Devotionary

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Ep 925 – Deuteronomy 1:1-8 Nov 13, 2019

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Today, we begin a lengthy and hopefully enlightening study in the Book of Deuteronomy. This incredible Old Testament book provides us with a glimpse into the preparations Moses went through in order to ready the Israelites for their long-awaited entrance into the land of Canaan. This was the "promised land" – the tract of property located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River – that God had told Abraham would be the home of his descendants. And now, nearly half a millennium later, those descendants stood on the border waiting to enter in and take possession. But Moses had been here before and things had not gone so well. Forty years earlier he had watched as the previous generation had refused to obey God, choosing instead to listen to the dire warnings of the spies who came back with reports of a bountiful land filled with powerful armies made up of giants. Suffice it to say, they didn't cross over the border and, therefore, they came under a curse from God. That reluctant and rebellious generation died off in the wilderness. Now, Moses stood in front of a new group of Israelites, who were going to have to take God at His Word and take Canaan by force. But before the first battle was fought, Moses gave his charges a few last words of encouragement.

My apologies Sep 11, 2019

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Just a word to explain the delay in our recording schedule. Yes, I am well aware that we are behind and I am desperately attempting to catch up. But it is taking some time. So, please bear with me. In the meantime, if Devotionary has been a help to you, I would love to hear from you. My email is kendmiller55@me.com. Also, if you wouldn't mind, please got to the Apple Store and give us a positive review. That will go a long way to improving our position in their search engine.

Ep 924 - Sanctification – Colossians 3:1-3 Jun 27, 2019

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Why do you do what you do? To ask it another way, what motivates your behavior? There is always a reason behind what we do. And it could be good or bad. But as followers of Jesus Christ we must constantly ask ourselves why it is we attempt to live the Christian life. We must regularly assess our motivation and the source of the strength we put into our efforts. You see, sanctification does require work on our part. But we must never forget that, at its core, it is the work of God. That is why Paul reminds us, "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." We must work hard, but never forget that God is working in us. We are working alongside Him, in the power of His Spirit, and in keeping with His will for us. And we must remember that the end goal of all our Spirit-empowered effort is our future glorification. We are not to pursue our best life now in the here-and-now, but the better life God has prepared for us in the hereafter.

Ep 923 – Sanctification – Romans 6:1-11 Jun 26, 2019

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Imagine running a race without a finish line in mind. You'd be running with no objective and no hope of ever finishing the race, let alone, of winning it. A race without a finish line is not a race at all, but merely an exercise in futility and, ultimately, frustration. And the Christian life would be the same thing if it did not have a final objective or outcome. As we discuss the doctrine of sanctification, we must never forget that it is directly tied to two other major doctrines and cannot exist without them. One is our salvation. The other, our future glorification. And all three are dependent upon our resurrection. Paul told the believers in Corinth that "if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless." And then he added, "if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world." In other words, without our resurrection and glorification as our final goal, our sanctification will be like running in a race with no hope of victory.

Ep 922 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 Jun 25, 2019

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Most Christians would have no problem admitting that they still struggle with sin. But there's a huge difference between a Christian who is aware of their sin and a Christian who tends to see themselves as a sinner. As a Christian, your tendency to sin should not determine your identity. From God's perspective, you are a saint or set-apart one. You have been consecrated by God and have been imputed the righteousness of Christ. Because of that, God considers you to be holy. Which is why Paul referred to the believers as saints in the various congregations to which he wrote. And he was constantly reminding them of their new identity as sons and daughters of God. He wanted them to live distinctively different lives based on their identity as saints, not as sinners. While there is value in remembering the past from which we were saved, we are not to dwell on it or to identify ourselves with it. Instead, we are to remember what Paul said, "The old has gone, the new is here!"

Ep 921 – Sanctification - 1 John 3:2-3 Jun 24, 2019

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"I can't wait until…" You fill in the blank. What kinds of things do you eagerly anticipate? A new season of your favorite TV show, the opening of a new blockbuster movie, the birth of a child? When I was a child, I couldn't wait until Christmas. I looked forward to it all year long, and the closer it got to December 25, the more excited I became. And, interestingly enough, the apostle John expressed that same kind of eager anticipation when speaking of our future glorification when we receive our redeemed, sin-free bodies. And he wasn't alone in his thinly veiled enthusiasm for this future event. The apostle Paul also expressed his determination to press on or focus all his attention on that future day when he would win the prize of the upward call of God. Paul longed for his resurrection. And his deep desire for it impacted the way he lived his life as he waited for its arrival. One of the things that will impact our current sanctification is to remember that it will culminate with our future glorification. God will complete what He starts. Paul and John knew it and believed it. Do we?

Ep 920 – Sanctification - 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Jun 23, 2019

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"I feel like a new man!" We usually hear or make that kind of statement in relationship to a change in circumstances. Maybe after a good nap or a much-needed vacation. When we attempt to repair something and our efforts turn out well, we say something like "Good as new!" That's because, in our minds, new is good. If we see an advertisement that states, "New and improved", we take it for granted that whatever it is that is being sold is somehow better than it was. But why is it, that when the Scriptures tell us we are "new creations" and that we have the power to "walk in newness of life", we don't believe it? The New Testament has a lot to say about the old nature and the new nature. Paul, in particular, seems to be always talking about putting off the old and putting on the new. But for some reason, we have a difficult time believing it because we don't always feel or act like a new man.

Ep 919 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 Jun 22, 2019

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The psalmist wrote, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Those are powerful words and a bit foreboding. But do we believe them? Better yet, do we heed them? Do we fully understand that our way is rarely the right way? And the truth is, the counsel we receive from this world usually ends up less than successful. The means by which God has chosen to sanctify us doesn't always make sense and, sometimes, it isn't very attractive. But it is the best way because it is Gods' way. Yet, we are constantly tempted to take another path, to pursue a different set of objectives, hoping for the same outcome. But God's will can only be accomplished God's way. And no matter how wise the ways of this world may sound, they can't deliver what God has promised. God has great things in store for us, and while the world may offer tempting detours and shortcuts, they always end in death.

Ep 918 – Sanctification - Philippians 3:12-21 Jun 21, 2019

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Life requires focus. We all know that. But it's easy to get distracted along the way and to allow all kinds of things to take your eyes off what is truly important and necessary. The occasional distraction is not a problem, but they can easily add up and leave you wondering why you never get anything done. And the same is true in our spiritual lives. Paul had a lot to say about running the race of life with a goal in mind. He was a determined man who expected those who sat under his teaching to live with the same sense of purpose and potential. And he knew that the enemy was adept at distracting Christ-followers from what was truly important. Satan knows how to take the good things and make them the most important things in our lives. He is like a skilled magician who uses sleight-of-hand to refocus our attention on the trivial rather than the vital. And we end up missing what God has in store for us.

Ep 917 – Sanctification – James 2:14-20 Jun 20, 2019

Show notes

Faith is meant to be productive. I know that sounds odd because faith is usually juxtaposed with works. As Christians, we've had it drummed into our heads that salvation is based on faith alone and is not the result of works. That way, none of us has any reason to brag or boast. But faith not only requires an object, but an objective. It is to produce fruit. When Jesus Christ died for our sins, He did so that we might experience newness of life. And for that to happen, He sent His Spirit to come and take up residence within us. It is the Spirit who produces fruitfulness from our faithfulness. The more we rely on His presence and power, the more fruit we will bear, all to the glory of God the Father. While some have pitted James and Paul against one another, claiming that each seems to contradict the other, they are actually saying the very same thing but from slightly different perspectives. Faith is always fruitful.

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