Psalm 23:6

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:6   

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” – Psalm 23:6

This is the last verse in Psalm 23, where he wraps up these thoughts on God’s goodness to Him.  David declares all the good things God provides for him.  He says that whatever His needs are, God provide them for him.   He take him to green pastures to rest in, and to quiet waters to quench his thirst.  When he was weary or sinned against the Lord, God will forgive him and strengthen him.  No matter where Gid leads him, he does not fear, for the Lord is with him all the time.  The Lord blesses him in the presence of his enemies because God’s rod and staff comforts him because He is protected. 

Now, in verse six we read, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life” Psalm 26:6a.  God has promised those who live their lives for God, just as David did, goodness and lovingkindness.  And this will be his life all the days of his life.  Another verse says something very similar.  “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.  What he is asking for is that he can spend time in God’s house in worship and devotion to Him.  This was very important to him, for worship and praise was an essential part of his life.  He loved being in the temple, meditating on God. 

David trusted that for the rest of his life goodness and lovingkindness would be a part of his experience.  We read in Lamentations the following, “ Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. The LORD’S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:19-23.  His lovingkindness and His compassion never fails.  In fact, they are new every morning.  The beauty of this is that His love is always with us, and we can trust this with no questioning.

Now, the last past of our focus verse says, “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6b.  In my research, many have stated that this does not mean eternal, but the rest of life.  However, I tend to disagree with this.  Here is the focus verse again.  “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6.  There are two time periods mentioned.  “all the days of my life” and ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.  All the days of my life, and forever.  These must be two different periods of time because of the distinction.  So, in this last part of the verse, it is saying that forever, I will spend in His house.  If this was a temporal idea, then we would be living forever here.  We know that is not the case.  Also, look at what is said in the book of 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. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,” Revelation 21:3.  You may be asking, how would David know of this?.  There are many verses where God reveals the future to David, so this is not necessarily out of the norm. 

And what David was promised in this verse, is ours, as Christians, as well.  Think about this verse in relation to you.  “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6.  And I must say I look forward to these days.   

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

Psalm 23:1

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 23:1   

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” – Psalm 23:1

-Over the next week I will be looking at Psalm 23, probably the most familiar of all the psalms.  It is a psalm of David.  There is no indication as to what prompted him writing this for there is nothing in the Psalm that gives any historical information.  However, what we do know is that David is exhibiting extreme confidence in the Lord, believing that He will take complete care of him.  We will start this with Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  Psalm 23:1 

In verse one, he is declaring how God is our shepherd.   The main role of a shepherd was to take care of sheep.  It was their responsibility to keep the flock intact, protect them from predators or thieves, and to guide them to where they needed to go.  You can see how this is a clear picture of how God takes care of His people.  He will keep His people (in our time, the church) together, will protect us from the schemes of the enemy, both temporal and spiritual, and how He guides us to where He wants us to go.  We read in Genesis where Jehovah is called the shepherd of His people.  “But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)” Genesis 49:24.  He is also referred to as a shepherd by Isaiah when he said, “Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” Isaiah 40:11. 

However, the best picture of Him as shepherd is from Jesus Himself.  “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me. even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:11-15.  Let us look at this in detail.

First, He says He “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11.  This is a statement made by Jesus regarding His purpose in coming to earth.  The reason He came here was to lay down His life for his people.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 3:8.  He willingly died for our sins, for we could not make things right on our own.  And He did this willingly.  We are His sheep, and He willingly laid down His life for us.  He knows His sheep and did what was needed to save them.  “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15. 

What David was saying in Psalm 23:1 is that God is our shepherd.  He protects us, guides us, and willingly died for us through His son Jesus Christ.  And the end of this verse says, “I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1b.  As the shepherd, He provides everything we need, up to and including the way of salvation.  I like the way the theologian Albert Barnes puts it.  “The meaning is, that, as a shepherd, he would make all needful provision for his flock, and evince all proper care for it. The words shall not want, as applied to the psalmist, would embrace everything that could be a proper object of desire, whether temporal or spiritual, whether pertaining to the body or the soul, whether having reference to time or to eternity. There is no reason for supposing that David limited this to his temporal necessities, or to the present life, but the idea manifestly is that God would provide all that was needful for him always.”   And this, Jesus has done.  He is our good shepherd and has met every need we have, even if we are not aware they have been met.  So, let us, as Christians, trust that our every need has been met, for through so doing peace will be a part of our life here on earth.

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

Psalm 20:1

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 20:1 

“May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!” – Psalm 20:1 

Today is New Years Eve, and I want to wish everyone a wonderful 2021.  And because we are moving into a new year, ending one of the more difficult years we have seen in a long time, I pray that everything goes well with you in every way.  This  psalm is a prayer for David who is preparing to go to war.  However, the requests in this prayer can be offered for our sake also, for we are no doubt going into difficult times as we move into the new year, and closer to the day of Christ’s return.  Therefore, this prayer I offer up to God on our behalf.

“May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion!!” Psalm 20:1.  May God defend us during any trials and hard times which may come our way in the coming year, and may we understand You are always with us, and will never leave us or forsake.  May we always have confidence that nothing can happen that You cannot address for our good.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  

“May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.” Psalm 20:3. May You, God, be pleased with all the offerings we present to You; all the labor we do within the church and the light we shine on a world that so needs to hear the truth, all the worship we humbly offer to You, and the life we live in obedience to your will and in assistance to all in need. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:17. 

“May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill all your counsel!” Psalm 20:4.  May our heart’s desires be met in a way that helps us do the work You have called us to do.  May our desires be those things that please You and helps us to be strong during difficult times and also helps others work their way through trials as well.  “Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4.

“We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.” Psalm 20:5.  May our hearts be filled with joy over all you do for us, and may we declare to all what you Oh Lord have done for us.  May we rejoice and be glad for all of your loving help in all things.  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:4-5

“Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.” Psalm 20:6.  Lord, we thank you for saving us and answering us from your heavenly abode.  That your mighty right hand is always there to protect us from all the enemy’s attacks and ways, and we thank you for the peace this gives us.  “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17,

“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright.” Psalm 20:7-8.  Lord, may we put our trust in you and not in anything else.  Help us to stand strong and upright because of the trust we have in you that there is nothing that can defeat us with you on our side.  Let us not boast in ourselves but boast in you because you work all things through us for good.  “Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24.

“Save, O LORD; May the King answer us in the day we call.” Psalm 20:9.  Lord, we ask that we hear your answer when we pray and come before you, for you are our king and you provide all the help we need.  We thank you for all the answers you have and will provide us in the coming year.  “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 5:14-15.

May this coming year be one where we continue to grow in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  May we always continue to grow closer to Him in all ways, and consistently trust Him that He can bring us through anything that can come our way.  God Bless you all.

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

Psalm 121:2

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Psalm 121:2  

“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:2

Psalm 121 begins by declaring where help for them who trusts in God actually comes from.  “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?” Psalm 121:1 We are not sure of the author; however, it appears it is someone who is encountering troubles.  He is looking up into the hills and asking where his help is to come from.  Looking up into the hills has the idea of looking for assistance and many times it would come down from the mountains during times of attacks or the coming of thieves.  This turns out to be a rhetorical question, for he immediately answers the question, “My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2.   

How will He help us?  In every situation, He will enable us to stand firm.  “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:3  To stand firm means that He will hold us up and help us to stand strong against whatever is happening.  “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13.  And He will not go away or slumber but will be with us through it all.  Remember He said, “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8. 

He is our defender and keeper, the one who preserves us through all trials and strife.  “The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.” He watches over every aspect of our lives.  He does not necessarily prevent all pain and suffering, however He does guarantee protection to us, His people, as He watches over us.  We are to trust that we are safe and secure because He is with us.  “I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” Psalm 16:10

He then goes on to say that He will protect us from the heat of the day and the cold of night.  “The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.” Psalm 121:6.  And He will protect us from all forms of evil, be it spiritual or corporeal, natural or moral.  “The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.” Psalm 121:7-8. In other words, He will preserve us wherever we go, at all time be it day or night.

In this time, we are moving into some difficult times.  There are so many unknowns such as where is our country heading, will we ever overcome this pandemic, and what will our lives be like in the future.  However, I want to encourage everyone to look to Jesus and keep focused on Him in all matters.  “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.”  Isaiah 26:3-4.  We must not let our minds be absorbed with all this stuff going on in politics and every area other than God.  He has promised to be with us and to bring us safely through.  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.  Trust God in everything.  Give it to Him, knowing that He will be with us and take care of us. 

God knows the good He has for us, the assurance of a great future and hope.  “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.  Have complete faith in Him no matter what things look like.  The writer of Hebrews told us “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.  All things God has promised us will happen as He said.  It may not look like it, but there is no other possible outcome.  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” Hebrews 10:23.

God has promised He would take care of us now, and for all eternity.  “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4.  We must keep our minds focused on God and the things above, for there is our true home.  Focusing  entirely on Him, we will be amazed at the peace that fills our hearts, mind and spirit.    

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

Genesis 3:13

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Genesis 3:13

“Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done? The woman said, the serpent deceived me, and I ate.” – Genesis 3:13

So, one thing about Christmas we need to understand is why did Jesus come in the first place?  What was the impetus that got Him to leave heaven and come to earth?  The basic answer is that man listened to Satan rather than God.  And the reason this happened was because Satan is a great deceiver.  And because they fell for his lies, this sin was passed on to all people, hence the need for a Savior.

Let us start by looking at the initial deception.  “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” Genesis 3:1-3.  Eve here is answering Satan’s question with the truth.  He did limit which fruit they could eat.  “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17.  Eve told Satan the truth.  They were free to eat of any tree in the garden but one.  And if they were to eat of that tree, they would die. They may not die immediately, but they would eventually die, for their unending life would ultimately end. 

Now, in the next couple of verses, we see the incredible deception Satan told her.  “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5.  Here are the several frauds Satan pushed on Eve, and eventually Adam.  First, he told them they would not die.  The truth is, they may not die immediately, but their unending life will end at some point.  And the second fraud was they would be as God, knowing good and evil.  What he was saying was not that they would necessarily understand what was good or evil in itself, but what is good or evil for them, humans.  The main deception is not that they would understand what was inherently good and evil, but they would be like God, deciding what is good or evil to them based on what is helpful or harmful.  The theologian C. Westermann puts it this way.  “In Hebrew good and evil always have the primary meanings of helpful and harmful … there is no intention of opposing actions because of their moral difference, but rather of bringing things together by virtue of their polarities according to which they are helpful or harmful to people.”  By this, the serpent was saying that they could essentially decide what was good or evil based on what was helpful or harmful for them.

And they fell for this lie from Satan.  “So 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 to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6.  And because of this, God sent His Son into the world in order make a way for mankind to be saved. 

The prophecy of Christ coming into the world is found in a later verse.  “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:15.  First the seed of Eve, and ultimately the seed of Abraham, is Christ.  “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, And to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to one, And to your seed, that is, Christ.” Galatians 3:16.  Next, the seed of the serpent are those who follow after him.  Jesus alludes to this by calling the Jewish leaders of His day children of Satan.  “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44.  This is not specifically saying they are Satan’s seed referred to in Genesis 3, however, it makes sense in their context.  So, based on this, Genesis 3:15 is saying that Jesus will come and defeat Satan and his works.  “Little children make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8. 

This was the only way that man could be redeemed for man carried on the sin that initially caused Adam and Eve to fall, and ultimately all of mankind.  “The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.” Psalm 14:2-3.  And this is because Satan is spreading his lies and deception throughout the world.  But God made a way for us to be reconciled with Him, and that is through Jesus.  “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13. 

This was the reason Christ came here, to pay the penalty for our sins and to give us the means to be God’s children.  Without Him coming here, we would be eternally lost and separated from God.  But because He loved us beyond understanding, He sent His Son.  “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. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17.  This is why He came, and why we celebrate Christmas, for by it came the means of salvation of mankind to all who believe.

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

Isaiah 7:14

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14

As Christmas 2020 approaches, I want to take the remainder of this week as well as next week to look at some of the prophecies found in the Old Testament that declare the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.  This has been a most difficult year what with the Covid-19 pandemic and all that happened as a result.  However, we must always remember that nothing surprises God, and He has been with us the whole time.  As Joshua declared to Israel which pertains to us as well, “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. 

Today, we will look at Isaiah 7:14 regarding the prophecy of Jesus, this being our focus verse.  “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.  To understand this, it is important to look at what was transpiring at this time.  Ahaz, king of Judah and the royal family were very nervous because they received word that Rezin, king of Syria and Pekah, king of Israel were looking to invade Judah.  This was actually set up by God at the end of Jotham’s reign over Judah as we see here, “In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Ahaz his son became king in his place.” 2 Kings 15:37-38.  This was meant as a form of correction, but Judah would not be destroyed. 

The Lord sent Isaiah to Ahaz and told Isaiah what to tell him which was, “Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it, Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” Isaiah 7:4-7.  Unfortunately, he did not believe  that Jerusalem would be safe, so God told Ahaz to ask for a sign that would convince him. 

However, he would not ask for a sign.  Then God, through Isaiah, told him, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.“  Isaiah 7:13-14.  He starts off by asking Ahaz was it not enough to try the patience of men, so you will try the patience of God too?.   So God will give you a sign anyway. The sign is that a child will be born from a virgin, and He will be called Immanuel.  So, how is this a sign of their protection from the kings of Syria and Israel?  God was intonating that this would occur in Jerusalem in the future.  This child’s birth shows the preservation of that city, nation and tribe in which this one called Immanuel would be born would not be destroyed, therefore they had no reason to fear. 

The name Immanuel is critically important in this sign, for Immanuel means “God with us” or “God is with us.”.  This sign was a prophetic message to Ahaz that would be fulfilled some 700 years later, where a virgin from Nazareth named Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, became pregnant via the Holy Spirit.  An angel told this to Joseph when he learned she was pregnant and was looking for a means to send her away without shaming her.  “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20b-21.  This name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Joshua meaning ‘to save’.  Then Matthew states this is the fulfilment of the prophecy to Ahaz.  “Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Matthew 1:22-23. 

God originally gave this prophecy to Ahaz as a sign He would not allow the tribe of Judah to be destroyed.  It was later used to convince Joseph not to send Mary away because she became pregnant while they were engaged, thus before they were married.  It was proof of the deity of this child who was the promised Messiah who would die as the means to pay the penalty for all who would accept Christ as Lord of their life.  We, as Christians, are the new Jerusalem.  And just as God promised to Ahaz the protection of Judah, where Jerusalem is located, so does He also promise protection for the New Jerusalem which will be our eternal home.  So, be at peace regarding all that is going on in our world today, because just as this was a sign of the protection of Judah, so is it a sign of our protection as well. 

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

1 Peter 3:15

Verse of the Day Devotion:  1 Peter 3:15  

“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” – 1 Peter 3:15

Mark, in his gospel wrote the following words of Jesus, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15.  This was meant not just for the twelve apostles, but to all that believe and  follow Christ.  In other words, all Christians.  Matthew includes the following into His version of what Jesus said.  “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.  We who are serious Christians are disciples and therefore we are to learn all we can about Jesus and the gospel so that we can preach it to all.

Peter starts this verse with ‘sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts’.  The basic idea here is to regard reverently and holy.  To be set apart as most important.  We must always regard Christ, in our hearts, as most important to us.  In Isaiah we read, “It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread.” Isaiah 8:13.  Wayne Grudem in his commentary on 1 Peter says that the sense of fear and reverence for the Lord rather than the fear of men is reinforced.  In other words, to reverence Christ as Lord means really to believe that Christ, not one’s human opponents, is truly in control of events.  This is why we must put Christ, as Lord, first in deciding who we are and what we do.   

And going back to what Mark wrote, we are to go into the world and preach the gospel.  Now, there are two ways we can look at the phrase, go into all the world.  First, by becoming a full time missionary and going to places all over the world preaching the truth of Christ.  This is very valid, and if God has called us to do this, then it is what we are to do.  I have a brother and sister-in-law who have traveled throughout the world telling people the truth of Christ, sometimes spending months and years in one place.  This is a wonderful life they have lived, and God has used them immensely. 

However, there is a second way to look at this, and that is to be available to discuss and preach the gospel to those around where you are.  We do not need to be full time missionaries in order to have a mission field.  Where we work is our mission field.  Our home can be our mission field.  Anywhere we go is a mission field.  And as our focus verse states, that is always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.  Jesus told us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-14.  Our light should shine such that anyone who sees us sees something they wish to understand.  So, we must always be ready to be a witness to others of the truth found in Christ.  And we must do this in such a way that they will be inclined to understand and accept the truth.  Therefore, we must be gentle and reverent, not being haughty, indignant or judgmental if they do not accept what we say at first. 

So, let us be ready and prepared to help those who we come into contact with understand the gospel so that they accept it with assurance.  We have an eternal hope within us that is available to all, and what a blessing we would be to those who come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  And Paul lays out how we can be prepared.  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.  God gave us His Word in order to prepare us for the work He has for us to do.  Therefore study it diligently so that you can answer any question posed to us regarding Christ and the word of God.

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

Romans 4:24

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Romans 4:24

“But also, for us.  It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.”  

‘What” shall be imputed to us who believe….and why is this astoundingly great, great news?   

Paul is speaking in this portion of the verse about the judicial act of God in imputing the righteousness of Christ Himself and the judicial position of being declared righteous to any person that believes in the finished work of redemption that is of Jesus Christ – His death, burial, and resurrection.  There are two Greek words that are translated ‘impute’ in the New Testament, logizommai and ellogao.   The first one occurs 41 times and is in various places translated as:  reasoned, numbered with, reckoned among, think, counted, accounted, laid to one’s charge, and imputed.  This is the word used in Romans 4:24.   The righteousness of Christ Himself has been laid to our spiritual account.  His righteousness has been put in our account, numbered with Him, at one with His Righteousness, etc.   This is only true of course for true believers in Christ’s finished work.  No longer does God in His Holiness view a true believer as unrighteous before Him because He sees the Righteousness of Christ envelope them.   The other Greek word ellogao only occurs twice in the New Testament.  Ellogao is likewise translated as imputed as in Romans 5:13 “(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”) and in Philemon 18 “put that on mine account”.   So why bring this up at all and what bearing does it have on our daily lives?  Because imputation in Scripture is either ‘real’ or ‘judicial’ in character.  

There are three major imputations mentioned in Scripture.  First, there is the imputation of Adam’s sin to all mankind.  This is ‘real’ imputation which involves ‘placing to one’s account of that for which they are personally responsible’, such as charging a man for a crime he has committed.  This is the imputation that Scripture plainly teaches that Adam transmitted to every human being that would ever be born after Adam.   Men since Adam’s day are born sinners. They do not become sinners by sinning, as did Adam: they sin because they have a nature of sin.  Many ‘believers’ miss this distinction in my opinion because of religion.  Most believe that an ‘act of sinning’ is what makes one a sinner.   However, it is the sin nature that each person is born with that is the fuel to acts of sin.   This nature of sin is referred as the Adamic nature, original sin, inborn sin, or the old man.   This imputation is very real!   There is no way to escape this condition at birth.  “For as IN Adam all die, even so IN Christ all shall be made alive” (I Cor 15:22).  The ONLY way to escape this sinful condition is by killing this sinful nature, so that it has no power to rule and reign over a person’s life.  This is NOT done by your own physical death.   It IS accomplished in only 1 way: by the Second means of imputation mentioned in the Scriptures. It is the imputation of man’s sin (your personally responsible nature of inherited sin) ONTO a substitution in your place.  And that substitute on your behalf was a sinless Man, God in the flesh, Jesus Christ that bore the whole of mankind’s sin on the Cross.  This sin nature of all mankind was killed alright – it was crucified with Christ on the Cross and your sin nature right along with Him.  “I have been (past tense) crucified WITH Christ….” (Gal 2:20a).  BUT this can only be true to a person that places their absolute full faith and belief in what Jesus did for you.   Most people do not believe this to be true.  And most people try to clean up their ugly sin nature by good behavior, falsely thinking this will help.  It doesn’t.  ONLY your sin nature crucified WITH Christ can kill the nature to sin.  That is amazing, amazingly good news (this gospel of grace).  Yet there is the Third imputation that takes place as well.   And that is the imputation of Christ’s Righteousness; the full Judicial Righteousness of God’s righteousness imputed to the believer.  Whomever is reading this, rejoice!!!!   Read the first five Chapter of Romans over and over.  Paul, by revelation as nowhere else in all of Scripture portrays the ‘how’s and why’s’ of mankind’s complete helplessness and hopelessness apart from Christ and then reveals the unmerited grace of God which can eternally save the most underserving sinner.   This Righteousness is obtained by faith.  It is accounted to you who believe that what Christ has done for you and in your place is true and real.  Apart from this faith in what Christ has done for you, you will remain IN Adam.   But thanks be to the grace of God, that all that believe by faith in Christ’s finished work on the Cross, are ‘IN Christ’ made alive!     The Righteousness of Christ shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”

Jaca Kier, Board Member, True Devotion Ministries, Inc. 

Colossians 1:10

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Colossians 1:10 

“So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” – Colossians 1:10 

The idea in our focus verse is that Christians should walk in a manner that pleases God.  It seems that pagans followed this and had the idea inscribed throughout the provinces of Asia. F.F. Bruce in his commentary on Colossians wrote the following, “If pagans appreciated the importance of rendering worship which was worthy of the deities whose votaries (a person, such as one devoted to the worship of their god, who has made vows of dedication to religious service) they were, much more should Christians render the spiritual service of obedient lives to the living and true God and to His Son Jesus Christ.”  Our hearts, as Christians, should be focused on pleasing the one who gave His life for us, that we might be saved and receive eternal life with God. 

As our verse above says, we must strive to please the Lord in all things.  This does not mean, as obviously stated, that we do this in certain cases, such as during church services or fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  These are the easy things.  What he is saying is in all things, including when we are joking around with friends or going out with them for an evening.  We are to be pleasing to the Lord when in Church, but also during all other times as well.  We must constantly strive to stay away from those things that dishonor God and focus on those things that bear fruit for Him.  I have seen many instances where several Christians have come together and the conversation has drifted to subjects that are improper and should never be discussed; jokes being told that involve indecent activities or words.  And there is to be no weighing of the activities, ensuring that the good stuff outweigh the bad stuff. 

Also, it says that we are to bear fruit in every good work.  John wrote that the way to bear good fruit is to abide in Christ, and Him in you.  “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:4-5.  If Jesus abides in us, and we listen to Him, Colossians 1:10 becomes a regular thing in our lives.  And a couple more verses down, we read this, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” John 15:8.  So, by combining the verses, we see that if we walk in a manner that is worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all ways and  bearing much fruit, then we will glorify our Father in Heaven.  And by this we “prove to be Jesus’ disciple.   

And one final thought.  By living a life that pleases God in full view of the lost in our times, we can be a witness of the reality of Christianity and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Let us say we are in church and a visitor comes in and sees us praying, singing to God and lifting our hands in worship.  Then a couple days later they observe us in a situation where cursing and acting in ways that are not pleasing to God.  Will this affect them?  Probably, but not in a positive way.  They would probably think we do not believe what we say we do, for we do not live it outside of the church.  By these actions, we may have turned someone away from accepting Christ, and I am very confident that God would not be pleased with that.  It is absolutely important that we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord 100% of the time; no matter where we are or who we are with.  For if we are not, than how can we bear good fruit?  And if someone sees us acting unchristian like, how can they believe our message? 

So, I want to encourage us all, as Paul lays out so clearly, to  walk in a manner that is pleasing to God, bearing much good fruit, in all respects.  People watch us, especially those who are looking for reality in what we profess in both our words and actions.  When we walk in this manner, God is pleased with us because we are bearing much fruit.  But we cannot do this if God is not in us, helping us bear much fruit for Him.  For in Him, we are “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:11-14.   

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

Psalm 118.6

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 118.6  

“The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?” – Psalm 118.6

Our culture today, and I speak specifically of the United States, has become one of fear.  It started with the introduction of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 which brought about a society where everyone began separating themselves from everyone else.  This has caused many who, in fear, will not go out and help others who are in need.  However, in so doing, many will find themselves alone and without the means to make necessities happen.  And these necessities may take the form of words of encouragement or simply joy in their lives.  We do not have need to fear, for God will protect us from everything, including pandemics.  “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust! For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.” Psalm 91:1-3. 

Now, I want to assure everyone that I do take this COVID-19 seriously.  I take appropriate precautions to

ensure I do not endanger anyone regarding this pandemic.  However, our leadership at times have taken this to a ridiculous level.  This has brought about the destruction of many great small businesses which has resulted in a financial crisis for many people.  And because of some of the bad decisions made by our leaders, fear has been spread throughout our society.  However, we must always remember that our God is a healer.  “A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;” Psalm 103:1-3. 

But there is another area that people fear, and that is the loss of freedom due to the results of the latest election.  Many see the rise of a government-controlled society, basically socialism, which will restrict many freedoms we currently enjoy in this country.  They have already attempted to control churches by calling for no more than a handful of people at each service, as well as restricting what can be done in each service.  Our new leadership desires to control every aspect of our lives.   

However, let us always remember the words David wrote in our focus verse.  “The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:6.  We have no reason to fear as Christians, for the Lord Almighty is on our side.  And because of this, we can know that He will always be with us.  There is absolutely nothing man can do to us that we cannot trust God to bring us through.  “Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me; Fighting all day long he oppresses me.  My foes have trampled upon me all day long, For they are many who fight proudly against me. When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?  All day long they distort my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil. They attack, they lurk, They watch my steps, As they have waited to take my life.” Psalm 56:6.  David is saying that no matter what man says or does, He puts his trust in God, and nowhere else.  And because of this, he would not be afraid.  And we have that same promise of protection.    

 I want to encourage everyone in that no matter what, man can do nothing to us that God does not see and protect us through.  We should see troubles from man in the same way as David saw it.  “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 is our light and salvation.  We have no reason to fear anyone or anything because we can trust Him in all things.  Do we trust Him like this?  Are we afraid of how people think about us and their reactions to the things we do or say?  Are we afraid of what lies ahead?  There is no reason to fear when God is our protector.  “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.” Psalm 138:7.  No matter what troubles come upon us. God is with us.  He will stretch out His right hand and save us.  We are His, and there is nothing that can thwart His protection.  So no matter what happens, it will not defeat us, for God will not allow it to.  So trust Him with all you are, be at peace, and let not this world make you afraid.  Remember the words of Jesus when He said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

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