Dawn 2 Dusk Whispers of God in a Loud WorldPaul reminds us that from the very beginning, God has been speaking through what He has made. The mountains, the stars, the changing seasons, even the details of our own bodies all preach a sermon about His power and His nature. Romans 1:20 says that this revelation is so clear that no one can honestly say, “I never saw any sign of God.” The question is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are listening. Creation: God’s Open Invitation God has never hidden Himself behind a locked door. He has written His glory into the canvas of the sky and the rhythm of the waves. “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). Creation is not just scenery; it is an open invitation to know the Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1). Every sunrise is a fresh announcement: “He is here. He is powerful. He is good.” Think about how personally God has surrounded you with reminders of Himself. The warmth of the sun on your face hints at His kindness. The vastness of the night sky hints at His majesty. The complexity of a single leaf hints at His wisdom. He has filled the world with signposts pointing beyond themselves. Creation does not say, “Worship me”; it says, “Worship Him.” To ignore these signs is not a small oversight—it is to walk past an open door that God Himself has graciously flung wide. Seeing the Invisible in the Ordinary God’s “invisible qualities” do not only shine in the spectacular but also in the ordinary moments we often rush past. The beating of your heart, the pattern of your fingerprints, the way your mind can love, remember, and reason—these are not accidents of chaos; they are marks of design. “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:3). Behind everything you can touch and measure stands the Word of God who spoke it into being. “For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16–17). This means your daily life is surrounded by quiet, constant reminders that Jesus is holding everything together. Gravity works because He wills it. Your next breath exists because He sustains it. Even the things our culture wants to explain away as “just natural” are actually supernaturally upheld. When you begin to see creation this way, boredom gives way to worship. Ordinary tasks—walking the dog, washing dishes, driving to work—become chances to notice and thank the God whose fingerprints are on everything around you. Living Like We’ve Seen His Glory If God has made Himself this clear, then we cannot treat Him as a vague idea or a distant possibility. We are “without excuse” not just for unbelief, but also for lukewarm faith. The God who reveals His power in storm and starlight calls us to respond with surrender, trust, and obedience. He has not spoken through creation so we can simply admire the view, but so we will seek Him. “God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27). He is near, and the right response is to draw near to Him in return. Seeing God’s glory in creation should also affect how we live before others. If we know the Creator personally, our lives should become another form of “creation preaching”—a living testimony that points people to Him. Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). As you walk through a world already filled with evidence of God, let your words, choices, and love add another bright, unmistakable sign: He lives, He saves, and He is worthy of all our worship. Lord, thank You for revealing Your power and nature so clearly in all You have made. Help me today to notice Your fingerprints, to worship You openly, and to live in a way that points others to You. Morning with A.W. Tozer The Bane of Religious TalkNow, while we cannot project ourselves backward through time and walk again in Galilee with Christ and His disciples, we can by faith actually experience "the substance of things hoped for"; we can have every sufficient "evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, KJV); we can taste "the powers of the coming age" (6:5); we can "know" and "comprehend"; we can have the inner witness, the spiritual illumination that brings out the typography of the kingdom of God as clearly as any earthly landscape is revealed by the rising sun. Then every word will be like a sharp, clear shadow thrown by the objects on the terrain, not to stand in place of reality, but to outline it and set it in relief. A word is valid only when it refers to some reality in the mind of the user. It must submit to definition as used by the speaker. Its dictionary meaning cannot save it from semantic fraud. It must have a real meaning in its limited context at a given time. By this test an alarmingly great amount of our religious talk is phonetic breath, no more.
Music For the Soul The Great AlternativeElijah came near unto all the people and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. - 1 Kings 18:21 The vehement question of Elijah is, perhaps, still more picturesque in the original, for one rendering gives, "How long limp ye on two knees?" a vulgar, but expressive, figure by which indecision is likened to a cripple hobbling along first on one knee and then on the other. But whether that be so or no, there is no mistaking the ring of contempt and impatience with which the prophet, so convinced himself, rebukes the pitiable weakness that sought to unite two such discrepancies as the worship of God and the worship of Baal. Unite, I say; for it is to be observed that, in accordance with the tone of the question and the facts of the case, the worship of idols was not proposed as a substitute for, but as an accompaniment and a form of, worship of Jehovah. The only person that objected was Jehovah. Polytheism is always hospitable; for when " there are gods many and lords many," one or two more make very little difference, and Baal had no objection to Jehovah’s altar standing behind his. But Jehovah is intolerant, for He is alone. " Thou shalt have none other gods beside Me," and to enthrone another is to dethrone Him. What do I mean by choice? I mean, first, an honest fronting of all the facts of the case, so far as these are ascertainable. Have you ever sat down and taken stock of your position? Have you ever looked at the claims of God revealed in Christ - at your own natures, and what they tell you you ought to be to Him, and He, and He only, may be to you. Have you fronted eternity, and given that its due weight as a factor in the decision of your conduct? Unless you have, you may say, " I choose not to be a Christian," but the word choice is as much misapplied to that instinctive decision as it would be to the child’s act when it puts out its hand to lay hold of the moon. First and foremost, the state of the case should be looked at all round; and until you have done that you have no business to make a choice; for God gave you the power of choice that it should be ruled by your reason, and your reason directed by your conscience, and your conscience illuminated by His revelation. And then I mean that a deliberate decision should be made in accordance with the evidence, and that you should not, first of all, contemplate the facts of the case, and then shut your eyes, and, to use a vulgar expression, "go it blind," and decide as you like and not as reason and conscience tell you. And I mean, further, that on the back of intelligent weighing of the facts and deliberate decision, moulded by these, there should come appropriate action. " If the Lord be God, follow Him." Now, I believe that these three things are deplorably wanting, as in regard of all the lives of all of us, so most eminently in regard of the lives of the great majority of people who have not committed the keeping of their souls to Jesus Christ, and taken service in His army. Spurgeon: Morning and Evening Zephaniah 1:5 I will cut off them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham. Such persons thought themselves safe because they were with both parties: they went with the followers of Jehovah, and bowed at the same time to Malcham. But duplicity is abominable with God, and hypocrisy his soul hateth. The idolater who distinctly gives himself to his false god, has one sin less than he who brings his polluted and detestable sacrifice unto the temple of the Lord, while his heart is with the world and the sins thereof. To hold with the hare and run with the hounds, is a dastard's policy. In the common matters of daily life, a double- minded man is despised, but in religion he is loathsome to the last degree. The penalty pronounced in the verse before us is terrible, but it is well deserved; for how should divine justice spare the sinner, who knows the right, approves it, and professes to follow it, and all the while loves the evil, and gives it dominion in his heart? My soul, search thyself this morning, and see whether thou art guilty of double-dealing. Thou professest to be a follower of Jesus--dost thou truly love him? Is thy heart right with God? Art thou of the family of old Father Honest, or art thou a relative of Mr. By-ends? A name to live is of little value if I be indeed dead in trespasses and sins. To have one foot on the land of truth, and another on the sea of falsehood, will involve a terrible fall and a total ruin. Christ will be all or nothing. God fills the whole universe, and hence there is no room for another god; if, then, he reigns in my heart, there will be no space for another reigning power. Do I rest alone on Jesus crucified, and live alone for him? Is it my desire to do so? Is my heart set upon so doing? If so, blessed be the mighty grace which has led me to salvation; and if not so, O Lord, pardon my sad offence, and unite my heart to fear thy name. Spurgeon: Faith’s Checkbook The Name to UseWhat a wide promise! Anything! Whether large or small, all my needs are covered by that word anything. Come, my soul, be free at the mercy seat, and hear thy LORD saying to thee, "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." What a wise promise! We are always to ask in the name of Jesus. While this encourages us, it also honors Him. This is a constant plea. Occasionally every other plea is darkened, especially such as we could draw from our own relation to God or our experience of His grace; but at such times the name of Jesus is as mighty at the throne as ever, and we may plead it with full assurance. What an instructive prayer! I may not ask for anything to which I cannot put Christ’s hand and seal. I dare not use my LORD’s name to a selfish or willful petition. I may only use my LORD’s name to prayers which He would Himself pray if He were in my case. It is a high privilege to be authorized to ask in the name of Jesus as if Jesus Himself asked; but our love to Him will never allow us to set that name where He would not have set it. Am I asking for that which Jesus approves? Dare I put His seal to my prayer? Then I have that which I seek of the Father. The Believer’s Daily Remembrancer He Will Be Very GraciousWe are often very miserable, always very unworthy; but the Lord is very merciful, and He will be very gracious. He will glorify His grace before angels, men, and devils, in His exceeding kindness toward us; therefore if a sense of our deep depravity and entire unworthiness discourage us, let us appeal to the graciousness of our God, and rely on that. "He will be very gracious unto us at the voice of our cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer." He has said that when, forsaking our evil courses, we return unto Him, He will prove Himself gracious. "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am." Yea, He will prove Himself very gracious, for He says, "Before they call I will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will hear." Oh the infinite grace of a gracious God! Lord, keep it uppermost in our minds, and before our eyes continually; let it be our encouragement under all the discoveries of depravity we make, and our comfort under all the trials we endure. Let us endeavour to give our God credit for being "VERY GRACIOUS." What from Christ my soul shall sever, Bound by everlasting bands? Once in Him, in Him for ever, Thus the word of promise stands: None shall pluck me From the strength of Israel’s hands. Bible League: Living His Word Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.— Psalm 23:4 ESV Are you afraid of shadows? Literally, a shadow is a dark image cast by a body that is blocking the light. What, then, is the "shadow of death" to which the psalmist refers? The shadow of death is the dark place where fear takes over because the threat of death has blocked the light of life and confidence. Death is our enemy, and we should not cozy up to it, but neither should we stop in that valley paralyzed by fear. Jesus defeated death on Easter morning! The shadows of death is Satan's opportunity to make you doubt. He will try to get you to give up on the Lord's plans and purposes for your life. He's hoping you'll forget the authority you have over him and his minions. Jesus said, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons..." (Mark 16:17). So, as much as he can, Satan uses shadows and fear. David knew all about them and walked through this valley a few times. David, however, didn't let it stop him. He knew that he was not alone. His shepherd was with him. The Lord was leading him and guiding him through life and through the threat of death. Whenever a shadow tried to scare him, he looked to the Lord. Don't let Satan scare you off the path of life the Lord wants you to take. Like David, look to the Lord. The plans and purposes He has for you will come to pass, if you just keep looking at His rod and staff – instead of the shadows. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 40:17 Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.Psalm 37:23,24 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. • When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. Isaiah 51:12,13 "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass, • That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? Jeremiah 1:8 "Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD. 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." Psalm 59:16 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress. Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. 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 We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.Insight By his words and example, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to live in such a way that would be worthy of God. Challenge Is there anything about your daily life that would embarrass God? What do people think of God from watching you? Devotional Hours Within the Bible The Great Invitation“Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” The character with which men reach the judgment will be their permanent character forever. The man who lives in sin, refusing the cross of Christ unto the end is making his own destiny. Habits of sin make the whole life sinful. It is this that gives such solemnity to life. The seeds of our future lie in our present. Out of our little acts habits grow; from our habits character springs; and character fixes our destiny, for everyone goes to his own place that is, the place for which he is fitted by his life on the earth. He who has always sinned here on earth will continue to sin forever. Eternal death is simply eternal sin, with the punishments and consequences thereof. The punishment of the wicked will not then be an arbitrary punishment but the natural result of their own choices and acts in this life. Another thing which seems to be taught very clearly is, that this final fixing of character takes place at the close of the life on earth. Nothing but divine grace can change the tendencies of a sinful life, regenerating it, and making that holy which was wicked; and when sinners pass out of this world they pass away from the sway of grace, and he who does wrong will continue to do wrong; and he who is vile will continue to be vile forever!. As the tree falls so must it lie. As the man lives so must he die. As a man dies such must he be , All through the ages of eternity ! In the words, “let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy,” there is a hint of the nature of the heavenly home. The same good things we have learned to do here on earth we shall continue to do there in heaven. Righteousness is the doing of right things, and the righteous life is one that has been transformed by divine grace into Christ like character. This verse says simply that those who have learned here to do righteousness, shall continue in the next life to do righteousness. We shall still obey God there, and do His will only we shall be more obedient, and shall do His will there better than here. We shall never in the smallest thing, disobey or cross God’s will. We shall love God there, and love each other, and our life shall be a perfect brotherhood! Heaven shall be a perfect home. It will still be more blessed there to give, than to receive. They shall still be chief there, who shall serve. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, meekness, gentleness, goodness, truth will still be fruits of the Spirit there, as they are here. Life in heaven will not be so strange to us as we think, if we have learned to do God’s will in this world. The “everlasting life” begins the moment we believe on Christ. While we remain here on earth, it is hindered and hampered by the limitations of earth but in all true Christian experiences, there are intimations of what the full blessedness will be. When we reach heaven, the life begun here will go on, only without hindrance, limitations, or imperfections, forever! It makes a great difference, therefore, how we live in this world. There is an false impression in some people’s minds, that they can live in sin all their days, and then by a few tears of penitence and a few cries of mercy in a dying hour can change all the course of their life and spend eternity in heaven. This verse does not favor such a view. The future life is but the harvest of this present life. Men will be judged by their deeds. The New Testament everywhere teaches the same solemn truth. This does not mean that salvation is by works. We are saved by grace but grace changes the life and makes us holy. There is no evidence in the unregenerate life that Christ has wrought there at all. Of course the deathbed repentance may be genuine, and if so, it will avail. Only one repentance in the hour of death is recorded in the gospel but even then the man lived long enough to show that his repentance was true, that his life was indeed regenerated. Christ can any time work the same miracle, changing the heart and transforming the life in an instant; but this is not the usual way. “To die is gain” only to those have been able to say, “To me to live is Christ!” “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” What is it to wash one’s robes? It implies sinfulness and guilt in every life, which must be removed before heaven’s gates can be passed. Without holiness it is impossible to see God, or to dwell in His presence. The words imply also that nothing but the blood of Christ will remove the guilt and the pollution of sin. We must accept Christ’s atonement for the cleansing of our guilt, and depend altogether upon the merits of His sacrifice for our salvation; and we must depend altogether upon the Holy Spirit for the renewing and cleansing of our natures. It must be noticed here also, that we ourselves must do the washing. That is, no one is cleansed of sin’s guilt or pollution, excepting those who voluntarily turn to Christ and receive Him as their Savior. This shows us at once where the responsibility rests. After all that Christ has done in making at such great cost the glorious salvation for sinners none can enter into heaven but those who come to Him and wash their robes in His blood. “OUTSIDE are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” It is well sometimes, to study heaven from the outside. We often talk about what it will be like inside, who will be there, what they will do, how they will live. Here we get a negative view. So there will be an “outside.” Some people would have us think there will be nobody outside of heaven, that all will somehow get inside. This verse does not favor such a view. It certainly was not so in John’s vision. In another place we learn that heaven has twelve gates. So many gates indicate abundance of entrance room. From whatever point you approach heaven, there is a gate before you. Yet the fact that there are gates indicates that there are conditions of entrance, and that people cannot flock in indiscriminately. We have just learned in the previous verse, that only those whose robes are washed, or those who do God’s commandments, can enter these gates. Then here we see who are excluded. There is admission for the worst of sinners but not while they remain sinners; they must be washed and sanctified and made fit for the heavenly inheritance. A casual glance over the description of those outside, shows the kind of company they will be in, who reject Christ and heaven. Who wants to live forever in such society? It would be worse even than living forever in a state’s prison, among convicts. It would be well, too, to take a glimpse of the excluded characters described here, to see whether we are in danger of being kept out. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life!” The invitation to enter heaven is wide and free. No one will be shut out for lack of room, or because there is no invitation for him. Those who are finally lost, will be lost simply because they will not be saved. Through the whole New Testament Jesus labors to show men that His salvation is for all who will take it; it is even pressed upon all. Every page of the book glows with invitations. Even here, as the volume is about to be closed, the invitation is given again in the most earnest, affectionate, beseeching way. As we come to the last words of the Bible, and find this blessed invitation here, we should ask ourselves whether we have accepted it or not. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” The Book closes with a blessing. Its last word is grace. It is interesting to compare with this the last words of the Old Testament, “Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse .” The old volume ended, leaving a threat of curse hanging over the earth. The New Testament, however, closes with a blessing, a message of grace and mercy. As the sunshine floods the fields and hills and waters so the love of Christ is poured out upon the earth. God’s thoughts toward men, are thoughts of peace. He is not willing that any should perish but earnestly desires that all shall be saved. If we are not saved, it will be because we reject the light and love darkness and death better! With this blessing resting over us, shall we not hasten now under its bright wings? It will be a blessed shelter for us! A traveler plodded on, weary and hungry, not knowing where to turn to find food and rest. A storm broke upon him, and he fled under a wide-spreading tree for shelter. Here he found not only refuge from the storm but food also, for the tree gave him of its fruits to eat; and rest, too, for his weariness. Just so, the weary people who will flee under this blessing, shall find shelter, rest and bread! Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 7, 8, 9 Ezekiel 7 -- The End has Come to the Four Corners of the Land NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 8 -- Ezekiel's Vision of Idolatry in the Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 9 -- The Vision of Slaughter of Idolaters NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Hebrews 10:24-39 Hebrews 10 -- Christ's One Sacrifice is Sufficient for All Time; Perseverance NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. |
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