How long halt ye between two opinions? If Jehovah be God, follow Him: but if Baal, follow him. -- 1 Kings 18:21
Presenting devotions supported by commentary and related selected scriptures.
Friday, December 10, 2021
1 Kings 18:21 - Baal Vs. Jehovah
How long halt ye between two opinions? If Jehovah be God, follow Him: but if Baal, follow him. -- 1 Kings 18:21
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
1 John 1:5 - God is Light
God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. -- 1 John 1:5, World English.
Obviously the word "light" is being used figuratively, representing, in this instance, righteousness. God is the highest epitome of every true virtue and everything that is righteousness. He has nothing in him at all that is unrighteous, wicked. As new creatures, the child of God is righteous, and in this sense the child of God is also light. The new creature, however, in this age, has to perform righteousness by means of his sinful flesh, and thus the light of righteousness may not be fully seen in the flesh, since it often falls short of the glory of God. All such sin is covered by the ransom sacrifice of Jesus.
If we stay in fellowship with God as His children, we are assured that His Spirit will guide us in the path of righteousness through what he has revealed in the Bible. Thus, the child of God cannot walk in darkness as long as he is following what is revealed.
Saturday, March 20, 2021
Friday, March 19, 2021
John 8:31,32 - If You Remain in My Word
John 8:31-32 - Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. [32] You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." -- World English.
Having remained in his Word, our Lord promises that then we will know the truth, and the truth would set us free. In stating this, Jesus was referring to specific truth. He was not referring to knowing the truth about everything in the entire universe, although for those who become join-heirs with Christ, it is possible that when they are exalted along with Jesus to such a high position of glory, they will be enabled to understand almost everything about the universe. In the present age, however, we can only hope to understand certain truths as revealed in the Bible, and that understanding is relative to our growth in such understanding. (Colossians 1:10; 2 Peter 3:18) Sadly, it appears that many of the consecrated may remain as "babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1) all their lives in the present age, making very little progress in the way of the truth. May we always seek to grow in knowledge, and as understand truths as revealed in the Bible, we will be correspondingly be set free from errors related to that truth.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 20
Bible Standard (comments and other aids)
Freedom in Christ
Prisoners of the Mind
Being Set Free
Thursday, March 18, 2021
1 Peter 1:14,15 - As Children of Obedience
1 Peter 1:14,15 - As children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior. -- World English.
These words are not spoken to the world, but the regenerated child of God. As children of God, we must be fully, wholly obedient to our Heavenly Father. It is in our sinful flesh corrupted by Adam's sin that we fall short in full obedience. (Romans 5:12-19; 8:3,20-22) Otherwise, if the regenerated child of God sins, it is fully willful sin, and for such there will never be another sacrifice given. (Hebrews 10:26) Nevertheless, the new creature in Christ is called upon to bring the body into subjection to the new mind in Christ (Romans 6:18,19; 1 Corinthians 9:27), and thus our behavior should be holy, in harmony with our consecration to the Heavenly Father. Thus, we should seek to know God's will regarding anything that we do, say or even think, and bring ourselves into harmony with His will in every way possible.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 19 * BSM Aids * Expanded Comments * Video
Perfecting of the Saints
Fashioning Ourselves as Obedient Children
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
1 Peter 1:13 - Prepare Your Minds for Action
1 Peter 1:13 - Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ -- World English.
The Greek word rendered "prepare" above literally refers to binding one's garment around the waist. The expression came to be used figuratively to denote being prepared for a work that needed to be accomplished. It is similar to the English expression "buckle down", referring to setting one's minds to tackle a task with determination.
In application, Peter is referring to having a sober (alert) mind constantly aware of putting away the works of the flesh and the attractions of the world, and being holy -- consecrated -- in mind and conduct. We should renew such determination each day and throughout each day. This calls for us to throw aside any unnecessary cares of this world, and increase our zeal in doing what is right in the sight of our Heavenly Father.
Due to our sinful flesh, we will have many set-backs along the way; these should not deter us. We should quickly come to the Heavenly Father through Christ regarding any form of sin (Romans 8:34; 1 John 1:9; 2:1), and we have the assurance that He is able, if our hearts are in the right place, to make us stand. -- Romans 14:4; Jude 1:24.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 18 * BSM Aids * Video
Called to be Holy
A Call to Holy Living
Running the Christian Race to Win the Prize
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Matthew 25:28-29 - To Everyone Who Has Will be Given
Matthew 25:28-29 - Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who has not, even that which he has will be taken away. -- World English.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 17 * BSM Aids * Video
Monday, March 15, 2021
1 John 3:14,16 - We Love the Brothers
1 John 3:16 - By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. -- World English.
Here we have the basis for knowing that we have been justified and no longer under the condemnation of death through Adam. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) Do we have love for our brothers who also love God and the Lord Jesus? Are we willing to lay down our lives for our brothers in Christ, irrespective of color of skin, nationality, or even sectarian ties? While we may have love for our brothers in Christ, we may fall short in this love due to various inclinations of the flesh to restrict such love along carnal lines of thinking. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Galatians 3:28) We should certainly pray for our Heavenly Father to grant us strength and understanding so as to overcome such restrictions. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 16 * BSM Aids * Video
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Hebrews 10:38 - Righteous Live By Faith
Hebrews 10:38 - But the righteous will live by faith. -- World English.
The word, in effect, seeks to walk by sight, which is not the faith spoken in our text. The one who belongs to Christ should seek to walk by the things not seen, putting faith in the invisible heavenly Father through Jesus. Those who have been reckoned righteous through faith in Jesus should not consider the act of being justified to be the end of the matter. That faith should become the force behind everything the child of God does. Through faith, we study what God has revealed to us in the Bible, that we may produce righteous fruit to the glory of our Heavenly Father and His Son. -- Matthew 7:19; Galatians 5:22,23; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 2:2. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 15 * BSM Aids * Video
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Proverbs 16:32 - He Who Rules His Spirit
Self-control is needed both to resist the works of the flesh as well as to develop the other fruits of the spirit.
Solomon observes that it is more important to be slow to anger than to be mighty. Of course, due to our sinful nature, anger is very hard to suppress. Thus it should be our goal to have control of all our inclinations, affections and passions so that they are brought subjection to God's will. Our chief battle in developing Christ-likeness is within ourselves. Through prayer, faith in the Heavenly Father, study of his truths in the Bible and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we may eventually have rule of our spirit. Due to our flesh, however, we will, however, at times, fail and need to come to the Heavenly through the throne of grace. -- Hebrews 4:16.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 14 * BSM Aids * Video
Friday, March 12, 2021
Philippians 3:15-17 - Think This Way
All who truly belong to Christ should be of one spirit in faith, hope and love. Such will move ahead in service of their Lord in accomplishing his purposes. All have their mind on this same goal, and should be seeking to develop themselves to perfection in the spirit of faith, hope and love. This does not mean that in the flesh we will no longer make mistakes, but it does signify a level of perfection in the spirit of love, faith and hope that can no longer be corrupted.
While it may be that at some point in this present evil age we will have perfected our faith and love, this should not in any way give cause to think that we have made it and thus that we no longer need to think as the apostle spoke of in the verses preceding. Indeed, if we think we have become so perfect, we may even become lax in our diligence toward our faith as well in love, which would demonstrate that we had not actually reached the goal Paul wrote about. Such should refocus their minds and seek by prayer and Biblical study and by the earnest endeavor to purify their hearts to progress into the unity of the spirit. -- Ephesians 4:3. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 13 * BSM Aids * Video
This One Thing I Do
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Hebrews 12:1 - Surrounded By Cloud of Witnesses
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
03-10 - Hebrews 3:13 - Exhort One Another
Monday, March 8, 2021
Hebrews 6:10 - Labor of Love Rewarded
There is a danger in performing works on behalf of the saints in that we may develop an inclination to seek our reward from them. This could lead to disappointment and discouragement, since our brothers in Christ may not give us the praise and/or "reward" as we may have expected. Or their praise could lead to pride of self, so we begin to think more of self than we should. Thus, we should guard our motives in whatever work we may do on behalf of our brothers in Christ, for if we labor with the wrong motive, we will be judged by God through Christ accordingly. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.
1 Thessalonians 1:6,7
Sunday, March 7, 2021
03-08 - 1 Corinthians 12:18 - God Has Set the Members of the Body
We should always remember that everyone who belongs to Christ is being used by God as it please him. If we use carnal reasoning, we might, in effect, think that we can do a better job than God, and bring forth an unified organization along carnal lines rather than the unity of spirit (Ephesians 4:3) that should prevail among those who belong to Christ. Nevertheless, many have taken to forms of sectarianism, and give devotion to this or that man, or group of men, so as to accept whatever such men may say as being truth. -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9.
Along this same line of reasoning, we may tend to reject a brother as being Christian based on some disagreement regarding the application of a scripture. Again, it is not up to us to judge whether this or that brother is of the body of Christ based on such disagreements of some application of scripute. At the same time we should understand that God has given us various ones to help us eventually attain the unity of faith based on a knowledge of God's Son, so that the body of Christ becomes a full-grown man. -- Ephesians 4:11-13.
Related:
Daily Heavenly Manna for March 8 * BSM Aids * Video
The Present Ministry of the Saints
The Oneness of the Body of Christ
Saturday, March 6, 2021
03-07 - 1 John 4:12 - Love One Another
Friday, March 5, 2021
Thursday, March 4, 2021
03-05 - Philippians 4:8 - Moral Excellence, Praise
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
03-04 - Philippians 4:8 - Whatever Things Are Pure, Lovely, Good Report
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
03-03 - Philippians 4:8 - Whatever Things Are Just
Sunday, February 28, 2021
03-01 - Philippians 4:7 - The Peace of God
Thursday, February 25, 2021
02-26 - Philippians 4:4 - Always Rejoice In Jehovah
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Note: Most Bible versions read "rejoice in the Lord" in this verse. Actually, the Greek word often transliterated as KURIOS is anarthrous this verse, that is, it does not have the definite article. This would actually mean "rejoice in Lord," rather than "the Lord. The lack of the article before KURIOS in many cases appear to be because the Holy Name was changed the a form of KURIOS. Being viewed as a proper name, it is indefinite. Thus, this is considered to be very likely one of the places that copyists changed the Holy Name to a form of KURIOS. This agrees with many scriptures in the Old Testament, where rejoicing is associated with Jehovah. For this reason the RLIV reads, "Rejoice in Jehovah always". -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
02-25 - Matthew 4:4 = Man Must Live By Every Word of Jehovah
Related:
Monday, February 22, 2021
02-23 - Psalm 32:8 - I Will Instruct You
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will guide you with my eye. -- Psalm 32:8, RLIV.
Sunday, February 21, 2021
02-22 - Hebrews 13:5 - Free of the Love of Money
Saturday, February 20, 2021
02-21 - Psalm 31:1,3 - Thou Art My Rock and Fortress
Psalms 31:1,3 - In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge;.... For thou art my rock and my fortress; Therefore for thy name's sake lead me and guide me. -- ASV.