Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 21, 2011

Whether in life or death, we belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 27:1-26 which covers Paul being sent to Rome by ship.  The sailing was slow for many days with difficulty.  At a certain point, Paul advised the men to harbor and not continue sailing, but his advice was not heeded.  Before very long, they encountered a violent wind.  The ship was caught in it and became violently storm-tossed.  They began to jettison the cargo.  Neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and all hope of being saved was gradually abandoned.  We will focus on Paul’s speech in the following verses.    

“21  When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.

22  Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

23  For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me,

24  saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul;  you must stand before Caesar;  and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’

25  Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.

26  But we must run aground on a certain island.”  Acts 27:21-26.

—————————-

There is a comfort that we belong to God.  Paul recognized that fact and said:  “For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul;  you must stand before Caesar;  and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ ”

We will face afflictions.  We read later that Paul was later ship-wrecked, but all their lives were indeed spared.  “… And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”  Acts 27:44.  

Somehow, God will deliver us from all of our afflictions.  “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”  Psalm 34:19.

Someone may point out that we may die.  Yes, but, that does not mean that God does not deliver us out of all of our afflictions.  God delivers us from so many different kinds of afflictions so many times.  God saves our earthly lives so very many times.  But, even when we eventually do die, God delivers us from the afflictions of this earthly life to the peace, joy, and perfection of heavenly life.

The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us of the comfort that whether in life or death, we belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.   

Question 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

Comments Off on Whether in life or death, we belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 20, 2011

‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 26:24-32.

“24  While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind!  Your great learning is driving you mad.”

25  But Paul *said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.

26  For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice;  for this has not been done in a corner.

27  King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets?  I know that you do.”

28  Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”

29  And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

30  The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them,
 
31  and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.”
 
32  And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”  Acts 26:24-32.
 
————————————-
 
In today’s Scripture, Paul seems to be winning favor with at least King Agrippa, but alas, Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”  However, we realize the lack of release was not unfortunate, but according to the will of God in fulfillment with the words of Jesus in Acts 23:11.  “But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage;  for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”  Acts 23:11.
 
Thus, we are reminded that God “… works all things after the counsel of His will”.  Ephesians 1:11.
 
“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;”  Isaiah 46:9-10.
 
That God will accomplish all of His good pleasure is not only the truth of God’s sovereignty, it also gives us great comfort.  “… without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation …”  Answer 1 to Question 1 of The Heidelberg Catechism.  
 
Let us go out this Monday, and even every day, with the truth of God’s sovereignty firmly fixed in our minds.  As Jesus commanded Paul, let us all “Take Courage”.  As taught in The Heidelberg Catechism, let us all also take comfort.

Comments Off on ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 19, 2011

What doth the resurrection of Christ profit us?

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 26:19-23 which continues Paul defense before King Agrippa.

“19  “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision,
 
20  but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
 
21  For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.
 
22  So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;
 
23  that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
 
—————————-
 
What is the meaning of Christ’s resurrection?  Why is it so important to us?
 
“20  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
 
21  For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
 
22  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
 
23  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
 
24  then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
 
25  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
 
26  The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
 
27  For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.  But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.
 
28  When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”  1 Corinthians 15:20-28.
 

We learn at least two reasons in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 why Christ’s resurrection is so important.  First, we learn that “in Christ all will be made alive”.  In other words, we too experience resurrection in Christ.  Second, we learn that the resurrection is one more example of things, death in this case, put in subjection to Christ.  In other words, God’s sovereignty is completed.

Here is what The Heidelberg Catechism states:
 
“Question 45.  What doth the resurrection of Christ profit us?
 
Answer.  First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of that righteousness which he had purchased for us by his death;  secondly, we are also by his power raised up to a new life;  an lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.

Comments Off on What doth the resurrection of Christ profit us?

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 17, 2011

Man’s Condition: “hostile to God”. Man’s Hope: “Irresistable Grace”.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 25:23 through Acts 26:18 which covers Paul appearing before King Agrippa who carried on the investigation as suggested by Festus the governor who wanted to have something more to write about Paul before sending him to Caesar.  We will focus on the following verses which are part of Paul’s defense against the charges.

“9  “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
 
10  And this is just what I did in Jerusalem;  not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.
 
11  And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme;  and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
 
12  “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
 
13  at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me.
 
14  And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
 
15  And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’  And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
 
16  But get up and stand on your feet;  for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
 
17  rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
 
18  to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ ”  Acts 26:9-18.
 
———————————
 
From today’s Scripture, we learn a little more about “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Reformed doctrine of salvation.  Paul, along with all other men in their fallen condition, is “hostile” to God.  See Acts 26:9. 
 
“because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God;  for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,”  Romans 8:7.
 
“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,”  Colossians 1:21.
 
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  Ephesians 2:1-3.
 
Therefore, it should not seem unusual to us to learn that Paul persecuted Christ, nor later, that both Jews and Gentiles persecuted Paul for teaching about Christ.
 
What hope is there?
 
We need a sovereign all powerful God to open our eyes and turn us around and bring us from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God.  See above Acts 26:18.  We need the “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Reformed doctrine of salvation.
 
As the following verses after the above-stated Ephesians 2:1-3 state, we need to be made alive.  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-9.

Comments Off on Man’s Condition: “hostile to God”. Man’s Hope: “Irresistable Grace”.

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 16, 2011

“I also would like to hear the man myself.”

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 25:1-23 which covers Paul appearing before Festus who succeeded Felix the governor, Paul’s defense against the charges, and Paul’s appeal to Caesar.   We will focus on Festus describing this matter to King Agrippa who took interest.

“13  Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.
 
14  While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix;
 
15  and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.
 
16  I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.
 
17  So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.
 
18  When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting,
 
19  but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.
 
20  Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.
 
21  But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.”
 
22  Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”  “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”
 
——————————
 
After Festus “laid Paul’s case before the king”, Agrippa said:  “I also would like to hear the man myself.”  And, Festus replied:  ““Tomorrow, you shall hear him.” 
 
It is noteworthy that Festus drew the interest of Agrippa.  The word of God can spread even through ungodly men.  In a sense, Festus was “peddling the word of God”, just as a matter of interest, telling a good story to win personal favor.
 
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 recognizes the difference between those who peddle the word of God and those who speak in sincerity.  2 Corinthians 2:14-17 recognizes the difference between those who react to this knowledge of Christ as an aroma of death and those who react to this knowledge of Christ as an aroma of life. 
 
“14  But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
 
15  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 
 
16  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?
 
17  For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.”  2 Corinthians 2:14-17.

Comments Off on “I also would like to hear the man myself.”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 15, 2011

“always being ready to … give an account for the hope that is in you”

Today’s devotion  comes from Acts 23:23 through Acts 24:27 which covers Paul being brought to  Felix the governor, his defense against the charges, and his imprisonment.   We will focus on Paul’s defense in the following Acts 24:14-16.

“14   But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do  serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with  the Law and that is written in the Prophets;

15  having a hope in  God, which these men cherish themselves, that there
shall certainly be a  resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

16  In view of  this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before  God and before men.”  Acts  24:14-16.

—————————–

Paul’s experience in  today’s Scripture reminds us of Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:13-16.  In  summary, like Paul, we should always be ready to give an account for the hope  that is in us.

“13  Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous  for what is good?

14  But even if you should suffer for the sake of  righteousness, you are blessed.  AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO  NOT BE TROUBLED,

15  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,  always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account  for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

16   and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered,  those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”  1  Peter 3:13-16.

Comments Off on “always being ready to … give an account for the hope that is in you”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 14, 2011

The Importance of Witnesses and their Testimony

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 23:12-22.

“12  When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

13  There were more than forty who formed this plot.

14  They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

15  Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation;  and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”

16  But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.
 
17  Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”
 
18  So he took him and led him to the commander and *said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.”
 
19  The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?”
 
20  And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.
 
21  So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him;  and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.”
 
22  So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”  Acts 23:12-22.
 
————————-
 
Notice that Paul’s sister did not go to Paul to report the conspiracy, but rather, the son of Paul’s sister did so.
 
Notice that Paul did not go to the centurion to report the conspiracy, but rather, the son of Paul’s sister did so.
 
Notice that the centurion did not go to the commander to report the conspiracy, but rather, the son of Paul’s sister did so.
 
From today’s Scripture, we learn more about the importance of witnesses and their testimony.  Direct testimony from the person who witnessed something is more reliable than hearsay.  It is also important that the witnesses testimony is true, complete, and accurate.
 
It is amazing to read how much and how hard Scripture pounds the table commending truthful and trustworthy witnesses and condemning false and deceitful witnesses.
 
“1  O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
2  He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.”  Psalm 15:1-2.
 
 
“16  There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17  Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18  A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19  A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.”  Proverbs 6:16-19.  
 
 
Proverbs 14:5
“A trustworthy witness will not lie, But a false witness utters lies.”
 

Proverbs 14:25
“A truthful witness saves lives, But he who utters lies is treacherous.”

Proverbs 19:5
“A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will not escape.”

Proverbs 19:9
“A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.”

Proverbs 19:28
“A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.”

Proverbs 21:28
“A false witness will perish, But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.”

Proverbs 24:28
“Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, And do not deceive with your lips.

Proverbs 25:18
Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.”

Matthew 15:19
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”

We are called to be witnesses.  “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;  and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

Let us be truthful.  Let us be trustworthy. 

Do not tell someone else’s story.  Do not elaborate or “puff up” your own testimony. 

Psalm 141:3
“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;  Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Comments Off on The Importance of Witnesses and their Testimony

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 13, 2011

“the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage”

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 22:30 through Acts 23:11.

“30  But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

1  Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”

2  The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth.

3  Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!  Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”

4  But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

5  And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest;  for it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.’”

 6  But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees;  I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!”
 
7  As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
 
8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
 
9  And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man;  suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
 
10  And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
 
 11  But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage;  for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”  Acts 22:30 through Acts 23:11.
 
————————- 
 
The Lord stood at Paul’s side and gave him courage.  The Lord also stands by our side and gives us courage.
 
The Lord does not just tell us to be courageous;  the Lord comes to us, stands by our side, and gives us courage. 
 
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
 
Deuteronomy 31:23
“Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”
 
Joshua 1:9
“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
 
1 Chronicles 28:20
“Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.”
 
2 Chronicles 32:7
“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him;  for the one with us is greater than the one with him.”
 
Isaiah 35:4
“Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not.  Behold, your God will come with vengeance;  The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”
 
Haggai 2:4
“But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work;  for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts.”
 
Matthew 14:27
“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I;  do not be afraid.”

Comments Off on “the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 12, 2011

Citizenship: “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.”

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 22:22-29.

“22  They listened to him up to this  statement, and then they raised their
voices and said, “Away with such a fellow  from the earth, for he should
not be allowed to live!”

23  And as  they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing
dust into the  air,

24  the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks,  stating
that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the  reason
why they were shouting against him that way.

25  But when  they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the
centurion who was standing  by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a
Roman and uncondemned?” 

26  When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and  told him,
saying, “What are you about to do?  For this man is a Roman.” 

27  The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a  Roman?”  And
he said, “Yes.”

28  The commander answered, “I  acquired this citizenship with a large sum
of money.”  And Paul said, “But  I was actually born a citizen.”

29  Therefore those who were about  to examine him immediately let go of
him;  and the commander also was  afraid when he found out that he was a
Roman, and because he had put him in  chains.”  Acts 22:22-29.

———————————– 

Citizenship has its privileges.  Paul understood, and he raised his Roman citizenship as a defense against scourging.   The commander understood, and he paid a large sum of money to acquire a Roman citizenship.  If Roman citizenship was so valuable, how highly should we value our heavenly citizenship in comparison?

Psalm 87 speaks about the joy and privileges of citizenship in Zion, the city of God.

“1 His foundation is in the holy mountains. 
2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God.  Selah.

4 “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me;
Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in  her”;
And the Most High Himself will establish her.
6 The LORD will count when He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”   Selah.

7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall  say,
“All my springs of joy are in you.”  Psalm 87:1-7.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the  Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”  Ephesians 2:19-22.

Comments Off on Citizenship: “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.”

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 10, 2011

So, through God’s grace, we persevere.

Today’s devotion covers Acts 21:27 through Acts 22:21 which is much more
Scripture than I usually cover in these daily  devotions.  We read about the
Jews seizing Paul in the temple and dragging  him out and beating him.  The
commander of the Roman cohort with his  soldiers rescued Paul from the mob,
bound him, and brought him into the  barracks.  Paul was given permission to
stand on the stairs of the barracks  and address the people to give his defense.  Paul gave his testimony as to  his strict upbringing, his early persecution of the Christians, his conversion,  and his calling to go to the Gentiles to present the Gospel to them.

We  focus on the following concluding verses of this text, verses 17 through  21.

“17  “It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying  in the
temple, that I fell into a trance,

18  and I saw Him saying  to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem
quickly, because they will not  accept your testimony about Me.’

19  And I said, ‘Lord, they  themselves understand that in one synagogue
after another I used to imprison and  beat those who believed in You.

20  And when the blood of Your  witness Stephen was being shed, I also was
standing by approving, and watching  out for the coats of those who were
slaying him.’

21  And He said  to me, ‘Go!  For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”  Acts  22:17-22.

————————————–

There may be  those of us who are called to stay and minister in our own
“Jerusalem”, but  there are others called to go elsewhere and minister. 

But, whether  we stay in “Jerusalem” or go elsewhere, we may face persecution.  We may face living among the ungodly.  We need patience and endurance.  Consider God’s patience and endurance. 

“22  What if God,  although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make
His power known, endured  with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction?

23   And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of
mercy, which  He prepared beforehand for glory,

24  even us, whom He also called,  not from among Jews only, but also from
among Gentiles.

25 As He says  also in Hosea,
“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY  PEOPLE,’
AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’”

26  “AND IT SHALL  BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’ 
THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”  Romans  9:22-26.

So, through God’s grace, we persevere (the “P” of  “TULIP”).

Along with Paul, we can state:  “I have fought the good fight, I  have
finished the course, I have kept the faith;  in the future there is  laid up for
me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,  will
award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved 
His appearing.”  2 Timothy 4:7-8.

Comments Off on So, through God’s grace, we persevere.

Posted in Uncategorized

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories