Hebrews 1:8

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“But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.” Hebrews 1:8.

In the previous verse devotion, Hebrews 1:1-7 (available here), the writer spoke about how God used prophets and Godly people to direct them in God’s ways, as well as declaring to them important information they had no other access to including future events, and the coming of the Christ who would ultimately die, paying the penalty for the sins of all mankind who accept Him. Throughout this next section, God refers to the Christ as His Son. Let me take a moment to speak about this.

Jesus is not the Son of God with the idea of a human father and a son. God did not get married and mate with Mary and have a son. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God manifested in human form.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-2,14.

Jesus is called God’s Son in that He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. We see this clearly in the gospel of Luke.

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

Now moving forward, we read verses 8 and 9.

“But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.” Hebrews 1:8-9.

But notice what we read in the psalms.

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.” Psalm 45:6-7.

We see here that this message in Hebrews 1:8-9 is taken from Psalm 45:6-7. The Father is telling His Son, that His kingship would be a never ending one.

Next, we read the following.

“And, ’YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.’” Hebrews 1:10-12.

Again, notice what we read in the psalms.

“Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” Psalm 102:25-27.

The writer of Hebrews used the Psalms at various times to validate his thoughts. In here we see that the creation of everything was by the Son. It was He who laid the foundation of everything created. But He also notes that all of this will cease to exist. This idea is also found in the Book of Matthew  where everything will be made new.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35.

As well as in Revelation.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2.

The basic idea here is that the new home of God’s people will not consist of anything that exists now, which includes the seas. Everything will be made totally new and will be perfect and last for eternity. We, as God’s people, will be changed into immortal beings that will live forever with Him, just like Jesus. And referring to Jesus,

“But you are the same, and your years will not come to an end.” Hebrews 1:12b.

And just as God; The Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, will live forever, so shall we in His kingdom.

“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.

Then we read the final two verses in Hebrews 1.

“But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:13-14.

For the seventh time in chapter 1, the author quotes the Hebrew Scriptures, this time to demonstrate that Jesus is greatly superior to any angelic being. He quoted Psalm 110 to show again that God the Father said things to Jesus He never said to angelic beings.

“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’” Psalm 110:1.

Angels are ministering spirits, not governing spirits. They are called to service and assist those who have accepted Christ as Savior. They are commanded to serve God, and He shares these servants with redeemed men and women. This shows the great love of God for us, and how He wants to share all things with us.

Quoting theologian F.F. Bruce:

“The most exalted angels are those whose privilege it is to “stand in the presence of God” like Gabriel (Luke 1:19), but none of them has ever been invited to sit before him, still less to sit in the place of unique honor at his right hand. Their standing posture betokens their promptness to execute his commands, or simply to abide his pleasure.” F.F. Bruce.

To go back to Hebrews 1:1-7, click the following link.

Hebrews 1:1

Verse Study Devotion – Hebrews 1:1

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,” Hebrews 1:1

First of all, I want to discuss who the author was. Many believe it was the Apostle Paul, however, I want you to notice how Paul begins his writings we know are his.

Romans – Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

! Corinthians – Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2 Corinthians – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:

Galatians – Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

Ephesians – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Philippians – Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:

Colossians – Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

! Thessalonians – Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 Thessalonians – Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Timothy – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,

2 Timothy – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

Titus – Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

Philemon – Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,

Note how Paul starts all the books he wrote with his first name. In the Book of Hebrews, the author’s name is never mentioned. This leads me to believe that Paul did not write the Book of Hebrews. I may be wrong, but ultimately this is not all that important. What is important is what God is telling us through whoever He chose to write this book via the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Going now to verses 1 and 2 we see that God is a personal God, not one who created everything and went away, but who desires to interact with us.

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” Hebrews 1:1-2.

In the Old Testament, God spoke to His people through the prophets. They were people God used to communicate His message to the world. In essence they acted as a mouthpiece for God, receiving and then proclaiming what God has told or shown them. And they shared these things according to God’s commandments to them. However, when ‘The Christ’ came into the world, God spoke to us through Him, His son. Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning ‘anointed or chosen one’. This Greek word is equivalent to the Hebrew word Mashiach, or ‘Messiah.’ And the name ‘Jesus’ is the Lord’s human name given to Mary by the angel Gabriel.

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

His name was Jesus, but His title was Christ, for Jesus was sent by God to be a King and Deliverer. Christ is His title, the Messiah, also referred to as ‘The Anointed One.’

I love the way Theologian Charles Spurgeon described these two ideas.

“Saving the best for last is always God’s rule. You have kept the good wine until now. Prophets are a very blessed means of communication, but how much more sure, how much more condescending is it for God to speak to us by His Son!”

He uses a verse from the Book of John to help make his point regarding the prophets and the Christ.

“When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, ‘Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.’” John 2:10.

He spoke with those in Old Testament times through prophets, but in New Testament times, during our time through to the end, He speaks to us through His Son, The Christ. He literally saved the best for last.

And this one who is God’s Son made the worlds and everything that is. We see this more clearly stated by John in his gospel record.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. .. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-3, 14.

Moving on to verse three.

“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Hebrews 1:3.

Hebrews 1:2-3 are incredible verses that show us the nature and work of Jesus Christ, putting together His divinity, His role in creation (as seen in Hebrews 1:2), and His work in redeeming mankind from the results of their sin. We then read in 1 John the following regarding salvation.

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7.

Jesus manages everything by His word, showing He not only created but upholds the universe. He provided a means to purify us from our sins, showing His work of redemption through cleansing us. He then sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in on high, that being God the Father. This shows Jesus’ exaltation and authority, as we see in Ephesians 1:19-21.

“And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 1:19-21.

This verse reassures us of Jesus’ divine nature and ongoing role, offering comfort and hope in uncertain times.

Then in the next four verses we see the immense difference between all the angels and the Christ.

“Having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”? And again, “I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME”? And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.” And of the angels He says, “WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.” Hebrews 1:4-7.

Looking at these verses, we see the phrase, ‘much better than the angels”. This refers to being exalted much above the angels. The word “better” here does not refer to moral character, but to exaltation of rank. In the Greek, the word is ‘kreitton’, which has the idea of stronger, more useful and noble. And because of this, He has a more excellent name. Instead of simply being an angel or servant, Jesus was declared the Son of God. No angel was given this position.

God the Father also spoke to God the Son and declared Him as begotten. The word begotten speaks of the equality of substance and essential nature between the Father and Son, because the Son came forth from the Father. It means that the Father and the Son share the same being. This verse also suggests that God sometimes delivers His message, via His angels, using them through the natural world. While angels have a flexible nature, sometimes appearing as flames or wind,

“He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers.” Psalm 104:4.

To go forward to Hebrews 1:8-14, click the following link.

Hebrews 1:14

Verse of the Day: Hebrews 1:14

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” – Hebrews 1:14 

The writer of Hebrews in verse 14 is telling us something about angels, namely that they are inferior to Christ.  Look at verse 13.  “But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET?”  This the Father spoke to the Son and David wrote it in Psalm 110:1, “A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.“.  He did not speak it to any angel, but only to the Son.

In our focus verse, we see they have a great purpose.  They are ministering spirits sent out to help the Christians in this life.  Imagine that, when we are in need, there are times when God Himself comes, but there are times He sends an angel to assist us.  And these are incredibly powerful spirits.  We have nothing to fear when either God or angels are around.  This should encourage us greatly.  No matter what comes against us, there is something more powerful then the enemy that is attacking.

So, go out there and fear not.  The enemy does not stand a chance.  Just trust that no matter what, you are ultimately in no danger.  It may seem that things are bad, but always remember, there is someone by our side and it will ultimately be good in the grand scheme of things.

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

Hebrews 12:3

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 12:3

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” – Hebrews 12:3 

This can be a very difficult verse to accept.  What the writer of Hebrews is saying is we should be as Christ in our strength and fortitude regarding the hostility and suffering we experience.  “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. Jesus freely came here to suffer death for us, knowing through His own death we could be counted righteous and able to enter into the kingdom of God.  And this was a great joy to Him.  In fact, we would be joint heirs with Him.  “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:16-17.  As Jesus suffered, we must also be willing to suffer for in so doing we will be glorified with Him.  We should look at these trials as a precursor to great joy promised to us by Him, just as He, in joy, sacrificed Himself for us.

The Apostle Peter had a few things to say about this.  “Servants be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.  For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it; this finds favor with God.” 1 Peter 2:18-20.  We are to be kind to all, no matter what anyone does to us.  If we are treated harshly, we are to endure it with patience.  This is what we see in how Jesus dealt with unjust suffering.  He could have saved himself but chose not to.  “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?’” Matthew 26:52-54.

We are called to follow this example.  Paul again says here, “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 to be like Him, walking in love to the point that we would sacrifice our very life as well.  This seems impossible; however, our focus verse shows us the way.  We need to look to Jesus; see how He endured even more than we have or ever will.  How He was treated even more harshly for no cause then we ever will.  We must, through the Holy Spirit, suffer for the cause of Christ.  We are not to compromise but be steadfast under every circumstance.  And when we begin to faint and lose heart, go to God.  “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

We are not alone.  God will be with us, helping us to follow the ways of Jesus, so that we will not grow weary and lose heart when persecuted.  This is a great promise that we must grasp with all we have.  And the harder the persecution, the more we can count on Him.  What a great and loving God we serve.

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

Hebrews 10:23

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 10:23

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23
Many times, I have been disappointed by people who have promised things that were not fulfilled.  I can be confident I am not the only one who has experienced this.  Once when I was growing up, I wanted to play baseball for the High School team.  I attended the first meeting and was given a list of things they expected of us.  One was that we had to have short hair, and since I had long hair, I agreed to get it cut.  My parents had agreed that I could play that year, so I went out and got my hair cut short.  After I did, my parents said that they would not let me play.  I asked why because they had promised.  Their answer shocked me, for they only promised it till I got my hair cut.  They would not put out the money needed to participate.  This hurt me terribly because I was not popular and had few friends, and I was hoping that playing baseball would change that. In our focus verse, the writer of Hebrews is saying that with God, a promise made is a promise kept.  (By the way, I cannot take credit for the line “A promised made is a promise kept”, it is the title of a song by Randy Stonehill.)   If God promises us something, he will bring it to pass.  And we can be assured that there is nothing that God 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.  Therefore, if God promises us something, we know it will happen because He is a faithful God who can do all things. Let’s look at a few of these promises.  “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you, Surely, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 We have nothing to fear, for God has promised to strengthen us and uphold us.  Then there is “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” Exodus 14:14. In our struggles, we can relax for God has promised to fight for us.  Then there is, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. We can be sure that if we do sin, if we confess this sin to Him, acknowledging it as sin, and we repent of it, He promise is His forgiveness and the washing away of the unrighteousness in us.  And finally, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19.  He has promised if we have a need, He will meet it.  We can relax and just wait for Him to supply. These are but a few of the many promises He has made to us.  Each one of these, and all the ones not mentioned, we can be assured they will be a kept promise.  Therefore, we are called not to waver but be steadfast, not wishing, not hoping, but knowing He is faithful.  This is the faith He calls us to. And as an extra, here is the chorus from the song by Randy Stonehill, “A Promise Made is A Promise Kept”.   “A promise made is a promise kept, there is a love so true. Just hold on, God is holding on to you. Day by day, Prayer by prayer, oh, don’t you ever forget that a promise made Is a promise kept.” William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Hebrews 13:6

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 13:6

“So that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” – Hebrews 13:6

We as God’s people should not be afraid of what could possibly happen to us.  In fact, the writer of Hebrews says we can confidently state this as absolute.  How can we say this?  Let’s start by looking at the verse just before this.  “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”  Hebrews 13:5.  If we realize and live our lives based on this verse, then we will have peace because we know that God will never leave us or forsake us.  So, if we are content with what we have, knowing that our needs will be met, what do we have to fear?  It is when we love success and desire things that are not necessities which we cannot acquire, then we lose that blessed place of peace.

And because of this, with confidence, we know the Lord is our helper.  He is there to provide our needs, and to help us through any situation we find ourselves in.  He also helps us in fulfilling His calling in our lives.  See what 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. He will guide us in how to fulfill His calling in us, giving us the words to say, the deeds to do, the wisdom the succeed and the strength to perform it.  If we have a question as to how to proceed, He will answer.  This I have personally experienced in various ministry tasks He has led me to do.  There were times I had no idea how to proceed, however, through prayer He gave me the answer to all my questions.

We also know, with great confidence, that we have no need to fear what will happen to us because of what men may do.  I have read many stories about Christians who have been arrested because of their faith.  Most, if not all, remained true to God no matter what anyone did to them.  When trials came, they trusted that God would bring them through, however, if they were to die, they knew they would be OK, for God would take them to be with Him.  They trusted God in the midst of their torture or execution.  Even death is not to be feared, whether through execution or illness, for to us, it is simply going home.

Paul put it this way, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. Our sole aim in life should be to bring glory and honor to Him.  If we submit to Him as we should, then we will devote our lives to glorifying Him in everything we do.  He should be our life.  He must be our everything.  And when we live our lives this way, and it comes time to die, we will gain freedom from suffering and pain; being then in a place of joy, peace and infinite love.  We may lose our lives, but we gain all the good promised to us because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Therefore, we truly do not have anything to fear, for really, what can man do to us?  God will provide all our needs, He will be with us in all we do, whether it be in reaching the lost, serving the body or suffering for His sake.  Trusting in Him, He will guide us through this life, working through us to do His will.  And if man were to take our life, it would be a great gain for us.  Looking at life this way is a source of peace and joy.  Let us all partake of this goodness given to us by Christ.

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.

Hebrews 13:8

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 13:8

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8 

This verse says a lot.  Jesus Christ, our savior, the one that came and died to take away our sins, is the same from everlasting to everlasting.  Malachi wrote, “For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”  Malachi 3:6. God does not change.  What He was in eternity past He is now and shall be in eternity future.

It is important for us to understand that before creation, the second person of the Trinity was chosen to be the sacrifice that was intended to reconcile men with the Father.  This was prior to the creation of man. “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”  Revelation 13:8. God declared all things from the beginning.  He knew man would fall; however, He loved man; therefore prior to creating him, He set up his reconciliation.

Now, is Jesus Christ God?  Let’s look at what Isaiah says, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6. Notice that the child born here would be called “The Mighty God” and “Eternal Father”.  This verse refers to the coming Messiah.  Now, is Jesus called the Messiah in the New Testament?  See the following, “Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”  Matthew 1:16. So, we see that Jesus Christ is God as we see in Isaiah 9:6.  Therefore, He does not change as it speaks of God in Malachi 3:6.

Now, what does this mean to us?  It means that whatever God says will come to pass, for if it does not, this means that God has changed His mind.  And if He would change His mind on one thing, it means He could change His mind on anything.  Looking at the above verses above, especially our focus verse, we see that God does not change.  And, in Numbers we read, “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.  He does not change His mind either.  Therefore, since Jesus was decreed to die for our sins prior to creation, this hope of salvation is sure.  We can trust His word, knowing it will come to pass if we commit ourselves through faith to Him.

Let us rejoice because, as Christians, our future is sure and absolute.  There is true comfort and solace in this knowledge.

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

Hebrews 11:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1 

What is faith?  Is faith the same as belief?  Is faith the hope that what we want to believe is true?  Is faith belief with no rational reason to believe?  There are many views we have regarding faith. Let’s look at these three and then look at what the writer of Hebrews has to say about faith.

First, is faith the same as belief?  Does it take faith to believe everything?  I believe that a triangle has three angles and three sides.  The idea that a 2-dimensional, three-sided shape is a triangle is an objective truth.  We can see the three sides, and we know that someone gave this name to it, so is faith involved with this?  No.  Therefore, faith is not necessarily the same as belief.

Next, is faith the hope that what we want to believe is true?  Again, not necessarily.  Back to the triangle metaphor.  If I believe a triangle has four sides and I want to make this true, does it take faith to believe this?  No, it takes a misinterpretation of what a triangle is.  This goes back to the same idea that a 3-sided, 2-dimensional object being a triangle is an objective truth, and a four-sided, two-dimensional object being a rectangle is an absolute truth.

Lastly, is faith belief with no rational reason to believe?  This is similar to the second one, except this one does not deal with objective truth.  This idea can be traced back to the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855).  This is known as a ‘leap of faith’.  It is a belief in something that has no hope of being true. There is no reason to believe it, but we do anyway.  This was Soren’s view of faith in God.  There is no rational reason or base by which to believe there is a God.  Therefore, you take a leap and believe what is impossible.  This is a very simplistic discussion of Kierkegaard’s view on faith, but it is enough to show it is not true faith; there is no reason to believe, but we believe anyway.

So, what is true Christian faith?  It is what our focus verse expresses.  First, true faith is based on God.  It is absolute belief and trust in God and what He did for us through His Son’s death on the cross.  So, with God as the basis of our faith, we see two things.  First, that faith is the assurance of things hoped for.  Hope here is what we wait for, knowing it will come.  So, faith is the assurance that what God has promised will come to pass.  And it is the conviction of things not seen.  It is the fact that we are convinced that those things God has told us are absolutely true whether we see evidence of it or not.  “For we walk by faith, not by sight—” 2 Corinthians 5:7.  Also, “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11

Therefore, faith is not based on belief with a seen objective truth, or belief in what we desire to be true, or even a belief in something that has no rational reason for us to believe.  Faith is based on God, and it is the assurance that what He has promised, He will bring to pass, and even if we do not see with our eyes what He has promised, we are convinced that it is real.  Because we believe God.  This is faith.  We who are saved must live by it, for as Paul wrote, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Romans 1:17.

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

Hebrews 13:1

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Hebrews 13:1 

“Let love of the brethren continue.” – Hebrews 13:1     

When we read this verse it implies that brotherly love already exists within the church, but the writer was telling them it was important to continue in it. And we must be careful that we today do the same. There are many things that can do away with it, and we must eliminate them in order to keep brotherly love alive. Jesus felt this was so important, He declared it a new commandment. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35. This is important regarding how the world sees us. If people see two Christians arguing and speaking harshly to each other, they may decide the Christian life is no different than what they see now.

We must see others better than ourselves; therefore we must seek our brother’s and sister’s good to their edification. Unfortunately, the church today is divided into various denominations, and unfortunately beliefs as well. We must look for peace and unity with all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Hold firmly on to what you believe, for we must not change what we believe on a whim. But wherever you see anything of Christ, confess relationships there, and act as a brother or sister in Christ with all who declare Christ as Savior.

Brotherly love is a major theme of the New Testament. In a healthy family, brothers and sisters love one another and look out for each other. If one family member is in trouble, the whole family rallies around to help. The old adage “He ain’t heavy; he’s my brother” captures God’s ideal for His children. We are to be kind to each other the way brothers and sisters in a loving family are.

Scripture gives examples of people practicing brotherly love. After David ascended to the throne of Israel, he said, “Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1. He had no relationship with Saul’s extended family, yet, because of his close friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan, he wanted to show brotherly love to Jonathan’s family. When the church at Antioch heard that the church in Jerusalem would soon be suffering from a famine, they gave sacrificially to help relieve their brothers’ and sisters’ financial burden. “Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.” Acts 11:27-30.  Churches in Macedonia and Achaia also contributed to the poor in Jerusalem. These are all examples of brotherly love.

And one last thing. We are actually called to love everyone, including our enemies. “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 in order 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. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48.

I want to encourage everyone reading this to be kind to, and love all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, we are also called to love the unsaved, to bring them to the Lord, including our enemies. When we love everyone, we will show the reality of our Christian walk. When we as a church are in unity, we show that the body of Christ is a good and safe place to be, and when we love our enemies, we may make a big difference in their lives by making them not an enemy anymore. Love is the solution for reaching the lost and working together as the body of Christ. We will be amazed at what we can accomplish if we do all.

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