Jeremiah 17:7

Verse of the Day: Jeremiah 17:7

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.” – Jeremiah 17:7 

There are many things that we place our trust in.  Sometimes we trust other men to bring us through trials.  Other times we trust the law to bring about appropriate compensation for a wrong done.  And of course, there are times when we rely on ourselves.  Also, there are many who create their own gods and place their trust in them.  The problem with placing our trust in any man or man-made solution, such as a false god, is that we cannot always trust that the solution will work.

In today’s verse, the truth is that placing your trust in God will be a blessing to you.  You see, in the verses 1-4, God convicts the Jews of the sin of idolatry and shows them that any confidence in these idols will not be good.  Let us look at the next two verses.  “Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.  He is like a shrub in the desert and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.”  Jeremiah 17:5-6 He now says that anyone who trusts man aside from God has placed his trust in the wrong things.

The idea here is that we are to understand that God is to be who we trust.  He will never fail us, even when it looks like things are going all wrong.  He will never let us down or cause us to wander aimlessly for a solution.  As the writer of Proverbs said, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6.  Acknowledge that the one you trust in any situation is God, and you will be guided straight to where He wants you.  And that place is God’s best for you.

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

Proverbs 27:19

Verse of the Day Devotion: Proverbs 27:19

“As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.” – Proverbs 27:19

When a man looks in the water or a mirror, he sees his image reflected back at him.  Whether good or bad, the reflection is a true picture of what we look like.  We do not see our true appearance until such time as we take the time to view it.  Sometimes we see certain things we do not like, so we adjust our appearance such that we will see ourselves more like we want.  However, the most important thing to remember is that how we appear in our reflection is how others see us.

Now, a mirror reflects our outward appearance.  But what reflects who we are inside?  The answer to this question is our heart.  What is important to us?  How do we feel about things?  And per Jeremiah,  what do we do?  “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?  I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.”  Jeremiah 17:9-10  Notice the idea here that our ways and deeds are seen in our heart and mind.  The real man is reflected by his heart.  Peter put it this way, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:3-4.  These two verses speak of women; however, it does speak of men and woman in the idea it presents.

So, this begs the question.  When the world looks at us, our ways and deeds (as Jeremiah put it), what do they see?   Do they see a heart truly committed to God?  Do they see a heart that is full of love for God and mankind?  When you honestly and with no bias look inside yourself, what do you see?  Remember, what you see is very likely what others see.  If, perchance, we do not like what we see, we must ask God to help us in changing our hearts to the one God desires of us.  We must be open to this change and submissive to Him as the changes are made.  There is a song done by Vineyard that speaks clearly of this.  “Change my heart oh God, make it ever true. Change my heart oh God, may I be like you.”

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

Hebrews 13:6

Verse of the Day Devotion: Hebrews 13:6

“So that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” – Hebrews 13:6

We as God’s people should not be afraid of what could possibly happen to us.  In fact, the writer of Hebrews says we can confidently state this as absolute.  How can we say this?  Let’s start by looking at the verse just before this.  “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,”  Hebrews 13:5.  If we realize and live our lives based on this verse, then we will have peace because we know that God will never leave us or forsake us.  So, if we are content with what we have, knowing that our needs will be met, what do we have to fear?  It is when we love success and desire things that are not necessities which we cannot acquire, then we lose that blessed place of peace.

And because of this, with confidence, we know the Lord is our helper.  He is there to provide our needs, and to help us through any situation we find ourselves in.  He also helps us in fulfilling His calling in our lives.  See what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi.  “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. He will guide us in how to fulfill His calling in us, giving us the words to say, the deeds to do, the wisdom the succeed and the strength to perform it.  If we have a question as to how to proceed, He will answer.  This I have personally experienced in various ministry tasks He has led me to do.  There were times I had no idea how to proceed, however, through prayer He gave me the answer to all my questions.

We also know, with great confidence, that we have no need to fear what will happen to us because of what men may do.  I have read many stories about Christians who have been arrested because of their faith.  Most, if not all, remained true to God no matter what anyone did to them.  When trials came, they trusted that God would bring them through, however, if they were to die, they knew they would be OK, for God would take them to be with Him.  They trusted God in the midst of their torture or execution.  Even death is not to be feared, whether through execution or illness, for to us, it is simply going home.

Paul put it this way, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. Our sole aim in life should be to bring glory and honor to Him.  If we submit to Him as we should, then we will devote our lives to glorifying Him in everything we do.  He should be our life.  He must be our everything.  And when we live our lives this way, and it comes time to die, we will gain freedom from suffering and pain; being then in a place of joy, peace and infinite love.  We may lose our lives, but we gain all the good promised to us because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Therefore, we truly do not have anything to fear, for really, what can man do to us?  God will provide all our needs, He will be with us in all we do, whether it be in reaching the lost, serving the body or suffering for His sake.  Trusting in Him, He will guide us through this life, working through us to do His will.  And if man were to take our life, it would be a great gain for us.  Looking at life this way is a source of peace and joy.  Let us all partake of this goodness given to us by Christ.

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

Psalm 1:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 1:1

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” – Psalm 1:1  

Psalm chapter 1 to me is a wonderful read.  This looks at the differences of those who follow God, and those who do not.  This verse says how blessed the man is who does not follow the ways of this world but follows the ways of God.  And what are the ways of the world?  First, by walking in the counsel of the wicked rather than the righteous.  He gives ear to the advice of the wicked. He is not at peace with His relationship with God and listens to that which is contrary to His word.

I have seen too many people who niche out their lives, some to their Christian walk, and some to the ways of the world.  I know because I did it myself.  There was my church life, then there was my regular life.  If there was a decision to make, many times I would take the wrong advice down the wrong path.  I would listen to worldly people, and this often did not turn out well.  However, when I became a true Christian, one that lived it as well as professing it, I stopped listening to the world, and I found I was much more at peace.  I did not have to worry about being caught or having to answer to my wrong decisions.  I was truly at peace.

We are not to go and linger in places where ungodly things happen and focus our attention on what is going on.  If we come across a place like this, or people who live in ungodly ways, we should be willing to present the truth of the gospel to them and help them turn their lives to God.  But we should not go somewhere and participate in their worldly ways.  This destroys the light we want to shine in the darkness, and our witness to the unsaved.

And we are not to participate in mocking or derision of others.  Especially where we do it regarding people who are leaders in the church.  We can differ in what we believe, and we can counter those beliefs.  However, we should never deride or mock the people involved.  We are to love them, and how can we say we love them if we speak evil of them?  And why would they listen to us when endeavoring to help them understand the truth when they see our mocking?

We must not listen to the wicked, participate in the activities of sinners or join in mocking of those we disagree with.  Aside from these activities being wrong or sin, we can instead live a blessed life which is pleasing to God, where we can be at peace because we are living a life of love and not animosity.  “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15. We can do this only by following the words of the psalmist in our focus verse.  “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”  Psalm 1:1

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

Mark 2:27

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Mark 2:27 

“And He was saying to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27  

Now Jesus and His disciples were passing through a field planted with grain. “And it came about that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain.” Mark 2:23. As they were walking through the field, the disciples were hungry, and so were picking heads of grain from the plants. This was not illegal according to Jewish law. “When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat grapes until you are fully satisfied, but you shall not put any in your basket. When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain.” Deuteronomy 23:24-25. When someone entered their neighbor’s vineyard, they were allowed to eat grapes until they were full. But they could not carry any away. In regard to grain, they could not use a sickle but they could pick by hand and eat.

However, what the Pharisees had an issue with was the day this was done.. “And the Pharisees were saying to Him, See here, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Mark 2:24. Now the Sabbath was started after the creation of man. “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3. Note what it says, “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

The Sabbath was not intended to be a bunch or rules, but a time of rest.  It was supposed to help people, not burden them. In contrast to the grueling daily work they did as slaves in Egypt, the Israelites were commanded to take a full day of rest each week under the Mosaic Law. The Pharisees had changed the Sabbath into a burden by adding restrictions well beyond what God’s law said. The act of picking a head of grain and munching on it as one walked along a field should not be considered harvesting, as the Pharisees said. The disciples had not broken God’s law; they had only violated the Pharisees’ strict interpretation of the law.

Jesus then reminded the Pharisees of the original intent of the Sabbath rest. “And He said to them, Have you never read what David did when he was in need and became hungry, he and his companions: how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he gave it also to those who were with him?” Mark 2:25-26. The men who were with David were starving and needed food. There was no food other than the bread consecrated to God. Therefore, the priest gave Him the bread. “So the priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which was removed from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place when it was taken away.” 1 Samuel 21:6. The holy bread had served a practical need of David, God’s anointed, and his followers. Just as in Jesus’ day when the grain served a practical need for Jesus, God’s anointed,  and His followers.

And then our focus verse, “And He was saying to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28. Looking at the big picture, the Sabbath was not made for man to follow and obey, it was made for man to rest. The Sabbath was not intended to burden people but to ease their burden. For someone to forbid acts of mercy and goodness on God’s day of rest is contrary to all that is right. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, did what was right and allowed the disciples to pick the grain to have something to eat. We must be careful that we do not place burdens on ourselves or others for the sake of the Sabbath or rules. As believers, set free in Christ, we are not judged by whether or not we keep the Sabbath day. “Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day, things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” Colossians 2:16-17. Christ is not calling us to follow a bunch of hard rules, but to rest. “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11:27-30.   

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

Luke 6:5

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 6:5 

“And He was saying to them, The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5

Starting in verse one we read, “Now it came about that on a certain Sabbath He was passing through some grainfields; and His disciples were picking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.” Luke 6:1. 

This is interesting because the picking of grain from someone else’s field was permitted according to the Law. “When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat grapes until you are fully satisfied, but you shall not put any in your basket. When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain.” Deuteronomy 23:24-25.  Therefore, the issue was not picking the grain but doing so on the Sabbath, as the next verse makes clear. “But some of the Pharisees said, why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Luke 6:2. Note that they were accusing Jesus and not His disciples, because they said, “why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”.

Jesus then answers their question.  “Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?” Luke 6:3-4.  Luke’s use of the verbal form “answering said” indicates that Jesus assumed the responsibility of his disciples’ behavior in answering the criticism of the previous verse.  Jesus recalled an event in David’s life when due to hunger he and his men ate the consecrated sanctuary bread, the bread of the presence. The account in 1 Samuel 21:1–6 does not mention that this took place on a Sabbath, but the issue was not so much the day or the need but Jesus’ authority, which extends over even the Sabbath. If David was free of the restraints of the law on that occasion, how much more is the Son of Man.

And now to our focus verse.  “And He was saying to them, The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5. By what authority does Jesus violate the prohibition or order of Sabbath convention and presume to redefine it? The answer is given in the pronouncement of our focus verse.  True lordship over Sabbath is invested in the Son of Man. If, as we have seen in Genesis, Sabbath was grounded in creation and was the most distinctive characteristic in Judaism, it is inconceivable that Jesus or any other rabbi would declare human supremacy over it. It is not given to a mere human to supersede an order of creation.  This can only be done by God Himself, the one who instituted the Sabbath. “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3. 

God instituted the Sabbath, and Jesus expressly claims preeminence over Sabbath!  We read what the Sabbath is and how it is to be observed in Exodus. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11. The purpose of the Sabbath, as originally intended by God, cannot be understood by Moses, and especially not by the rabbinic tradition subsequent to Moses, but only by Jesus, the Son of Man and ultimately the Lord of the Sabbath.

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

Luke 4:4

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 4:4 

“And Jesus answered him, it is written, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.” – Luke 4:4  

I am starting 2022 by looking at verses that are specific quotes of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we will look at the first mentioned temptation of Jesus. 

Chapter starts with Jesus returning from the Jordan. “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, He became hungry.” Luke 4:1-2.  This verse shows us what Jesus went through during these temptations.  It starts out with a positive note, being that He was led about by the Holy Spirit.  He was not alone in this, just as we who are Christians are never alone during difficult times.  Also, He was tempted for forty days.  It was not just the three temptations that are recorded here along with Matthew and Mark, which were the culmination of this testing period.  And finally, it alludes to these forty days as a long period of fasting.  “And He ate nothing during those days” Luke 4:2b. 

Now, it says at the end of verse two that He became hungry after these forty days of fasting.  Satan then takes the opportunity to tempt Him.  “And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Luke 4:3. In this first temptation of the final three, Satan is speaking to Jesus at this point of obvious need; He was no doubt very hungry.  He starts by saying, if You are the Son of God.  There is no doubt that he is God’s Son. The devil thus affirms Jesus’ divine sonship but tempts him to deploy it for purposes other than God’s will.  God had a purpose for this fasting, and it was not up to Satan to decide when this time should be over.  This temptation in and of itself was not sin, therefore the sin goes beyond simply turning stones into bread to eat it.  It has everything to do with who does He follow.

Now, as we come to our focus verse, we see His response. It is interesting to note that the restraint and focus of Jesus in response to the temptation is instructive. He does not exert his superior power or expose the devil’s deception. He invokes the Word of God, thus obliging the devil to face his ultimate adversary.  Jesus quotes God’s words as found in Deuteronomy. “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 8:3.  This answer is a somewhat technical phrase that implies the full authority of God Himself.  In the quote from Deuteronomy, Moses reminded the Israelites who were in the wilderness that they should trust God’s word rather than the manna He gave them. That man, even without the use of food, may see his life lengthened and sustained by any means whatsoever which God may choose to strengthen the body. In other words: God does not need His miraculous power in order to address painful hunger, for He possesses innumerable means, and Jesus will await the way which the Father may please to use.

And this is an important understanding we need to have.  When we, as Christians, are led by the Holy Spirit, we may find ourselves in a difficult place, however we have nothing to fear for as long as we follow the Spirit all will be OK.  “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.” Romans 8:28.  There is nothing too difficult for God, and there is nothing He does not know or understand.  And He will take care of us in times of need. “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.  However, it is important that we understand two things.  First, we must be able to see the difference between needs and wants.  Jesus knew that food was important, but not the highest need.  God’s word and ways should always take precedence over food or any need we have.  And second, we must follow the ways of God to receive what we truly need. And if man’s ways contradict His ways, then we must ignore those solutions just as Jesus ignored Satan’s solution. God’s ways should always come first. For He knows what is best.  Trusting God in all things is the life we are called to.  Let us all focus on making this our reality.

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

Luke 19:10

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 19:10 

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:10  

As of today, we are three days away from Christmas.  We have looked at some of the prophecies that foresaw the coming of the Messiah.  In todays verse of the day, I want to look at the reasons God the Father sent His Son.  And these reasons speak highly of His glory and love for us in providing the opportunity for us to live eternally with Him.

The first reason is to reveal the Father to us.  In the Old Testament, we see God as the creator of all things; we see His eternal power and majesty.  Paul said it this way.  “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20. However, when Jesus came, we are now able to see and interact with Him at a personal level.  “No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” John 1:18.  Jesus showed us the Father through His teachings and His ways, which was also the way of the Father.  The writer of Hebrews said, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Hebrews 1:3. And Jesus also alluded to this. “Jesus said to him, Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, Show us the Father?” John 14:9.

He also came to do away with Sin, not by way of the High Priest and animal sacrifice, but in a way that it is done forever. “Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26.  The sacrifices of the old Levitical system were insufficient to take away sin permanently. But Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice, once for all time. God sent Jesus not to deny the fact of sin or help us forget about our sin. Denials and cover-ups were not His purpose. God wanted to do away with sin once and for all. In Christ, God forgave sin and released us from its penalty. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1.

A third reason He came was to destroy the work of Satan.  I found this writing while doing research and I like the way this was put.  “It was a divine mission, executed with the precision of a well-planned military strike. Two thousand years ago, the Son of God landed on foreign soil, behind enemy lines, with a mission to demolish something, and He succeeded in His objective. He wrecked all that the devil had been doing.” Starting in the Garden of Eden, Satan had been doing all he could to cause mankind to sin and draw them away from God.  Jesus came to destroy this work and turn mankind’s heart back toward the Father. 

And finally, He came to save us that we may have everlasting life with Him.  “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.” John 3:16-17.  And He did this through the death of Christ.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Romans 5:8-9. He did what we could not do, He paid the penalty we could not pay so that our debt would be gone and we can live forever in His presence.

This is why He came into the world, and this is why we celebrate Christmas.  And this needs to be remembered in our times of celebration.  There is nothing wrong with exchanging gifts or anything else  that is a family tradition.  But let us never forget the glorious work Jesus did and the cost He paid for our redemption.  There is a song named ‘He Paid a Debt’. Here is a section of lyrics to this song that clearly lays out this idea. “He paid the debt he did not owe I owe the debt I could not pay I needed someone to wash my sins away.  And now I sing a brand-new song, Amazing Grace All day long, Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.” This is why He came, and this is why we celebrate the coming of the blessed Messiah.

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

Luke 15:11

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 15:11 

“And He said, a certain man had two sons. – Luke 15:11

Today we will look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

“And He said, A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ And he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be in need.  And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he was longing to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!  I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men. And he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ And they began to be merry. Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things might be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.  But he became angry, and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began entreating him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him. And he said to him, My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.” Luke 15:11-32. 

The main characters of this parable are the forgiving Father representing God the Father, The younger son who represents the tax collectors and the sinners, and the older son which is a picture of the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law in that day.  The major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversion of the sinner as in the previous two parables of Luke 15: those being the parable of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, but rather the restoration of a believer back into fellowship with the Father. In the first two parables, the owner went out to look for what was lost whereas in this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son to return.  And it is interesting that many of those who Jesus directed this parable to were from both groups.

The parable starts with a son, the younger one, going to his Father and asking for his share of the inheritance.  This would have been one third of the Father’s possessions since the older son would receive double what the other sons would receive according to Jewish custom.  This was unusual in that this was an inheritance, normally given at death, however this was not always the case. What is intriguing is that He did not argue with His son. The father clearly illustrates God’s love. The father knew that the son made a foolish and greedy request, yet allowed him to go his course, nonetheless.  

The son then goes and squanders the money. “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be in need.” Luke 15:13-14. When he ran out of money, he found himself feeding pigs.  But he remained hungry, and realizing his predicament asks a question of himself. “How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger?” Luke 15:17. So he decides to go home and apologize to Him, and offer to be one of His hired workers, believing he was not worthy to be His son.

So as the son was going home, his Father sees him. “And he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20.  When they come together, the son says, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Luke 15:21.  But the Father shows incredible mercy to him and He says to His servants. “Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:22-24.  This is the mercy God shows to all who come to Him in repentance and humility, asking for forgiveness.  We were dead spiritually having rejected the source of life.  But when we came to Him, we became alive because of the love of God exhibited through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice.

The older son, after hearing his brother had returned, was not happy with this.  He said to his Father, “Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.” Luke 15:29-30. However, the Father answers him saying, “My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live and was lost and has been found.” Luke 15:31-32.

The picture of the Father receiving the son back into relationship is a picture of the Father receiving the younger son back, and how we should respond to repentant sinners as well. “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Galatians 6:1. And not only should we guide them back, but we must rejoice that He has come back, just as the Father does.  We must not be as the older son, the picture of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, and in our day those who are arrogant and filled with pride regarding their faith and put Him down and be upset they have become saved.  Too many look at someone who had lived an incredibly sinful life and declare them unworthy to hang around with.  We must always remember that at one time, we were also in sin. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.  This ‘all’ includes us as well.  We should never think we are better than others, for we are all saved by the same sacrifice of Christ.  It is only by God’s grace that we have been forgiven, not by works that we may boast of. That is the core message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

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

Luke 16:19

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 16:19

“Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day.” – Luke 16:19

Today we will look at the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

“Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us. And he said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment. But Abraham said, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. But he said, No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent! But he said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.” Luke 16:19-31. 

This is an account of a very rich man who lived a life of extreme luxury. However, outside the gate of this man’s house was an extremely poor man named Lazarus who only hoped “to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.” Luke 16:21. The rich man was completely indifferent to the struggles of Lazarus, showing him absolutely no love, sympathy, or compassion. Then a time came when they both died. Lazarus went to heaven and the rich man found himself in hell. Calling out to Abraham, whom Lazarus was with, the rich man  requested that Lazarus come to him and cool his tongue with a drop of water to lessen his agony in this fire. He then asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to warn his brothers to repent so that they would not join him in hell. Both requests were denied. Abraham told the rich man that if his brothers did not believe in Scripture, neither would they believe a messenger, even if he came straight from heaven.

There is some question as to whether this story is a true, real-life account or a parable, since two of its characters are named, making it unique among parables. But real or not, there is much we can learn from this passage. First, Jesus teaches that heaven and hell are real, and  He spoke of both throughout His ministry here.  Second, He shows that once we die our destination, and these are the only two places we could ultimately end up in, will be permanent. There are no more chances.  The decision we make in this life, to truly accept Christ as Savior or not, is fulfilled with no opportunity to reconsider after we die.  And it is either heaven or hell, with no other possible destinations.

We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  He called this the most important or greatest commandment.  Then He said a second is like the first, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  These two commands are the basis of all the Law and the Prophets. And true followers of Christ will exhibit these two things: loving God and loving others. They will give themselves completely to God and His service.  Also, they will not be indifferent to the plight of the poor like the rich man in this story was. God loves the poor and is offended when His children neglect them.  “He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 17:5. In fact, those who show mercy to the poor are in effect ministering to God personally. “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40.

James wrote the following regarding our lives, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14. Our time here on earth is exceedingly brief. Perhaps the greatest lesson to learn from this story, then, is that when death comes knocking on our door there is only one thing that matters: our relationship with Jesus Christ. “For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ” Matthew 16:26.  Eternal life is only found in Christ. “And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” 1 John 5:11-12. The truth is, if we wish to live apart from God during our time on earth, He will grant us our wish for eternity as well. As one pastor aptly said, “If you board the train of unbelief, you will have to take it all the way to its destination.”

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