Romans 10:15

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 10:15

“How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” – Romans 10:15

There are so many people in this world have never given their life to Christ.  Some because they have heard the message and have decided to reject it.  However, there are a great number who have never heard the truth of the gospel; some never having heard it at all and some who have heard about Jesus but do not understand what the Christian life is about.

The verse just prior to our focus verse states, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14. The reason we use the term unbeliever is because those who are not Christians do not believe Jesus is the Son of God and that He came to die for their sins.  So, Paul is asking a fair question.  How can they, who do not believe in Jesus, call out to Him?  Many people around the world have never heard about the God we serve.  They worship false gods that have been introduced to them by the people around them.  They are told that these gods are real, and they must please them through various ordinances laid out in their religious rituals.  So, if these are the only gods they know, why would they cry out to a God they have never heard of?

Now, at the end of verse 14, Paul asks the question, how can they hear about the true God and His Son Jesus if there is no one to tell them?  The answer is simple, they most likely will not hear about Him.  The religious leaders of their false gods will not tell them, mostly because they have never heard of Him as well.  Also, because they would never speak against the gods they serve for fear of losing their favor.  So, it is up to us, as Christians who know Christ intimately, to spread the word of Jesus and the gift of salvation He has provided.

Now, not all of us are called to be missionaries in a foreign country or even away from where we live.  But we are all called to reach the lost where God sends us.  Jesus said this to His disciples, and through His word, to us.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20.  This is about evangelism and sharing the good news because you cannot make someone a disciple unless He is a Christian.  So, from our focus verse, we are the ones sent by God to the world.

Paul then, in quoting Isaiah when He says that how beautiful are the feet of those bring the good news to the lost.  We are all called to preach the gospel, whether in a foreign country, a distant city or only as far as your neighborhood.  When we fulfill that calling, our work with its message is a beautiful thing in the eyes of God.  It is why we are here.  Let’s make it happen and bring the message of salvation to all God brings to our path.

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

Matthew 7:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 7:1

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” – Matthew 7:1  

All of us make judgements from time to time, and not all judgements are bad.  For instance, Jesus does not prohibit civil judgement of the courts upon those who commit evil.  We are called to maintain justice in our lives.  In the Old Testament we see the following, “You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:19-20. He also is not referring to judgement by the Church, through its officers, upon those who are walking in sin.  A good example was Paul correcting Peter. “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Paul corrected Peter regarding his hypocrisy of eating with the Gentiles until certain men from James came, and he would not eat with them anymore because of how he felt they would think about it.  Paul judged the actions of Peter, went to him and corrected him.

What we need to be careful of is negatively judging others rashly, not having all the information but assuming that what we think is going on is going on.  Without all the facts, how can we make a valid judgement?  One way this happens is when we hear someone say something and deem it to be a negative statement when that is not what the speaker was trying to get across.  However, we have already decided it was negative and we accept our judgement accordingly.  Or we assume knowledge regarding others and decide someone is not being truthful or is being duped when they speak about them.

Jesus goes on in the next verse to state, “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:2. This was a proverb among the Jews.  It basically referred to how people will judge us, that being by how we judge.  We should not judge rashly, for this could cause others to judge us rashly as well.   This goes along with another saying Jesus said which covers not only judging, but many other actions as well.  “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. In this, we will be loving others as we love ourselves.  If we do not want something done to us, we are not to do it to others.  And vice-versa.

Let us be careful how we judge others.  If we have to make assumptions in order to conclude the truth, we are not judging correctly.  It is important that we give the benefit of the doubt.  This is alluded to by Paul.  “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  1 Corinthians 13:4-7.  Let us always think the better of each other, which Paul says here is what love is all about.

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

Hebrews 3:13

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 3:13

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” – Hebrews 3:13

One of the things we should focus on is to exhort and encourage our brothers and sisters.  And, as the writer of Hebrews states, we should do it on a daily basis.  And we should do it as long as we are living here on the earth.  Being a Christian can, at times, be difficult.  It is our responsibility to help us all remain true to the faith and faithful to God.

There are many ways we can exhort the brethren.  Temptation can be difficult to endure, especially if we are already in a difficult place. It is important that we take the time to encourage people who are struggling.  If we are struggling, we would want someone to help us with kind and loving words.  In regard to temptation, help each other, through prayer and encouragement that this temptation can be resisted and beaten through the Spirit who lives in us. Take the time to check on each other, especially those who would be considered the weak in the faith.

Be willing to encourage people in any way necessary. As described above, we sometimes need to be encouraged not to do what is wrong.  However, there are times we need to be encouraged to do what is right; what is a good thing.  I have known people who do not believe they are competent or ready to go out evangelize to the lost.  Anyone who is saved, in my opinion, is ready.  What they need is some ideas on how to do it effectively.  The best way to exhort someone in this way is to stand with them till they become comfortable.

There are times when we need to be encouraged that God loves us.  This can happen when some circumstances occur that cause us to not love ourselves, which we then turn to ‘God does not love me’.  I have been there myself.  But a good man spent time with me, and he showed me that God will never reject us. Peter put it this way. “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.  No matter what we do, God will always care for us.  His love is everlasting.  We can always go to Him, and He will be there. There are more reasons we sometimes need encouragement than we can ever know.  One way we can show the love of God with our brethren is to encourage them and exhort those who need it.  It may help them keep from giving up and walking away.  So, if you see someone who needs encouragement, or who need help fulfilling a calling, take the time to lift them up, in prayer, and in helping accomplish the good God has called them to do.  This will help us all to grow in the love of God and honor Him in all we do.  It will also keep us all from being hardened and defeated by the deceitfulness of sin.

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

Ephesians 5:20

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ephesians 5:20

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” – Ephesians 5:20

God has done, and is doing, so much for us.  Much more than we could ever imagine.  We often give thanks to God when a great thing happens that gives us joy.  Some examples are when we win a wonderful prize, when someone we enjoy fellowshipping with comes and visits us, when a miracle happens in that we are either healed of a terrible disease or we are delivered from a very trying issue.  We give thanks for the food we are about to eat, and for the day we are about to rise from our sleep and enjoy.

But what about for other times?  What about when we go through difficult situations? Paul says regarding this thought.  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. This can be difficult to do, but let’s look at this closer.  We are to rejoice at all times, in all situations and circumstances.  It is easy to see why we would rejoice when wonderful things happen to and for us; and even when it is just an ordinary event.  But what about being thankful during hard times?  Yes, we should be thankful to God even during these times.

Why should we be?  As the above verse states, ‘for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us.’  Whatever God does or allows to happen, we know it is for our good.  If He chooses for us to, for instance, lose our job, He has a purpose for it.  If He allows us to become disabled in any way, then He also has a reason for it. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. Everything that happens to us, God has a reason for it. This is what we must remember during these times. I remember when I was blind for around three months. Yes, it was hard, but it helped me understand even more His love for me.

Also, I have been able to help others in the same situation. As Paul also said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Sometimes, what God allows is not for our benefit but for another’s. However, we benefit because we now have the knowledge and the compassion to help others through very similar situations.

In closing, every situation and circumstance we find ourselves in is something to be thankful for, whether we perceive it as good or not.  And the reason is that God either caused it or allowed it.  If there was not a ‘good’ reason for us to be placed in a situation, God would not have allowed it. Remember, all things work together for our good.  We may never know or understand what that good is, but we must trust Him that it is for our good.  And a lot of times, these trials may be the means to draw us to Himself.

What an amazing and loving God.

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

Revelation 21:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Revelation 21:1

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” – Revelation 21:1

This is a prophecy of what will happen at the very end of this age.  This speaks of a time after all the judgements have occurred.  “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

This is what we look forward to as Christians.  The old heavens and earth will pass away for they have been tainted because of man’s fall in the garden.  Only that which is good and pure and lovely will even exist.  It is beyond our ability to even imagine what it will be like.  “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’—”  1 Corinthians 2:9.  Now, this is a quote from Isaiah which says, “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4. This verse includes the idea that no eye has seen, nor ear heard of a God like our God and the actions He performs. The gods known of man were powerless, they were idols created by man.  But the true God is all powerful, and thus can do anything, including recreating of all that is.  Remember the first verse in Genesis, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.

This new life will be amazing. We will see the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven, prepared for us, His bride.  There will be no more tears and no more death.  There will be no mourning or pain, for the causes of these will be no more.  Our lives, for all eternity, will be perfect for we will be always in the presence of God, for we will live forever with Him.  There will be nobody or nothing that will change this.  In Revelation 22, we see the river of the water of life flowing from His throne.  We will have access to the tree of life, and the fruit that comes from it.  There will be nothing that is cursed, but the throne of God and His Son will be there, never to leave.  There will be no more night, and we will need no lamp or sun, for the Lord our God shall be our light.  And He will reign for all eternity, us being loved and cared for by Him forever.

What a wonderful future we have to look forward to.  And this life is assured to us. “And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” Revelation 22:6. This is infinitely superior to this life we now live. Therefore, look forward to this new life.  And, tell others who have no clue of what is coming.  It is our calling to spread this word.  And it is a word worth sharing.

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

Galatians 6:10

Verse of the Day Devotion: Galatians 6:10

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” – Galatians 6:10    

There is much that is involved regarding this Christian walk.  There is spending time with God in prayer, praise and worship.  There is reading and studying His word, as well as teaching about this life to those that are new in the faith.  But this verse lays out the heart of this life, doing good to others out of love.

In fact, we are called to do good.  “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13.  Also, “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:19.  We must always be willing and ready to do good to all we come across.  There are many out there that struggle with making ends meet, having enough food on their table or have no way to get somewhere they need to go.  You will be doing them a great favor by helping meet their needs.

Also, there are times when we will go through sadness, grief or disappointment.  If we know someone who is experiencing this, pray fervently for them, visit them to encourage them and maybe just be there with them.  It is amazing how healing it is for someone to just be there with us.  These are beautiful times where we get to exhibit the love of God with people who need to feel it.

And who are we to exhibit this to?  To everyone.  For those who are Christians, God can work through us to reveal His love and purposes for them.  He can show them, through us, there is a purpose to the hard times they are in, and that He will never leave or forsake them.  Life is not always as we desire, even as Christians, but whatever happens, we can always be sure He has a good purpose.  And for the unsaved, it may be what God knows will open their hearts to the knowledge of His love and forgiveness which will bring them to salvation, either immediately or sometime down the road.

In closing, never weary of doing good. The verse just before the focus verse says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  Galatians 6:9. We should always do all we can to help, encourage, uplift and walk alongside everyone who we come across.  Who knows what their needs are, and how we could make a difference in their life if we do?  And besides, though not being the reason, when we do good, we will reap a reward from God.  Not a bad thing.

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

Matthew 10:28

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 10:28

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Matthew 10:28
There are two different kinds of death.  There is the death of the body, and the death of the soul.  One is a temporary death, the death of the body.  The other is an eternal death, the death of the soul. Let’s look at both of these.  First, the death of the body.  According to Jesus, we should not fear those who can only kill the body.  It does not matter how old we are, our bodies are breaking down.  We can exercise, eat right, do all the things we understand are great for keeping the body in shape.  However, no matter what we do, this body will die.  It is inevitable.  Let’s look at some statistics.  The American woman lives on average, to age 86.  The American man, on average, lives to 84.  The longest expected life span, based on the longest recorded death in recent years is 122, achieved by Jeane Louise Calmet of France.  The oldest man who lived was Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah, who lived 969 years. Because of the sin committed by Adam and Eve, death was passed down to all living creatures, most importantly, humans.  However, as I stated above, if we have become true Christians, and our body dies, we will be given a new body, just like Christ’s.  “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:21. What he means by this is our bodies will be like Christ’s; immortal, glorious, and of a type that is able to experience the infinite spiritual enjoyments at the right hand of God.  Thus, we do not need to fear those who can kill our bodies, because we have a new one coming that is infinitely better than our earthly body which will be in a glorious life in the presence of God. However, we should fear Him who can destroy both our body and soul in hell.  The killing of the body and soul in hell describes the eternal destiny of those who are not justified, declared righteous, by accepting the work done through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  Man can destroy the body; only God can destroy the soul as well as the body in hell.  And just as the Christian has eternal life with the Father, the non-Christian has an eternal destiny as well.  “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:45-46.  Note the term ‘eternal punishment’. In closing, there are two deaths, one is temporary, and one is permanent.  We, as Christians, should not fear anyone who can only destroy the body, for these bodies are destined to die, either by the hands of men, illness or old age. We will receive a new body, infinitely better and eternal in nature.  However, we should fear God and reverence Him for, unlike men, He is the only one who can destroy the soul as well.  Praise God, for as Christians, we have a wonderful eternal life waiting for us to enjoy. William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Galatians 1:10

Verse of the Day Devotion: Galatians 1:10

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

Paul here is speaking to the church in Galatia regarding the fact that there were some within their church that were deserting the true gospel and were now following a false gospel.  In fact, he was amazed this was happening.  “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-7.  The word gospel, which is the Greek word ‘euaggelion’, pronounced ‘yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on’, meaning good news, and in this context, the great news of our salvation being available because of the shed blood of Christ.  What Paul here was saying is that there were many leaving the true gospel and beginning to follow a message that was not good news or the true gospel.

Then Paul states that if anyone preaches or delivers a message regarding the gospel contrary to what he and his coworkers have already delivered, then they are to be under a curse.  “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”  Galatians 1:8-9.

As stated above, the true gospel is the great news of our salvation being available because of the shed blood of Christ.  It defines the payment of the penalty of our sins by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  Therefore, a different gospel is one which denies the necessity of a simple dependence on what Christ did on our behalf, namely the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

There are many false gospels out in our world.  The more prevalent ones are the gospels of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.  These do not even reference Christ but state the following of their god is the good news.  However, there are a lot of Christian cults that are deceiving many, such as Oneness Pentecostalism which teaches there is no trinity and the speaking in tongues is required for salvation.  Then there is Christian Science that says Jesus was not the Christ and there is no sin.  And Jehovah Witnesses that teach Jesus was Michael the Archangel, that He did not rise from the dead in Human form and the Holy Spirit is God’s impersonal active force, not a person.

And why do we switch to these false gospels?  It is because many teachers preach what man wants to hear, not necessarily what is true.  “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4. This includes what is considered the prosperity gospel, antinomianism which states a Christian can sin because we are not subject to the law, and other Christian heresies.

In closing, it is not our job to preach and teach a gospel where the intent is to please men and seek their favor.  It is to preach the truth whereby men are told they are under the penalty of sin and only the death, burial and resurrection of Christ leads to salvation and leads to a Holy walk with Him.  Some will be angry and walk away because this is more than they expected or desire.  However, many will accept and believe this message and truly become a child of God.  This is our calling, and we need to put aside the teachings from wolves in sheep’s clothing and teach the full truth.  If not, then we and those who accept the message we give will come under a curse, and this is not a place we want to be. William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Matthew 4:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Matthew 4:1

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” – Matthew 4:1

After His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.  This is looked at as the first act of His ministry, a battle so to speak with Satan.  This was not something He did of His own accord but was led there by the Spirit for a purpose.  I believe that purpose was to show that He could be tempted and not fall as man has, and thus reveal who He actually is, the one who could and would pay the penalty for our sins.  Note a similar situation of temptation.  “The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” Genesis 3:4-7.  They also were tempted by Satan, however, they listened to him rather than God.  They believed the words of the serpent and followed what he said.

Jesus, on the other hand, did not fall into Satan’s trap.  The first temptation was “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Matthew 4:2-3.  Here, Satan told Jesus how to address His hunger.  But Jesus quoted Deuteronomy to answer him.  “He humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”  Deuteronomy 8:3. In other words, what proceeds from God is what man lives by, not simply bread.

Then Satan brings Him to the pinnacle of the temple for the second temptation.  “and said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.”  Matthew 4:6. This is a quote from the Psalms. “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.”  Psalm 91:11.   Satan attempted to use scripture himself, however, “Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.” This is a quote from Deuteronomy which says, “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.” Deuteronomy 6:16. Notice the words of Jesus “On the other hand, it is written…”

Then lastly, the third temptation, which he did from the top of a very high mountain.  “And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:9. And of course, He again quoted scripture with this.  “Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY ” Matthew 4:10.  And this is a quotation from Deuteronomy again.  “You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,” Deuteronomy 6:13-14.

This is why we need to study the scriptures and get to know what God said.  Jesus used scripture to answer all the temptations placed on Him by Satan, and this is a good way for us to fight temptation.  Knowing what God says is good and what He says is sin will give us the weapons we need to resist him and get him to flee from us.  We need to take advantage of this so we will be able to say “NO!” to Satan when he tries to defeat us.  Remember the words of James when he wrote, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. And the way to submit to Him is to follow His word completely.

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

Romans 14:21

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 14:21

“It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.” – Romans 14:21
n the first century Jews were accepting Christ and the work He did on the cross in droves.  The same can be said of the Gentiles.  However, because their former beliefs were not the same, they had different opinions as to what was acceptable and what was not.  That does not mean that either was wrong, but if they believed it was wrong, then it was wrong for them. There were several ideas in that time period that were most evident.  The first was what they could eat.  The Jews believed that only those foods that were declared clean by God were acceptable, everything else was not.  For instance, sheep were acceptable, but pigs were not.  Bass would be acceptable, but not eels.  “One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.” Romans 10:2. Another area in that day was when to worship.  “One person regards one day above another; another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.” Romans 14:5. One group, Jews, believed that the seventh day (Sabbath) was the day to observe in honor to God, others believed that all days, not necessarily the Sabbath only was acceptable. However, Paul sees it like this.  “He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.” Romans 14:6. As for eating, see what God tells Peter.  “But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.  A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!  But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean. Again, a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” Acts 10:10-15.  Some things are not wise to eat, but nothing is unclean as declared by God.  And “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”  James 1:13. As you can see from this, the Jews had a different view of right and wrong regarding these two ideas. And many today have similar differences as to what is right and wrong in the Christian walk.  One is that some will not drink any alcohol because they believe it is evil, while others believe alcohol is ok as long as there is no drunkenness.  Another area is with clothing.  Some believe that men need to be dressed up in suit and tie to go to church, while others believe anything that is not provocative is acceptable, such as jeans and a nice shirt.  Both examples within the belief described are OK.  However, some have grown up believing a certain way and were taught it was unacceptable to drink even a drop of alcohol, or that any clothing considered casual should not be worn in church. However, Paul wrote to the Romans that whatever we do as unto the Lord, and we truly believe this, honors Him and that it is not declared explicitly in scripture as sin, then we should not judge our brother or sister.  However, we must not do what another believes is wrong in their presence.  For instance, with the alcohol issue, if someone believes any alcohol is wrong, then no alcohol should be served or consumed.  For in doing so, we might cause him to stumble by doing what he believes is wrong; or to judge another by declaring them a sinner.  “The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.” Romans 14:3. Or, in our example, the one who wears a suit is not to regard with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not wear a suit is not to judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.  What is important in this verse is as long what anyone does is not explicitly considered sin, such as theft, murder or deceit, and they are doing it to honor God, then we must accept it as good.  And we should not do anything in the presence of our brothers and sisters if they do not see it as acceptable, for this may cause them to fall. In closing, we must be careful how we judge the actions of another, for they may truly believe that their actions absolutely honor God, whether they abstain from something or practice something.  God knows what is in the hearts of men, we do not.  So, we must allow God to determine if what they do is acceptable or not.  If we attempt to do so, we may falsely judge them and end up in sin ourselves.  And that would not be a good thing. William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.