+DEV+ Thy Will Be Done

Date: January 30, 2016 at 11:34 PM

Topic: +DEV+  Thy Will Be Done

Thy Will Be Done

“He went away a second time and prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." Matthew 26:42

Scripture Focus: Philippians 1:29; Hebrews 11

Many false teachers preach that God wants us all to be rich, healthy, and powerful. They say that if you lack these, you don't have sufficient faith. Whether we are materially and physically well-off or not, the truth is that God has called His people to be conformed to the image of His Son. Jesus came in weakness and poverty, suffering every day of His earthly life and finally going to His death on a cross. Hardly the stuff of the "health and wealth" gospel! 

Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10). God's will for His children is that they know Christ, enduring (even with joy) the suffering that will come with it. Paul says in Romans 8:18 "...that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." That is the secret. It's Paul's "long view." We are citizens of a better country - a heavenly one (Hebrews 11:16). Our hope is in Jesus and in the new earth He is preparing for us. Our joy is in Christ, not in the fickle circumstances of this world.

Insight: God's will for you in Jesus is that you be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks for every circumstance. (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ God Knows You

Date: January 29, 2016 at 9:54 PM

Topic: +DEV+  God Knows You

God Knows You

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered." LUKE 12:6-7A

Scripture Focus: Psalm 121:3-4; Genesis 28:15

Jesus often argued from the lesser to the greater in making a point. His words above mean that since God has His eye on every sparrow and every hair of your head is counted by Him, how much more will He be in charge of every little detail of your life? Not one thing can happen to you without your heavenly Father's approval. This is difficult for us to understand and believe because we are sinful, finite creatures who cannot fully comprehend the infinite. 

Psalm 147:4-5 declares, "[God] determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit." There are countless-billions of stars in the universe, and yet God has a name for each one of them. God's universe has no limit because He has no limit! This is the wonderful thing about the Gospel - that this infinite God came to earth as a man and went to the Cross for you. He knows you intimately and still loves you perfectly. What could be better than that? Could we know a greater comfort?

Insight: Sometimes we may feel estranged from God - that we are separated from Him. but He is there. Trust in His gracious, infinite power.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ The Yoke Of Slavery

Date: January 29, 2016 at 12:24 AM

Topic: +DEV+  The Yoke Of Slavery

The Yoke Of Slavery

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Scripture Focus: John 8:32-36; Psalm 102:18-22

In Christ, we are completely set free from the debt, guilt, and slavery of sin. The debt of our sin was far beyond our ability to repay. The guilt of our sin could never be worked off. Sin enslaves because, left to ourselves, we actually love sin. Only in Christ is the debt paid, the guilt set aside, and the slave released from sin's bondage. Sin once was our master, but we've received a new Master who has set us free. 

Another "yoke of slavery" exists from which Christ has freed us. That yoke is slavery to the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). The Pharisees and teachers of the law lowered the standards of God's holy law. They taught that salvation was a matter of keeping their man-made rules. Even today people are burdened under the weight of rules they feel they must keep. But for God's people, God's law becomes the foundation of our freedom. The Psalmist sings, "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long" (Psalm 119:97). God's law has become our comfort and friend, not our master.

Insight: Isn't it interesting that unbelievers see christianity as slavery, and sin as freedom? Exactly the opposite is true.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ Redeemed By The Blood

Date: January 28, 2016 at 12:53 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Redeemed By The Blood

Redeemed By The Blood

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed...

but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19

Scripture Focus: Ephesians 2:11-13; Hebrews 9:11-28

The Lord's Supper is the Gospel pictured in bread and wine. Christ's human body is remembered in the bread; His precious blood in the wine. We take communion in fellowship with other believers. The communal use of these tangible elements reminds us that we are part of an eternal organization for which Christ shed His blood. We are those who have been called out of enmity into fellowship with the living God. And this is all due to the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 

The ancient blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. Those Old Testament sacrifices merely pointed to the One who could. "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness...so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him" (Hebrews 9:22, 28). Jesus is the Lamb slain for you and me from before the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

Insight: Christ's blood actually saves you and me! What comfort in knowing that our salvation has been accomplished by his precious blood alone.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ He Paid My Infinite Debt

Date: January 27, 2016 at 12:08 AM

Topic: +DEV+  He Paid My Infinite Debt

He Paid My Infinite Debt

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned..." Romans 5:12

Scripture Focus: Romans 5:6-10; 3:10-18

A Catechism's answer to a Question states, "Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God." To clarify that, here is an alternative definition: "Sin is an infinite, catastrophic failure to live and act according to God's holy character, the result of which is warfare against the Creator and disharmony in human relationships, and which merits death - the infinite, eternal justice and wrath of almighty God." Did you know that is what sin really is? 

Sin is infinite because it offends an infinite God. It's catastrophic because human science will never come up with a cure. Sin merits eternal death - separation from the love and mercy of God - because it distorts and denies God's image in us. It is not only negative - doing what we shouldn't do. It is also positive - not doing what we should do. But God has provided an answer! Our Lord Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, taking our sin upon Himself. What a Savior!

Insight: If sins are merely mistakes, we don't need much of a Savior. But since sin is infinitely horrible, we need an infinite Savior.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ Jesus My Savior

Date: January 25, 2016 at 10:32 PM

Topic: +DEV+  Jesus My Savior

Jesus My Savior

"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:3-4

Scripture Focus: Luke 2:8-14; 1 John 4:13-16

One of my favorite hymns is "Were You There?" It asks, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" If you have come to Jesus Christ in faith, wanting to obey His Word and seeking to glorify Him, you were there. You weren't there physically, but you were crucified with Him vicariously. As Paul says in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Christ died specifically for His Church (those who receive Jesus as Savior).. 

Christ died for the sins of everyone without exception! While some think His sacrifice is sufficient,  that He only made it possible for some to be saved. But God is absolutely sovereign, rescuing those who call upon His name, Some think that If God chose them they cannot resist His salvation while those whom He did not call can never be saved no matter if they wanted to. this is called predestination and is heresy. For the Bible says “FOR WHO SO EVER… will be saved” Then we have the belief that once you are saved you can do anything evil and remain saved… (Once saved-Always saved) another heresy. The devil will alway try to frustrate the will of God and fail.

Insight: Read Jesus' high priestly prayer of John 17. ask yourself, "Is it possible that Jesus' prayer could be frustrated?" how much less his atoning work!

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

  

+DEV+ Perfect, Unconditional, Unending Love

Date: January 22, 2016 at 12:36 AM

Topic: +DEV+  Perfect, Unconditional, Unending Love

Perfect, Unconditional, Unending Love

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live... I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Scripture Focus: Matthew 6:25-34; 2 Corinthians 9:8-11

Sometimes we Christians cheat ourselves of the great comfort that could be ours. We fail to understand God's providential care for us. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We've memorized that verse, but do we believe it? We trust God for eternal life, but not for every day. I call it "Stop Light Theology." We believe God sends green lights, but can't bring ourselves to attribute the red lights to Him as well. 

Our God loves us with a perfect, unconditional, unending love. And He is in control of every event in our lives, including the red stop lights. When we face trouble and sickness - things that make us hit the brakes - can we still trust Him? Yes! What great comfort! I've lived beyond my three-score and ten years. As I look back, I can see how God worked for good in my heartbreaks as well as my joys. I've learned, like Paul, that whatever comes my way, I will be content in it (Philippians 4:11).

Insight: Systematic theology - the study of God's attributes - is a great comfort. We find a God of love who is all-powerful and just and absolutely sovereign.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,

If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.

A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm