You are trustworthy. Amen.
Thought: Read the list of attributes in Psalm 15 again. Is there something from this list that you are struggling to accept? Pray that the Lord would convict you of your sin and change your heart so that you would desire His wisdom and not the wisdom of the world.
Truth2Freedom's Blog 