The God of Possibilities

Lessons from Genesis – 10

“Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Genesis 18:14 NKJV

The rationalist view of Scripture answers this question in Genesis with “Yes”. God is bound by this theology to work only within the sphere of observable and replicatable means. This empty teaching would strip all the miracles of Scripture from creation onwards. What Genesis teaches us is that God is not confined by the puny views of man but is greater than man and can do that which man would conceive of as impossible. Unless you are God, creation is impossible. Unless you are God, destroying the world with a flood and saving only eight people is impossible. Unless you are God, turning the dead womb of a ninety year old woman into a fertile womb would be impossible.

God had made a promise to Abraham, “In you all the nations of the earth will be blessed” and “in thy seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed”. It is hard to promise such a long term covenant like that to someone that has children; it is even harder to tell that to someone who doesn’t, especially if that someone is over ninety years old. But God is the God of the impossible. He can make the womb of an old woman to be young again. He can give heirs to a man who is a hundred years old. He can do what He wants to glorify Himself when He wants to do it. In our hours of doubt due to life’s crises, we must remember that God is God and can do the impossible.

Dear Father, Thank You for proving Your great power. In my hour of need help me to remember just who You are. Amen.

 The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

God's Moral Standards Have Not Changed

Lessons from Genesis – 9

“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah.” Genesis 19:24 NKJV

God can and does send a clear message about sin. He did it in the days of Noah, and he did it again in the days of Abraham. The message in Noah’s day came with worldwide destruction and in Abraham’s day with localized destruction. The common denominator was destruction followed the habitual and arrogant practice of sin. Some people are foolish enough to say that if God still cared about a particular sin He would still destroy the wicked. Since God doesn’t destroy the wicked He must not care about their sin. It is faulty logic that leads to destruction.

In the case of Sodom, God was making a statement that He intended to last for as long as men inhabit the earth. God has a moral standard for sexual behavior that He has and will enforce. Sadly many in the visible church today don’t believe that. Entire denominations have openly embraced homosexuality, and therefore all sexual immorality, as a matter of indifference to God. But God is the God who changes not. He destroyed Sodom for their sexual perversion; He cast the Canaanites out of the land (Lev. 18) for their sexual perversion; He expelled the Israelites from the same land for copying the Canaanite practices and He will still judge the same today. (My book, “Deceived: The Visible Church and the Homosexual Agenda” covers this topic in depth.) The lesson from Genesis is that God does care. He cares both about His own people and the people of this world who live in rampant sin. To the repentant that will turn to Christ, He offers forgiveness and salvation. To the rest He warns of certain destruction.

Dear Father, Thank You for being consistent. It is our joy to know Your love. Give us gracious words to share with those who are on the brink of eternal destruction. Amen.

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

Saints Need Forgiveness Too

Lessons from Genesis: 8

“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” Romans 7:19 NKJV

When we think of the Father of the Faith, our minds automatically drift back to Abraham. Paul liked to use Abraham as proof of justification by faith and not by works. Those who know that they are saved by faith, he asserted, are children of Abraham. Now Abraham was a great man who did the unthinkable because God asked him to do so. Abraham took his son, his only son Isaac, and took him to a mountain to offer him as a sacrifice to God. He believed, according to Hebrews, that God would give Isaac back to him from the dead. Now that is faith.

But Abraham was also a man like any other man. He was saved by faith, walked by faith and did great works by faith. But he was also a man of the flesh. He had fears and often acted in direct disobedience to what God wanted. The lesson from Genesis isn’t that falling in sin is an alright thing to do, but that it is a human thing to do as Paul wrote about at length in Romans. The other half of the lesson is that God is gracious and doesn’t chop us off at the knees when we sin. He who is plenteous in mercy accepts our confession and cleanses us from sin. God was with Abraham in both times of sin and times of his greatest feats of faith. Just so will God be with the sons of Abraham as well.

Dear Father, I don’t want to sin and dishonor You, but I do. Thank You for forgiveness and Your constant presence with me. Amen.

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

The Promises of God

Lessons from Genesis – 7

“And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 NKJV

Promises, promises, the world is full of promises. There are promises of peace, prosperity, a chicken in every pot and the whitest teeth ever to be seen. Promises are easy to make and hard to keep. Most promises have a disclaimer, the giant “if clause”. If circumstances change or if you don’t use this product only during the full moon just before the vernal equinox in years ending with a zero the promises are voided. Genesis teaches us that God is not like that.

God told Noah that there would be seedtime and harvest as long as the earth remained. There has, and that is a long time to keep a promise. God promised Abram that all the world would be blessed through Him. Jesus is of the family of Abraham and the promise has been kept. There were no codicils to God’s promise to Abraham. Through generations of sinful descendants, persecution of those descendants, exile of those descendants and near extinction of those descendants, Jesus was still born when and where God said He would be. Jesus is the seed of Abraham and He is the Savior of the world. More has been done to bless all mankind through Jesus Christ than through any other person who ever lived. On top of that He not only can bless in this life, but will give eternal life to all who believe in Him. That is a blessing that cannot be topped.

Dear Father, Thank You for always keeping Your promises. Amen 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

Happy Truth, Sad Truth

Lessons from Genesis – 6

“Rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 NKJV

While the flood clearly points us to the grace of God, it also points us to the judgment of God. There is increasingly less fear of judgment in our society. Fewer and fewer people will acknowledge that there is a hell. Those who do often think it is the here and now for the suffering of this world or that judgment is simply annihilation of the unbelieving. The vast majority, however, have bought into the lie of universalism, that God will just save everybody no matter what they did or how they believed. Jesus said in our verse today that this is foolish thinking.

As God destroyed all mankind, except Noah and his family, during the flood, He will also be able to punish to the uttermost those who reject the death of His Son as their Savior. His grace is offered in this life only and then the judgment. Genesis teaches us that God will indeed judge. He judged the great and the small, the weak and the powerful, the poor and the rich. He judged old men and children. All were swept away in His righteous judgment. We have one season of grace alone and that is in this season of life. As the author of Hebrews states quite clearly, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” and then again states, “It is appointed on to man once to die and after that the judgment.”

Dear Father, Thank You for providing us such great salvation as is found only through faith in the death and resurrection of Your Son. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

Wonderful, Infinite, Matchless Grace

Lessons from Genesis – 5

“For by grace are you saved by faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God and not of works lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

In Genesis chapter six we find God’s assessment of mankind, “that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” From sun up to sun down and all through the night men thought and intended evil. When God says in the psalms that “there is none righteous, no not one,” He is saying that mankind hasn’t really changed much since the days of Noah. With such an indictment against us, how then can we ever have a hope of heavenly life after death? Genesis 6:8 gives the answer, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

Noah wasn’t saved because he was righteous but because God was gracious to him. We find no one in the Bible except Jesus Christ who was perfect and righteous. Therefore the condemnation of God against mankind is fully just. But wait, as the infomercial goes, there is more. God gave His Son to die for us that while we are sinners we can find forgiveness and eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God does this for us by grace. He calls us by grace, gifts us with faith by grace, washes away our sins by grace and gives us eternal life by grace. His gift of grace is sufficient for the entire world to believe it and be saved.

Dear Father, Thank You for Your abundant grace that freely saves all who believe. Amen.

                                              The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

Not as Good as We Think

Lessons from Genesis – 4

“And Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image.” Genesis 5:3 KJV

In my book “Deceived: The Visible Church and the Homosexual Agenda”, I deal with a major misconception made by sinful man. The argument is, “God made me and He said that everything He made was very good.” That is a true statement abused by liars. That statement means that whatever I do must be OK because God made me and I am good. If I wish to live a homosexual lifestyle, well, God made me and so it is good to do so. People can use this excuse for any and every “life style” choice they wish. But it is a lie.

Genesis teaches us that order is important. God said that everything was good at the time of creation, but it also teaches us that creation, including man, was cursed after sin. Now the image that man carries is marred. Adam begot his sons after his image. That image is one that was ruined by the fall and contained all the seed of all the sin of all mankind ever since. Jesus Christ, born in the flesh as the very Son of God was alone sinless of all mankind. He taught us that we are corrupt and need a Savior. That is the truth that has been promised since the first sin in the Garden of Eden. We are made like Adam and not perfect like God.

Dear Father, I confess that I am a sinner by birth and by practice. Thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ who has died to make me again right with You. Amen.

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net.

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If It Feels Good, Is It Really OK?

Lessons from Genesis – 3

“For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal live through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 KJV

We often lament about how sinful our modern society has become. While we are right we are also overlooking a sad truth. People have been this way since Eden. Since Eve listened to the lie of Satan we have continued to do so. That lie is that we can be like God. Being like God means that we can make the rules. If we can make the rules we can also determine the consequences of breaking them. That is being God-like.

We hear from every corner of modern American society that if we really feel it is right then it must be. If it makes me feel good then it must be right. If God really hated it He would thunder from heaven and tell us so. The first two comments reveal our sinful nature and the third reveals our spiritual darkness. What is wrong has been established by God and He has thundered from heaven and told us so. He has also told us the consequences. Genesis teaches us clearly that the wages of sin is death. It also teaches us that God killed an animal and covered Adam and Eve with its skin. Another died in their place. Christ has died for the sins of the world. Those who know Him should not live like those who don’t.

Dear Father, Thank You for a clear warning about the consequences of my sin, and thank You for providing me with a Savior. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

The Perfect Environment and the Horrible Lie

Lessons from Genesis: 2

“There is none who does good, no, not one." Romans 3:12 NKJV

B. F. Skinner was a twentieth century psychologist who had a tremendous impact on the thinking and planning of post WWII America. In his book, “Walden Two”, he taught that man was nothing more than the result of his environment. The right environment would create the right man. Billions of dollars of government funds were spent to create the right environment to create the perfect society. We would all be good and happy and live in peace and harmony if we only had the right things and were taught in the right way. Genesis and Psalm 14 say that B.F. Skinner was a fool.

Genesis teaches that the perfect environment did not make the perfect man. Eden was as good as it got. Adam sinned. God gave Noah and his family a new start in a scrubbed clean earth. They sinned. God gave the Israelites the perfect set of laws and the perfect Promised Land to live in. They broke the laws and polluted the land. The Bible tells us what God knows about us; we are sinful beings. To deny that is to deny God. If you are waiting for things to get perfect before you come to God, don’t wait. Only God is perfect and He has given us His Son to pay for our sins and take us some day to His perfect place where we will indeed live without sin or its consequences.

Dear Father, We acknowledge that we are not perfect, never have been and in this life never will be. Thank You for forgiveness through Your Son so that we can be saved. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

From Nothing

Lessons from Genesis – 1

“I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator.” Isaiah 43:15 KJV

I like to build things. I am no expert and I wouldn’t win any woodworking awards, but I do like to build things. There is something about the things that I build that is very important. I start with material to do so. The lumber yard and hardware store provide me with everything but manpower to do the job. There is a second thing about what I build. When I am done I say, quite honestly, it is utile. I don’t brag a lot about it being good but it is good enough for what I want it for. That is what I build.

What we learn from Genesis is that God is greater than you or I. Now, you may be an expert builder and what you make is truly good. It may even win an award or be an item in great demand by others. But is it perfect? What did you make it from? You had to start with something and most craftsmen can see the flaws in their work even if others don’t. Genesis teaches us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, but to give all glory to God who alone makes things from nothing and does it all perfectly.

Dear Father, You indeed are the Almighty God, the perfect Creator. Help me to humbly acknowledge Your glory every day. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Doing Nothing for God

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”   Colossians 3:17 NKJV

There is a problem in our world today that is unique to our time. It is the problem of idle time. Whether it is retirement, underemployment or the increased availability of free time from regular labor, we simply find too much time to be idle. If we are old enough to have heard ancient adages we know that the devil loves idle hands and idle minds. Certainly we can be thankful that we are not compelled to work twelve hour days six days a week like our ancestors, but that blessing has brought with it a curse of idleness.

Paul tells us to be doing something. Doing nothing is really doing something, but in a very negative way. Imagine someone saying, “I am doing nothing for God.” Paul says that in doing something, anything, we are to be mindful of God and do it for His glory. We can play with our grandchildren for the glory of God. We can recreate with God in mind by asking ourselves if He would enjoy the content of our recreation. We can visit with our neighbors with God in mind. We can use whatever time God has given us, work time, idle time, family time, to glorify God. Just let it not be said of us, “I am doing nothing for God.”

Dear Father, You are the author of work and rest. Help us to do both for your glory. Amen.

                                              The Friday (Saturday) Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Husbands and Wives

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” Ephesians 5:25 KJV

In my office I have eight pictures of my beloved wife Jacque. They are on the walls, my desk and book shelves. They are from her childhood, our wedding and our growing older together. In my next book, “Letters from Nobody”, I say repeatedly “You are the best wife ever.” Of course, it is just a fiction book, but the sentiments are real. I try not to just say it, however, but I also try to show it. If I can feel so strongly toward my wife, how strongly can Christ feel toward His?

He could say that He loves His bride, His Church, but He would much rather show it. Paul says that He loved us so much that He gave Himself for us. I haven’t died for my wife yet, so I have a ways to go. But He didn’t just die. That is, of course, necessary to make us His wife, but He also lives for us. Daily He prays for us. Daily He comforts us. Daily He holds our hand in all the trials of life. He went through a trial where no one held His hand. He knows how it feels to be lonely, deserted, beaten up by the world and in need of a friend. Daily He is that Friend to us. Yes, Christ loves the church, present tense. The only real question is, how do we, His bride, feel and respond to Him?

Dear Father, You have given us such a gift through the love of Your Son, please stir us to love Him fully in return. Amen.  

There will be a special Saturday edition tomorrow and the benediction will be then. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Thessalonica

“They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” I Thessalonians 1:9 NIV

The last of Paul’s seven churches was from Thessalonica. He didn’t get to stay there very long for a crowd was stirred up and he was driven from the city. How much could Paul teach the people of the church in three short weeks? The two books of Thessalonians show us that he could teach them an awful lot. In fact, Paul repeatedly refers to his brief stay there and the things he taught them as the basis for his letter.

Lots of people get really excited about the doctrine of last things – eschatology. Paul taught them a lot about that. There is a great deal of difference between the worship of idols and the worship of God. Paul taught them a lot about that. He taught them a lot about the doctrines of suffering, purity, prayer and diligence. This might just make three weeks of modern church services seem kind of puny. Paul said to them, “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren” and he really meant it. Let us with the Thessalonians strive to know Christ better every day.

Dear Father, You have given us Your word to instruct us and Your Spirit to teach us. Help us to be committed to knowing Your word and obeying it more each day. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Colossae

“These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” Colossians 2:22-23 NKJV

Sunday after Sunday an elderly man in my church lamented that if the stores were just closed on Sunday more people would be in church. “Pass a law like in the old days,” he said. “Then we won’t have such small attendance.” Paul said that’s not true. I told the gentleman that, but he didn’t care. Rules will make people live right was his motto. The scriptures tell us clearly that the elderly gentleman was wrong.

The Church at Colossae was beset by people just like my elderly gentleman. They tried to convince the people of that church that they could be “better” Christians if they just had a few more rules to follow. The Jews had all kinds of rules and they consistently broke them. Rules did not make them live more righteously. Only Christ in the heart can do that. Rules can only make us arrogant against those who don’t likewise comply. Paul told the people of Colossae, “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Rules didn’t make us “good enough” for Christ and they are not going to make us “good enough” in Christ. We came to Christ because He loved us and drew us to Him. We need to walk like Christ in such a way that will draw others to Him. Christ will generate the good works we should do. No man can add to His list.

Dear Father, Help me to walk close beside Christ each day. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Philippi

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” Philippians 3:1 NKJV

The fifth church Paul wrote to was the one at Philippi. God had given Paul a specific revelation to go to Philippi and preach. His ministry was fruitful, which landed him in jail where God further blessed his ministry with another entire family being saved. Then Paul was kicked out of town. So what is the key word in Paul’s letter to this church? Rejoice!

Paul really wanted the Church at Philippi to know that circumstances don’t dictate our response to life – God does. Whether Paul was down by the riverside seeing people be saved or being severely beaten and thrown into the dungeon he knew that God was equally in both places. Where God is rejoicing can take place. In this short book Paul says to “rejoice” ten times. He declares his “joy” six times. Then he tells the church to live in “thanksgiving” one time. Both these words have the same root word for rejoice. This little lesson needs to be taken to heart by every believer.  Things go better with rejoicing.

Dear Father, Thank You for being the author of our true joy. Amen.  

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Ephesus

“That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:12 NKJV

Ephesus is the only church to have received letters from both Paul and in the Book of Revelation. Ephesus sat on the western coast of modern Turkey and was a major hub of the ancient world. Paul preached there. Timothy preached there. The Apostle John preached there. When Paul wrote to the Romans he was writing to people he had never met. When he wrote to the Ephesians he was writing to old friends among whom he had worked. His letter to them is very simple.

He opens the book by repeating the glorious gospel message, Christ died for you. In doing this He gave you all the riches of glory along with your new relationship with God. Because of this, he then says, this is how you ought to live your lives to the praise of His glory. He uses that simple phrase three times in the book. He then lists these categories for Christian living. We are to walk according the Holy Spirit’s nature.  We are to walk in purity of life and conduct.  We are to walk in Christ-likeness, as He had walked.  We are to walk in love in all areas of human relationships. We don’t do this to merit anything.  We do it simply because He is worthy of all praise and we should walk to the praise of His glory.

Dear Father, You have given us such indescribable gifts through Your Son.  Help us to walk a life that will rightly glorify Him. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Galatia

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8 NKJV

The true doctrine of the church as taught by the entire New Testament is that we are saved by grace through faith. We are justified before God by the merit of Christ alone and not by our own works. If we were to be saved by works then we would not have been saved by grace. If we were to be justified by works then we would not have been justified by Christ. If we are to be justified by works how will we know when we have done enough? 

Paul wrote to the Church in Galatia, a region and not a city, to challenge them on these issues. False teachers had come in and told them they needed to do such and such and so and so to be truly saved. Paul said that those teachers were accursed by God. Many religions are based on “supposed” angelic revelation.  All of them center on the works of man and not the work of Christ. Any angel who offered up such a false scheme is a fallen angel who has been accursed since Satan’s rebellion. Christ is our confidence. Christ is our sufficiency. Christ is our only hope. Paul says that it can’t be much plainer than that.

Dear Father, Thank You for not making my salvation dependent on my own failure to always please you, but to lay it fully on Your Son, my Savior. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Corinth

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body.” I Corinthians 12:12 NKJV

The Church of Corinth was a problem child. To be a Corinthian Church is no complement.  Paul wrote twice to this church, each lengthy epistles, to straighten out serious problems. Forty years after Paul wrote his letters to Corinth, Clement of Rome sent them a lengthy stinging letter as well. Sadly, so much of what was seen in the Church of Corinth is now seen in the American church today.

They were a divided and divisive group. They were bragging, “I’m of Paul” and the next would say “So what, I’m of Peter!” Then they would brag about why they were better than others because of what they could do.  “I can preach”.  “Well, I can heal.”  “Well, I trump you all, I can speak in tongues.” Even at the Lord’s Table they were divisive segregating the meal out according to economic position. Paul said, “Listen, you were all called in Christ, so you are one, not many.  You were all gifted by the Spirit, so none of your gifts are your own talents and they are all equally useful. You are all one body, so when you eat the body of Christ – act like it.” To this church Paul actually gives the challenge to examine themselves to see if they are really believers in Christ. If we want to know how not to act as believers, we need to study Corinthians.

Dear Father, Help us to act like we ought in love and truth and oneness in Christ. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Rome

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.” Titus 2:1 NKJV

As a pastor I have been asked so many times, “Can’t God just make things clear?” Those people have a low view of God. God loves us and He makes things abundantly clear to us. But, God does not always want to be talking to three year olds who have no basis for understanding. To know what God says we must read what He says, not just a verse a day but the whole book. Then things will clear up. In the book of Romans Paul uses many Old Testament passages and illustrations in making one of the clearest presentations of doctrine we will ever find.

Romans is centered on the truths that we all sin and are not just “kind of not OK”. This sin, Romans continues, brings death to all men.  But God loves us and gave His Son to die for us that we might have eternal life with Him. But love and forgiveness does not mean we can just go out and continue to live the life of sin. As Paul says, “God forbid”. It didn’t do well for the Jews in the Old Testament and it won’t work well for us. Then Paul testifies of true hope in Christ and how we should respond to His wonderful grace. Romans is as plain speaking as you can find. It is great for evangelism and for personal growth. Every believer should have a good understanding of Romans.

Dear Father, We thank You that You don’t talk in mysteries but make plain for Your children truth to live by. Amen.  

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Seven Churches: Laodicea

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28 NKJV

Sometimes teenagers can get pretty uppity and say to their parents, “I don’t need you. I can live my own life.” To which parents sigh and know that it will never be true. But imagine the church saying that to Christ. There is no life on earth, saved or lost, that can truly say that to God. He is Life and without Him there is no life. But the Church at Laodicea did say that to Him. Oh, what a sad way to end our look at the churches, but Jesus put it last.

What they said was that they had “need of nothing”. What Jesus replied was that they were really wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. That seems that they needed a lot. But they thought they could do without God. Look at the churches today. How many say that they don’t believe the Bible? How many say that Jesus was just a man or good teacher? How many churches say that human intellect has taught us better truth than old fables? Jesus stands at the door of this church and says, “Let me in.” But sadly, like a rebellious teenager they say, “We don’t need you.”  Let us never lose sight that it is in Him only that we have life, hope, goodness and a future.

Dear Father, Guard our hearts that we might not act so foolishly to think that You are not all that we do truly need. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Seven Churches: Philadelphia

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matt 28:19 NKJV

Philadelphia is the second church against which Christ brought no accusation. They were not like Smyrna, though, in many respects. They were not weak or persecuted. They were an active church before whom Christ placed an open door. That door is the door of opportunity to spread the word of God. Imagine having the freedom to worship. Oh, yeah, we do. Imagine using that freedom to worship as an open door to leading others to faith in Christ. We were not given salvation for our own enjoyment. We were given salvation to pass it on!

Philadelphia is the church with opportunity that seized the opportunity and used it for the proclamation of the gospel. That is what freedom of worship is for, to have the freedom to extend the hope of Christ and His worship to a lost world.  We are not saved to soak, we are saved to serve. We are not saved to be silent, we are saved to speak. We are saved to use every open door for the glory of God. The people in the church of Philadelphia did so and they were given great and precious promises because of it.

Dear Father, Help us to seize the opportunities that You give us to proclaim the hope of Christ to others. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/

Seven Churches: Sardis

“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of the saints.” Psalm 149:1 NKJV

Have you ever been to a dead church? They are a stench to heaven. What is dead should be buried and that is Christ’s message to Sardis. They laid claim to being born again but they were dead. They had just about as much enthusiasm as a hound dog on a hot day. Their routine of sleeping in the shade is not to be disturbed by any outbreak of spiritual activity. The sermons are to be thoughtful so as not to disturb the minds of the hearers. The hymns are to be quiet so as not to disturb the dead in the graveyard next door. Oh, God hates a dead church.

God delights in a church where the redeemed of the Lord testify to their salvation. He delights in a church where people weep over the lost and entreat them to salvation. He delights over a church that does His work and delights in doing so. He delights in a church where the joy of the Lord is on faces and passes like wildfire from one to another. But God hates a dead church and He wants those in it to make it alive or go somewhere where the church is alive.

Dear Father, You have given us life, let that life be vibrant and exuberant for You in our churches, homes and lives. Amen. 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at http://blog.febc.org/