All posts by JT

Christian. Husband. Dad. Preacher. Baseball fan. Music nerd. Bookworm.

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 163/260: Micah

August 18, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Micah 4

The Church in God’s Eternal Plan

There are many in the religious world who see the church as a “plan B” instituted by God when the Jews rejected Jesus. There is ample evidence, however, that God had planned for the church all along. It was no mere afterthought but was a part of God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10). The fourth chapter of Micah’s prophecy conclusively demonstrates that the church, which is the kingdom, was planned long before Jesus took “the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7).

There are multiple prophecies of the coming kingdom in the Scriptures. In addition to Micah, one can also look to Isaiah 2:2-4 and Daniel 2:44. Jesus equates the terms kingdom and church in Matthew 16:13-18, when He promised to build His church and give the keys of the kingdom to the apostles.

Notice some of the characteristics of the Lord’s church, as foretold by Micah. First, the Lord’s church would be superior to all earthly kingdoms. This is seen in the figurative language of the first verse, with the mountains and hills representing the world powers. “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills” (Micah 4:1).

Second, the Lord’s church would be made up of many peoples; it would not be limited to a certain race or ethnicity. “And peoples shall flow to it” (Micah 4:1).

Third, its growth would come from teaching, not conquest. Kingdoms of the world exert physical power over other kingdoms, but the Lord’s kingdom would be one of reasoning and learning. Micah says, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths” (Micah 4:2), and “Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Micah 4:3).

Every earthly kingdom that has risen to power will eventually fall, but the Lord’s kingdom will never be conquered. “For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever” (Micah 4:5).

Are you a citizen of His marvelous kingdom?

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 162/260: Hosea

August 17, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Hosea 14

The Love Of God

While the southern kingdom of Judah saw righteous men such as Hezekiah ascend to the throne, the northern kingdom was reigned by wicked man after wicked man. Hosea prophesied that the Lord would judge Israel and pleaded with the people to repent. The prophet wrote, “O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” (Hosea 14:1).

How does the Almighty react to His children pleading for forgiveness? “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4). God wants to forgive the sinner! God wants to restore the erring!

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus presents the Father as one who is waiting and watching for the lost one to return to Him. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). If you are reading this as a child of God who has wandered back into the world of sin, know that He is patiently waiting for you to come back, and He wants to show compassion and mercy to you and welcome you back to His family!

What must our attitude be toward such restoration? If we are the one who is to be restored, we must recognize the priority God must have in our lives. “What have I to do anymore with idols?” (Hosea 14:8). Anything we put above God becomes an idol; we must restore Him to the proper place in our hearts and in our lives.

Hosea ends his prophecy with these words: “Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them” (Hosea 14:9).

The late brother Homer Hailey wrote concerning this chapter, “Jehovah accomplished this redemption under the Messiah, and today the spiritual Israel of prophecy enjoys the favor of Jehovah and acts as the leavening influence for good in a world of wickedness.” Are you involved with your Christian family? It is more than attending worship services on Sunday. It is encouraging one another, serving one another, helping one another every day. If you are not a member of the Lord’s church, you miss out on so many of His blessings. Walk in the ways of the Lord, for they are right.

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 161/260: Hezekiah

August 16, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read 2 Chronicles 29

Sanctification and Restoration

When Hezekiah took the throne at the age of twenty-five, the temple in Judah was in disrepair due to a lack of use. The king said, “For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and turned their backs on Him. They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 29:6-7). He commanded the priests and the Levites, “Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place” (2 Chronicles 29:5).

Do we ever need to get rid of some rubbish from our lives? If we are to live holy lives before our God and walk in righteousness, does it not follow that we should avoid the trash that sin produces? The old temple was neglected; do we ever neglect the temple of God today? We must continually evaluate our spiritual lives. Look at the activities on our calendar—do they conflict with our service to God? Is there some rubbish that needs to be carried out?

There are some very important things to notice in this chapter. Hezekiah said, “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense” (2 Chronicles 29:10-11).

The king first made a personal commitment. It would be very difficult to encourage others to serve if he was not himself committed to the task. Good leaders lead by example, not by compulsion.

Second, notice to whom the service was to be offered. Hezekiah reminded them that the service was to the Lord—not to the king, and not to self. Do we ever forget this? When we gather on Sunday, while we do benefit from assembling together, the main purpose is to worship God and remember His Son’s death.

Finally, notice the response of the people. “So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings” (2 Chronicles 29:31). A grateful “willing heart” is so very important when we worship God. Is your heart right?

Sermon Outlines

The Word Grows In Ephesus (Acts 19:11-20)

August 15, 2021 JT Leave a comment

The Word Grows in Ephesus Acts 19:11-20

Acts 19:11-20

I. The miracles of Paul

II. Pretenders

III. Repentance in Ephesus

Sermon Outlines

I Am The Vine (John 15:1-8)

August 15, 2021 JT Leave a comment

I Am The Vine John 15:1-8

John 15:1-8

I. The vine and the vinedresser

II. The branches are individual Christians

III. A warning and a promise

IV. Bearing fruit

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 160/260: Hosea

August 13, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Hosea 6

What God Wants

God is concerned with more than mere ritual. A man can perform all the right actions and still be lacking when it comes to his spiritual maturity and his relationship with God. There must be a proper motivation behind the proper actions. Thus, Jesus said in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

An oft-quoted passage from the prophecy of Hosea reads, “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). One who has a poor attitude toward God or toward his fellowman cannot worship acceptably. One who is ignorant of who God is and what God wants cannot offer a proper sacrifice.

The word that is rendered “mercy” in the KJV and NKJV is translated in several different ways in other versions: “goodness” (ASV), “steadfast love” (ESV), “loyalty” (NASB), “faithful” (CEV). The original Hebrew word refers to man’s kindness toward other men, especially toward the needy. Yet there is a secondary definition that carries with it the notion of affection toward God and piety.

The people to whom Hosea prophesied were guilty of not only poor motives, but sinful actions. Notice some of the phrases used to describe them: “they transgressed the covenant,” “dealt treacherously with Me,” “a city of evildoers,” “defiled with blood,” “bands of robbers,” “they commit lewdness,” “harlotry” (Hosea 6:7-11). “Sacrifice” and “burnt offerings” were far from their minds because they were obsessed with sin, both toward man and God.

Even today, we can be guilty of the same. If our Monday through Saturday life does not look like a Christian’s life, how acceptable is our worship on Sunday? Even if we are doing the right things, God may be displeased because we have not truly committed ourselves to Him.

Christianity is a way of life, not a one-day-a-week hobby. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 159/260: Isaiah

August 12, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Isaiah 11

The Messiah and His People

God offers the hope of a better day to His remnant and comfort to the faithful. We will face struggles in this life, both physical and spiritual, but continued reliance upon God and His power will bring tremendous blessings.

Isaiah prophesies of the coming Messiah and identifies the house of Jesse as the source of the promised deliverer. The Messiah will be the Rod from the stem of Jesse, the Branch that grows out of his roots. The enemies of God’s people will be left desolate without even a hint of life remaining, but Isaiah says the house of Jesse will grow strong once again. The apostle Paul makes reference to this prophecy in Romans 15.

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him” (Isaiah 11:1). The three pairs of attributes describing the Messiah should arouse confidence in His disciples. “Wisdom and understanding” have reference to His intellectual prowess and application of that intellect. “Counsel and might” show His ability to direct and advise His people and suppress His opponents. “Knowledge and…the fear of the Lord” refer to His spiritual acumen and respect for the divine mission.

The prophet turns his attention from the King to the citizens of the kingdom beginning in Isaiah 11:6, utilizing figurative language to describe the character of those citizens and how they would interact with each other. There is a description of peaceful cohabitation among several animals that would normally be antagonistic towards each other. Keep in mind that this is figurative language; it is not to be taken literally. The animals are representative of how the citizens of Christ’s kingdom should relate to each other.

Do these descriptions match the way you deal with your brothers and sisters in the Lord? If you have a “wolf” personality, do you peacefully “dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6)? This is what your King expects of you. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, of the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

The kingdom is here. Are you living as a loyal subject to the King, or are you still selfishly looking out for your own best temporal interests?

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 158/260: Isaiah

August 11, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Isaiah 9:1-7

A Description of the Messiah

God’s prophets often told of impending doom for impenitent men, but also gave hope to those who were seeking the righteous path. Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah on numerous occasions while warning the people of the consequences of their sin. In Isaiah 9:6, we are given a description of the coming Son: “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Some translations combine “Wonderful” and “Counselor” into one description, with no comma separating the two words (ESV, NASB, NIV), while others use punctuation to distinguish two separate attributes (KJV, NKJV, ASV). Indeed, He is Wonderful in every imaginable way. The book of Hebrews presents Jesus as the bringer of a “better hope” (7:19) and the surety and Mediator of a “better covenant” (7:22; 8:6).

The only way man can access these wonderful blessings is by following the words of the Counselor (John 12:48). Through the recorded revelation, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Jesus advises us in the path we should take.

Isaiah declares that the Messiah is “Mighty God.” The apostle John likewise affirmed this truth in the opening lines to his account of the gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

“Everlasting Father” is a term that can cause confusion, as Jesus is the Son and is separate from the Father. The confusion is removed when one considers the symbolic nature of the phrase and recognizes Jesus as the “Father of eternity, suggesting that ‘eternal duration owed itself to His paternity’” (Roy H. Lanier, Sr.).

Finally, Isaiah presents a description that is dear to all who are in Christ: “Prince of Peace.” No, He did not come to bring peace to the world in the sense of ending wars between nations and political conflicts. Rather, He brought peace to be enjoyed among His family, and between man and God.

We must recognize His Wonderful nature, heed His counsel, revere His might as God, and relish in the beauty of His creation. When we do, we can be at peace with God. What a marvelous thought!

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 157/260: Isaiah

August 10, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Isaiah 7

The Coming Messiah

King Ahaz was facing opposition from Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, the son of Remaliah, king of Israel. Isaiah report to Ahaz that his foes would not defeat hi, and challenged the king to request a sign of God—“ask it either in the depth or in the height above” (Isaiah 7:1). Inspiration tells us, though, that Ahaz “did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God” (2 Kings 16:2), so it is little surprise that he declined the divine offer for a sign here.

Isaiah then turns his attention away from the king as an individual and addresses “the house of David” (Isaiah 7:13) as a whole. He announced the sign to be given by God: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

There is no little controversy over the nature of this prophecy. All faithful Christians recognize the fulfillment in the virgin birth of Christ, as inspiration reveals in Matthew 1:22-23. The question is often asked, however: was this a dual-fulfillment prophecy that was also fulfilled during the days of Isaiah? The answer varies depending on who you ask or which commentary you read; there are sound Biblical scholars on each side of this argument.

If this prophecy was of Christ and Christ alone, what was the significance of that to the people of Isaiah’s day? The late brother Wayne Jackson wrote that the prophet “uses the youth period of Immanuel…as a method, a sort of measuring device, to suggest how long Judah would suffer affliction at the hands of the Syrian/Israel alliance. Before the child would reach an age mature enough to refuse evil and choose good (i.e., accountability), the confederation of Rezin and Pekah would be destroyed (15, 16). Within two or three years after this prophecy was given, these rulers were both dead (cf. 2 Kings 15:30; 16:9).” (Isaiah: God’s Prophet of Doom and Deliverance, 22).

Today, we can look to this prophecy and its fulfillment in the gospel and have great confidence in the abundant power of God to bring about what He has promised. Just as the Messiah came into the world to bring salvation, He will return to take the saved home with Him.

Daily Devotional

Monday through Friday with People of Faith: Day 156/260: Hosea

August 9, 2021 JT Leave a comment

Read Hosea 4:1-10

The Importance of Knowledge

There is no field of study more important than religion. Algebra, biology, literature, chemistry, geometry…none of these will lead a man to the knowledge that will prepare him for eternity. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3). The knowledge of God – that is what really matters!

God’s charge against the children of Israel, as revealed through His prophet Hosea, was in part a rejection of that divine knowledge. “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1). Their refusal to listen to what God’s Law said would lead to their downfall. He said, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).

Paul warned the church at Rome that rejecting the knowledge of God was a sure path to wickedness. He pointed to the Gentiles who had “exchanged the truth of God for the lie” (Romans 1:25) and said, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:28).

From this we see that mere intellectual knowledge is not enough, however; there must be an application of that information to one’s life. Knowing what is right and still doing what is wrong is no better than being ignorant of the truth. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22, 25).

Are you listening to the knowledge of God? Are you applying what you hear? As you study His revelation to man, heed the words of the inspired apostle Peter: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)