Dawn 2 Dusk When God Moves into the NeighborhoodRevelation 21 pulls back the curtain on the future, and the most stunning promise isn’t about scenery—it’s about presence. The climax of God’s plan is not humanity reaching up to Him, but God coming down to be with His people forever. The Loud Voice That Changes Everything “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.’” (Revelation 21:3) Notice where the voice comes from: the throne. This isn’t wishful thinking or religious poetry—it’s a royal announcement. History isn’t drifting; it’s being carried toward a promised destination: God with us. And that future has been breaking into the present for a long time. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) Jesus didn’t shout love from a distance; He stepped into our world. Even now, He steadies His people with the same promise: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) From Visitors to Family God doesn’t offer a temporary stay—He offers belonging. Revelation’s language is covenant language: His people, their God. That’s not a contract; it’s a home. Scripture has been echoing this heartbeat for centuries: “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.’” (2 Corinthians 6:16) That means your faith is not mainly about performing for God, but living with God—under His care, under His name, under His smile. And it also means your identity isn’t up for grabs. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Living Now in the Light of Then Revelation 21:3 gives today a different weight. If God Himself will dwell with His people forever, then suffering and loss don’t get the last word. The next verse goes on to promise, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) That coming reality doesn’t minimize your pain—it anchors your hope. So what do we do with that hope today? We practice nearness. We stop treating God like a weekend visit and start living like His presence is the point. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) Choose obedience when it costs, worship when it’s inconvenient, and prayer when you’d rather numb out—because the God who will dwell with His people forever is already training your heart for home. Father, thank You that You are not distant—you are our God with us. Draw me near today; help me live in a way that welcomes Your presence and points others to Your promise. Amen. Evening with A.W. Tozer Heart-SeekersThe amount of loafing practiced by the average Christian in spiritual things would ruin a concert pianist if he allowed himself to do the same thing in the field of music. The idle puttering around that we see in church circles would end the career of a big league pitcher in one week. No scientist could solve his exacting problem if he took as little interest in it as the rank and file of Christians take in the art of being holy. The nation whose soldiers were as soft and undisciplined as the soldiers of the churches would be conquered by the first enemy that attacked it. Triumphs are not won by men in easy chairs. Success is costly. If we would progress spiritually, we must separate ourselves unto the things of God and concentrate upon them to the exclusion of a thousand things the worldly man considers important. We must cultivate God in the solitudes and the silence; we must make the kingdom of God the sphere of our activity and labor in it like a farmer in his field, like a miner in the earth.
Music For the Soul All Have SinnedThere is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory God. - Romans 3:22-23 What does the Bible mean by sin? Everything that goes against or neglects God’s law. And if you will bring into all the acts of every life the reference, which really is there, to God and His will, you will not need anything more to establish the fact that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Whatever other differences there are between men, there is this fundamental similarity. Neglect - which is a breach- of the law of God pertains to all mankind. Everything that we do ought to have reference to Him. Does everything that we do have such reference? If not, there is a quality of evil in it. For the very definition of sin is living to myself and neglecting Him. He is the Centre; and, if I might use a violent figure, every planet that wrenches itself away from gravitation towards, and revolution round, that Centre, and prefers to whirl on its own axis, has broken the law of the celestial spheres, and brought discord into the heavenly harmony. All men stand condemned in this respect. Now, there is no need to exaggerate. I am not saying that all men are on the same level. I know there are great differences in the nobleness, purity, and goodness of lives, and Christianity has never been more unfairly represented than when good men have, as one of them called, with St. Augustine, the virtues of godless men, "splendid vices." But though the differences are not unimportant, the similarity is far more important. The pure, clean-living man, and the gentle, loving woman, though they stand high above the sensuality of the profligate, the criminal, stand in this respect on the same footing that they, too, have to put their hands on their mouths, and their mouths in the dust, and cry, "Unclean!" I do not want to exaggerate, and sure I am that if men will be honest with themselves there is a voice that responds to the indictment when I say sadly, in the solemn language of Scripture, "we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. For there is no difference." If you do not believe in a God, you can laugh at the old wife’s notion of " sin." If you do believe in a God, you are shut up to believe this other, " Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned." And if this universal fad is indeed a fact, it is the gravest element in human nature. It matters very little, in comparison, whether you and I are wise or foolish, educated or illiterate, rich or poor, happy or miserable. All the superficial distinctions which separate men from one another, and are all right in their own places, dwindle away into nothing before this solemn truth, that in every frame there is a plague spot, and that the leprosy has smitten us all Spurgeon: Morning and Evening 2 Timothy 4:18 His heavenly kingdom. Yonder city of the great King is a place of active service. Ransomed spirits serve him day and night in his temple. They never cease to fulfil the good pleasure of their King. They always "rest," so far as ease and freedom from care is concerned; and never "rest," in the sense of indolence or inactivity. Jerusalem the golden is the place of communion with all the people of God. We shall sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in eternal fellowship. We shall hold high converse with the noble host of the elect, all reigning with him who by his love and his potent arm has brought them safely home. We shall not sing solos, but in chorus shall we praise our King. Heaven is a place of victory realized. Whenever, Christian, thou hast achieved a victory over thy lusts--whenever after hard struggling, thou hast laid a temptation dead at thy feet--thou hast in that hour a foretaste of the joy that awaits thee when the Lord shall shortly tread Satan under thy feet, and thou shalt find thyself more than conqueror through him who hath loved thee. Paradise is a place of security. When you enjoy the full assurance of faith, you have the pledge of that glorious security which shall be yours when you are a perfect citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem. O my sweet home, Jerusalem, thou happy harbor of my soul! Thanks, even now, to him whose love hath taught me to long for thee; but louder thanks in eternity, when I shall possess thee. "My soul has tasted of the grapes, And now it longs to go Where my dear Lord his vineyard keeps And all the clusters grow. "Upon the true and living vine, My famish'd soul would feast, And banquet on the fruit divine, Spurgeon: Faith’s Checkbook Whom, When, and How to DeliverThe godly are tempted and tried. That is not true faith which is never put to the test. But the godly are delivered out of their trials, and that not by chance, nor by secondary agencies, but by the LORD Himself. He personally undertakes the office of delivering those who trust Him. God loves the godly or godlike, and He makes a point of knowing where they are and how they fare. Sometimes their way seems to be a labyrinth, and they cannot imagine how they are to escape from threatening danger. What they do not know, their LORD knows. He knows whom to deliver, and when to deliver, and how to deliver. He delivers in the way which is most beneficial to the godly, most crushing to the tempter, and most glorifying to Himself. We may leave the "how" with the LORD and be content to rejoice in the fact that He will, in some way or other, bring His own people through all the dangers, trials, and temptations for this mortal life to His own right hand in glory. This day it is not for me to pry into my LORD’s secrets but patiently to wait His time, knowing this, that though I know nothing, my heavenly Father knows. The Believer’s Daily Remembrancer Happy Is the Man That Feareth AlwayGODLY fear flows from grace, and is always connected with spiritual knowledge. It is the fear of a tender child, who would not on any account grieve a kind and loving parent. It is a covenant blessing. Our God bestows it on all whom He loves; and they consequently fear to offend Him, their Father; dishonour their gracious Saviour, or grieve the Holy Comforter. They fear lest they should be led astray from God by their own hearts, by Satan, by professors, by the world, or any of the dispensations of providence. They fear to trust their own judgments, they reverence God’s word, and dread a lukewarm state. Happy is the man who thus feareth alway; he happily preserves a tender conscience, a humble mind, and a consistent walk. He proves his interest in all new-covenant blessings; has much to do with the blood of atonement; and enjoys a solid peace. He is in a happy state, standing high in the favour of God, walking in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, and keeping himself unspotted from the world. Oh, for godly fear to rule my heart, and preserve my goings! This fear’s the spirit of faith, A confidence that’s strong; An unctious light to all that’s right, A bar to all that’s wrong. Bible League: Living His Word The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.— Proverbs 13:14 NIV What does it mean to be wise? From the Christian perspective, a person is wise if they fear the Lord and acknowledge His will and ways. Indeed, the Bible says that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" and it says that only fools despise His "wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7). The wise acknowledge that this world is the Lord's and that His will and ways determine how it works. When one gets in line with the Lord and what He wants, then he is in line with the way the world actually works, and he will prosper. That's why the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life. The wise know how it is in the world. They know what it's all about. Their wisdom leads to life, not death. It leads to a life well-lived, not a life of hard knocks. Instead of making the costly mistakes of fools, the wise know the ways that will work and that will benefit. They know, for example, that "Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow" (Proverbs 13:11), and they know that "Where there is strife, there is pride" (Proverbs 13:10). Above all, they know the way of salvation; they know the way to redemption from sin and foolishness. Since the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, it follows that it is also an escape from the snares of death. The wise person that points someone to the way of life at the same time turns them from the way of death. It is a blessing to be wise, and you are blessed if you listen to the wise. God places wise people in our lives. Pay attention to them, treasure them, treasure what they tell you. Store it up in your heart and it will be to you a fountain of life. "Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded" (Proverbs 13:13). Daily Light on the Daily Path Hebrews 10:24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,Job 6:25 "How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove? 2 Peter 3:1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. Matthew 18:19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. Genesis 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. • For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this-- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. Galatians 6:2,1 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. • Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But Jesus said, “You feed them.”“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there. Insight When the disciples expressed concern about where the crowd of thousands would eat, Jesus offered a surprising solution: “You feed them.” The disciples protested, focusing their attention on what they didn't have—food and money. Challenge Do you think God would ask you to do something that you and he together couldn't handle? Don't let your lack of resources blind you to seeing God's power. Devotional Hours Within the Bible Worldliness and TrustThe Christian life is very simple if only we understand it. It has only one principle single-hearted devotion to Christ. Paul stated this principle when he said, “To me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21) Jesus states it here also when He says, “Seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness.” In our present passage, we have a whole scheme of life. To begin with, we must find something real and permanent to live for. It concerns the matter of possessions. Earth’s banks are not absolutely safe ; and even if they were, they are not eternal. We are immortal, and we must find a place of deposit secure for immortal years. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” How can we lay up treasures in heaven? By living for God, by committing our lives to Jesus Christ, by spending our money for the glory of God. There are men who possess little money or property when they leave this world but are rich in treasures laid up in heaven. Paul had only the clothes he wore, an old cloak and a few sacred parchments when his martyrdom came but he was rich beyond measure in glory! There are millionaires here who will be beggars in the next life; and there are poor men here who will have an inheritance of glory in heaven. Single-heartedness is the secret of true godly living. “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Some people seem to think they can keep on safe terns with God and at the same time maintain close relations with the world. The Master’s teaching here shows us that it is impossible to be half God’s and half the world’s. There is room for only one lord in our life, and we must settle who this will be. If we belong to God, the world is our servant. It seems strange indeed that anyone with an immortal soul, should be willing to have mammon money for his god. Money may do much good and be a great blessing, if it is used for God but when a man gets down upon his knees to his money, crawls in the dust for its sake, and sells his manhood to get it it has only curse for him. One who truly serves God cannot give money half his heart. God will not share a human heart with any other master. A great many people are talking now about the secret of happy living. The Master gives it here. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life.” Anxiety is very common. There is a great deal of worrying in the world, even among good people. One does not meet very many whose faces shine always with the light of a perfect peace. The majority of faces show lines of care. Not many people pass undisturbed through all manner of experiences. Is worrying a sin or is it only an infirmity ? There certainly are a great many cautions and warnings in the Bible against worrying. But how can we help it? Paul tells us how to keep worry out of our life. “In nothing be anxious.” But how can we obey this counsel? What shall we do with the things that we would naturally worry about? Here is the answer: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” That is, instead of worrying about matters that would naturally fret us we are to put them out of our own hands into God’s hands, by prayer. Then we have this assurance: “The peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, Philippians 4:7). It will help us with our lesson, if we look carefully at the connections of the words as they stand in the Gospel. “You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious.” That is, anxiety comes from serving mammon. We say we are God’s children yet when mammon seems to be failing, and then we begin to worry. That is, we trust mammon more than we trust our Father. We feel safer when mammon’s abundance fills our hands than when mammon threatens to fail and we have only God. If we truly served God only, we should not be afraid, though we have nothing of mammon, not even bread for tomorrow. Jesus illustrates His teaching: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” Elsewhere Jesus says that not even a sparrow is forgotten by our Father. The sparrows are the most useless and the most troublesome of all birds. You can buy two of them for a farthing. Yet God watches over them, and not one of them shall fall to the ground without His permission. If God so cares for quarrelsome sparrows, He will care much more for His own children. We are of more value than many sparrows. Souls are of great worth it took the blood of the Son of God to buy us back from bondage. Birds do not bear the Divine image. They have no spiritual nature. The God who cares for the soulless little birds will surely care much more thoughtfully, more tenderly, for a thinking, immortal being, capable of eternal life. God is our Father He is not the birds’ father; He is their creator and provider but they are not His children. A woman will give more thought to her baby than to her canary. Our heavenly Father will provide more certainly for His children than for His birds. Worrying is also most useless. “Which of you by being anxious, can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?” A short person cannot, by any amount of anxiety, make himself and inch taller. Therefore, why should he waste his energy and fret his life away in wishing he were taller, and in worrying because he is not? Worrying about a coming trouble does not keep the trouble away! Worrying over a loss does not bring back that which is gone. People find obstacles, difficulties and hindrances in their life. There are hard conditions in their lot. But is there any use in worrying over these things? Will it make them any easier? Will anxiety cure the lame foot, remove the ugly mole, reduce the undesired tumor, or put flesh on the thin body? Will fretting make the heavy burden lighter, the hard work easier, the rough way smoother? Will anxiety keep the winter away, put coal in the bin, or bread in the pantry, or get clothes for the children? Even philosophy shows the uselessness of worrying, since it helps nothing, and only wastes one’s strength, unfitting one for doing his best. But religion goes father than philosophy, and tells us that even the hard things, the drawbacks, the obstacles, may be changed into blessings if we meet them in the right spirit. So we learn that we should quietly and with faith accept life as it comes to us, fretting at nothing, changing hard conditions to easier if we can but if not, using them as a means for growth and advancement. The fact that God cares for us ought to keep us from worry. “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Does God really care for the flowers? Yes, He weaves for them their matchless garments and fills their little cups with fragrance. Yet they live but for a day. If God clothes these frail plants so gloriously for only a few hours’ beauty will He not far more surely clothe His own children? It is told of Mungo Park the great traveler, that once in the desert he was famishing for drink, and could find no water. In his exhaustion he had sunk down in the hot sands of despair, and had given up to die. He saw a tiny shoot of moss growing in the sand, and the thought came to him, “God tends this little plant. He placed it here and He is watering it. Surely, then, He will not forget me but will provide for me, too.” He roused up from his despair and passed on and was saved. Here we come upon the great principle of Christian living. “Seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” That is, we are to put all the energy of our thought and life into one effort to do God’s will. We are not to worry about our clothing or food that is God’s matter, not ours at all. We are to take thought, however, about our duty, our work, the doing of God’s will, and the filling of our place in the world. Too many people worry far more about their food and clothing, lest they shall be left to need, than they do about doing well their whole duty. That is, they are more anxious about God’s part in their life than about their own! They fear that God may not take care of them but they do not have any fear that they may fail in faithfulness to Him. It will be a great point gained, if we learn here once and for all that providing for our needs is God’s matter, not ours; and that our first and only care should be our duty, the doing of our work. This God will never do for us but if we are true to Him we shall never have any occasion to fret ourselves about our care. Suppose we are nearly starving? Well, we must go on, doing our duty in the circumstances, and not worrying; and in due time, perhaps at the last moment but somehow or other, and in some way, the Lord will provide. Or if not, He will take us home. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 7, 8, 9 Psalm 7 -- O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 8 -- O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 9 -- I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 17:1-15 Acts 17 -- Paul at Thessalonica, Berea and Athens NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. |
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