Psalm 111:10

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 111:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.” – Psalm 111:10

Our focus verse, written by an unknown author, has incredible wisdom in the words it says.  The writer starts with the truth that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Being that this was written to the Jewish nation, I will assume they know God exists.  Fear in this context refers to honor and reverence.  If we know that God is infinite in His power, His love and everything else, then honoring and reverencing Him is wise.  If we believe He is who He says He is, then we should do all we can not to offend Him.  To know He exists and not to fear Him as described above is not wise, but incredibly foolish.  In fact, I would go as far as to say that not fearing and honoring the infinite God is the beginning of foolishness.

Many people who believe God exists will give the honor due their bosses, Pastors, government officials, friends and family, but not to the creator of all things who brought salvation to them through His death on the cross.  They will do what their bosses say, because they want to get paid, but they will not do what God says.  They will obey government authorities because they do not wish to be arrested, but they will not strive to obey God. After all He did for them, and having accepted His work on the cross, they do not consider it as important as all the other areas of their lives.  This is incredibly sad for this is where wisdom starts.  According to the writer of this verse, the foundation and origin of wisdom.  There really is not true wisdom if we do not recognize the being, perfections and the claims of our Almighty God.  Albert Barnes in his commentary on the Psalms puts it this way.  “The highest wisdom – the loftiest endowment of man – is that he may know and honor God. This, in capability, makes him wise above the brute creation; this, in exercise, makes a man wiser than another; this, when it springs up in the soul, makes a man wiser than he was before.’

The writer goes on to say that a person with good understanding will do and obey God’s commandments. The Hebrew phrase for this essentially says, ‘Do the things connected with the fear of the Lord, to obey God.’ If we really understand who God is, what He has done for us, what He does to help us in our lives here, and what He has prepared for us for all eternity, how can we not obey Him?  And for the same reasons, how can we not praise Him?  God never changes, so the foundation of our praise for all eternity is who He is, and that will never change either.

Let us always honor and reverence Him no matter what happens, for God knows all things and causes and allows things to happen for our good.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. Let us trust Him and fear Him.  For there is no greater wisdom than this.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Psalm 37:4

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 37:4

“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4

This is a psalm of David.  The first three verses lead up to this verse.  “Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb. Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”  Psalm 37:1-3.  David begins by saying that we are not to fret because of evil doers.  The Hebrew word translated ‘fret’ denotes not to get angry or heated up.  We are told not to get worried or envious because wrongdoers are prosperous and successful, and we are not.  The will not last because of their wickedness, even though it looks as though they will.

In fact, going into verse three, we are to confide and rest in Him.  Instead of being anxious and upset that you are doing good and not being as successful as those who do wrong, we are to trust in Him, continuing to do good.  We are to continue to go forward in doing what is right, to continue doing the work of benevolence, helping those who are wronged by those who do wrong.  Think about it, there is wickedness all around us.  The world is full of those who treat people bad, prospering at the expense of others.  This is more reason for us to endeavor to do good, if but to counter the evil being done.  We are to live here and do good when needed,

How can we do this and not get discouraged?  We will not find true happiness in a world filled with evil, nor in participating with them.  We should always seek our happiness in God.  We should seek it in His being, who He is, the Almighty God who loves us, who is perfect in all His ways, who are His friends.  This is what He means by delighting ourselves in Him.  If we live as God has called us to, and we trust completely in Him no matter what happens, then we can live a life of ease and contentment.  We can live a life of bliss if we will just give Him all our cares.

And lastly, it says He will give us the desires of our heart.  As we become closer and closer to God; growing more in our love for Him, as we continue to live completely to please Him, our desires will change to conform to what His desires are for us.  We will only desire that which is good and honorable to God.  When our delight is completely in Him, then we will delight in those things He delights to give us.  And this is a great place to be.

Let us work to develop a heart that delights only in God and what He has provided to us and what He desires to give us and let us remove any desire that is not honoring to God.  Let us delight in who He is, trusting completely whatever situation we find ourselves in.  For in this, peace resides, and worries flee.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 8:20

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 8:20

“Jesus said to him, the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” – Matthew 8:20

Jesus was speaking to a crowd of followers.  It was not just the twelve who walked with Him, there were many who heard what He was teaching, saw the many miracles He performed, and desired to know more about Jesus, who He was and what He taught. We read in Matthew the following, “Then a scribe came and said to Him,  Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Matthew 8:19.   The use of the word teacher tells us that He truly did not understand who Jesus was.  Also, in the rabbinic culture, the scribes were held in high esteem.  They normally were well taken care of and all their needs were met.  I am sure he expected Jesus to say, “Sure, come along, that would be great.” However, Jesus knew this man’s heart and that he was no doubt expecting everything to be the same, and for him to be taken care of as he was being a Rabbi.  However, the focus verse states His answer, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Matthew 8:20.  As we continue reading, we see no indication that he followed Jesus.

Notice that Jesus did not say to him that he was not welcome to follow Him.  But what He did say was the truth of what it meant to follow Him.  He did not paint a beautiful image of what it was like to be a follower.  But what He did say showed that it was not as easy as he had thought.  In essence He told the scribe that there were no guarantees.  There was nothing that promised they would have a place to sleep that was comfortable and safe.  The animals will have more assurance of a good night sleep then he would if He followed Him.  As you see what happened throughout Jesus’ ministry, there were a lot of uncertainties.  Food was not always available, and they were not always in places of safety.

And we need to be careful that we do not present a rosy picture of this life.  Yes, God will never leave us or forsake us.  Yes, He will give us joy and peace in all situations.  And yes, He will always love us and take care of us.  Too many times evangelists will use the technique of painting a picture to new believers and disciples that all is well, you can get what you want, and that you always will be safe. If we do, we are hiding what is going on in many countries where the governments are out to punish all those who worship Jesus.  Also, we are telling them that everyone will listen to them, and not give them any trouble.  Times can get tough.  And Jesus did not hide this aspect of following Him.  And if He did not hide this, then neither should we.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

John 3:17

Verse of the Day Devotion: John 3:17

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” – John 3:17

This verse comes just after probably the most famous and well-known verse in all the Bible.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16.  God loved the whole world.  He loved us and gave us a way that we can be reunited with the Himself.  And we know what that was, it was through the death, burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son.  And it is because we believe in the Christ, that we are saved.

In Genesis we read the following, “The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:14-15.  In the very beginning God told Adam and Eve that there would come a seed of Eve that would defeat the serpent, which is the enemy that rebelled before God created them.  And this is what happened when Jesus came.  Through His work on the cross, He defeated him and provided a way that man may be rectified with the Father.  This is important, for there was no final condemnation for anyone here during His first coming.

And this is what our focus verse is saying.  God did not send Him here to condemn the world.  He was not sent here to judge or pronounce judgement on anyone.  His whole purpose was to provide a means by which man may be saved.  He was the sacrificial lamb presented as a sin offering for us, since our own sacrifices were insufficient to restore the relationship broken in Genesis 3.  For, according to the Law, the lamb that is sacrificed must be perfect with no blemishes at all.  We are far from perfect.  Therefore, anything we would do, even in dying, would not be recognized.  And this was why He had to come.

We now have the opportunity to be reconciled and have a very loving relationship with Him if we simply believe.  When He comes the second time, it will not be to provide a means of salvation, but it will be to condemn those who did not believe and chose the worlds ways rather than God’s, and to take to our final home those of us who truly believe.  There are many in this world who still have not believed, and many who have not heard.  It is important that we show them the love of God through the sacrifice given.  For now is the time for people to hear and believe.  Sometime, and I believe soon, that time of reconciliation will be over.  We must go out and tell the world.  It is our calling down here.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

John 3:16

Verse of the Day Devotion: John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

This verse is probably one of the most recognized verses in all of scripture.  This shows how much God loves us and wants to be reconciled with us.  He loved us even though we did not love Him.  He loved us even though we refused to follow His ways.  However, His love for us does not constitute an approval of our conduct.  It shows that He loved us in spite of what we do.

This was a gift, the most valuable gift that can ever be conceived.  This was not just a book of rules or laws.  It was nothing we could ever have imagined.  And it was a free and undeserved gift.  It was a gift given for the sole reason that He loved us beyond all measure.  It was an act of pure love and eternal compassion.  It was because He did not want us to perish, to be separated from Him forever.

And what was this unimaginable gift?  It was His Son, His only begotten Son.  Something man has no claim to.  And again, something that was so amazing and incredible, it is inconceivable to the minds of men.  Imagine someone you know who committed a great crime that was punishable by death.  Someone you love and desire to fellowship with, even though they do not care to fellowship with you.  You then find out that someone who has not committed a crime could pay for the man’s crime by suffering the consequences that man deserved.  And you have a child who is completely free from any wrongdoing and could set this man free by dying in his stead.

This is what God did.  He conceived a child in the womb of Mary for the sole purpose of having Him die to pay the penalty for the sins we had committed.  He loved us before we could ever have loved Him.  Note this verse, “We love, because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19. The basis of our love for Him is because He first loved us.  However, let’s go a little farther with this idea.  “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Revelation 13:8.  Our names, us who have accepted Christ and are Christians, have been written in the Lambs book of life from before our world was created.  And this is due to God’s foreknowledge of our accepting Him, not His indiscriminate choice.  And because our names are there before the foundations of the world, so must have been the plan to give His Son for us in sacrifice.  He loved us before we were even created, before Christ came to die.  And because He came to die, we have the immense honor to love Him.  Remember, we love Him and others because He first loved us.

This beautiful and powerful verse has so much in it, we could contemplate for a long time and still not understand the full ramification of its meaning.  He loved us before He created us.  He knew we would fall away, and He still created us.  He provided the means of salvation before we even sinned, and it was through the death of His only begotten Son.  And anyone who believes in Him and the work He did on the cross will have eternal life.  There is no greater love than that which God gave.  “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. This will be a difficult question, but is this the kind of love we have for others?  Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” John 15:12

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Luke 1:1-2:21

Verse of the Day Devotion: Luke 1:1-2:21

“Merry Christmas to all who are reading this.  Every year, just prior to the opening of our gifts, I read the Christmas Story to all who are celebrating Christmas with us.  I pray you find this encouraging and possibly choose to read it on Christmas every year as well, to tell the story of the coming of the promised Messiah.” – Luke 1:1-2:21

Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

Luke 1:2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,

Luke 1:3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus.

Luke 1:4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

Luke 1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

Luke 1:6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

Luke 1:7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

Luke 1:8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,

Luke 1:9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

Luke 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.

Luke 1:11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

Luke 1:12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.

Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

Luke 1:14 “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

Luke 1:15 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

Luke 1:16 “And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

Luke 1:17 “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Luke 1:18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”

Luke 1:19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

Luke 1:20 “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

Luke 1:21 The people were waiting for Zacharias and were wondering at his delay in the temple.

Luke 1:22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them and remained mute.

Luke 1:23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

Luke 1:24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,

Luke 1:25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

Birth of Jesus Foretold

Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,

Luke 1:27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

Luke 1:29 But she was very perplexed at this statement and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

Luke 1:30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

Luke 1:32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

Luke 1:33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Luke 1:34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

Luke 1:35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

Luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

Luke 1:39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,

Luke 1:40  and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Luke 1:43 “And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?

Luke 1:44 “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

Luke 1:45 “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat

Luke 1:46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,

Luke 1:47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

Luke 1:48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

Luke 1:49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.

Luke 1:50 “AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.

Luke 1:51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

Luke 1:52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.

Luke 1:53 “HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed.

Luke 1:54 “He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy,

Luke 1:55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

Luke 1:57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

Luke 1:58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

Luke 1:59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.

Luke 1:60 But his mother answered and said, “No; indeed, but he shall be called John.”

Luke 1:61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

Luke 1:62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

Luke 1:63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

Luke 1:64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.

Luke 1:65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.

Luke 1:66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

Luke 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

Luke 1:69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—

Luke 1:70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—

Luke 1:71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;

Luke 1:72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

Luke 1:73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

Luke 1:74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,

Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

Luke 1:76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS.

Luke 1:77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins,

Luke 1:78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

Luke 1:79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Luke 2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.

Luke 2:2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Luke 2:3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

Luke 2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

Luke 2:5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

Luke 2:6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

Luke 2:8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

Luke 2:9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.

Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Luke 2:15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

Luke 2:16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

Luke 2:17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

Luke 2:18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Luke 2:20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  Luke 2:21  And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Luke 2:6

Verse of the Day Devotion: Luke 2:6:

“While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.” – Luke 2:6 

Jesus was now born, in a manger where the animals were kept because they could not find any room in any of the inns because of the census that was decreed by Caesar. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7. This was in the town of Bethlehem, because Joseph was of the family of David and was no doubt born there, for each family was to go to the city where the head of the household was born.  “Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,” Luke 2:4

After the birth of Jesus, they were visited by shepherds who were keeping their sheep in the fields in the same region.  ” In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12. This was such a momentous event, that these shepherds were alerted to the birth of the Messiah by angels.  And it was not just one or two either.  “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2:13-14.

This was an incredible declaration.  Angels, whose number could not be counted, told these humble men that the Messiah, the coming King, the Savior of the world, had been born in the city of David, in a humble manger, within this small and what was considered an insignificant town.  I cannot imagine how they must have felt.  No wonder the angel told them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;” Luke 2:10.

When the angels disappeared, they immediately left the sheep to see what they had told them.  “When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.”  Luke 1:15-18. The shepherds eventually went back, glorifying God as they went for all that He had told them.

Mary, on the other hand, pondered all these things.  She no doubt remembered what Gabriel had told her, and along with what she saw with the shepherds and everything else, she thought about them and what all this could mean.  She kept them in her heart and no doubt pondered them often.  She had obeyed God, offered herself as a hand maiden to do the will of God.  And now what was prophesied had now come to fulfillment.  What would this mean going forward?  I am sure this probably came to her mind.

Several years later, they received a visit from magi, known also as astrologers or magicians from the east. “After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9-11.  These were wise men, who had probably read the prophesies of the coming king and were led there by God using a star as a guide.  They gave very precious gifts and worshipped this child before they left.  God gave them a warning. “And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.” Matthew 2:12.

I close this by again saying this was not a normal event.  God prepared it from before the foundation of the world, and He guided many to observe it and give due worship to this child, the Son of the Living God.  This is what Christmas is about.  And this should be our focus and priority in our celebration of it.  Giving gifts and decorating is not wrong, but it should not be the priority.  Jesus is.  Let us remember this as we rejoice during this holiday season.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Micah 5:2

Verse of the Day Devotion: Micah 5:2

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” – Micah 5:2

The scriptures tell us where the coming Messiah will be born.  From a verse in Genesis, we know this is Bethlehem.  “So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Genesis 35:19. Now, we see some interesting things regarding Bethlehem.

First, it was too little to be among the clans of Judah.  Here is how this is explained by Albert Barnes in his commentary on the book of Micah.  “Each tribe was divided into its thousands, probably of fighting men, each thousand having its own separate head. Places too small to form a thousand by themselves were united with others, to make up the number . So lowly was Bethlehem that it was not counted among the possessions of Judah. In the division under Joshua, it was wholly omitted . From its situation, Bethlehem can never have been a considerable place.”  It was too small to be on its own, therefore it was merged with other small places in order to amass the thousand needed.

However, though it was small, a great event would happen within this town. One would come forth from there who would be the ruler in Israel, one however whose rule would never end.  This is the one who would fulfill the Father’s will and purpose from eternity.  Jesus Himself said this was His purpose.  “Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” John 4:34.

Lastly, we see that His goings forth are from long ago, from eternity.  His coming was known from before time began. His coming was known before this universe was created.  “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you ” 1 Peter 1:19-20.  Also, this one knew us from the foundation of the world, for because He foreknew us; those who would accept Him and follow His ways, our names were put in there from the foundations of the world.  “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Revelation 13:8.

This was no normal child who would be born in this small town of Bethlehem, one so small it was not even considered a clan of Judah on its own.  However, from this small; at the time insignificant, town would come the greatest gift God could give us; the means of salvation by the sacrifice of this not yet born ruler of Israel. Nothing today from any town, city or metropolis, can compare to what happened in Bethlehem.  Praise God.  He let us know through the prophet Micah.  However, many of the rulers could not accept this prophecy, and thus ignored it.  What a shame, for they missed the fulfillment of the most significant and important prophecy of all time. The birth of the only begotten Son of the Father.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 18:22

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 18:22

“Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:22

Jesus here is laying out a principle which is important for us to follow.  Before our focus verse, Jesus had just been teaching about the sins of a brother, regarding what to do in the event a brother does sin.  Jesus replies by saying, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17.  He was laying out the idea that we should do what we can to restore a brother if possible so that they will remain a follower.

“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Matthew 18:21. Peter here is making this a more personal issue.  He is not asking about if a brother sins, but if a brother should sin against him.  Peter was using the tradition of the Jews regarding forgiveness.  The Jews taught that a man was to forgive another three times, but not the fourth.  Peter here is extending the number to seven, basically saying should forgiveness be exercised to this extent.

However, Jesus throws him a curve in our focus verse.  He doesn’t say seven, or even an extravagant number such as fourteen or even twenty-one times.  He says we are to forgive our brother seventy times seven, which calculates to four hundred and ninety times.  This goes well beyond the tradition of the Jews.  What Jesus is basically saying is that no matter how many times he sins against us and asks for forgiveness, we are to forgive him.

Now it is the duty of someone who sins against us to ask for forgiveness.  “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Luke 17:3. However, we have a duty if our brother repents and asks us for forgiveness, and that is to forgive.  As many times as he sins against us and asks forgiveness.  And why is this?  Because this is what Christ does with us.  No matter what we do and however many times, He will forgive us.  “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9.  There are no limits noted here, therefore we should have no limits if we are to be like Christ.

This can be a very difficult thing to do.  If someone does the same thing over and over again to us and then repents and asks for forgiveness, we are obligated to forgive.  If they do this, there is obviously an issue with that person, and in that, we leave it in God’s hands.  But we must forgive them.  I believe we should pray and ask God to change them so that they do not persist, and we should admonish them so that they are aware of what they are doing.  But we cannot withhold forgiveness.

I want to encourage us if we are in that place where repeated sins are done against us, we should heartily pray for them and work with them where they allow us to.  This is a loving act, to repeatedly forgive the same thing from the same person.  But as stated above, this is what God does for us.  Therefore, we are to go and do likewise.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Proverbs 19:17

Verse of the Day Devotion: Proverbs 19:17

“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” – Proverbs 19:17

Today is Thanksgiving and marks the beginning of the Christmas Season.  This time of year is a favorite to many who enjoy the decorations, songs and movies that are popular during this period.  This is also a great time to enjoy shopping with family and friends and giving clues as to what you would want to open on Christmas morning.  It is truly a blessed time for many.

However, there is an important segment of society that we need to remember as well, that being the truly poor around us.  There are many people who do not have enough money to pay for food, clothing and shelter; our three basic needs laid out by Jesus in Matthew 6:31.  That makes celebrating Christmas with gifts and a feast definitely out of the question.  They would love the opportunity to give a gift to others, however it would take away from providing for the basic needs as listed above.  Furthermore, they would love to give their children a great gift, but many times have to either find something that was thrown away or not give a gift at all.

What if this was our situation.  Would we want help?  Would we want someone to bless us with the ability not to see Christmas as just another day?  Think about this and remember what Jesus said, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12.  Also note when He used the phrase regarding the law and prophets another time.  “And He said to him, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40.  Helping in this manner will show your love for both God and our fellow man.  We no doubt will be unable to help everyone in this situation.  But if we can help at least one person or family, it will make a great difference in their lives and help them to celebrate just as we are able to.

And notice the second part of our focus verse.  “… and He will repay him for his good deed.” Proverbs 19:17b.  This repayment will either occur in this life, in things that are temporal and/or spiritual, or in the life to come.  We may not know what and how this repayment will be, however we can feel comfortable that it will be wonderful and something only God could give.  However, we must remember to give out of love and not in search of repayment.  This is important for this is how God gave His Son for us to provide the salvation we need.

In closing, I want to encourage everyone to look for ways to provide a special blessing to those who are poor and suffering during this time.  If you would like some ideas, feel free to email me at william@truedevotionmin.org.  I have several areas that we are assisting in and I know would love the support and assistance you can offer.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.