Devotionary

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Ep 693 – Colossians 2:6-23 Nov 09, 2018

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To be "in Christ" is a wonderful thing. It speaks of a relationship that is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross and that assures us of a restored relationship with a holy God. Being in Christ is what makes eternal life possible. But it is possible to be in Christ, and still fail to reflect Christ in our behavior. That's why Paul challenged the believers in Colosse to "walk in him." They were to follow the example of Christ, living their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit and according to the Word of God. And in Colossians 2:6-23, Paul goes out of his way to remind believers that we must never forget from where we've come, living lives that were marked by slavery to sin and carrying the weight of our guilt and shame. We were once dead, but Christ made us alive. He canceled the record of our debt and removed the death penalty under which we had lived. The key to our continued spiritual transformation isn't more hard work, but an increased dependency upon Jesus. We must sink the roots of our lives deep into the reality of His love, grace and mercy.

Ep 692 – Colossians 1:24-2:5 Nov 08, 2018

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Paul cared. Not passively, but actively. He put his life on the line so that others might hear the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and grow in their likeness to Christ. Paul was a teacher, preacher, disciple-maker, and church planter. He had a passion for the people of God and a no-holds-barred style of ministry that kept him on the road or locked up in prison for his efforts. In Colossians 1:24-2:5, we have Paul's strong words of encouragement, written to the believers in Colosse, and written from his house arrest in Rome. Here he was, unable to visit the brothers and sisters in Colosse, but using his pen to pass on a message designed to encourage spiritual growth among them. He actively cared for them. He personally invested in them. He sacrificed himself on their behalf, just as Jesus had done. In Paul, we have a powerful model of what it means to be a servant of Jesus Christ, putting the needs of others first, and doing whatever it takes to see that every believer is mature in Christ.

Ep 691 – Colossians 1:15-23 Nov 07, 2018

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What does it mean to be a child of God? For far too many of us, it's simply a designation that doesn't seem to match the reality of our daily lives. Our actions tend to reflect a different reality. But in Colossians 1:15-23, Paul encourages us to see ourselves the way God does: As holy and blameless, without a single fault. Hard to believe? No doubt about it. What Paul declares us to be in Christ doesn't seem to gel with how we behave in real life. But the point he is trying to get across is that our standing before God has little to do with us, and everything to do with Christ. He is the source of our righteous standing, not us. It was His death that satisfied the just demands of a holy God. He paid the price required to settle our sin debt with God. Jesus, the creator of all things, subjected Himself to live as a man, taking on human flesh and dying a sinner's death, all so that we might be reconciled to God. And as a result, we are members in good standing of God's family.

Ep 690 – Colossians 1:1-14 Nov 06, 2018

Show notes

Today, we begin a new series on Paul's letter to the Colossians. Like all of Paul's letters, this one has a strong pastoral element to it. While he had not yet been able to visit the believers there in Colosse, he had a strong interest in their spiritual well-being. Most likely founded by Epaphras, the fledgling church there was facing strong opposition in the form of false teaching. These relatively new believers were having to deal with a range of dangerous heresies that were causing confusion and leading to doctrinal compromise. In his usual loving, but no-holds-barred style, Paul will confront them and challenge them to remain faithful to the gospel as it was presented to them. Paul had a strong opinion regarding anyone who attempted to add to the gospel of Jesus Christ in any way. And he was not afraid to call them out as exactly what they were: Heretics. The integrity of the gospel and the vitality of the local church were near and dear to Paul's heart as Colossians 1:1-14 will clearly reveal.

Ep 689 – 1 Kings 2:10-12 Nov 05, 2018

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This is it. In this episode, we will bring the remarkable story of David's life to a close. Like all men, David's long life had a time limit attached to it by God. His days were ordained by God, with both a beginning and an end. And while David's life was particularly spectacular and marked by incredible accomplishments, what truly set his life apart was his relationship with God. It is the one consistent theme that flows throughout. That, and David's humanity. In 1 Kings 2:10-12, we will learn that David reigned for 40 years. That's a long time at the top. But he had to go through a lot to get there and, even after he ascended to the throne, things weren't always easy. But through it all, God was with him. As a boy tending his father's sheep, David knew what it was like to have God beside him. And the same was true when he found himself running for his life and hiding in caves. God was consistently, faithfully at David's side, teaching him, preparing him, disciplining him, and molding him into the king he had appointed him to be.

Ep 688 – 1 Kings 2:5-9 Nov 04, 2018

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David was near death, and getting ready to hand off his kingship to his son, Solomon. And as he prepared for the transition, he had given his son some sage advice. But, as we will see in 1 Kings 2:5-9, David also gave Solomon some unexpected chores to accomplish on his behalf, once he was dead and buried. David gave his son three pieces of unfinished business, two of which would put the newly crowned king in an awkward predicament of taking the lives of two men. This is a clear case of David passing the buck and leaving to his son a responsibility that was not his to handle. But, as we have seen before, David had a habit of shirking responsibilities. And he would pass on to his young son two duties he had been reluctant to take care of on his own. David was leaving his son a powerful and successful kingdom, but also a far-from-attractive set of instructions to do his dirty work for him.

Ep 687 – 1 Kings 2:1-4 Nov 03, 2018

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What does a real man look like? What are the attributes of manliness? Every generation has had its own list but, for the most part, those lists almost always include a rugged independence, the search for power, a need for control, bravery in the face of danger, and a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps mentality. But when David prepared to hand over his kingdom to his son, Solomon, he shared some dramatically different concepts about manliness and manhood. In David's mind, a real man was a godly man. He had a heart for God and willingness to submit to the will of God, no matter what. Rather than pridefully independent, he would be humbly dependent upon God. He would recognize that his strength came from God and his life was to bring glory and honor to God. Like any father, David wanted to see his son succeed in life, but he knew that the key to that happening was directly tied to Solomon's reliance upon God.

Ep 697 – 1 Kings 1:41-53 Nov 02, 2018

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David has decreed that Solomon will be his successor to the throne of Israel. But this was not just a dictate from the lips of David, it was the divine will of God Almighty. God was circumventing the normal succession plan, choosing to place Solomon on the throne rather than Adonijah, the next is line by virtue of age. Because God had a plan that was going to include a King like no other king Israel would ever have. This King would be a descendant of David, but His kingdom would last forever. And He would bring righteousness to Israel as no one else ever had or ever could. He would be the Messiah, the Savior of the world. The Son of Man and the Son of God. He would be Immanuel, which means, "God with us." He would be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the King of kings and Lord of lords. David would appoint Solomon to be his successor, but God had already established Jesus to be the future King of Israel.

Ep 685 – 1 Kings 1:28-40 Nov 01, 2018

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David is nearing the end of his life and reign as king of Israel. And he is being forced to step in and make an announcement regarding his successor. God had made it clear that Solomon was to be David's replacement, but Adonijah, one of David's other sons was conspiring to have himself named the next king of Israel. But this passage isn't just about a battle for the throne. It's about God's desire to have the right kind of man wear the crown. As 1 Kings 1:28-40 will reveal, there is a huge difference between being a king and fulfilling God's expectations of being a ruler over his people. Saul had been a king, but he had been a lousy ruler. He wore the crown, but did not wear the mantle of spiritual leadership well. So, God replaced him with David, a man after his own heart who shepherded Israel with integrity of heart and skillful hands. And it was God's desire that David's successor be the same kind of king and ruler.

Ep 684 – 1 Kings 1:11-27 Oct 31, 2018

Show notes

We have already seen how David struggled with indecision. He had a flaw in his internal wiring that kept him from dealing promptly and forcefully when faced with important decisions. And in 1 Kings 1:11-27, David finds himself facing yet another son who is trying to take over his kingdom. This time it is Adonijah, who is following the script used by his deceased brother, Absalom. Adonijah has already recruited some of David's key advisors and royal administrators, in the hopes of winning their support in his quest to follow David as king of Israel. Solomon was to be God's appointed successor to the throne, but Adonijah was unwilling to accept that outcome. So, David was faced with yet another important decision to make. All eyes were on him. The future of his kingdom was at stake. What would he do? How would he respond?

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