Psalm 27:4

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 27:4 

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.” – Psalm 27:4    

David here is speaking about what he considers most important in his life.  Remember as we go through this verse that he is king over Judah, essentially having access to anything he desires.  However, as we go through these verses, we see what his focus truly is.  First, let us look at the three verses prior to our focus verse.  “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?” Psalm 27:1.  He starts here by saying that the Lord is the source of his light and his salvation.  The Word of the Lord is his light, it is what helps him understand and be at peace.  He is also the source of his salvation and deliverance.  And because of this, he does not afraid of anyone or anything.  God is the one who goes before him and protects him. 

Then he declares, “When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.” Psalm 27:2-3.  He has confidence that whoever or whatever comes against him, it will fail.  His adversaries will stumble and be defeated by the God who protects him.  And though an army would come against him, attacking him in order to defeat him, he has complete confidence that God is on his side and will fight the battles for him.  His confidence is in God.  He trusts Him completely such that he can stay at peace. 

And because of the above, he desires to be where God is at all times.  He seeks this by asking God to allow him to always remain in His presence.  This is the great desire of David’s heart.  First, that he would always be where God is, that God would never leave or forsake him, and that he would be in a place where he would hear His words, that his mind and thoughts would ever be on the Lord.  But also, that he could behold the beauty of the Lord.  This is not necessarily speaking of seeing Him.  The idea of beauty in this verse is referring to pleasantness and splendor, then His grace and favor; essentially His beautiful attributes that describe and show how truly wonderful He is.  Then, after he leaves this life, David desires to live for eternity in His presence there as well, to enjoy the favor and beauty of God.  From the moment where he is, David desires to, going forward,  be where God is, to enjoy and be in fellowship with Him that never ends. 

After looking at this verse more closely, this is how I feel.  I never want to experience being where God is not.  I want to be in constant fellowship with Him, and to enjoy His beauty and splendor forever; both here and in the life to come.  I pray this is your desire as well.  For there is nothing better than being in the presence of God no matter what. 

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

Psalm 133:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 133:1

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1   

David here is declaring that it is a very good thing that we live together in unity.  Throughout history, unity is a pleasant and beautiful thing.  That we are in unity with our brothers and sisters brings peace and satisfaction.  For through unity we have peace and contentment.  It is good in itself, not just bringing about good results.  It is pleasing to God and consistent with His will for us.  Notice that it is both good and pleasant.  Joseph Benson in his commentary on the psalms has the following observation.  “Many things are good which are not pleasant, and many pleasant which are not good. But unity among brethren, whether civil or religious, is productive both of profit and pleasure.”  I believe we can all think of situations that are either one or the other, but not both.  However, it is living together in unity that brings both good and pleasant conditions which is a wonderful way of life.

So, who are the brethren?  In the time of David it was Israel, for they were all descendants of Abraham.   And I believe that the proselytes, those who were not Abraham’s descendants but became followers of God and the law by denying their former lives along with their gods, are included in this as well.  For, in essence they were adopted into Judaism.  Today, it is the corporate Church, the Body of Christ.  It is all the people of God, all the followers of Christ our Redeemer, for we are all a part of the Body of Christ and have the same Father.  We should all be unified in God’s Word.  What He has spoken to us, we all should live by, and not attempt to put our own interpretation based on modern culture.  Paul appealed to the church in Corinth regarding this.  “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10.  Paul understood that though we may not exactly agree on every subject, but we must strive to present a unified message.  We may disagree on some minor points, but we should not allow these differences to create divisions within the body. 

And this is accomplished by us loving each other at all times.  “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:12-14.  Notice the last part.  We must all put on love, because love perfectly bonds us together in unity.  Lack of love can be a recipe for arguments and division.  And there is a very specific reason why this is so important, especially in this modern age. 

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23.  Jesus is saying hear that we are to be one in Christ because He and the Father reside in us.  And because of this, we, being in unity with them can be in unity with each other.  And why is that important?  Note the last part of verse 23.  “so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” In essence, so that the world will see our unity and love, and thus believe themselves that this word must be true and accept it.  And is that not our calling in this world?

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

Matthew 7:15

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 7:15 

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” – Matthew 7:15   

Jesus in this verse is warning His followers that they need to beware of false prophets.  The word ‘prophet’ has various definitions.  One is a person who foretells the future.  This is how the word is generally used today.  Now Jesus’ use of the word can in some ways be applicable to those who declare future events.  However, in the time of Jesus it was normally used to describe a public instructor on the subject of religion.  These religious teachers go out and instruct those in the ways of their religion. 

Now, in our focus verse Jesus is warning them that these false teachers will attempt to instruct them in incorrect doctrine, claiming falsely that they have learned these through divine inspiration.  Their purpose is to lead them into heresy.  This statement from Jesus is probably in reference to false teachers regarding the Jewish faith.   He spoke specifically of some of the Jewish scribes later in His ministry.  “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Luke 20:46-47.  These scribes referred to here are those who have a different outside appearance then what is inside.  They take advantage of people using religious words and distorted principles, yet outwardly, before the people, they pretend to be great and devout teachers, teaching false doctrine and principles for their own profit, while pretending to be God’s servants. Notice what it says at the end of the verse; these will receive greater condemnation.

 As in those days, we need to be as careful now  because there are many false teachers in our churches today.  They profess incredible knowledge and credentials but teach doctrine that is counter to what the Word of God actually teaches.  Just because they have many followers does not mean they are true children of God.  They may look and act godly and have a great outward spiritual appearance, however, their goal is to deceive us into following them and what they have to say.  This is why it is so important that we study God’s word on a regular basis.  We need to have this knowledge deep within is us so we can compare what they are saying with the truth.  Comparing the differences between the two if they exist will tell us if they are a true teacher of the word.  We must be as the Bereans Paul describes in the book of Acts.  “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.”  Acts 17:10-12.  Never just accept what anyone tells you if you have any questions as to what they taught.  Check it out.  This will prevent a wolf from deceiving you who comes across as a wonderful sheep but proclaiming great deception in the hope of leading you astray. 

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

1 Timothy 6:7

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Timothy 6:7 

“For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” – 1 Timothy 6:7    

This seems like an obvious statement, however, when we look into this verse a bit, it says a lot more than what many have seen.  Let us first look at the verse just prior to this one.  “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” 1 Timothy 6:6. When we live a godly life, we are living as He has commissioned us to live.  We make God our ultimate priority, we live as He has called us to live, we share the gospel with all who need to hear it, we love everyone, seeing them as more important than ourselves.  These are but a few of the characteristics of a godly life.  And when we find ourselves content in living this life then we receive great gain from our Father. However,  this is not mean in worldly possessions. 

What Paul is referring to is a life content with what we have, no matter how little that may be.  If we are satisfied with what God provides, then we will not be looking at how we can get more things, but how we can strengthen the relationship we have with God.  Looking forward we see a picture of what this means.  “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:8. If we have these basic resources, then we should be happy and content, because we also have access to the almighty God who desires to spend time with us.  Contentment has the idea of satisfaction.  Whatever God’s provision is, in that we should be content / satisfied.  Remember God’s promise to us as stated again by Paul.  “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.  God will provide all of our needs.  If He does not provide it, then we really do not need it.  Often, we say we need something when in reality we just want it.  And He did not say He would provide our wants, though He may.  But He did say He will provide our needs. 

Now, back to our focus verse.  When we were born, we could not bring anything into this world.  He created us and placed us in our mother’s womb.  Everything we have then is provided after we are born.  And likewise, we cannot take anything of this world with us when we die.  No matter how much importance we place upon it, we must leave it behind.  This is so because these things are not actually necessary in the next life, whether it be in Heaven or the lake of fire.  And to be perfectly honest, they are not all the important here also. I am not saying our possessions are bad, I am saying that we place too much importance on them.  As Christians, what really matters is our relationship with God Almighty.  Things do not really matter that much, except for as Paul said to the Timothy food and covering. He will provide what we need to live here and to fulfill His calling on us. 

It is a good idea sometimes to examine ourselves regarding what we find important, and if we discover we desire or place too much attention on ‘worldly things’ than maybe we need to make adjustments with the help of or Father in heaven.  God is to be of ultimate importance, and we need to be content with what He provides us while here in this life.  He will provide our needs.  Let us not be dissatisfied because we do not have certain things found here.  Be content with God and His provisions.  The satisfaction we will have will be worth much more than anything the world has to offer.

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

Psalm 5:3

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 5:3 

“In the morning, O LORD, you will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” – Psalm 5:3  

Psalm 5 is a psalm of David.  As we proceed here, you will see this is considered a morning prayer, one that is used to start the day. David starts by asking God to hear his prayer.  “Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my groaning.” Psalm 5:1. He pleas with God to hear the words of his prayer, not simply the words from his mouth, but the meditations, the groanings of his heart. The word groanings refers to whispers, murmurings and musings; those things which are not necessarily said but felt. 

Next, “Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray.” Psalm 5:2. He is asking God to assist and help him.  He calls out to God to hear him, to attend to his cries for help, acknowledging the one who he is praying to as his king and his God. He is crying out only to Him and no one else.  For he understands that the true God who he serves is the one who hears him and answers his prayers.  He does not call out to any idol or false god, only to the true God and creator of all.

He then, in our focus verse, declares these prayers in the morning, as soon as he wakes up he calls out to God.  Notice that this is not so much a prayer of request but a prayer of resolution.  You will hear my voice.  I will direct my prayer to you.  And I will eagerly watch for your answer for I know it will come and I will rejoice over it. 

I believe this is a wonderful example of how we should communicate with God.  We should take the morning when we first wake up to spend this time with our King and our God.  We should cry out to Him with our words and open ourselves to present our hearts and minds to Him.  Often, we do not have words to express our feelings, our pain and disappointments, our failings and regrets.  However, we should not attempt to hide these for He does hear our words as well as our groanings and inward thoughts.  We must understand we cannot hide anything from Him.  He knows our requests, needs, hurts and failings long before we were even born, for He knows the end from the beginning. 

And as we look at our focus verse, we must declare to ourselves that He absolutely will hear our voice.  There can be no question regarding this.  And not only our words, but our feelings as well.  He will not close His ears to us.  John put it this way. “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. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 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 5:13-15. 

Lets make the first thing we do when we wake up be going before God and spending concerted time in prayer. Let us lift up to Him our needs, fears, thoughts and feelings knowing that He hears us and loves us.  And then anxiously await His answer.  Do not only look for what we want or expect as His answer, but also what we may not expect.  He knows what is best, and we must take His answer and run with it, rejoicing as we go forward.  There is no better way to start the day.

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

Hebrews 12:14

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 12:14 

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” –  Hebrews 12:14  

God has called us to live at peace with all men.  Note that the writer of Hebrews states ‘peace with all men’.  He is not in anyway saying that there are some, such as antagonistic unbelievers, who are not included.  He is not saying that if we disagree strongly with someone that we do not need to seek to live at peace with them.  And those who cheat or hurt us are not to be excluded either.  Paul put it this way regarding peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19.  However, God declares ALL men, therefore He is saying with those who are not Christians, including those who are our enemies.

So, how are we to live at peace with our enemies?  By loving them, by helping them when needed and praying for them, and not just walking by and ignoring their suffering.  “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45.  We are to love our enemies; we are to seek peace with them.  Jesus said here that this is how His Father works.  He brings the blessing of sunlight to both the righteous and unrighteous, and He allows the rain that waters the food bearing plants to fall on the land of the righteous and the unrighteous.  He calls us to love as He loves and do for them as He does.  “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2.

We are called to go out and to preach the gospel to all men.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19. We are called to go out to those who do not know Him.  Now Jesus said to His disciples that only those called by the Father will come to Him.  “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44. So, who is called?  There are many who believe that only some of mankind is called.  However, this is in contrast to what Jesus said.  “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” John 12:32  He calls all men to Himself because He was lifted upon a cross and was crucified.  And again, as is said in Matthew 28:19, He has sent us out to reach all in all nations.

Now, looking at this in totality, the only way people will listen to us is if we show them that we love them and desire to live at peace with them.  If we constantly cause animosity to arise between us and others, they will stay clear of us, and how can we preach the gospel to them if we do not desire peace between us?  Looking back at our focus verse, we must desire peace with all men, even when we must disagree in order to profess the truth of the gospel and showing the holiness of God; but doing it in love, for without that , no man can see God.  The idea of seeing God here is not with our eyes from a distance but living with Him, being in His presence in peace.  And that is our calling, to lead all men to know and see God, making disciples.  And only through desiring at all cost peace with them, can we make this happen.

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

Romans 8:31

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 8:31 

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” – Romans 8:31   

 Paul starts out this chapter with the following verse, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1.  And why is this true?  “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” Romans 8:2.  Christ freed us from condemnation by His death on the cross.  This is how He set us free. 

In the gospel of John, we read, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32.  It is the truth of the gospel, if believed that will set us free from the law of sin and death.  The Jews then asked how can you set us free if we have never been enslaved.  Jesus then answers as follows.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:34-36.     

Now, as a result of being free through Christ, we will also be hated.  “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” Matthew 10:22.  He also says, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Matthew 24:9. We will be hated and persecuted.  We will suffer for the cause of Christ.  It is really showing itself now, what with all the limitations placed on Christianity that is applied to no other, particularly Islam which hates us and shows it openly.  Jesus warned us well ahead of time regarding this. 

However, Paul declares the following in our focus verse, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:32-35. Jesus, who died for our reconciliation who now sits at the right hand of God, intercedes for us.  We may have to go through the trials and persecution, just as many throughout history has.  Look at what Paul suffered.  Look at what many Christians in China, North Korea and the Islamic countries endure.  He may not take away their trials, but He is with them every step of the way.  He gives them the strength to stand strong in the midst of suffering.   “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.  And, “Oh let those who fear the LORD say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting. From my distress I called upon the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:6

We must always remember that God is for us.  He sent His son to die for us for He loves us with an everlasting love.  We can rest in Him no matter our circumstances for there is nothing He cannot do.  “Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You” Jeremiah 32:17.  If a God who is all powerful and all loving is for us, who in reality can be against us?

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

Numbers 23:19

Verse of the Day Devotion: Numbers 23:19   

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” – Numbers 23:19   

This is part of the passage where Balak of Moab sees Israel and feared them.  “Then the sons of Israel journeyed and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho. Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. So, Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel.” Numbers 22:3.  And because of this he sends messengers to Balaam to request that he curse the Israelites.  “Moab said to the elders of Midian, now this horde will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” Numbers 22:4-6. 

Now Balaam agrees to do so for a fee.  He was a Midianite, a non-Israelite prophet, otherwise known as a diviner.  Midian was on the east of the Jordan river and when Joshua led Israel to the promised land, He gave this land to the Reubenites  who chose to go back across the Jordan to settle there. “With the other half-tribe, the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance which Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the servant of the LORD gave to them;” Joshua 13:8. And when Israel took the land of Midian, they killed Balaam the diviner. “The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner, with the sword among the rest of their slain.” Joshua 13:22. Now, Balaam goes out to speak to the Lord to receive His words. “He said to them, Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as the LORD may speak to me. And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam.” Numbers 22:8. Then Balaam hears from the Lord. “God said to Balaam, do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” Numbers 22:12. He then goes back and tells Balak, adding, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.” Numbers 22:18b.

Balaam is then asked a second time by Balak to curse Israel and he returns with these words, “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?” Numbers 23:8. Then Balak asks a third time.  “Then Balak said to him, please come with me to another place from where you may see them, although you will only see the extreme end of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there.” Numbers 23:13. Therefore Balaam goes and returns with the words of our focus verse. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19. 

Those words God spoke to Balaam He also speaks to us.  What God says is what we should abide by and proclaim to others.  We should not go to Him thinking we can get another response, for He will never lie to us and He will never reverse or change His mind.  We may not always like, at that moment, what He says, but we must trust Him knowing what He says is absolute truth and will work for our good.  If we know what God has said, we must not be like Balaam and go back to see if He has changed.  We must profess His truth as seen in His word, and only if we need clarification do we go to Him, not if we want to hear something else. 

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

Luke 18:11

Verse of the Day Devotion: Luke 18:11  

“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” – Luke 18:11   

This verse refers to a Pharisee who entered into the temple to pray.  With him went another man, a tax collector, who also went in to pray at the same time.  You will see here two types of prayers.  One that is acceptable to God, the other which is not. 

First the prayer of the Pharisee. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” Luke 18:11-12.  Notice the focus points of this prayer.  First, he was thankful that he was not like other people.  This may sound good however, he is only pointing out sins of others.  He may not be a swindler or an adulterer or an unjust individual, however, he is looking at himself as being superior to others.  His focus was on how great he was, especially in comparison to others.  He is not looking at what he has done, but on what he has not done.  He first prays how thankful he is that he is not like anyone else, and then afterwards citing what good he does.  “I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” Luke 18:12. This Pharisee obviously does not believe he has done anything wrong, for all he does is declare how good he is, with no mention of any need of forgiveness.  In fact, notice the first phrase in Luke 18:11, ‘The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself’.  This pretty much tells us how Jesus saw this prayer.

Now, let’s look at the tax collector.  “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” Luke 18:13.  Here is the picture of a man who knows he has failed in many ways.  He felt so bad, he would not even look upward toward heaven, but kept his eyes down in humility.  He was also beating his breast.  This beating of his breast was a picture of excessive grief regarding his sin.  This idea was practiced in most nations regarding a deep, heartfelt despair.  He did not build himself up but recognized his sinfulness and cried out to God for mercy, because he was a sinner.  He did not proclaim any good regarding himself.  He saw a need for forgiveness and mercy from God. 

And how does Jesus see these two?  “I tell you this man (the tax collector) went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:14. We must go before Him in humility, not comparing ourselves with others, but comparing ourselves to the one who came to die for our sins; the perfect one Jesus the Christ.  And when we fail to be like Him, then we ask for forgiveness with our whole heart, knowing He will forgive us.  If we only look at men and their failings and are thankful we have not failed as they have, we ignore our own failings, and we see a distorted view of ourselves.  “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.” Galatians 6:3-5. 

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

2 Timothy 2:11

Verse of the Day Devotion: 2 Timothy 2:11 

“It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;” – 2 Timothy 2:11  

This past week, I have been in the little town of Puyallup, Washington where I was making preparations for the burial of my mother who passed away on January 28th around midnight.  She had developed pneumonia in both her lungs and was unable to fight it off.  I left early on the 29th arriving at my hotel around 9:30 PM Pacific time.  There was a lot to do. I had to go to the funeral home several times and the cemetery to work out what was needed in order to prepare for the actual burial, then visit the assisted living facility where she lived for several years to retrieve anything that would be of value for the family.  There was not much left, for my mom had already given away everything she had, except for several personal items and any pertinent paperwork.   

I already knew she was going downhill, but did not expect her to pass so quickly, so when I received the call from my Aunt, it did take me by surprise.  I will say this past week was difficult. Along with the sadness of losing my mother, the area has changed so much since my last trip there in 1994.  I will admit I got lost several times, and if it was not for the map app on my phone, it would have been much worse.  And what with the three-hour difference, I did not sleep as much as I needed.  But God was gracious as He always is.  After everything was done, and I was able to finally rest, I was taken out to lunch on Sunday by an old friend from High School who I had not seen in forty-five years.  He saw my post on a social media site and contacted me.  After lunch, he and his wife invited me over to their house to watch the Super Bowl.  I really needed this down time.  He is a graduate from a Lutheran seminary, and we spent hours discussing theology and philosophy, something we absolutely love to do, and it felt so good to just relax and focus on God and His scriptures.

Now that I am back and I have caught up on my sleep, God brought this focus verse to my mind and comforted me with these words.  Paul is in essence saying that if we die as a true Christian, we will not remain dead, but we will live with Christ for ever with no end.  And looking at the next verse, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; ” 2 Timothy 2:12.  If we live our life totally devoted to Him, then we will also reign with Him.  However, if we do not, if we compromise, then He will deny us for our compromising in our Christian walk is a type of denial of Him, for we are not totally devoted to Him. 

I know my mother loved God and was a Christian.  She was a very difficult person in the later years of her life, but I attribute this to her never getting over the death of my dad.  She did read her Bible and pray every day.  When I called her, she would always make references to God at least once during our conversation.  I know this is not all we are to do, but with her physical and mental issues, that told me she still had faith in Christ.  And therefore, I believe she, as our focus verse says, will also live with Him, and I shall see her again. 

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