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DAY 21 OCTOBER 3, 2015 _____________________________________________________________
"I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST;
IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME;
AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH
I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD,
WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME."
(Galatians 2:20)
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RAISE UP THE STANDARD!
"To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious Presence without fault and with great joy - to the Only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24)
Morning Devotion: Feasting in His Presence - Read Hebrews 11:8-10; Revelation 21
We are just beginning the second half of our journey and already our Faithful Guide is reminding us what awaits us at the end of our earthly journey. "Then I...saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new" (Revelation 21:2-5) . Beloved believer, if these words from the one who is Faithful and True do not set our hearts to singing, I don't know what will. He has made sure this blessed promise was written down and preserved throughout the generations for our encouragement and perseverance as we continue our pilgrim journey. Today, may our faith be strengthened for this next leg of the race as we, like Abraham, obediently follow the One who has called us to Himself as we wait "for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10). As believers, we, like Abraham, are pilgrims just passing through on our way to the promised eternal City of God. May we walk as he did through fertile fields of faith with our eyes fixed on the future hope of our eternal home. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body" (Philippians 3:20-21). Our citizenship is in heaven and we are to obey heaven's laws and do that which pleases our heavenly Father. The Lord desires that as we walk with Him we would live in peace with men on this present earth and seek to glorify Him by living pure and holy lives. "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15b). As we meditate on the wondrous portrait of heaven provided in Revelation 21, may our hearts be so motivated by the prospect and promise of our eternal home that we will throw off the hindrances of this present world and dedicate these final days to worshiping God, keeping His Word, and continuing His work. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith, and Who, by His blood, paid the price for us to enter into the eternal city, our New Jerusalem! "For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come" (Hebrews 13:14). How glorious that day will be when no impurity remains in these jars of clay and we are presented blameless and without spot before our eternal King. Let us take time this morning to bask in the beauty of our eternal home where we will enter through the gate made of the pearl of great price and walk on streets of gold, resting forever in the safety and security of the glory of God as our eternal light. What a time of rejoicing that will be! "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5b). Let us begin our eternal song today, so our hearts will be in tune to sing our Beloved's eternal praise on that glorious morning that will never end. This song from Fanny Crosby is a beautiful anthem to begin our day with as we lift up our hearts in a prayer of gratitude: -
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
- Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
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Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
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Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
- (Blessed Assurance, Frances J. Crosby, 1873)
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REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD!
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6)
Afternoon Devotion: Filled with His Power - Read Ephesians 2:19-22
As we look forward to God's glorious Kingdom in heaven we must not lose sight that we are part of His great kingdom building program on this earth. "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).
The Lord first dwelt in the earthly tabernacle and temple as a symbol of His presence, and as a sign of His protection among His people as He revealed Himself to the surrounding nations. Jesus came to tear down the dividing wall of the ceremonial law which once separated the court of the Gentiles from the Most Holy Place so that He could build "one new man." Jesus has reconciled us to God and is building His church (made up of believing Jews and Gentiles), through the wisdom of His Word, and the indwelling presence of His Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19), to display the splendor of His redemptive work on behalf of all mankind. "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor" (Isaiah 61:3b). When we entered the Gate of salvation, by believing in Jesus Christ, we enter into a new society, a city which is built up in Him, and made up of productive and fruitful citizens who are secure and protected under the watchful eye of our Shepherd-Savior. "They are the shoot I have planted, the work of My hands" (Isaiah 60:21). He has welcomed us into His pasture and planted us in the field so we can become part of His household and participants in His temple (kingdom) building program. "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder...for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:9, 10a, 11). The apostles and prophets make up the foundation with Christ Jesus as the chief cornerstone. The apostle Paul has faithfully laid the foundation by preaching Christ only and Him crucified (v. 2:2). "...but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (v.1:23-24).
As believers we are God's temple where His Holy Spirit dwells. He is transforming us into holy vessels through which He will pour His life and salvation upon a lost and dying world. May we be diligent workers in God's field, and as part of His building program, as we devote ourselves to His Word, in communion with Him in prayer, and in fellowship with the saints, so we can be unified and built up together so that with one voice we can sing His praises to this lost and fallen world. May we make the most of every opportunity in the time we have been given, and stop complaining and start proclaiming the Word of Truth - to preach Jesus Christ, and Him crucified! Let us unite in God's great kingdom building program as He builds up the "one new man" by joining with millions of Christians from around the world on Sunday, October 4th for the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. Please visit www.daytopray.com for more information.
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us,
to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen"
(Ephesians 3:20-21)
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RESTORE PRAISE! "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever, Amen!" (Revelation 7:12) Evening Devotion: Focused on His Praise - Read Psalm 91
Considered one of the most beloved Psalms, Psalm 91 offers today's saint the promise of security when they trust in God. "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty" (v.1). These beautiful words of the psalmist paint a picture of a young chick nestled under the protective wings of his mother hen. Just as the tabernacle in the wilderness offered the people of Israel the security that the Lord was in their midst; and later the Lord's Presence between the wings of the cherubim of the Holy of Holies in the temple provided them great peace; today, we, as believers, have the abiding presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit to comfort, protect, and guide us as we walk along this present life in view of our future, eternal home in heaven.
For every true believer who learns to dwell in the secret place of the Most High in intimate fellowship with God, and desires a life of continual communion with the Lord, the Lord offers His wings as a shelter of comfort, security and protection. Our heavenly Father is willing and able to guard His children and protect them from danger and provide encouragement in the midst of evil in this present world. As we look forward to our eternal home in heaven we can have peace in knowing that our home is found in Christ. Let us draw close to the Lord and dwell in His love. This evening, let us pray Psalm 91 as a prayer of praise to our ever-faithful Protector as we nestle up under the security of His protective wings. This Psalm is a wonderful prayer for parents who are sending their young "chicks" out into the world for the first time, or to pray for the safety and protection of our military who are a front line shield and defense for our nation. All wisdom and honor and glory are the Lords! May we praise and lift Him high, our El Shaddai!
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.'
Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
If you make the Most High your dwelling -
even the LORD, who is my refuge -
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For He will command His angels concerning you
to guard you in all your way;
'Because he loves me,' says the LORD,
'I will rescue him; I will protect him,
for he acknowledges My name.
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation."
(Psalm 91:1-4, 9-11, 14-16)
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