Do You Fight Against God?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“They fought from the heavens; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.”

Judges 5:20

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Military strategists are still studying Napoleon. He was a great general but full of ego. Napoleon marched against Russia with 500,000 hand-picked men. What an army! As he marched across the plains of Russia, a snowflake kissed his cheek. He brushed it off and laughed. Another came and then a handful. And then bushels, and finally avalanches of snowflakes.

Napoleon’s fine horses reared and plunged and floundered in the snow. His army perished. Before it was over, Napoleon’s finest lay frozen on the plains of Russia. He retreated like a whipped puppy.

Napoleon had boasted, “God is on the side of the heaviest battalions.” And he was right. But he forgot that God puts His battalions in the skies.

The same thing happened to one of Israel’s enemies, Sisera. This time, not with snowflakes—but stars.

ACTION POINT

What are your odds if you stand against the plan of God? The stars in their courses fought against Sisera and Napoleon, and they’ll fight against anyone who fights against God. Get into His Word. Learn His ways so He doesn’t have to send the stars to correct your course. One little snowflake will do. Seek Him from the start!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Triumphant Shame of the Cross

[Christ did not] offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:25–26)

It is not to be taken for granted that there should be a welcome for sinners in heaven.

God is holy and pure and perfectly just and righteous. Yet the whole story of the Bible is how such a great and holy God can and does welcome dirty, unholy people like you and me into his favor. How can this be?

Hebrews 9:25 says that Christ’s sacrifice for sin was not like the sacrifices of the Jewish high priests. They came into the holy place yearly with animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. But these verses say Christ did not enter heaven to “offer himself repeatedly . . . for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world” (Hebrews 9:26).

If Christ followed the pattern of the priests, then he would have to die yearly. And since the sins to be covered include the sins of Adam and Eve, he would have had to begin his yearly dying at the foundation of the world. But the writer treats this as unthinkable.

Why is this unthinkable? Because it would make the death of the Son of God look weak and ineffective. If it has to be repeated year after year for centuries, where would be the triumph? Where would we see the infinite value of the sacrifice of the Son of God? It would vanish in the shamefulness of a yearly suffering and death.

There was shame in the cross, but it was triumphant shame. “[Jesus despised] the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

This is the gospel of the glory of Christ, the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). I pray that no matter how dirty or unholy with sin you are, you will see the light of this glory and believe.

John Piper 

Bible Study

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:27-28

5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. - 1 John 3:5-6

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, - 1 Peter 3:18

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

Following the Light: Jesus

BIBLE MEDITATION

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life” John 8:12

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

In the natural world, there is nothing as pure as light. Light can never be defiled or corrupted—no matter what it passes through or falls upon. You can let light fall on the most corruptible, putrefying, vile, loathsome, disease-ridden object; yet the light is not touched by it. It will expose it but not be contaminated by it.

When you take water from the purest spring, as it bubbles up and begins to flow away, it gets contaminated. But not light. Light can never be defiled, and therefore light is a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was in this world. He was the Light of the world. He exposed sin, but He was never contaminated by it. Jesus could touch sinners, but sin never touched Jesus.

ACTION POINT

Do you see why “light” is a perfect word to describe the Lord Jesus Christ? Compare this passage to John 1:4-5, 9.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

Thank the Lord Jesus today for being that pure light who gives life to everyone who receives His offer of salvation.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Only Conscience-Cleanser

How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:14)

Here we are in the modern age — the age of the Internet, smartphones, space travel, and heart transplants — and our problem is fundamentally the same as always: Our consciences condemn us and make us feel unacceptable to God. We are alienated from God. And our consciences bear witness.

We can cut ourselves, or throw our children in the sacred river, or give a million dollars to charity, or serve in a soup kitchen, or a hundred forms of penance or self-injury, and the result will be the same: The stain remains and death terrifies.

We know that our conscience is defiled — not with external things like touching a corpse, a dirty diaper, or a piece of pork. Jesus said it is what comes out of a man that defiles, not what goes in (Mark 7:15–23). We are defiled by attitudes like pride and self-pity and bitterness and lust and envy and jealousy and covetousness and apathy and fear.

The only answer in this modern age, as in every other age, is the blood of Christ. When your conscience rises up and condemns you, where will you turn? Hebrews 9:14 gives you the answer: “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

The answer is: Turn to the blood of Christ. Turn to the only cleansing agent in the universe that can give you relief in life, and peace in death.

John Piper 

Bible Study

 Light of Jesus

 

 

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. - 2 Timothy 1:7-12

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 1:1-5

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, 

6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. 

7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.  - Isaiah 45:5-7

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. - 1 John 1:5-10

Are You Moving in the Right Direction?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“For by Him [Jesus], all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him, all things consist.”

Colossians 1:16-17

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Verse 16 in today’s passage states that all things were created both by Jesus and for Jesus. The word “for” in this verse is a preposition that speaks of direction. It’s the Greek word for “moving in the direction of.”

The western world has been invaded by Eastern religions. Eastern religions are circular; they believe everything just goes round and round. But it’s not circular. This world is headed in a direction. The Bible is linear. We’re moving—moving to that time when the kingdoms of this world will become “…the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

ACTION POINT

Friend, it is all headed to Jesus. It is all for Him, for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the key to the mystery of history. When people ask you, “What is the world coming to?” tell them: “It’s coming to Jesus.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Root of Ingratitude

Although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

When gratitude springs up in the human heart toward God, he is magnified as the wealthy source of our blessing. He is acknowledged as giver and benefactor and therefore as glorious.

But when gratitude does not spring up in our hearts at God’s great goodness to us, it probably means that we don’t want to pay him a compliment; we don’t want to magnify him as our benefactor.

And there is a very good reason that human beings by nature do not want to magnify God with thanksgiving or glorify him as their benefactor. The reason is that it detracts from our own glory, and all people by nature love their own glory more than the glory of God.

At the root of all ingratitude is the love of one’s own greatness. For genuine gratitude admits that we are beneficiaries of an unearned bequest. We are cripples leaning on the cross-shaped crutch of Jesus Christ. We are paralytics living minute by minute in the iron lung of God’s mercy. We are children asleep in heaven’s stroller.

The natural person, apart from saving grace, hates to think of himself in these images: unworthy beneficiary, cripple, paralytic, child. They rob him of his glory by giving it all to God.

Therefore, while a man loves his own glory, and prizes his self-sufficiency, and hates to think of himself as sin-sick and helpless, he will never feel genuine gratitude to the true God and so will never magnify God as he ought, but only himself.

Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

Jesus did not come to minister to those who insist they are well. He demands something great: that we admit we are not great. This is bad news to the arrogant, but words of honey to those who have given up their charade of self-sufficiency and are seeking God.

John Piper 

Bible Study

Glorify God

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 

4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 

7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 

9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 

10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 

11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 

12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 

13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.  - Psalm 86:3-13

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."

16 He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."

19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." - John 21:15-19

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. - Romans 15:4-7

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Are You Depending on Your Circumstances?

BIBLE MEDITATION

"Then he said to them, 'Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength'” (Nehemiah 8:10). “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

(Nehemiah 8:10 and Philippians 4:4)

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Where does your joy come from? Your job? Your health? Your friends? I hope it comes from the Lord, not circumstances. If you depend on circumstances, you can’t say “rejoice always,” because your circumstances could change. You might lose your job, health, friends, prestige. If you’re getting your joy from your job, we can find out if we take your job and see if you still have your joy. Maybe you’re getting your joy from your health. You say, “No, it’s from the Lord.” If your health fails, see if you still have your joy. The only secure joy anyone can have is in the Lord.

ACTION POINT

It’s not wrong to find joy in your health or your job. But that’s the kind of joy that can be threatened. You need a joy which supersedes that. Psalm 16:11: says, “You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Rejoice in the Lord always—continuous joy.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How to Magnify God

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30)

There are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.

When David says, “I will magnify God with thanksgiving,” he does not mean, “I will make a small God look bigger than he is.” He means, “I will make a big God begin to look as big as he really is.”

We are not called to be microscopes. We are called to be telescopes. Christians are not called to be con-men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality, when they know the competitor’s product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is.

That’s why we exist, why we were saved, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as he really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.

This is what it means for a Christian to magnify God. But you can’t magnify what you haven’t seen or what you quickly forget.

Therefore, our first task is to see and to remember the greatness and goodness of God. So we pray to God, “Open the eyes of my heart!” (Ephesians 1:18), and we preach to our souls, “Soul, forget not all his benefits!” (Psalm 103:2).

John Piper 

Bible Study

3 For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God! 

4 "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.  - Deuteronomy 32:3-4

10 "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. 

11 For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. 

12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. 

13 Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world? 

14 If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, 

15 all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.  - Job 34:10-15

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.  - Isaiah 30:18

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:31-39

Do You Have Blessings?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4). “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” 

Psalm 100:4 and Colossians 3:15

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

If worry is the opposite of faith, then giving thanks is the expression of faith—in fact, the highest expression. You say, “I don’t know if I have as much to thank God for as some other people.” Well, the apostle Paul was in a filthy Philippian jail waiting to possibly be beheaded when he wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6)

You see, God has blessed you. You may not think so because you’re measuring blessings by the barometer of health, wealth, and happiness. You say, “Oh, those are blessings!” Not always. Some people are cursed with wealth. Some people don’t know how to use health. And happiness keeps some people from seeking the Lord.

My friend, let me tell you what blessings we have: “Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits…” (Psalm 68:19). God has loaded your wagon. How often? Daily! “Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning…” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every day you wake up to blessings. Thank Him for spiritual blessings and thank Him for simple blessings: good, clean water. Enough food. Shelter. The simple things. We are so blessed.

ACTION POINT

Unthankful people are never happy people. They’re always filled with bitterness, fear, negativism, selfishness, and self-pity. Refuse to worry, but carry everything to God in prayer. Rejoice in the presence of the Lord. Rely upon the power of the Lord. Reflect on the provision of the Lord. Rest in the peace of the Lord. Do everything with thanksgiving.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Jesus Prays for Us

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

It says that Christ is able to save to the uttermost — forever — since he always lives to make intercession for us. In other words, he would not be able to save us forever if he did not go on interceding for us forever.

This means our salvation is as secure as Christ’s priesthood is indestructible. This is why we needed a priest so much greater than any human priest. Christ’s deity and his resurrection from the dead secure his indestructible priesthood for us.

This means we should not talk about our salvation in static terms the way we often do — as if I did something once in an act of decision, and Christ did something once when he died and rose again, and that’s all there is to it. That’s not all there is to it.

This very day I am being saved by the eternal intercession of Jesus in heaven. Jesus is praying for us and that is essential to our salvation.

We are saved eternally by the eternal prayers (Romans 8:34) and advocacy (1 John 2:1) of Jesus in heaven as our High Priest. He prays for us and his prayers are answered because he prays perfectly on the basis of his perfect sacrifice.

John Piper 

Bible Study

10 and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." - Revelation 7:10-12

2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 

3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  - Psalm 95:2-3

11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,

14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! - 2 Corinthians 9:11-15

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. - Colossians 2:6-7

Is God Fair to Me?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.” Psalm 37:27-29

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

The reason many people are grumpily hateful rather than humbly grateful is that they have this belief, this conviction that no matter what, “God is fair.” Let me tell you: God is not fair. God is just.

Fairness is a human attribute. “Fairness” implies that God owes us something, and if we don’t get it, God isn’t “fair” to us. Or if somebody gets more than we got, or before we get it, we grumble and pout, “That’s not fair. So-and-so got more than I got.”

That has nothing to do with it. Again, God is not “fair.” God is just—perfectly righteous and holy. God owes us nothing, but He owes His own sense of integrity everything.

ACTION POINT

Nobody’s going to cry out for mercy until they see that God is just. When we do, then we’ll cry out for mercy. Don’t complain, “I didn’t get this or that.” Instead say, “Lord God, You are a just God, and now I need mercy. Give me what I don’t deserve. Give me mercy, dear Lord, not because I have it coming to me, but because You are loving and kind.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Glorify God by Giving Thanks

It is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:15)

Gratitude to God is a joyful emotion. We have a sense of joyful indebtedness for his grace. So in a sense in the very emotion of gratitude, we are still the beneficiaries. But by its very nature, gratitude glorifies the giver. When we feel thankful, we acknowledge our need and God’s beneficence, God’s fullness, the riches of his glory.

Just like I humble myself and exalt the server in the restaurant when I say, “Thank you,” so I humble myself and exalt God when I feel gratitude to him. The difference, of course, is that I really am infinitely in debt to God for his grace, and everything he does for me is free and undeserved.

But the point is that gratitude glorifies the giver. It glorifies God. And this is Paul’s final goal in all his labors. Yes, his labors are for the sake of the church — the good of the church. But the church is not the highest goal. Listen again: “It is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” All for your sake — for the glory of God!

The wonderful thing about the gospel is that the response it requires from us for God’s glory is also the response that is most natural and joyful; namely, thankfulness for grace. God’s all-supplying glory in giving and our humble gladness in receiving are not in competition. Joyful thankfulness glorifies God.

A life that gives glory to God for his grace and a life of deepest gladness are the same life. And what makes them one is thankfulness.

John Piper 

November 25

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.

3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)

5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.

6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.

7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.

8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.

9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

12 Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,

14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come."

15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.

16 And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, "O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength.

17 How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me."

18 Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me.

19 And he said, "O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage." And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

20 Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.

21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince. - Daniel 10

1 "And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

2 "And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.

3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills.

4 And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.

5 "Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority.

6 After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.

7 "And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail.

8 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north.

9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.

10 "His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress.

11 Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand.

12 And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail.

13 For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.

14 "In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail.

15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand.

16 But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand.

17 He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage.

18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him.

19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

20 "Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle.

21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

22 Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant.

23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.

24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time.

25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him.

26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain.

27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.

28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.

29 "At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before.

30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.

32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.

34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,

35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.

36 "And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.

37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.

38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.

39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.

40 "At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through.

41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites.

42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train.

44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction.

45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him. - Daniel 11

1 "At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.

2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream.

6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, "How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?"

7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.

8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?"

9 He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.

12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.

13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days." - Daniel 12

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 "Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself. 

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless? 

4 Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you? 

5 Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities. 

6 For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing and stripped the naked of their clothing. 

7 You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry. 

8 The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man lived in it. 

9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless were crushed. 

10 Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you, 

11 or darkness, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you. 

12 "Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are! 

13 But you say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness? 

14 Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.' 

15 Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod? 

16 They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away. 

17 They said to God, 'Depart from us,' and 'What can the Almighty do to us?' 

18 Yet he filled their houses with good things- but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 

19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent one mocks at them, 

20 saying, 'Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed.' 

21 "Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. 

22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. 

23 If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents, 

24 if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed, 

25 then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver. 

26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. 

27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows. 

28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. 

29 For when they are humbled you say, 'It is because of pride'; but he saves the lowly. 

30 He delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."  - Job 22

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

18 They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."

19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,

21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

22 And have mercy on those who doubt;

23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. - Jude 1:17-25

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."

37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times. - John 13:31-38

Gratitude Brings Joy to God's Heart

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…” Philippians 4:6

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Are constant, vigilant prayer and thanksgiving even possible for us human beings? Yes! Behind every command of God, like “Fear not,” "Don’t be anxious,” "Be thankful,” is the omnipotent power of God to carry it out. Giving thanks is one of the keys to answered prayer. Why should we ask God for more when we’ve not thanked Him for what He’s already given us and already done? Think about it.

Now, there’s a difference between praise and thanksgiving. Praise is reverencing God for who He is; Thanksgiving is recognizing what He’s done. The two are inextricably interwoven, but they’re not exactly the same. Both are absolutely necessary. The person who is not “praiseful” will never be thankful.

Gratitude is what spoils life when it’s left out. If we don’t learn thanksgiving, we become self-centered, then unlovable and unloving. We will live in our own little world, locked up inside ourselves. When we get that way, we make a mighty small package.

If you want to sing in your heart, to be an attractive person to be around, to have your prayers answered, or to have the strength to endure tribulation, you’d better learn to praise and thank God.

It’s sad to see bitter, broken people who’ve never learned to be thankful. But when you’re thankful, your eyes are opened, and the blinders are taken off. A thankful person is open to God and to others.

ACTION POINT

Have you ever kept a “gratitude journal”? Get an inexpensive journal and each day write down something you’re grateful for that day. By the end of thirty days, if you’ve been paying attention to all you have and all God has done, your journal might be full.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Hold Fast to Your Hope

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:17–18)

Why does the writer of Hebrews encourage us to hold fast to our hope? If the final enjoyment of our hope was obtained and irrevocably secured by the blood of Jesus, then why does God tell us to hold fast?

The answer is this:

What Christ bought for us when he died was not the freedom from having to hold fast, but the enabling power to hold fast.

What he bought was not the nullification of our wills as though we didn’t have to hold fast, but the empowering transformation of our wills so that we want to hold fast.

What he bought was not the canceling of the commandment to hold fast, but the fulfillment of the commandment to hold fast.

What he bought was not the end of exhortation, but the triumph of exhortation.

He died so that you would do exactly what Paul did in Philippians 3:12, “I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” It is not foolishness, it is the gospel, to tell a sinner to do what Christ alone can enable him to do; namely, hope in God.

So, I exhort you with all my heart: Reach out and take hold of that for which you have been taken hold of by Christ. Hold it fast with all your might — which is his might. His blood-bought gift of your obedience.

John Piper 

November 24

1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans-

2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

4 I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.

6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.

8 To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.

9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

10 and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.

12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.

14 Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

16 "O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us.

17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.

18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.

19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name."

20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God,

21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.

22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.

23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.

24 "Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.

25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.

26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.

27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator." - Daniel 9

22 Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high? 

23 One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure, 

24 his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist. 

25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity. 

26 They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them. 

27 "Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me. 

28 For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?' 

29 Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony 

30 that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath? 

31 Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done? 

32 When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb. 

33 The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable. 

34 How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood."  - Job 21:22-34

8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you."

10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.

12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;

13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,

15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. - Jude 1:8-16

18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'

19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.

23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,

24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?"

26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."

28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.

29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. - John 13:18-30