Psalm 136:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Psalm 136:1 

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” – Psalm 136:1  

Through this week we will be looking at verses in the scriptures that speak of thankfulness to our God that is due to Him.  And our focus verse today is, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136:1. 

Psalm 136 is an interesting and unique chapter in that all twenty-six verses end with the same phrase: ‘For His Lovingkindness is Everlasting’.  To give thanks because God’s steadfast love endures forever is to render joyous praise to God because we are forever supported and held by arms that are both loving and faithful, because in what matters most, our future is not at all unknown. We are kept by God’s goodness tor us, by God’s enduring, unfailing love, and that can be counted upon. 

Then in the next two verses we see statements of the greatness of this God we are to give thanks to.  He is the ‘God of Gods’, meaning the supreme God; the God superior to all that is called God, or that is adored by the nations of the earth; above all to whom the name God is ever applied.  And He is the ‘Lord of Lords’, The Lord or Ruler of all in authority – all kings, princes, and rulers. He is supreme overall. This is an attribute of Divinity, which is also ascribed to the Lord Jesus, thus proving that he is divine. Jesus is referred to as Lord of Lords.  “And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” + “And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11, 16.

Now, the cause for praise begins by extolling the acts of the Lord in creation.  Remember, at the end of each verse David says, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

  • “To Him who alone does great wonders,” Psalm 136:4.
  • “To Him who made the heavens with skill,” Psalm 136:5.
  • “To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,” Psalm 136:6.
  • “To Him who made the great lights,” Psalm 136:7.
  • “The sun to rule by day,” Psalm 136:8.
  • “The moon and stars to rule by night,” Psalm 136:9.

Then David moves to God’s acts in History.

  • “To Him who smote the Egyptians in their first-born” Psalm 136:10. 
  • “And brought Israel out from their midst” Psalm 136:11.
  • “With a strong hand and an outstretched arm” Psalm 136:12. 
  • “To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder” Psalm 136:13. 
  • “And made Israel pass through the midst of it” Psalm 136:14. 
  • “But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea” Psalm 136:15. 
  • “To Him who led His people through the wilderness” Psalm 136:16. 
  • “To Him who smote great kings” Psalm 136:17. 
  • “And slew mighty kings” Psalm 136:18. 
  • “Sihon, king of the Amorites” Psalm 136:19. 
  • “And Og, king of Bashan” Psalm 136:20. 
  • “And gave their land as a heritage” Psalm 136:21.
  • “Even a heritage to Israel His servant” Psalm 136:22.

And finally, David moves to God’s acts in in recent experiences.

  • “Who remembered us in our low estate,” Psalm 136:23.
  • “And has rescued us from our adversaries,” Psalm 136:24.
  • “Who gives food to all flesh,” Psalm 136:25.

Let us read through these incredible works God did for His people.  But also make a list of what God has done for people today, and more specifically what God has done for us.  Give thanks to Him for everything, including those things He has not done, for He knows what is best for us all, which means what we desire may not be what is best for us.  And always remember the last verse in this chapter.  “Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136:26.

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

Psalm 7:17

Verse of the Day Devotion Psalm 7:17  

“I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” – Psalm 7:17  

Through this week we will be looking at verses in the scriptures that speak of thankfulness to our God that is due to Him.  And our focus verse today is, “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” Psalm 7:17.

We read in verse one the following. “A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite. O Lord my God, in Thee I have taken refuge; Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, lest he tear my soul like a lion, dragging me away, while there is none to deliver.” Psalm 7:1-2.  First, let us look at what a Shiggaion is.  This denotes a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion; a song of impassioned imagination accompanied with suitable music; a wild and passionate writing. 

He is under strong persecution by those who pursue him which speaks of his enemies.  And he cries out to God saying that he takes refuge in Him asking that God would save Him.  He then goes on to say, “O LORD my God, if I have done this, If there is injustice in my hands, If I have rewarded evil to my friend, Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary, Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it; And let him trample my life down to the ground, And lay my glory in the dust. Selah.” Psalm 7:3-5.  It appears that he was falsely accused of something he did not do. He then cries out to God saying if He did do what he was accused of then let his enemy overtake him. 

Then he prays that God will vindicate him for he is innocent.  “Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger; Lift up Thyself against the rage of my adversaries and arouse Thyself for me; Thou hast appointed judgment. And let the assembly of the peoples encompass Thee; And over them return Thou on high. The LORD judges the peoples; Vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.  let the evil of the wicked come to an end but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.” Psalm 7:6-9.  David calls on God to arise and make it known what really happened. He is saying Your own people who compass your  altar, the faithful of the land, are full of gloomy apprehensions. They hear the charges against me; and see how I am persecuted. Their minds are divided; they know not what to think. For their sakes, return and ascend to the judgment-seat; and let them see, by the dispensations of your providence, who is innocent and who is guilty. David feared not to make this appeal to God; for the consciousness of his innocence showed him at once how the discrimination would be made.

He then states that he lays everything in God’s hands. “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10.  He trusted in God, knowing He would protect him and deliver him from his troubles. And because of all this, He gives thanks in our focus verse.  “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” Psalm 7:17.  David says that because of all this, he will give thanks to God. That is, particularly as manifested in the treatment of the righteous and the wicked, protecting the one, and bringing deserved punishment upon the other. The purpose of the psalm is to show this. In the course of the psalm the author had declared his full conviction that this was the character of God, and now, in view of this, he says that he will render to him the praise and glory which such a character deserves. He will acknowledge him by public acts of praise as such a God; and will at all times ascribe these attributes to him. 

And I want to encourage all Christians to be thankful in all times, no matter how difficult things appear to be.  Nothing is too difficult for God; therefore we need to trust Him. “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. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”  Romans 8:28-30.

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

1 John 5:3

Verse of the Day Devotion 1 John 5:3 

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” – 1 John 5:3

When we believe and accept the salvation provided through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, we become born of God and become His child.  “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.” 1 John 5:1. And notice what this verse says, if we love the Father, then we love Jesus and all children born of Him.  And these denoted as ‘all children born of Him’ are all those who are true Christians.  But we must remember, we are called to love our enemies as well. “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, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48.

Now, because of what we read in verse one, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.”  1 John 5:2. Our love of God’s followers is a proof that we love God. Our love of God is the cause why we love his children, and our keeping the commandments of God is the proof that we love him.  Just as our love for our brothers and sisters is the sign and test of our love for God, so our love for God, tested by obedience, is the only basis of our love for our brothers and sisters. John was not contradicting a similar verse in chapter four where he said, “If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” 1 John 4:20-21.  Rather, he was insisting that love for God and love for our brothers and sisters cannot be separated. 

Now in our focus verse we read,  “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3.  First, let us look at what Jesus said was the greatest commandment in the Law.  “And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40.  Jesus said that the greatest commandments were love of God and love of our fellow man.  By keeping His commandments we are proving our love for both God and everyone else.  And I want to make this point, we should not follow the law just because we are commanded to, we should follow the law because we love God and man.

Now one last thing.  If we believe our focus verse is true, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3, then we cannot accept a concept called antinomianism.  The word antinomianism comes from two Greek words, anti, meaning “against”; and nomos, meaning “law.” Antinomianism means “against the law.” Theologically, antinomianism is the belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey. Antinomianism takes a biblical teaching to an unbiblical conclusion. The biblical teaching is that Christians are not required to observe the Old Testament Law as a means of salvation. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He fulfilled the Old Testament Law. The unbiblical conclusion is that there is no moral law God expects Christians to obey.

Once again, we are called to obey the law, but not because it will save us, but because it shows the love we exhibit is true and not fake.  There are many who claim to be Christians that believe it is OK to sin because they are forgiven of all sins.  However, if you love God, you cannot purposely sin. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:15-18.  We are called to keep the law showing our love, and also to be a light in the world.  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, 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 5:14-16.

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

John 15:7

Verse of the Day Devotion John 15:7 

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” – John 15:7  

This verse is best understood when it is looked at in relation to Jesus’ words in the first six verses of this chapter.  He starts by discussing the relationship between a vine and a branch of that vine.  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to 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 15:1-5.  In this mashal, which is Hebrew for a short parable with a moral lesson of religious allegory, Jesus pictures himself as a vine within the vineyard with His Father as the vinedresser.  The role of the vinedresser is one who is the keeper of a vineyard.  And Jesus’ disciples are the branches on the vine.  

He then tells them that as a branch they must be attached to Him, the vine, in order to be bear fruit, for apart from the vine the branches cannot bear any fruit.  He then doubles down on this idea in the next verse. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6. Failure to produce fruit brings a severe warning concerning the certain end of unfruitfulness.  John separates any unfruitful person from the faithful, persevering, fruitful disciples/branches and indicates that such a person is thrown away and withers. 

So, now to our focus verse.  “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7.  The idea regarding the focus verse continues the theme of abiding or remaining in Jesus, the Vine, but that theme is here linked to the subject of prayer.  Jesus warned His disciples that failing to abide means that life fails. A branch only has life as it is connected to the stock of the vine; a disciple only spiritually lives as they are connected to the Master. 

Abiding in Jesus means abiding in His words, and having His words live in us, His disciples. We should not overlook the importance of the reference to ‘my words’. The teaching of Christ is important and is not lightly to be passed over in the interests of promoting religious feeling.  The connection is maintained by obedience and prayer. To remain in Christ and to allow his words to remain in us means a conscious acceptance of the authority of the word of God and constant contact with him by prayer. And being faithful, we should expect answered prayer as part of our relationship with Jesus. A failure to see prayer answered means something is not right in our disciple’s relationship. Perhaps something is not right in the abiding, and prayers are amiss and unanswered. Perhaps something is not right in the asking and there is no perception of what Jesus wants to do in and through us.  Charles Spurgeon puts it this way. “It shall be done for you: It becomes safe for God to say to the sanctified soul, ‘Ask what thou wilt, and it shall be done unto thee.’ The heavenly instincts of that man lead him right; the grace that is within his soul thrusts down all covetous lusting’s and foul desires, and his will is the actual shadow of God’s will. The spiritual life is master in him, and so his aspirations are holy, heavenly, Godlike.”

It is important that in our relationship with Christ that we abide with Him.  It pictures an intimate, close relationship, and not just a superficial acquaintance. In our focus verse, Jesus tells His disciples that drawing life from Him is essential.  In fact, one of the proofs of salvation is perseverance, or sustained abiding in Christ. The proofs of abiding in Christ, proof that one is truly saved and not just pretending, include these four things.

1: Obedience to Christ – “And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” 1 John 3:24.

2: Following Jesus’ examples – “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2:6.

3: Living free from habitual sin – “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.” 1 John 3:6,

4: The awareness of a divine presence in His life – “We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:13.

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

Isaiah 55:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 55:1 

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy, and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.” – Isaiah 55:1 

This verse opens with a call for attention. The Hebrew exclamation hôy, usually indicating a lament, can also be a way of hailing people and is expressed in our translation as meaning “you there”. God, through Isaiah, is calling the people to listen to what He is about to say.  He calls for everyone who is thirsty to come and drink. Thirst here has the idea of intense desire and is thus applied to the sense of want which sinners often have, and to their anxious wishes for salvation. It is not improbable that the Savior had this passage in his mind when he pronounced the blessing on those who desire strongly, righteousness. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6.  No needs are so keen, none demanded, as those of hunger and thirst. They occur daily; and when longing continued, as in the case of those who are shipwrecked and doomed to wander months or years over burning sands with scarcely any drink or food, nothing is more distressing. Hence, the figure is often used to denote any intense desire for anything, and especially an ardent desire for salvation. We also see this picture in Psalms where David said, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:1-2.

And then, He states after this to come and eat and drink.  There is no cost, therefore all can be satisfied.  In this world, those things that are most desired cost the most.  However, in the Kingdom of God, all is free for those who seek God with all their hearts.  There is nothing we should desire more than the salvation God provided through Christ.  And God provided this free of charge for those who will simply accept it.  “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:9-10.   

Then in verse two we read, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.” Isaiah 55:2. Too often, people let money take up all their time and strength, and inevitably their life. And they ignore or do not understand what is truly important.  And what is truly important has no earthly cost but is of infinite value, which exceeds those things which can never nourish or satisfy you, such as worldly goods and pleasures. And as John Wesley put it, “Eat ye – That which is truly and solidly, and everlastingly good. In fatness – In this pleasant food of gospel enjoyments.”

This is the message the world needs to hear, and we as Jesus’ disciples are the ones called to tell them. And then, we are to train them how to live this life that is pleasing to God.  “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.  Jesus has told His disciples to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples …” ad infinitum. This is what Jesus wants of us.  To help the lost see that what the world has to offer is absolutely insignificant compared to what God has provided by Jesus Christ paying the penalty for us that we could never pay.  And then for these to go out and do the same, ad infinitum.

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

Isaiah 55:11

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 55:11 

“So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” –  Isaiah 55:11 

The beginning of this verse shows that what was stated previously was an example or a metaphor regarding what was coming next.  In the prior verse we see the metaphor.  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;” Isaiah 55:10. Now, verses 10-11, where the latter is our focus verse, gives a reason why we should seek the Lord and abandon our unrighteousness, which is the absolute dependability of God’s word.  Whatever He says, will come about.  In verse ten above, God speaks of the rain and the snow that fall from the sky.  When it comes down to earth, it will do the work God called it to do.  In the ancient Near East, rain was the difference between life and death. When the rain came at the appropriate time the farmer could hope for good crops, which meant enough food for the coming year.  However, if the rain did not come, not only was the crop lost but also the seed that was planted.  And what followed was famine and starvation.  Isaiah here states that God’s word was just like the rain, and only returns when it has completed what it was sent to do.  In particular, he compares the effectiveness of both.  Now we know that the water eventually returns to the sky, but as these verses state, not until the rain and snow had accomplished the watering of the soil and the seeds. It will remain until this was accomplished. 

And God’s preexistent purpose and the certainty of its accomplishment is a central theme throughout the scriptures.  “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, my purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure;” Isaiah 46:9-10.  He knows the end of all things from the beginning of all things.  He is never surprised and everything He declares absolutely will come to pass.  And the main idea specifically meant here in this chapter is found in verse 7.  “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7. 

Jesus said the following as recorded by John “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18.  As Christians, if we truly believe in Him and turn away from our sins, we will be pardoned.  Again, as Isaiah said, “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7.  God loves those who have turned their hearts to Him and abandon their former sinful life.  God has spoken and His words are true.  We who truly follow God and love Him with all our hearts are assured of our pardon because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  Whatever He has declared as our future is assured.  Therefore, be confident that this will totally come to pass. For as our focus verse states, “So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11.

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

Isaiah 55:8

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 55:8 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.” – Isaiah 55:8

Our focus verse addresses the idea that we as mankind are absolutely different from God.  This, along with verse nine show just how much we differ, in everything.  Let us go back one verse and take a look at our major difference. “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7. Here we see the distinct difference between the two: man’s sinfulness and God’s compassion.

Just how different are God’s thoughts and ways from those of people on earth?  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9. Notice the link here.  His thoughts are above our thoughts, and His ways are above our ways.  And this contrast between God and mankind is compared to the distance between the heavens and the earth.  Just to give some context Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our solar system is located 25 trillion miles away.  It takes light just over four years to reach earth.  Now this may seem like a large distance, however, the next closest sun-like star is actually three times farther then Alpha Centauri.  Thus, it would take twelve years to arrive.  And these are but two stars.  When we look into the sky at night, we see an incredible number of stars which are but a tiny percentage of all the stars in the heavens.  And many of the stars are so far away we will never see the light from them.

Now this is a huge distance between the heavens and the earth. Such a comparison might make one wonder if there is anything that is similar between the thoughts of God and the common man. Surely there are few similarities between God and the wicked, but there are some similarities between the righteous believer who reads or hears about God’s thoughts and ways and attempts to live a life consistent with God’s instructions. Nevertheless, even with these few similarities with the righteous, it is not hard to accept the idea that God’s plans and purposes are exceedingly higher than anything the smartest righteous person has ever thought or imagined. But is this text referring to all God’s thoughts and plans or to a specific topic? Since nothing specific is mentioned, one could suggest that this is a broad principle that applies to all areas of life and thinking. Yet the contextual reference to God’s compassion and forgiveness of sins as seen above in verses 6-7 indicates that the divine plan of redemption is the supreme example of God’s higher thoughts and ways. Some people have a hard time being compassionate toward good people, and most find it hard to be merciful to extremely wicked people. Most people have difficulty truly forgiving those who wrong them, but God is willing to love the most unlovely and ungodly, even forgive those who do unforgivable evil against others and blaspheme the name of God, if they come to Him and truly repent.

We who are followers of God must strive to live as He desires us to live.  We will never, in all ways, think like He thinks or make His ways our ways.  Yes, the point here is to assert that the ways of iniquity and wickedness are to be rejected precisely because they are not God’s ways does not rule out the recognition that forgiveness and pardon are not normally human thoughts and ways either.  “Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not right. Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. But the house of Israel says, The way of the Lord is not right. Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?” Ezekiel 18:25-29. 

But we can, and must, make it our goal to move in that direction.  When we are truly saved it is important that we make His ways our ways.  “The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2:5-6. Let us all strive to walk as He walked, loving all people no matter how they treat us, and do all He has called us to do.  We may fail at times but knowing He will forgive us gives us the opportunity to grow in His ways and become more like Christ day by day.  

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

Isaiah 55:7

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 55:7  

“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” – Isaiah 55:7

When we look at the verse just prior to our focus verse, we see Isaiah’s call to His people to become more diligent in their relationship with God.  “Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6.  Isaiah tells us to seek God while God allows Himself to be found.  Back then at the time of the writing of the Book of Isaiah, as well as now, God can be found because He is near.  We can call out to Him and He will hear us and we can cry out to Him for mercy while repenting of our sins, and He will answer and forgive us.  For when the Messiah comes for His people, this time will be gone.

Now in our focus verse, the writer says that one of the things that a wicked person must do when drawing near to God is to forsake their evil ways, their evil thoughts, and their evil plans. The verb “forsake” is traditionally translated as a continuation of God’s invitation expressed in a mildly commanding wish or desire, in this case, let the wicked forsake his way. The act of forsaking past ways and thoughts involves the rejection of these behaviors and a decisive break from past beliefs, assumptions, priorities, and plans. Of course it is not always easy to separate instantly from past friends, past ways of doing things, or a past philosophy of life. The second verb encourages the audience to “turn” to God after they have turned away from their past wicked life. This requires a transformation of the mind and heart by the Spirit of God. The plans of God may require his people to give up their dreams, change jobs, and move to live in another place, but the person who truly turns to God wants to serve him and eagerly desires to follow his direction. This request to return to the Lord is a spiritual change of the will and a person’s thinking. This is a turning to follow God. 

And the results of this forsaking of an old evil way of thinking and accepting a new godly perspective is that God will have compassion and will freely pardon those who respond. Although it is clear that God will have mercy on those who repent, it would be wrong to draw the conclusion that repentance is required before God can show mercy on anyone. That would almost suggest that certain works of faith automatically produce or earn for the believer a gracious divine response. Yet, many passages speak of God’s love and compassion for sinful people, so it is clear that various aspects of God’s mercy happen both before and after repentance, though no human acts can earn God’s grace. As an example, “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ To a nation which did not call on My name.  I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way, which is not good, following their own thoughts,” Isaiah 65:1-2.  

God is calling us to come to Him, seek Him while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near.  We have time now, therefore we should go to Him in humility and ask forgiveness and turn from those ways that are against the calling of Christ in our lives.  We must go to Him and if there is anything we do or think that is not pleasing to God, we must forsake those ways and fall in line with what God desires of us.  And what is the outcome of truly doing this, returning to the Lord and His ways? He shall have abundant mercy on us and will pardon us.  God is ready with compassion and abundant pardon in His hands that a way has been found and that those who will turn around from their rebellion, confess their sin, and accept the sin offering of the Servant may have something infinitely better than restoration in Judah, which is restoration to God. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

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

Titus 3:8

Verse of the Day Devotion – Titus 3:8

“This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.” – Titus 3:8

Paul starts this verse by stating ‘This is a trustworthy statement’. This refers to what he had just said, that the doctrine which he had stated about the method of salvation was of highest important, and entirely worthy of belief. “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7. Paul found it of utmost importance that we speak confidently, with no doubt at all, of the salvation that God provided through Christ.  And this salvation was not on the basis of good works, as was the teachings of the Jews, but purely on the basis of His mercy.  And this mercy is beyond everything we can imagine.

But it is also important that we make it our way of life to do good works, not so that we can be saved, but because we have been saved.  Theologian Charles Spurgeon put it this way, “The common actions of everyday life, when they are well done, with a view not to merit, but out of gratitude these are good deeds. Be careful to engage in good deeds” of every sort and kind. You are sure to be working in some way; mind that your works are good works.”

Note how Paul ends this idea. “These things are good and profitable for men.” He is not saying it is good and profitable only for the one who does the deeds, but also to those who are the recipient of these good works.  There are people in need of many things, including the basic necessities of life.  Remember what Jesus said, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31.  This idea of being careful to engage in good deeds has not gone away as if it were a temporary precept.  How can we say we love someone when we see they are struggling and we have the means to help them, but we do nothing. 

James put forth a similar idea. “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” James 2:14-16.  He is speaking here of someone who is not careful to do good to others.  However, many people do just what James alludes to.  In times of need, words are not enough, assistance is what is needed.  And the assistance that brings people through tough circumstances is, I believe, what Paul refers to as good deeds. 

So, I want to encourage us all who are reading this and are believers to do good deeds to help people who are in need.  And also to train Christians we come into contact with to do the same.  Let our good deeds be seen by others in such a way that it encourages them to do the same.  We must not do it to lift ourselves up, but to lift up those in need. By doing so we will be doing the work that God has called us to: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and also to love our neighbor as ourselves. “And on these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:40.

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

Mark 10:44

Verse of the Day Devotion Mark 10:44 

“And whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.” – Mark 10:44 

These words of Jesus were spoken due to a question asked by James and John, the sons of Zebedee.  “Grant that we may sit in Your glory, one on Your right, and one on Your left.” Mark 10:37. Jesus then responds with a question of His own. “You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” Mark 10:38.  In the scriptures, to drink of a cup is figurative o being filled with either good or of ill things.  Here, Jesus is referring to a cup of suffering.  The object of this question seems to have been to see how far those two men were capable of the dignity to which they aspired and this on the principle that he who is able to suffer most for His sake will be the nearest to Him in His kingdom. They responded by saying, “We are able.” Mark 10:38a.  Then Jesus responds by telling them they will suffer. “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.” Mark 10:39. And then He adds, “But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Mark 10:40.  It was not His choice, but it is for those who they were prepared for.

Now the disciples other ten were indignant with their request.  But Jesus calls them together and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.” Mark 10:42.  The leaders in that time period did not lead the people but ruled over the people.  But this is not what Jesus wanted of His disciples.  “But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.” Mark 10:43-44.  And then He makes it clear that they should follow His way regarding this.  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.

At no place do the ethics of the Kingdom of God clash more vigorously with the ethics of the world than in the matters of power and service. The ideas that Jesus presents regarding rule and service are combined in a way that finds no obvious precedent in either the Old Testament or Jewish tradition. In a decisive reversal of values, Jesus speaks of greatness in service rather than greatness of power, prestige, and authority: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  Theologian James R. Edwards wrote, “The preeminent virtue of God’s kingdom is not power, not even freedom, but service.  Ironically, greatness belongs to the one who is not great, but the diakonos, the ordinary Greek word for waiting on tables. The preeminence of service in the kingdom of God grows out of Jesus’ teaching on love for one’s neighbor, for service is love made tangible.”

Another interesting point here is where He tells the disciples in our focus verse, “and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all”. Mark 10:44.  The pronouncement is, of course, an oxymoron, for a slave, who was inferior even to a servant, was in ancient society the last and least of all. The idea of a slave being first is as absurdly paradoxical as a camel going through the eye of a needle (see Mark 10:25) and it probably induced smiles and shaking heads from Jesus’ audience.  But this must be our way.  Too many leaders today believe that people should serve them rather than serving the people.  We see this in our governments, places of employment, and many churches as well.  Now I am not saying all regarding these three categories,  but speaking regarding churches, I have seen this more often than I imagined.  The desire for power and dominance focuses attention on self and this kills love, for love by nature is focused on others. The Christian fellowship does not exist for their sake, but others. Neither is the apostle or Christian leader above the congregation, but part of it. The congregation does not belong to him; rather, he belongs to the congregation and the Church itself belongs to Christ.

In closing, what Jesus teaches about service and self-sacrifice is not simply a principle of the kingdom of God but a pattern of his own life that is authoritative for and transferable to disciples. The ‘for’ at the beginning of verse 45 has a strong and important purpose: disciples should adopt the posture of servants and slaves not on the basis of ethical reasoning but because it is the way of the Son of Man. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45. The life to which the gospel calls believers is not an ethical system but the way of the Lord, of which Jesus is the pattern and incarnation. This model of ministry cannot come from the secular order, but only from the unique way of Jesus, which defies the logic of this world and its fascination with dominance, control, yields, results, and outcomes. The key to the model commanded by Jesus is in the verbs ‘to serve’ and ‘to give.’ The reason why a servant is the most preeminent position in the kingdom of God is that the sole function of a servant is, through love, to give, and giving is the essence of God.

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