“Let Brotherly Love Continue” #1740

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. (Hebrews 13:1–3, NKJV)

It is easy not to have careful concern for those we do not know personally, and who are out of constant view. Today’s text exhorts us to be driven by brotherly love to remember both. Brotherly love expresses itself through hospitality (love of strangers). The hospitality enjoined here is far different from inviting friends and brethren over for coffee and cake. While this is a worthy kindness, the hospitality we are not to forget (v. 2) is showing fraternal kindness toward Christians who are strangers to us (“I was a stranger, and you took Me in,” Matt. 25:35; cf. 3 John 5-8). To do this was not without personal danger at a time when being a faithful Christian could imprison you, or worse (Matt. 24:9-13; Heb. 10:32-36). Brethren so mistreated should be remembered through our prayers and our provisions (“I was in prison, and you came to Me,” Matt. 25:36). “Out of sight, out of mind” does not characterize the faith of Christians who love their brethren as themselves (Jas. 2:8). May we commit ourselves to “increase more and more” in brotherly love through practical expressions of service to our fellow Christians (1 Thess. 4:9-10).

The Lord is Ready and Able #1739

41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. (Luke 8:41–44, NKJV)

Do you ever hesitate to seek and to supplicate the Lord by telling yourself He must be too busy to attend to your present trouble? Or, do you conclude that since others are worse off than you, you will not trouble the Lord with your trial? (He already knows what it is.) Or maybe you think your spiritual condition is so severe that He would never save you. This account from the life of Jesus reassures us that God is able to save to uttermost those who call on Him in faith. Christ’s power went out from Him, healing this troubled, suffering woman (Lk. 8:46). Jesus told her, “your faith has made you well” (Lk. 8:48). The faith of Jairus compelled his plea for his daughter’s health. Jesus told him, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well” (Lk. 8:50-55). And, she was. Today, Christ’s power to save sinners goes out from Him through His gospel (Rom. 1:16; Mk. 16:15). All who will call on Him in faith are saved (Acts 2:21, 37-41; 22:16). He is ready and able to save and to bless you. Come to Him without delay (Matt. 11:28-30).

“Be Filled with the Spirit” #1738

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18, NKJV)

Christians are to be filled with the Spirit, not intoxicated with alcohol. But, what does that mean? Does it mean having a warm feeling in the heart, confident in feeling that we please God? No, since “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). Since the Scriptures do not assign our feelings to the Holy Spirit, neither can we. Does it mean claiming some miracle at work in our lives? No, since the purpose of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit has been accomplished. Plus, how those gifts were received is no longer possible (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Acts 8:14-17). To “be filled with the Spirit” is a commandment, therefore, we choose whether or not the Spirit will fill us. Paul’s parallel statement in Colossians 3:16 says to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” persuading us to conclude we keep this command by imbibing of the Spirit’s word which He communicated to us by the apostles and prophets of Jesus (Jno. 16:8, 12-13; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; Eph. 3:5). Instead of filling your body with spirits that rob you of soberness, sound judgment, and honorable conduct, fill your soul with the holy directives of revealed truth. In this way, by being filled with the Spirit you will dwell with Him and bear His fruit in your life (Gal. 5:22-23).

Water to Wine #1737

9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” (John 2:9–10, NKJV)

Did Jesus turn water into alcoholic beverage? That is not the conclusion one must draw, but it is the one those who wish to drink alcohol rush to make. “Wine” (oinos) in the Scriptures is generic, and does not inherently include alcohol. If alcoholic wine, then Jesus produced 120-180 gallons of intoxicating drink for consumption after the wedding guests had drunk large amounts (v. 10). Yet, the Bible condemns drunkenness and the process leading to it (Prov. 20:1; 23:29-35; Eph. 5:18; 1 Pet. 4:3). If Jesus miraculously made fermented wine, then (1) Jesus approved drinking large quantities of alcohol, (2) The Son of God was a bartender, and we can tend bar, too, (3) The Son of God ignored the Scriptures (see above), and (4) The Son of God was a stumbling block to the self-control and soberness of others (Matt. 18:6-7). It is fairer to Christ, in harmony with His character, His power, and in agreement with the Scriptures to understand that Jesus made unfermented wine (grape juice) from water.

The Great Physician #1736

31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:31–32, NKJV)

Jesus did not have to look far to find people sick in sin, since every person He met was a sinner (Rom. 3:23). Jesus not only diagnoses sin and its corrupting nature, but as the Great Physician, He is also the remedy of this deadly malady. His death is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Jno. 4:10). God, who is great in love, moved with mercy and sent His Son as the Savior of the world to seek and save the lost (1 Jno. 4:14; Matt. 18:11). The Great Physician calls sinners to be healed of sin. Similar to our physical doctors, Jesus has a prescription for sinners to follow to be healed of sin, namely, repentance (Lk. 5:32). We cannot “just believe” and be healed of our sins (Jno. 12:42-43). We must change our hearts – repent – and follow the will of God (Matt. 7:21-23). Christians must do more than diagnose the sin around us, we must also help sinners learn about the healing remedy for their lives – Jesus Christ. The gospel of Christ, when believed and followed, heals the soul and equips us to live now and eternally (Rom. 1:16-17). We must do more than show sinners their sin. Like the Great Physician, we must also show sinners how to call on Jesus and be healed (Acts 2:21, 37-41).

“Do Not Be Deceived” – Homosexuality is Sin #1735

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–10, NKJV)

Supporters of LGBTQ lifestyle search in vain to find Biblical support for the conduct that is “against nature” (Rom. 1:26-27). Today’s passage is very clear, as it use two specific words, “homosexuals” and “sodomites,” in describing “the unrighteous” who “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Proponents of same-sex relationships try to sidestep the strength of this passage by contorting and ignoring the plain meaning of Paul’s statement. They say, for example, “The concept of homosexuality, in the sense of a sexual orientation or in the context of a caring relationship toward others of the same gender, was unknown in the ancient world” (“The Bible Doesn’t Say That Homosexuality is a Sin,” Janet Edmonds, 9). What?! “Sodomite,” Edmond says, “refers to male same-sex relationships that involved some level of exploitation, inequality or abuse,” and does not forbid a “committed, loving, homosexual relationship” (Ibid, 11). If true, then heterosexual “fornicators” and “adulterers” would not be unrighteous if they were in committed, loving, relationships. Commitment and loving relationships are being forced into the text. It is the homosexual conduct that is sin (whether the effeminate receiver or the dominate giver). It is “unrighteous” and those who practice this sin will not inherit the kingdom of God. The gospel calls sinners, including homosexuals, to repent, not justify your sin (1 Cor. 6:11; Acts 18:8).

“Get Wisdom!” #1734

5 “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:5–7, NKJV)

People everywhere are trying to get fortune, fame, and fun. But, when was the last time you heard someone say, “I want to get some wisdom!”? Unfortunately, wisdom is not like driving up to the gas station and topping off the tank. Wisdom is the careful understanding and application of truth. Solomon prayed for “an understanding heart” to judge Israel and to “discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). He asked God for a “hearing” heart, and God blessed him with “a wise and understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:12). So, how do we “get wisdom?” James said to “ask of God” for wisdom (James 1:5). Today’s passage adds that we must listen to and not turn away from the words of our heavenly Father by loving and keeping the wisdom that comes from God. God’s wisdom is revealed in the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 1:23-25). Wisdom is developed by having a hearing heart that receives God’s words, loves them, and keeps them. Many people are striving to get many things – wealth, fame, power, a name for themselves, etc. – but, the principal thing to get is wisdom from above. That wisdom, when remembered and kept, will bring you blessings now and forever more (James 3:13-18).

God Controls the Climate #1733

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22, NKJV)

Following the worldwide flood, God made this promise to Noah and us, his descendants. It gives us sufficient assurance that climate change will not destroy the world. Weather cycles are a constant reality of God’s continuing care of the planet He created (Eccl. 1:3-7). Climate changes over time – that is an observable fact. While we can affect it, we do not control it. Yes indeed, we are to be good stewards of the earth, since God made us to have dominion over the works of His hands (Psa. 8:6-8). When people refuse to acknowledge the Creator, their respect for His creation also falters. We should be respectful of God’s earth. Let us be thankful to God for the rain and fruitful seasons He gives to sustain our lives, which also testify to His presence and good will toward us (Acts 14:17). We ought to respect the earth, not as our mother, but because our Creator blessed us with it. We answer to Him as we live on His earth. Let us take care of its resources and gratefully honor God who gave us “dominion over the works of (His) hands” (Psa. 8:6).

Contentment of the Righteous #1732

16 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. (Psalm 37:16–17, NKJV)

We use the wrong measuring stick when we measure success by material prosperity. The “prosperity gospel” promotes riches as if they measure God’s presence and approval. More than one religious movement tells us the strength of their bottom line shows God’s approval of their teachings and practices. This is a purely material assessment of spiritual things – a completely futile and false standard of what God accepts (1 Cor. 1:26-31). The poverty and itinerant life of God’s Son, Jesus, disproves such human wisdom (Lk. 9:57-58; 8:3). True, righteous men and women can be wealthy. With God, Jesus said, it is possible for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom (Matt. 19:23-26). The trouble is, riches become a great temptation to leave God out of the picture, and not to become “poor” for the sake of the kingdom (Matt. 19:20-22, 27-30). The riches of the wicked will not save them. God has not promised to make you wealthy. His word says to measure success according to righteousness. May we learn to be content with “a little” from a glad and grateful heart, instead of running after prosperity at the expense of righteousness. Godliness with contentment is great gain, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:6-10).

Heavenly Declarations #1731

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Psalm 19:1–4, NKJV)

“A study entitled ‘A Limited Habitable Zone for Complex Life’ and published in The Astrophysical Journal drastically cuts the number of planets that could potentially host intelligent life” (“Extraterrestrial life could be scarcer than first thought, study says,” foxnews.com). After this more than 3-year-long study of 1,327 stars close to the earth, “no ‘glaringly obvious’ evidence of extraterrestrial life” was found (“No signs of alien life in closest 1,300 stars, study says: ‘We are left with zero candidates,’” foxnews.com). It is truly ironic that while humans search the distant stars for evidence of and messages from other life forms, they refuse to listen to the clear message the heavens communicate of God’s glory, power, knowledge, and wisdom. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). When people refuse the evidence of God’s power and deity in the material world, they are left searching aimlessly for the very answers they refuse to see. And, by refusing His gospel of salvation, they remain under God’s wrath against their sins (Rom. 1:16-19, 22-25).