1 John 2:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 John 2:1

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” – 1 John 2:1

In the first chapter, John lays out how we are to view sin in our lives.  “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10.  In summary, John is saying if we say we are fellowshipping with Jesus and yet continue in sin, we are lying and there is not truth in what we say.  But if we live and walk in holiness and purity and thereby shine the light of Christ into the darkness, then we shall have fellowship with Him and each other.  Notice the two things John says about the declaration of no sin.  1)  we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us, and 2) we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

John states in our focus verse that he wrote those things that we would not sin.  The idea here is to strive for a life of holiness.  To make the purpose of our life to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.  Unfortunately, we are all tempted to sin, and there are times when we succumb to the temptation.  However, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus, who lived the life of perfection we could not and through His death, burial and resurrection we were justified, declared righteous, for the penalty was paid for us on the cross of Christ.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9.

This to me is a very encouraging verse.  We are called to live a holy life, and we can only do this through the power and agency of the Holy Spirit.  Unfortunately, we get distracted from this calling and we fall into the trap of doing what we want as opposed to what God wants.  This, to me, is the definition of sin; following our desires rather than his.  The encouraging thing is that we have that advocate with the Father.  The definition of advocate in the Merriam-Webster dictionary Is one who pleads the case or cause of another before a judicial court.  Jesus pleads our case before the Father for mercy and forgiveness, which is granted, again, because of the work of Christ on the cross.  He does not just forgive, but He also cleanses us from all unrighteousness.   How great is the father’s love for us!

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

Deuteronomy 6:7

Verse of the Day Devotion Deuteronomy 6:7  

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” – Deuteronomy 6:7

In order to understand what this verse refers to it is important that we look at the verse prior to focus verse. “And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.”  Deuteronomy 6:6. The whole here describes the commandments, a term that encompasses the full covenant text as communicated by Moses. “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.” Deuteronomy 6:1-2. Then Moses says, “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5. And as we read in verse six, these laws are to be on their hearts and not just in their heads.

Now Jesus spoke regarding the Law in a similar fashion as recorded by Matthew in His gospel. “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. Based on this, we should look at obeying the Jewish law as a way to show our love for God, not just to obey them to be righteous. However, notice that Jesus added another thought to this, and that is to love our neighbor as ourself.

Now lets take a look at our focus verse.  “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:7.  These words given them by God are so important that the covenant recipients must impress the words of covenant faith into the thinking of their children by inscribing them in the children’s hearts with indelible sharpness and precision.  Theologian E. H. Merrill makes a great point regarding this.  “The image is that of the engraver of a monument who takes hammer and chisel in hand and with painstaking care etches a text into the face of a solid slab of granite. The sheer labor of such a task is daunting indeed, but once done the message is there to stay. Thus it is that the generations of Israelites to come must receive and transmit the words of the Lord’s everlasting covenant revelation.”

This idea of training our children in the ways of God is just as important, if not more, in our time as well.  We read in Proverbs the following, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6.  And in the New Testament. “And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4. It is imperative that we instruct our children, and if necessary other children, in the ways of God and of the Salvation that is offered via the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Mark records what Jesus said to His disciples. “And He said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16.

I want to encourage each of us to spend concerted time in sharing the truth of the scripture to our children, first leading them to salvation through the acceptance of Christ, and then helping them to learn how to live the Christian life in a way that glorifies God.  If we absolutely love our children, we will take as much time as necessary to train them in the ways of our loving God. When my children were young, I would read the scriptures to them in a way that was fun yet instilled in them the truth.  They enjoyed it and actually looked forward to it.  And now, my children are Christians with strong faith in God.  This is so important, for this gives them an opportunity to have a wonderful life in Christ both now and for eternity.  And never stop training them for there is so much involved in living the Christian life.  Is not this what we desire of our children? I pray it is.

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

Matthew 19:13

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 19:13  

“Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.” – Matthew 19:13 

There was a time when some children were brough to Jesus so He could lay His hands on them and pray for them.  We see this in our focus verse.  This was most likely the parents who brought them to Him.  However, the disciples rebuked them for doing this.  Now it is important to know that just before this occurred, the Pharisees had come to Jesus and had asked Him about divorce.  “And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” Matthew 19:3.  Then Jesus counters their argument, essentially rebuffing them.  Now a rebuff is essentially a rejection of something said in an abrupt manner.  However, when the parents brought the children to Him, He allowed them to go right up to Him and he laid His hands  on them and prayed over them. 

Now the disciples rebuked the parents for bringing them to Him.  However, Jesus said to them, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14.  Jesus told them leave the children, and ultimately the parents, alone.  “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14.   Mark’s version says Jesus was indignant about what they did.  This showed that He basically rebuked them, telling them they had no business telling them to go away.  And after a time, He went off after laying hands on them. “And after laying His hands on them, He departed from there.” Matthew 19:15.

It is important to remember that children in Jesus’ time were not necessarily regarded as special or particularly endearing, with the exception of their own family. Many cultures today look on children as especially sweet, innocent, and even wise at times. It seems that the Jewish culture in that day did not see children in such optimistic terms. The disciples most likely rebuked those bringing the children to Jesus because they felt bringing children to Jesus was socially improper or possibly they thought the children would bother Jesus. It is likely that their move to hinder the parents from bringing their children to Jesus was motivated not by unkindness but by a desire to respect Jesus’ position as a teacher. But Jesus wanted the children to come to Him, for He told them, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14. I believe He wanted to bless them before He left.

It is wonderful to think of Jesus interacting with children. They are often needy and dependent, and they know almost nothing about this life. They react on emotion rather than reason. Yet Jesus said, “for the  kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14.  Jesus’ command to “let the little children come to me” reveals several truths.  First, children are as important to Jesus as anyone else, and therefore we must help them be introduced to Jesus as well.  The Lord wants to bless children, and He corrected His disciples when they tried to send them away.  Parents should be encouraged to bring their children to Jesus at as early an age as possible and teach them His ways. Second,  Jesus has regard for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. No matter how compassionate Jesus’ followers are, Jesus Himself is more compassionate. And those who come to Christ must do so in childlike humility, faith, and simplicity.  Remember what Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4-5.   

Like children who naturally follow their parents, believers must come to Him in the same basic way. Faith is not about knowing everything or doing everything right. It is about knowing that no matter what happens, our Father will take care of us. That trust in Him, even when life is extremely troubling and sad and makes no sense, is what makes a believer like a child. “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” John 6:37.   God loves His children, His people.  And we should see Him as a child sees His wonderful parents, as someone who loves us, cares for us, and will always be there at all times.

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

1 Peter 1:14

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Peter 1:14 

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,” – 1 Peter 1:14    

When we are saved, we are not the same person after as we were before.  Before giving our life to Christ, we did as we chose.  If we wanted to get drunk, we drank till we were intoxicated.  If we wanted to curse, we thought nothing of it.  We did not have the Holy Spirit in us, and we felt as long as we did not harm anyone or was not too illegal, it was OK.  But when we received Christ as our Savior, it is not just our thoughts that have changed, or our beliefs.  It was much more than that.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.  We are not the person we were prior to committing our life to Christ.  We are not just mended, having our broken areas fixed.  We have essentially been made new. 

When we become new creatures, this should mean that everything about us is new.  The first three words of our focus verse say’s ‘as obedient children’.  Peter is telling them that their life should be one that exemplifies obedience to God.  This is the way our lives should be.  Just reading the word is not enough.  We should also obey it.  “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James 1:22. We are to do what His Word says, since we are now a new creature that does not live as our old self.  In fact, Jesus says we are wise in doing so.  “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24. So, Jesus and James tell us that we are to be obedience to God and His word. 

Peter goes on to say, because they are obedient children, they should not be conformed again to the former lusts in their old life of ignorance.  Paul says essentially the same thing when he writes, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2.  It can sometimes be too easy to go back to the old ways, becoming conformed to the world, and I do not say this loosely, as the newness of that life begins to fade.  We cannot go back to our old life and lustful ways and still live a life of obedience.  We are to live a holy life.  Again, our focus verse, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,” but then he continues, “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, You shall be holy for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16. 

So, what can we do to help us live as the obedient children noted above?  By reading His word, fellowshipping with Him in prayer, and staying away from anything that could draw us into that old life again.  Also, if you are struggling, go to a fellow Christian and ask them to pray for you, asking God to take these old ways away.  It is important that we completely walk away from the old life and submerge ourselves in the new.  Life will be so much more beautiful when we do.

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