Romans 12:9

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 12:9

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.” – Romans 12:9

Paul here moves to a more practical look at our Christian walk; in this verse dealing with love and goodness.  First, he addresses love, urging that his followers ensure their love is real and not just surface level.  It needs to be unfeigned, both sincere and not hypocritical.  It should go beyond the words we say and have its source be the very depths of our hearts.  Too many people wear a mask that covers their true feelings; those being mostly indifference.  This is not the love we are to have.  It must be genuine.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  John 13:34.  What kind of love is this?  A love that is real and pure and sacrificial.  He loved us so much that He was willing to die one of the most horrible deaths imaginable that we could be reconciled with the Father.  Is this the kind of love we have?  Would we be willing to do whatever it takes to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ?  Is keeping what we have more important than meeting a need another has?  We must all answer this question for ourselves, with complete and total honesty.  If we find we come up short, we must pray and ask God to give us this kind of love.  This will show the world that your Christian walk is very real.  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35.

The other thing Paul mentions here is that we must look for and do that which is good.  This entails not only clinging to what is good but abhorring what is evil.  We must hate sin as much as Jesus did.  This hatred, when looked at in the context of this verse I believe focuses on malice and unkindness rather than evil in general, however, we are to absolutely hate that as well.  We should not speak ill of anyone, but our thoughts should be of love and our desire to help them grow in the faith.  He is exhorting us to show genuine love to others so that through this they will be encouraged to do the same.

As for the good, we should cling to it in a way we will not let go.  This word has the idea of ‘gluing’, that we will have no excuse but to hold firmly to it.  We should never depart from it at any cost.  This goodness also has the idea of how we treat others.  “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32.  This is a great picture of love.

This can be very difficult in this world today.  However, submit to the Holy Spirit and let Him give you the strength to love like this.  For this is how He loves us. William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Proverbs 19:17

Verse of the Day Devotion: Proverbs 19:17

“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” – Proverbs 19:17

Today is Thanksgiving and marks the beginning of the Christmas Season.  This time of year is a favorite to many who enjoy the decorations, songs and movies that are popular during this period.  This is also a great time to enjoy shopping with family and friends and giving clues as to what you would want to open on Christmas morning.  It is truly a blessed time for many.

However, there is an important segment of society that we need to remember as well, that being the truly poor around us.  There are many people who do not have enough money to pay for food, clothing and shelter; our three basic needs laid out by Jesus in Matthew 6:31.  That makes celebrating Christmas with gifts and a feast definitely out of the question.  They would love the opportunity to give a gift to others, however it would take away from providing for the basic needs as listed above.  Furthermore, they would love to give their children a great gift, but many times have to either find something that was thrown away or not give a gift at all.

What if this was our situation.  Would we want help?  Would we want someone to bless us with the ability not to see Christmas as just another day?  Think about this and remember what Jesus said, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12.  Also note when He used the phrase regarding the law and prophets another time.  “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 foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40.  Helping in this manner will show your love for both God and our fellow man.  We no doubt will be unable to help everyone in this situation.  But if we can help at least one person or family, it will make a great difference in their lives and help them to celebrate just as we are able to.

And notice the second part of our focus verse.  “… and He will repay him for his good deed.” Proverbs 19:17b.  This repayment will either occur in this life, in things that are temporal and/or spiritual, or in the life to come.  We may not know what and how this repayment will be, however we can feel comfortable that it will be wonderful and something only God could give.  However, we must remember to give out of love and not in search of repayment.  This is important for this is how God gave His Son for us to provide the salvation we need.

In closing, I want to encourage everyone to look for ways to provide a special blessing to those who are poor and suffering during this time.  If you would like some ideas, feel free to email me at [email protected].  I have several areas that we are assisting in and I know would love the support and assistance you can offer.

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

Hebrews 5:14

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Hebrews 5:14 

“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” – Hebrews 5:14    

Here, the writer of Hebrews wants to continue on the subject of Melchizedek and Christ, however, he does not see how, for it will be hard for him to explain due to their lack of understanding of his listeners. “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” Hebrews 5:11.  It is important to see that the difficulty he was having was not due necessarily to his inability to explain it, but in the audiences ability to receive it. The phrase ‘dull of hearing’ is used to refer to ‘mental dullness. He was finding difficulty because the audience had become sluggish in their learning the things of God.

Then he explains what he meant. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” Hebrews 5:12. This and the following two verses contain imagery widely used in Greek literature, and especially in popular philosophy, for describing levels of education. Semantically it introduces a contrast between what the readers are and what they should be. Because they have been Christians long enough, they should by now be able to teach others. But in fact, they need to be taught. Teachers, as used here probably does not denote the office of teaching, as the word is sometimes used in the New Testament. The meaning here is that mature believers have the capacity to teach, even if they are not filling the office of teacher.

Then, moving on to the next verse, “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” Hebrews 5:13. Anyone who can understand only the basic elements of Christian doctrine lives on milk and is inexperienced or unacquainted with the teaching about righteousness. When referring to training in righteousness, this probably alludes to the ethical dimensions of Scripture, taking righteousness here not in the forensic sense of justification but in the ethical sense of matters of right and wrong.” There is a phrase I like to use. “Do the do’s, and don’t do the don’ts”. In other words, learn what the do’s are and do them, and what the don’ts are and don’t do these things.  

Then we read in our focus verse. “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:14. And this is how we can distinguish between the do’s and the don’ts. We need to know, understand, and practice our Christian life. We must grow in our faith from a new Christian who can only have milk, to become a mature believer who continues to grow in the fear and knowledge of the Lord. And as we learn and live it, we need to help others attain this level of growth. What we know and are sure of, we need to help others understand and be sure of as well. That is our calling. And we must never stop studying and learning more of our life in Christ. If we stop studying and learning, we will not understand fully this life, and may fall back to milk again.

I want to encourage everyone who is reading this to spend time learning and teaching others what this Christian life is truly about. As Paul said to Timothy, “Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.” 2 Timothy 2:14-17. Take time to read, study, and teach the truth of God’s word. It is the only way to do the work God has called us to do.

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

Luke 6:9

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 6:9 

“And Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?” – Luke 6:9 

Under Jewish tradition, sabbath regulations could be overridden only in times where a life is endangered. Otherwise, the sabbath must be upheld completely.  And this is the issue Jesus is dealing with in our focus verse.  “And it came about on another Sabbath, that He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.” Luke 6:6. A withered hand was not life threatening and thus did not qualify as an exception to Sabbath rules. In fact, Rabbinic tradition strictly forbade straightening a deformed body or setting a broken limb on the Sabbath.  Note the word here, tradition.

Now obviously, the leadership was watching carefully for a breach of their traditions. “And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He healed on the Sabbath, in order that they might find reason to accuse Him.” Luke 6:7.  They did not care about this man; they were simply looking for some wrongdoing to accuse Jesus of doing. However, Jesus was aware of all this. “But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, Rise and come forward! And he rose and came forward.” Luke 6:8. Jesus was telling this man to come and stand before everyone, wanting to teach something to these Scribes and Pharisees. 

Then Jesus continues with our focus verse, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?” Luke 6:9. Jesus then looks around at all the leaders, waiting for an answer.  He received none, for they had no good answer to give that would not make them look bad.  Where good needs to be done, there can be no neutrality; and failure to do the good is to contribute to evil. It is thus not simply permissible to heal on Sabbath, it is right to do so, whether lawful or not. The scribes and Pharisees looked at the keeping of the Jewish laws as primary, no matter the impact it could have on others. A litmus test of true versus false religion is its response to injustice. Thus, according to Luke, the religious authorities have nothing to say to Jesus’ question. Their silence is self-incriminating, and Jesus returned their searching looks. And then Jesus tells the man with the withered hand, “Stretch out your hand! And he did so; and his hand was restored.” Luke 6:10. A decision of faith now confronted the man. Most people with physical deformities seek to conceal them. What Jesus commands is the last thing the man wants to do if he is to hide his deformity, but the first thing he must do if he is to be healed of it. He did so, and his hand was completely restored. The man’s infirmity could be healed only by exposing it to Jesus. Faith is a risk that Jesus is worthy of trust when no other hope can be trusted.

Now after this the Pharisees were enraged at Jesus. “But they themselves were filled with rage and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.”  Luke 6:11. Mark puts it in a much stronger way. “And the Pharisees went out and immediately began taking counsel with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.” Mark 3:6.  This early in the life and ministry of Jesus, they were ready to kill Him because of His view of traditions.

Now, there is another way to look at our focus verse that is essential if we are to do the work of God.  “And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?” Luke 6:9. There are two basic questions being asked here.  First, is it acceptable to God to do good to someone, or to harm them?  And second, is it acceptable to God to save a life or destroy it?  We can look at this in regard to our physical life, but I believe this goes way beyond this.  Should we let our traditions or desires cause us to do harm to others, or to always do good?  There is nothing in the scriptures that say it is ok to do harm to anyone, either physical, mental, or psychological.  Absolutely no one should feel harmed or attacked by someone who claims to be a follower of Christ.  And no one should ever destroy a person’s life, neither their physical life, their spiritual life, or their integrity.  To do any of these is an abomination to God. For in doing these things, are we falsely exhibiting love we claim to have for God and others. If we act in this way, how can we say we love them?  In all things and all times, we must truly love everyone and do good to them, so that with the unsaved we can possibly plant a seed that leads them to salvation through Christ.

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

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.

Matthew 13:24

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 13:24 

“He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.” –  Matthew 13:24

Today we will look at the Parable of the Weeds.   Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

“He presented another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? And he said to them,  An enemy has done this!  And the slaves  said to him, Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?  But he  said,  No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,  First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13:24-30.

The parable of the wheat and weeds speaks of two different kinds of seed sown by two different individuals, a farmer, and his enemy.  First, the field is a picture of the world, not simply the Jewish nation.  The good seed is the children of the Kingdom of God sowed by God, essentially the true Christians, while the bad seed are those who are not of this Kingdom that were sowed by the enemy.  Now some time later both seeds sprouted.  “But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.” Matthew 13:26. Now, as they grew, the slaves of the landowner noticed that not everything that sprouted up was wheat. “And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?”  Matthew 13:27.  They were diligent servants who questioned him regarding how this could have happened.

He then answers them saying that an enemy has sowed these weeds in the field.  Then the slaves asked, “Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?” Matthew 13:28b. But the landowner says, “No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.” Matthew 13:29. Just as the wheat and weeds were often superficially similar in appearance and if sown too close to each other were too intermingled in their root systems to be pulled up separately, so too God’s people are sometimes outwardly hard to distinguish from his enemies. They can be too interconnected with them in society for anyone to try to purify the world from evil without hurting those who are good. Unfortunately, during that time many Zealots, and at times even his disciples, were often eager for precisely this to happen. We see an example of this in the gospel of Luke.  “And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him. And they went, and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make arrangements for Him. And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? But He turned and rebuked them, and said, You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went on to another village.” Luke 9:51-56.  He then tells them, “Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 24:30.

There are definitely bad/evil people intermixed in this world with the people of God.  However, can we really tell the difference in all cases?  It is not our place to judge people by what we see for many times we cannot see their heart, nor can we see where they will be in the future. I have known many who were looking into the Christian life before excepting Him while still living a worldly life. But also, there are people who wish us to believe they believe. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.” Matthew 7:21-23.   

In closing, it is not our place to make judgements one way or another. Our job is simply to go out and live the Christian life openly so that all can see it, while declaring the truth of the Gospel. We may be able to help them give their lives to Jesus. And we are called to disciple Christians to understand this life more clearly. “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.

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

2 Thessalonians 3:13

Verse of the Day Devotion: 2 Thessalonians 3:13   

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:13 

Paul, in this section, is warning the Christians not to become idle regarding the works of God.  “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.” 2 Thessalonians 3:11. We are not completely sure how Paul heard about this, whether by Timothy, or by someone else. He did not doubt its truth, and he seems to have been prepared to believe it the more readily from what he saw when he was among them. However, he was notified, it was related to Paul they were not doing the work for which they had, by God, been called.  On the contrary, they were simply being busybodies. The idea here regarding the term ‘busybody’ is going about doing useless deeds, to keep busy with trivial and useless matters.  Here, Paul is essentially saying they are doing none of what they should be doing yet overdoing and being involved in the business of others. In other words, busy about everyone’s business but their own. The well-known theologian Charles Spurgeon puts it this way. “Not doing their own business, and therefore putting their noses into everybody else’s business”.

Also, they did no real work but put forth the pretense they were. To put forth a pretense is to make something that is not true appear to be true. And taking this to a higher level, the problem of these declared as disorderly was not simply that they did not want to work, but that they refused to work. They did not want to help others, but rather to be helped by others. We do not know the exact reason why they opted to continue to live as clients. Manual labor was, as we have seen, despised by not a few, especially the social elite, but some philosophers and others considered such labor noble.

Now, Paul corrects these people in the next verse. “Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.” 1 Thessalonians 3:12. He is telling these that at the least, they should do whatever work is necessary to meet their own needs, and to do I quietly in a peaceful manner.  We read this idea in the first letter. “Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.” 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12. Now this is interesting because what we read in this verse is exactly what He calls for the ‘busybodies’ to do, except in the second letter he makes this statement to those who refuse to work, whereas here it is meant for those who work to assist others. In other words, take care of your own needs while you assist others where they need help.

Now to our focus verse. “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13.  Here, Paul turns his focus from those who had grieved him in the church to speak to the rest of the brothers and sisters in Christ. He is telling them not to be discouraged in doing what is right and good.  The command not to be discouraged does not mean simply that they should not become weary with doing what is right but rather that they should not give up or abandon their efforts. Paul said a very similar thing to the Church in Galatia. “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:9-10.  Although the apostle had absolved the patrons of their responsibility to those who did not want to work, this in no way implied that they should quit doing what was correct on behalf of those in genuine need. Just because there were some who did not participate, there were still many who needed their help, and thus they should continue to meet their needs. 

It Is important to understand that because we are called to be Christians through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, our calling does not end there.  For He has called us all to do His work in this world.  Becoming a believer and Christian is simply the beginning. Paul, in his letter to the Church in Colossae wrote, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.” Colossians 3:23-25.

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

John 10:11

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” – John 10:11  

Over the next few weekdays, we will be looking at seven verses where Jesus declares “I AM”, and then gives a metaphor regarding what He is.  Today, we will look at the fourth of these, “I am the Good Shepherd.”

Immediately after declaring that He is “the door” in the previous verse of the day, Jesus declares “I am the good shepherd.” He describes Himself as not only “the shepherd” but the “good shepherd.” What does this mean? It should be understood that Jesus is the good shepherd, not simply a good shepherd, as others may be, but He is unique in character.  The Greek word kalos, translated “good,” describes that which is noble, wholesome, good, and beautiful, in contrast to that which is wicked, mean, foul, and unlovely. It signifies not only that which is good inwardly in character but also that which is attractive outwardly. It is an innate goodness. Therefore, in using the phrase “the good shepherd,” Jesus is referencing His inherent goodness, His righteousness, and His beauty as in the way He carries Himself. As shepherd of the sheep, He is the one who protects, guides, and nurtures His flock.

Jesus here, again, is making a big distinction between Himself and the Jewish religious leaders.  He uses the idea of one who is hired to take care of the flock, which is an interesting way to see the Jewish religious leaders.  They are more concerned about doing their tasks rather than caring for the sheep.  “He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He  flees because he is a hireling and is not concerned about the sheep.” John 10:12-13.  In verse eight, He refers to them as thieves and robbers. “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.” John 10:8. He who is a “hireling” works for wages, which are his main consideration. His concern is not for the sheep but for himself. Interestingly enough, the shepherds of ancient times were not usually the owners of the flock. Nevertheless, they were expected to exercise the same care and concern the owners would. This was characteristic of a true shepherd. However, some of the hirelings thought only of themselves. As a result, when a wolf appeared—the most common threat to sheep in that day—the hireling abandoned the flock and fled, leaving the sheep to be scattered or killed.

In our verse of the day yesterday in verse nine, I spoke of the shepherd being the door to the sheepfold when in the wilderness.  He would lay at the opening as he slept so as to protect them from wild predators. He put his life on the line to protect the flock.  Likewise, Jesus gave His life on the cross as “the Good Shepherd” for his own. He who would save others, though He had the power, did not choose to save Himself. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28. Through His willing sacrifice, the Lord made salvation possible for all who come to Him in faith. In proclaiming that He is the Good Shepherd, Jesus speaks of “laying down” His life for His sheep. Jesus’ death was divinely appointed. It is only through Him that we receive salvation. “Jesus’ death was divinely appointed. ”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. 

Jesus loves us more than we can ever imagine.  So much so, that as a shepherd lays down his life for his flock, Jesus laid down His life for His sheep, His people, Christians.  All who accept what He did will be saved. The Jewish religious leaders would not sacrifice their lives for God’s people.  They were not good shepherds but merely hirelings. Jesus sacrificed everything to save His people thus becoming our Savior, otherwise known as the good shepherd.

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

Philippians 1:6

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Philippians 1:6

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6

Paul is with Timothy when he writes this letter to the Church of Philippi.  He starts by telling them how thankful he is for them.  “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:3-5.  He tells them that every time they come to his mind, he gives thanks to God for them.  That he prays for them when he does, with much joy and happiness for the help he has received in spreading the gospel to those in Philippi.

Then we come to our focus verse.  “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6.  When he says he is confident, this is  strong language meaning to be fully and firmly persuaded or convinced.  It means here that Paul is entirely convinced of the truth of what he said. It is the language of a man who had no doubt on the subject referred to.  In essence, Paul is telling them that God will continue to work in them in this work until the end comes and Jesus Christ returns and makes all things right.  This day is often referred to as “The Day of the Lord” or “His Day” because it will be the day of his triumph and glory. It refers here to the day when the Lord Jesus will appear to receive his people to himself – the day of judgment.  And this is a day Paul and probably the Church in Philippi were looking forward to. 

Now, there are two ways to look at this.  One way is that the work God in started within the Church of Philippi He was doing an amazing work through them to help Paul and the body of Christ.  It was their role to edify the body and help them grow and become a strong force in the area in which they had oversight. And I believe this is valid and true, for they provided much material assistance to Paul and those who were with him.   However, I believe there is another view which I believe is more relevant and still strengthens the Church there in Philippi.  And that is that Paul is speaking of the individual Christians in the Church. 

The wording Paul uses in this verse makes it clear that it is the individual Christians that he is referring to.  Note the wording “in you” rather than “through you”.  This places the emphasis on what God is doing in them or among them, and not what He is doing through them.  The work referred to speaks of their growth in Christ.  Therefore, this term refers to their salvation in Christ, and in this case another way of speaking about their participation in the gospel, not so much about their sharing it but in experiencing it and living it out.  Therefore, Paul is thankful for how God is strengthening them and helping them grow in the Spirit. 

And Paul is confident that because of how God has started this good work in them, He will continue it until Christ returns.  And this refers to the present as well.  In all of us who have believed and become disciples of Christ, He will continue this good work He has started in us.  We are called to give ourselves to Christ in totality.  When we do this, then God will do His work in helping us grow in our faith in Him.  But He can do this only if we are serious in allowing Him to do this work in us.  He will not abandon us, on the contrary, He is always with us.  He will never leave us, but we must be careful we do not walk away or allow our faith to grow cold.  “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU, so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” Hebrews 13:5-6.

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

Luke 6:27-28

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Luke 6:27-28

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” – Luke 6:27-28

This is probably one of the most difficult requirements Jesus gave to His disciples, and ultimately us who are His modern-day disciples.  He tells us in many places to love others, but here He specifically says to love our enemies.  Matthew records it in his gospel as follows, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44. It is so easy for us to hate those who hate us or those who do us harm or steal from us.  Or we may not hate them but will have no desire to do any good to and for them.  However, He requires us to do much more.  He says we are to bless those who curse us and pray for those who mistreat us.  We are not to think badly of them, but to pray that God will turn their hearts to Himself and be willing to be used by Him for this purpose.   

The attitude we are to have is not one of anger or hatred.  God loves everyone and desires all to be saved.  “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.  And this is the main reason He desires us to love our enemies.  Both to bring salvation to the lost and to bring correction to the saved who struggle in sin and think badly of others.  In fact, in the next verse he goes further.  “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.” Luke 6:29.  We are to be patient under injuries that are being put upon us and benevolent toward the unthankful.  Matthew adds the following in his version.  “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” Matthew 5:40-41. The basic idea here is that we are not to return evil for evil, but if possible, show your love by going beyond their demands. 

He then again takes it a step further.  “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.” Luke 6:30.  Whatever sense we put on the Lord’s precepts, not by force, but by consent, having either lent them, or sold them to him: for if they were taken away by force, the person so taking them was to be deemed a thief and a robber, and to be treated as such; but one that takes them by agreement, and is not able to make a return of them, or to give a valuable consideration for them, of such an one ask them not again: do not exact or demand them, but give him a release, as the law requires.  This law is found in Deuteronomy 15:1-2, “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts. This is the manner of remission: every creditor shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because the LORD’S remission has been proclaimed.” Deuteronomy 15:1-2.  I know this is a part of the Jewish Law, however the idea has also been told by Jesus to His disciples.

Jesus then continues this idea with the following.  “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.  If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.” Luke 6:32-34.  Jesus is saying here if we only love those who love us, do good to those who do us good, or only lend to those we expect to have it returned, how different are we from what the world does.  Our love for others should go far beyond what the world expresses. 

He then concludes as follows.  “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:35-36. He lays it out clearly.  We are to be merciful to all just as God the Father is merciful.  We are to be kind to ungrateful and evil people just as He is.  What is more important, getting our way or letting God have His way?  He desires us to be a light in the darkness,  shining out to the world the truth of the gospel and the love and salvation God has for them.  We may be wronged or taken advantage of but look what lies ahead in the new heaven and earth.  Really, there is no comparison.

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