Romans 1:16

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 1:16 

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16           

Paul claims here that he is not ashamed of the gospel.  Why does he think he needs to say this?  He declares in his first letter to the church in Corinth the following.  “For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,” 1 Corinthians 1:22-23. 

Regarding the Jews, Adam Clarke writes in his commentary on 1 Corinthians the following, “There never was a people in the universe more difficult to be persuaded of the truth than the Jews: and had not their religion been incontestably proved by the most striking and indubitable miracles, they never would have received it.”  In essence, if the Jews had not seen the miracles, they would never had received the message God gave them.  Remember the parting of the Red Sea. “As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” Exodus 14:10-12. They would not believe what God had told them because they saw the Egyptians and they feared.  Then, God parts the Red Sea.  We see this pattern throughout the Old Testament.  And this does not just refer to the Jews in the Old Testament.  “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You. But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;” Matthew 12:38-39.

As for the Greeks, the best example was Paul’s visit to the Areopagus.  They were more interested in wisdom than truth.  Paul gave a compelling argument regarding God, Him being the creator, that He is not in need of us but desires for us to seek after Him. However, when he brought up the resurrection, we read, “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” Acts 17:32.

As we can see, the Jews required a sign, and the Greeks were seeking wisdom.  Paul was ridiculed by the leadership of both, essentially saying that he could not prove to them what he was saying.  They found his declaration ridiculous.  However, he continued preaching the gospel.  He did not stop because they laughed at him or called him silly. The Jews did not see a viable sign that Jesus, a meek, lowly and impoverished man would save the world, and the Greeks saw no wisdom in his words.  Do we not see the same thing today?  Are we strong enough not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, or do we hide our belief from those who may ridicule or despise us because of the gospel?  It is important that we show there is no cost we will not pay to share the truth with anyone, and to share it with boldness and surety.  God is real, Christ is real, and the gospel is real.  Let’s show it by our not being ashamed of declaring the reality of it and not backing down. 

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

1 John 5:14

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 John 5:14 

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” – 1 John 5:14          

John here is finalizing his first letter to the church.  According to I. Howard Marshall, author of the New International Commentary on the New Testament – The Epistles of John, there was a crisis in the church whereby teachers within the church were advocating a new understanding of Christianity which did not agree with the idea John and his colleagues were teaching.  Throughout the book, John is showing them the truth as opposed to what they taught.  We see this in chapter 2.  “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.” 1 John 2:18-19.  He called those who taught wrong teachings antichrists, strong language but true if they taught a different gospel then Jesus presented.  So, many left and went out pushing their beliefs.

Now, in the final section of this letter, he lays out why He wrote it. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13.  It appears that one of the main teachings of the false teachers countered the idea of eternal life.  Note the phrase so that you may know that you have eternal life.  John wanted them to fully understand that eternal life was promised to those who believe Jesus, who He was and what He taught.  And based on our focus verse, because of their belief in Jesus they have confidence that if they ask anything, according to His will, that He hears them.  

Now, a very important phrase is found here that many either do not see or they ignore; “according to His will.”  It is not saying that anything we ask for will be heard, only those things that fall under His will. This is a very important concept, because note the next verse.  “And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:15.  And if He hears us, then we shall have what we ask for.  Therefore, the great promise to believers is that if we pray to God, according to and within the scope of His will, then we can be assured what we ask for is ours.

Now, one last point of clarification. There are two ways to ask outside of His will.  The first is to ask for something that we know is not His will.  That would encompass such things as asking for something we know is wrong or sinful, or something that is not intrinsically wrong, but asking would be wrong for us, such as asking for something that may have a negative effect on ours or someone else’s life, such as if we win, someone else loses.  Remember what Paul said, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;“ Philippians 2:3. 

The other way to ask outside of His will is to ask for something that is not what God has in mind.  He has a better plan.  The basic idea is that we may ask for something, but God has something better for us.  For instance, we may ask Him to give us a ministry position at the church we attend, but He wants us to minister overseas.  This requires trust from us.  If we ask Him for something and He does not provide that specific thing, then we must understand it was not His will for us, He has another plan.  And we must be content when what we ask for does not come to pass.  God knows better, and we should learn to be content no matter which way it goes. 

Trust God that, because He knows the end from the beginning, that He understands who we are better than we know ourselves, and that He has been preparing us for His work even though we do not recognize all that He has done, He knows best, therefore rest in this truth.  

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

Psalm 147:3

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 147:3 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3        

This is a verse that speaks of the great love God has for Israel and for us as well.  It refers primarily to those who have returned from their captivity in Babylon.  “The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel.” Psalm 147:2.  Note the phrase at the end, ‘He gathers the outcast of Israel.’  When Israel returned from Babylon, two major works they did was to rebuild the temple which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, as well as the walls of the city.  This speaks to the phrase; the Lord builds up Jerusalem.  Not only did the Israelites work to restore Jerusalem, but they were dealing with sorrow because of the condition the city was in.    

As stated above, those returning from Babylon were crushed and broken due to their long seventy-year captivity, and with the return march back to Jerusalem, which was 2700 kilometers, or 1678.2 miles.  And when they arrive back, the city was in ruins.  This was the beloved city of the Jewish nation.  I am sure also many of their family and friends did not return with them due to being settled in Babylon, probably intermarried, and chose to remain behind.  This also must have caused heartache to those who chose to go back.

God though did not leave them this way.  He healed their broken hearts.  He brought them back to their native land after many years.  And even though the Temple was destroyed, and the walls were torn down, He lifted their spirits by a safe trip back and with the assurance they could, and would, rebuild everything.  He brought back all who desired to return.  See verse 4. “He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.”  Psalm 147:4. The idea is that if He can count the number of stars in the heavens and give them each a name, He knows where each one of the exiles are that want to return.  No one was left behind. 

However, though this verse is referring to the captive Israelites, this is a general truth that is applicable to us as well.  All of us go through difficult times.  All of us go through periods of anxiety, pain, broken hearts, etc.  We may struggle in going through these times; however, we have a God who loves us and brings us through to the other side.  “Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. The LORD supports the afflicted; He brings down the wicked to the ground.” Psalm 147:5-6.  He understands and has compassion on us.  “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19.  Call out to Him, He understands and will not leave us here alone.  As our focus verse states, He heals us when our hearts are broken, and He binds up the wounds that come because of our trials.  “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7.  Cast all of our trials, anxieties and hurts on Him, for He understands, cares for us, and wants to pull you through.  I can say through experience, it is easier than going though them alone. 

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

2 Timothy 1:7

Verse of the Day Devotion: 2 Timothy 1:7 

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7       

The apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, a young man called to work within the Church in Ephesus.  “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.” 1 Timothy 1:2-4.  Paul left him there to instruct certain men not to teach heresy. 

In the writing of the second letter, Paul is encouraging Timothy to remain strong and resolute in his faith.  “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.”  He grew up in a family of faith, both with his mother Eunice and Grandmother Lois.  Paul knew Timothy had sincere faith, however, as a young man it appears there were things that held him back.  He had some reluctance , no doubt due to the message he was giving to the men regarding false teachings and the feedback he must have received.  Paul though tells him, “For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” 2 Timothy 1:6. He must have felt some reluctance in declaring this message, however, Paul tells him to stir up once again the gift of God.  And this gift from God was the Spirit of God. 

Now, Paul goes on to declare that this gift was not a spirit of timidity or fear.  There was no reason to experience this because the Holy Spirit would grant him the power to encounter foes and dangers, as well as to combat those who no doubt came against him as he was fulfilling the calling Paul gave him to declare to those in Ephesus regarding not teaching false doctrine.  He was not to back down, but through the power of God working in him, he was to declare boldly the truth to all, even those who did not want to hear what he was saying.  And also, the Spirit would aid him in doing all this in love.  John explains this in 1 John, where he states, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18.  There is no fear in love, actually, true love casts out fear.  If Timothy truly loves God, which he does, this love  will cast out fear because He will protect him and be there in whatever he is called to do. And the Spirit will guide him such that he will be shown how to do all with discretion and wisdom. 

Now, this promise was not just for Timothy, but it is for us as well.  We must be bold and declare the truth, correcting where necessary, doing the work of the Lord through the power of God’s Spirit, not being timid but with love, declaring the truth.  Paul suffered much during his ministry, but in boldness, preached Christ wherever he went.  We may feel reluctance as Timothy did, but we also must apply the same words that Paul spoke to Timothy.  We must kindle afresh the gift of God in our lives and allow Him to do His work in us.  For as Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. 

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

1 Corinthians 16:14

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Corinthians 16:14 

“Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14        

Paul here is closing out his first letter to the Church in Corinth.  He spoke to them throughout this letter about what love is.  There are four basic words for love in the Greek language. First there is ‘Storge’ which refers to a family type of love, such as a love of a parent to their kids, and vice-versa.  Second there is ‘Philios’ which is a love between friends.   Third there is ‘Eros’ which is a romantic love.  And fourth is ‘Agape’ which is an unconditional God-like love; the love God has for us.  Remember, God loves His people, however He also loves those who are not His people.  “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 loves everyone, and desires that all would be saved. “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.

The Greek word translated love in our focus verse is agape.  What Paul is saying is that whatever we do, it should be done with unconditional, God-like love.  A love that transcends and persists no matter what our circumstances are.  Whatever we do for someone else, we should do with a love that is not lessened by what they do, say, or react.  In fact, what we do should come out of our love not only to the person, but also our love for God.  We should desire to do the most we can in our service to God, which includes our service for others.  “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-4. 

We should have the same love for others as Christ has when He came into the world.  “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8. 

So, what is our focus verse saying?  That everything we do should be done with an unconditional, sacrificial, God-like love that does not look at how we benefit, but how the recipient of our deeds benefit.  We should see others higher than we see ourselves, thus doing things in humility and not out of self-aggrandizement.  Anything we do for another should exhibit and, as much as possible,  be seen by them as an act of love toward them and that we are doing it because of our love for them and God.  When we do this, our brothers and sisters in Christ will be encouraged that God is bringing us there way, and those who are not saved will see the reality of this Christian life and the love God has for them. 

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

1 Peter 1:8

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Peter 1:8 

“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” – 1 Peter 1:8       

This Epistle from Peter was addressed to those who were scattered abroad throughout the land.  They were scattered throughout, based on 1 Peter 1:1, “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.  They were not around where Jesus had been, and therefore they never had the opportunity to see Him directly.  Peter blessed the God and Father of Jesus, who by His great mercy caused them all whom he was speaking to be saved by the sacrifice of His Son and His resurrection from the dead.  He continues, “to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:4-7.

They were told of this great salvation that was provided to them by the death, burial and resurrection of someone they had never seen or probably heard of as well.  However, their hearts were open to the words spoken to them and they accepted this is reality and became followers of Christ through the disciples that brought them the message.  This reminds us of what Jesus spoke to Thomas after revealing Himself to him.  “After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said,  Peace be with you. Then He *said to Thomas, Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing. Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God!  Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” John 20:26-29  Notice what Jesus said.  ‘Blessed are those who do not see, and yet believed.”  Those that Peter was speaking to had not seen Him, yet they believed because they knew He was with them, inside.  They loved Him because they believed.  Note what Peter specified. “and though you do not see Him now”.  He was telling them they would one day see Him, and they ‘greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

This is our testimony as well.  We have not seen Him with our eyes, but we have seen Him with our heart and our faith.  He has revealed Himself to us in ways this world does not understand, because they choose not to.  But we know He is real.  And we will one day see Him, with our eyes in all His glory.  I will say that I look forward to this time more than anything else. 

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

Isaiah 5:20

Verse of the Day Devotion: Isaiah 5:20 

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” – Isaiah 5:20      

This verse speaks as heavily to the culture today as it did back in Isaiah’s day.  This is the fourth woe God declared through Isaiah to the Israel.  There were men in that day who declared what was considered good was evil and what was considered evil was good.  John Wesley in his commentary on Isaiah put it this way, “To them – That take away the difference between good and evil; that justify wicked men and things and condemn piety or righteous persons.”  They glossed over evil deeds and habits and accept them as acceptable, while they look down upon those who cling to God and His works.

Isaiah goes on to add the following. “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:21.  This is how they concluded what was right and wrong.  By how they viewed the works as apposed to how God declared them.  They felt they knew better than the prophet and therefore rejected his warnings.  And in doing so, rejected God’s words in the process.  Because of this, the remainder of chapter five, verses 24-30 is the declaring the judgements upon those who sinned in this manner.  Here are verses 24-25 which gives an indication of the judgements declared by God through Isaiah.  “Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble And dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. On this account the anger of the LORD has burned against His people, And He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down. And the mountains quaked, and their corpses lay like refuse in the middle of the streets. For all this His anger is not spent, But His hand is still stretched out.” Isaiah 5:24-25.  

Today, we need to ensure that we do not fall into the same sin as our focus verse declares, those who call evil good and good evil.  There is much of this going on in our culture today.  Leaders in some of today’s churches affirming abortions as a good thing and acceptable to God.  Churches where transgenderism is taught to our children either in story times, or in church services themselves as was done in a church in Cincinnati, OH.  There are teachings heard in some church’s that are against what the scriptures teach and leads to causing members to go astray and believe false teachings. 

If we hear anything that falls into the sins of our focus verse; calling things that are good, evil and things that are evil, good, it is important that we raise this with the church leadership and have them deal with it.  We should address those who have taught it and help those who heard it to understand that this is wrong.  This is not easy to do, but to ignore and not address these issues will have the same result as accepting it.  We must stand against these things.  God did declare this woe to the people of Isaiah’s time, and I believe He will declare the same judgement to those today who do the same.  Let us be careful and study His word so we will know when others confound the distinctions of right and wrong, and we do not fall into this error ourselves. 

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

Deuteronomy 30:15

Verse of the Day Devotion: Deuteronomy 30:15 

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;” – Deuteronomy 30:15       

This is a great verse that shows the free will of mankind.  Moses is speaking to Israel informing them that he will not be crossing the Jordan river into the promised land.  “So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them,  I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, You shall not cross this Jordan.” Deuteronomy 32:2.  He then  tells them that Joshua will lead them over the Jordan. 

He also has reminded them what the Lord had done for them in Egypt and during their forty years in the wilderness.  He reminds them of the covenant God established with them, that they would be His people here on the earth.  He reminds them of the nations they encountered and what happened to them on account of their sins and abominations.   He then brings forth this promise. “Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.” Deuteronomy 30:9-10 

He then adds that this commandment is not difficult.  “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach.” Deuteronomy 30:11.  It is not impossible to keep His commands.  It is not even that difficult.  The reason for this is, at the end of verse ten above, ‘if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.’ If they did this, then they would naturally keep His commands.  If they did not, then they would not keep them.    

So, based on the above, Israel was given a choice and we read this in our focus verse and the next.  “if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.” Deuteronomy 30:15-16.  The choice was either life and prosperity or death and adversity.  Life and prosperity if they follow His ways, or death and adversity if they do not. 

Today, we have, in essence, the same choice.  “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.  And also, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5  We can either love God with all we have and because of this love obey Him in all ways and receive eternal life, or we can choose not to love Him with everything we have and because of this not obey Him and receive eternal damnation.  He loves us so much He gave us this choice.  And this is the message we must tell the world just as Moses told the Israelites.  Our eternal future depends on how we respond to this choice.   

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

Matthew 9:37

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 9:37 

“Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” – Matthew 9:37      

Jesus and the disciples were ministering throughout the land.  “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” Matthew 9:35. They were traveling throughout Galilee teaching the people in their synagogues.  He was proclaiming the good news to them, speaking of the kingdom of God as well as healing them from every kind of illness. 

He saw many Jewish converts, and though there were many scribes and teachers in their towns, they did not teach the truth about the gospel.  They taught the old ways, the law and keeping it strictly to stay in good standing with God.  And with their arrogance and pride, none of them really cared for their souls, just about their living the Jewish life.  There were none to teach them about the grace of God and the idea that He was the Messiah who came to pay the penalty for their sins.  And with this, they were not able, even if willing, to heal or deliver them from their diseases or sicknesses.

Seeing this, Jesus felt compassion for them.  “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36. They only had people to guide them in the ways of Judaism, but not in the new life He presented to them.  They were fatigued, not in body but in their minds and spirit. He was touched by their infirmities as the merciful High Priest.  He was the good shepherd and He felt saddened that there were no other teachers at their disposal to help them understand the gospel.  There were so many who needed a good shepherd, but there was no one to lead them.

We find the same situation today.  There are many in this world who have not yet heard the truth of the gospel because no one took the time to go to them.  There are also many who have heard the truth but have not fully understood it because no one has taken the time needed to explain it to them so they can accept it as truth.  There are also many who hear and accept it with joy, but there is no one to help them become rooted in this new life, and when affliction or persecution arises because of their choice to accept the gospel, they fall away.  Or, they accept it but when they begin to worry and fret, or become enamored with worldly things, they focus on their trials and desires and become unfruitful. 

As Christians, we are called to be shepherds; to reach out to the lost and help those who are new to the faith build their foundations on the Word of God.  We are also called to help our brothers and sisters in Christ through difficult times, praying for and encouraging them.  We are to pray for the lost that God will lead us to those who need Christ in their lives, even though they do not realize it themselves.  We are to pray that God will lead us to fellow Christians who need fellowship and desire help in growing in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  We are called to help everyone we come into contact with to come to the faith and help them grow.  This is the role of the shepherd.  To guide and lead and protect.  As Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Lets be hard workers for the cause of Christ.

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

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ecclesiastes 3:1 

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1    

The traditional belief is that this book was written by Solomon.  According to Temper Longman III in his commentary on Ecclesiastes, this is an old and repentant Solomon looking back over his life.  What Solomon is saying in this verse is that everything in life has an appointed time.  Nothing happens outside of these appointed times.  Now, it is important to understand that as we look at the following verses, these are descriptive statements of happenings, and not moral statements.  For example, Solomon is not saying there is a time for man to kill someone, only there is a time when killing takes place.

He gives a list of appointed happenings.  “A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:2-8.  These are things that happen under the heaven, in other words, here on earth.  Again, these are not moral statements, but descriptive.  And notice that there are opposites shown here as well.  There are times for birth and times for death; the beginning and the end of life.  A time to kill such as in war, and a time to heal.  To laugh, and to weep. To mourn, and to rejoice in dancing.  To gather stones, and to throw stones.  To embrace, and not to embrace. To search, and to give up assuming loss.  To keep things, and to throw away things.  Time to tear apart and a time to put together.  To speak and keep silent.  A time to love and hate, to wage war and bring about peace. 

This list encompasses most of what happens in our lives.  These things happen, whether we like them or not.  We may not want to die or see someone else die, but it will happen.  There are time when people will embrace us, and there are times when they will not.  We must understand these things happen in an imperfect world and though we may mourn it’s happening, that does not stop it from occurring. 

Since we know these things will occur, what should be our response to all this?  “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.  We cannot change these things.  Good and bad things will happen, and we need to accept this as reality.  However, knowing God is in control, we can trust and fear Him, knowing that He will be with us throughout and will guide us in the way we need to go.  Those who are saved and keep His commandments will be blessed and protected, those who do not will face judgment.  In this truth we can rest and be contented and at peace.

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