Devotional Thoughts

Psalm 68:19-20    "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.  (20)  He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death." "Blessed be the Lord." Those words would be true even if the rest of this verse did not exist. When I look at those four words, I think of Job. After he had lost his family, his livelihood, and would soon lose his health, he declared, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21) Paul began with these words when he wrote to the Church at Ephesus, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3) Before God created the universe, He is blessed. When this world shall dissolve, He shall be blessed. When my life is in...

Romans 15:14-17     “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.” In the previous few chapters of the Roman letter, Paul has spent a good deal of time admonishing the brethren how they ought to treat each other. He has spoken to them of how they should behave toward the authority of government. They, and we, have been instructed to put off the ways of darkness. We are not to do things to fulfil the lust of the flesh, but rather...

Romans 15:11-13     “And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” For centuries, the Jews and their ancestors had been looked upon as the chosen people of God. Indeed, under the law covenant they were just that. Jesus came and satisfied the law so completely that the scripture tells us He is “the end of the law for righteousness.” With the end of the law, Jesus ushered in a new covenant established upon better promises (Heb 8:6). As we can see by the scriptures in Psalms and Isaiah the Paul is quoting here, this new covenant was always in God’s plan. Even under the years of the law covenant, the scripture pointed to a day when the Gentiles would be included in God’s...

Psalm 67:1-7    To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.  (2)  That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.  (3)  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.  (4)  O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.  (5)  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.  (6)  Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.  (7)  God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him." I sometimes vary the manner that I post the verses. Today, I did them individually in order that we might pay attention to each verse. The Psalmist begins this one with a reference back to the blessing pronounced upon Aaron. We often hear that blessing...

Romans 15:8-10    “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises   made   unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for   his   mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.” Paul often seems at odds with his Jewish brethren. He bukes the believers for their tendency to be so easily drawn back into the law service after having tasted of the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. They are often referred to as those whose faith is weak concerning the eating of meat. Yet, he is diligent to warn against treating them as less than brethren. Here he clearly states the reason for his admonishment to those who are fully devoted to following after Jesus. Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision. In all His ministry here in the flesh, He taught the Jews...