Abundant Grace: October 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

Unto Us a Son Is Given

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” Isaiah 9:6

In this verse and the next God outlines the work and the nature of the Son of God. The first part of these verses has been fulfilled. God has sent His Son. He did not come out of the clouds as a conquering hero, although He will do so when He returns, but rather He came as a child. God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and revealed Himself to us in His character, His power, and His love. Jesus said in John 14 that as many as have seen Him have seen the Father.

In the flesh Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, caused the blind to see and the lame to walk. He fed thousands with small baskets of food – twice! He walked on the water and, though cruelly crucified, rose again from the dead. He did all this while teaching about the love and forgiveness that God offered. This is the Son of God we have already seen revealed to us.

Dear Father, Truly we have seen You in and through Your Son. 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

Abundant Grace can be found at my website, www.davidccraig.net. You can subscribe to this daily devotion and receive it free M-F simply by placing your email address on the sidebar to follow this blog by email. You can also find Quality Christian Books on my website plus fundraising opportunities for your Christian organization or youth group.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Only True Life Coach

“Should not a people seek their God?” Isaiah 8:19

The occult is not a new phenomenon. It has been around as long as mankind has abandoned God and sought another means for answering life’s mysteries. Mediums and witches were under the edict of death in the Old Testament law. They were a threat to the right thinking of God’s people. In the days of Isaiah, nearly one thousand years after the law was given, Israel still hadn’t gotten rid of the mediums. The people still sought their direction from spiritualists and not from God. God challenged them to think about Who was really in charge.

Today we seek advice from so many worldly sources for advice on every conceivable area of our lives. Life coaches who don’t know the Life giver are becoming increasingly popular. They are in a way the spiritualists of today. God says that we should seek Him. He alone knows the way because He alone is the Way. Seek Him and He will show us the true way to life and understanding.

Dear Father, You alone are all wise; let us seek You alone for guidance in our life. Amen.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

If Anything is Worthy of Praise -- Think on These Things

“Do not say, ‘A conspiracy’, nor be troubled.” Isaiah 8:12

Times are not really so different from one age to another. In the days of Isaiah there were constant fears regarding conspiracies just as there are today. God simply told Isaiah not to listen to nor be frightened by such talk. He was to fear God alone for God alone was in charge. Many years ago I challenged my congregation to “fast from the news channels” during Lent. So many of the people were constantly complaining of all the fearful events, and yes, conspiracies, that surround us in our world today. No one took me up on the call for that fast, but God does call us to observe it.

The world is corrupt because Satan is called the god of this world. But he is not the God of this world. That distinction belongs to God alone. God is in charge and nothing will happen aside from His sovereign control. There is no work of man, no conspiracy that can disrupt God’s plan – so fear not. God told it to Isaiah and He says it to us as well.

Dear Father, Increase our trust in You. Amen.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The Virgin Born Son

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son.” Isaiah 7:14

Here is one of those absolutely defining verses of Scripture. It is included in the great confession of faith, “conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.” Either this is true or it isn’t. If it is, God is faithful. If it isn’t, God is a liar. Too many so called Christian groups today try to make God out to be a liar. They insist that virgin doesn’t mean virgin. They do this because they don’t believe in miracles or the truth of God’s word.

The Jewish people always believed this verse meant a true virgin. When the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew into Greek over a hundred years before the birth of Christ, the Jewish translators specifically used the word for true virgin in the Greek text. They knew what it meant. It meant the Messiah would be unique, a virgin born child. This isn’t a verse we can lightly overlook or try to deemphasize. It is true and it points to the one and only Savior of mankind – the Virgin born Jesus Christ.

Dear Father, Thank You for the Virgin birth of Christ. Amen.

Monday, October 26, 2015

The Perfect Sign Has Been Given

“Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord.” Isaiah 7:11

Millions of people have eagerly desired the offer God made to Ahaz, “Ask Me for a sign.” The thing is, Ahaz turned God down. His excuse was lame. “I will not test the Lord.” Why would he do that? Why do people always ask for a sign? Ahaz knew he wouldn’t believe anything God said anyway, so why ask. Others ask for a sign to prove God exists, but He has said the resurrection of His Son is the sign we would receive. If we won’t believe in the resurrection, what greater sign could He give?

Paul tells the Corinthians to walk by faith and not by sight. Ahaz had no faith and didn’t care about God. As believers we confess our faith in God, but we too often are asking for what God has already given – proof of His care for us. There is no greater hope than the resurrection from the dead. With this sign and promise we are now to walk in faith with the very God who can indeed do all things.

Dear Father, Help me to walk by faith in You. Amen.

Friday, October 23, 2015

A Reasonable Response

“Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’.” Isaiah 6:8

What other response could we possibly give to the One who has washed away our sin and given us eternal life? Can we really say, “Thanks, now so long”? If we were condemned to death and someone came along and said, “I will take your place”, would we say, “Thanks, so long”, or would we say, “I will remember you forever and take care of your family as long as I live”? God has just revealed Himself to the prophet and cleansed his sins. Isaiah’s response was the only possible and reasonable response, “Here I am! Send me.”

Paul echoes this scene in Romans 12:1. “I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Paul says that after we have received God’s mercy we have only one reasonable response. “Here I am! Send me.” We have, after all, been sent into the world to reveal the light of Christ. It is reasonable that we obey that commission.

Dear Father, Thank You for forgiveness and new purpose in life. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Holy, Holy, Holy

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:1

The holiness is God is the eternal anthem of the angelic host. His character is holy. His work is holy. His name is holy. This holy God made the earth and all that is in it. He made the universe and every galaxy and star and planet. Isaiah moves in chapter 6 from the denunciation of the sin of man to the glory and holiness of God. Even Isaiah the prophet saw how unclean and sinful he was when He encountered God’s holiness.

The contrast between fallen man and the holy God is pictured in scripture as the full contrast between brilliant light and total darkness. That God would bridge that gulf with the gift of His Son reveals the character of God’s immeasurable grace and love. We, like Isaiah, can only declare, “I am a man of unclean lips,” and then receive the forgiveness of God that He gave to the prophet.

Dear Father, Thank You for shining light in our darkness and giving us forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The Ruin of Rotten Roots

“So their root shall be rottenness because they rejected the law of the Lord.” Isaiah 5:24

God continues to warn His people not to be fooled by appearances. The loud denouncer of God may have power, prestige, or great wealth in this life, but in the life to come, the one that is everlasting, they have no account at all. Their arrogance will fan the flames of their eternal destiny. This is not my word, but God’s. “Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against them. And the flame consumes the chaff.” (Isaiah 5:24-25)

God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But Jesus said that there would be those who loved the darkness rather than the light. For them there was only condemnation. The Christian must be ready to always share the Gospel in order that the scoffer might hear and be saved, but their end is not determined by their position with men but by their position with God.

Dear Father, Let us not despise the souls of the scoffers but pray for them and share Christ with them. Amen.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Woe to those who call evil good

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” Isaiah 5:20

It doesn’t matter how prestigious the person is, it matters whether he acknowledges God’s gift of Jesus Christ or not. Prestigious people mock God every day. They say that genocide of the preborn is OK or even a good idea. They say that sexual morality is what we want, not what God has said. They say the Law of God is irrelevant for today’s society. They call evil good and good evil. Whether they are prestigious people in government, religion, science, education, or celebrities, they have no standing with God when they call evil good and good evil.

How then should the believer in Christ react in such a sinful environment? We must continue to call evil evil and good good. We must continue to live in obedience to what God says and not what clever or prestigious people want to us to believe. God is on His throne whether the most notable people on earth want to acknowledge it or not. God calls His own people to hear Him and obey.

Dear Father, Help us not to be persuaded by evil men with evil thoughts. Amen.

Monday, October 19, 2015

The Great Liar's Request

“Woe to those who say, ‘Let God make speed and hasten His work that we may see it’.” Isaiah 5:18-19

We have all heard someone say, “If God is real why doesn’t He show Himself?” Duh! He did and sinful man crucified Him. “Well, why doesn’t He show Himself again so that we can see Him?” Our response is simple; He does every day. Look at an atom and how intricate it is. Look at the universe and how vast it is. Look at the complexity of all creation and marvel. All these things are the demonstration of God, but we hear people say, “Oh, no. This is all by chance. We can’t believe an omniscient mind with omnipotent power could have done this.”

Mankind always has the same lame excuse and the same empty request. “Just let God show Himself and we will believe.” God’s answer to that old litany is the same. “Woe to you.” Jesus Christ is the full manifestation of God and God says to all who reject Him, “Woe to you.”

Dear Father, Don’t let us be fooled by silly questions. Amen

Friday, October 16, 2015

Law and Gospel

“They declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it!” Isaiah 3:9

While Isaiah is the prophet of promise and hope, he does not hold back on God’s message that sin is rampant and that repentance is absent. There are two messages we need to hear. The first message is the Law. We are sinners and we are offensive to God, more offensive than a person with running leprous sores would be to us. The second message is the Gospel. “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (I John 4:14)

Our society today is as proud of its sinfulness as was ancient Sodom, or Greece, or Rome. There seems to be no more shame in sin. That God will judge that sin by the standard of his holy and righteous law is still true. That God will forgive all who will repent and believe in Christ is also still totally true. While the world more aggressively and openly exposes their sin, we must likewise be more open and persistent in declaring the Gospel message.

Dear Father, Let us not run from sinners but carry the Gospel to them. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Stepping in the Light

“Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Isaiah 2:5

This is the simple call that goes out to all God’s people wherever they might be. This call has a threefold image in Scripture. In the wilderness, the Israelites were covered by a pillar of fire by night. Any night journeys were led by the light of God. In the psalms we are told that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. To know where to go and how to safely get there we need God’s written Word,

In the New Testament Jesus said that He is the Light of the world. We will get nowhere unless we are in Him. All other ways are darkness and end in death and ruin. Mankind is in the darkness of sin and we need a light, a true and guiding light, to find our way in this life and to find the way to the life to come. God has not left us without light, but we must answer His call to come and walk in it.

Dear Father, Thank You for the true light that guides our way. Amen.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Christ Will Reign on Earth

“The Lord’s house shall be established and all nations shall flow to it.” Isaiah 2:2

As Isaiah moves into chapter two he moves from the present to seeing the future. In that future God will reign on earth and all the nations will seek Him. This is the promise of the New Testament – God in the flesh shall reign and be exalted as King of kings. At that time, and only at that time, men shall beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. (Is. 2:4) Universal peace will finally be a reality for there will be only one King – the Prince of Peace.

Until then Isaiah moves back into the present and calls people to walk in the light of the Lord. That light is God’s word, the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God – the Bible. From that word we will learn how to have inner peace, know the way of God, and live lives that are full of God’s grace. The future will be wonderful, but the present is also greatly blessed for the children of God.

Dear Father, Help us to live in Your joy now and wait patiently for the future. Amen.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Learn to do Good

“Cease to do evil; learn to do good.” Isaiah 1:16-17

Isaiah chapter one is like an indictment against the modern church – too much sound, too little substance. Many churches have nearly abandoned the concept of sin which was exactly what Judah had done 2600 years ago. They thought that because they were God’s people they could get away with just about anything they wanted. They were reminded by God, however, that they were very wrong in that supposition.

God compared their thinking to that of rebellious children, to being like the immoral cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and a people more interested in form than content. How much of American Christianity is standing on the sidelines of the moral chaos around them? How many saying, “Since I am a Christian, it doesn’t matter what I do?” God says, “Yes it does.” He told Israel to learn to do good, and He still sends that message to us today. We are not to hate the refugee, ignore the plight of the elderly, or take God’s laws lightly. We are to learn to do good.

Dear Father, Forgive us our insensitivity and lead us in the path of love and truth. Amen.

Monday, October 12, 2015

God's Reasoning

“Come now and let us reason together,” says the Lord. Isaiah 1:18

This part of this verse in Isaiah seems today to be taken out of context. Many would suggest that we can reason with God, as if we were equals with God. For the theological liberal this verse means that since we created the idea of God, we are free to assume that we can reason with our creation. This verse doesn’t say that. We are not equal with God and cannot reason on His level.

What God is saying is that have a need and if we will listen to His wisdom we will know His grace. His wisdom knows and declares that we are sinners for He adds, “Though your sins be as scarlet.” Then He gives His gracious promise, “They shall be white as snow.” Repentance and faith will bring cleansing from sin. That is God’s message and He is simply declaring that He knows what we need and will provide it. That is reasoning on God’s terms. He is in control and He alone can make the offer in this arrangement.

Dear Father, Help us to listen to Your wise reasoning and obey. Amen.

Friday, October 9, 2015

"My Name Shall Be Great Among the Gentiles"

“From the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles.” Malachi 1:11

Malachi is God’s final Old Testament word, and while it is directed to Israel, it clearly states God’s purpose for all the world. There is nowhere under the sun that God does not want His name to be known and for His name to be praised. Malachi begins with this message to the nations and concludes his book with the promised Messiah, the Sun of Righteousness, coming with healing in His wings; the healing of the sickness of sin for people of all nations under the sun.

This book is the perfect bridge to the introduction of Christ the Messiah in the New Testament. God’s message is not for one exclusive group, it is for everyone. Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness who will shine from sea to sea and from shore to shore. We, as His ambassadors, are to be busy proclaiming His awesome Name to every nation and tongue on earth.

Dear Father, Give us a passion for the souls of all men under the sun. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Christ's Invitation to all Nations

“I said ‘Here I am, here I am’, to a nation that was not called by My name.” Isaiah 65:1

Isaiah continues to present the hope of the Gospel with this invitation for all to come to the only Hope of mankind. Israel was the nation called by His name, the Gentile world was not. This is the message of the hope for all, Jew and Gentile. Jesus shouts out to them, “Here I am, here I am.” He wants no one to be left out of hearing the message, so He has sent us out as well to cry out, “Jesus saves, Jesus saves.”

When Jesus was preparing to ascend to heaven He commissioned His disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. He wants us to carry the message of Jesus, “Come to Me, come to me!” to all the nations of the world. He wants men, women, and children from every nation to believe in the one name by which men from all nations must be saved, Jesus Christ.

Dear Father, Help us to carry the name of Jesus to all nations. Amen.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

That Captives Everywhere Might Be Free

“He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.” Isaiah 61:1

This is another of the great evangelistic messages of Isaiah. It isn’t just a word of hope to Israel, it is the very words of hope and life to all people of all ages. It is the declaration of Jesus Christ and His work completed for all mankind.

When John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus to make sure that He was the promised One, this verse is part of what Jesus replied to them. Who are the captives? All of mankind are the captives for all of mankind is shackled with the curse of sin and its eternal condemnation. Jesus was sent to proclaim release to the captives. He came to die in our place, the perfect for the sinful, that we might have life through Him. That is the Gospel message and He has commissioned us to bear witness to His life giving message.

Dear Father, Thank You for sending Your Son, the Redeemer, who died and rose again that we might be freed from sin’s captivity. Amen.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Living Water for the Whole World

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.” Isaiah 55:1

Isaiah is particularly the evangelistic prophet. His message is for all nations to come to the fount of living water and drink. These words of Isaiah are echoed in the closing words of the Book of Revelation, “And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires let him take of the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17) This echoes the words of Christ to those whom he had fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish, “He who believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) Which of course is the promise He made to the woman at the well in John 4, “But whosoever drinks of the water that I give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)

The whole world is thirsty for something that will last – for real peace, joy, hope, and forgiveness. We who have the Living Water need to invite everyone else to drink from it, too.

Dear Father, Help us carry the water of life to a world that is thirsty. Amen.

Monday, October 5, 2015

We Serve the Great Creator of All Things

“He is called the God of the whole earth.” Isaiah 54:5

The Apostle’s Creed begins, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” That means that all he made belongs to Him and is accountable to Him. Secular humanism proposes that we are the product of random chance and accountable only to ourselves. But as Romans 1 clearly teaches, their false belief does not free them from the responsibility to the truth that they are really God’s creation and accountable to Him.

As believers we have been given the wonderful work of telling others about our Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the co-creator of the heavens and the earth. It is an exciting story and it is the only story that will satisfy mankind’s need for joy and hope in this life and eternal life to come. We should never forget that we serve our Maker who has made us and all things.

Dear Father, We extol Thee our Maker and Creator. Amen.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Where Has all the Money Gone?

“Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people.” Psalm 96:2

When Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel” He was not initiating a new idea. The Gospel, of course, was not revealed until Christ had died and was raised from the dead, but the call to declare God’s glory and His work to all people had been the call to God’s people, the Jews, since the time of Abraham. Mostly, however, they just didn’t do it.

What about today’s church? Have we gotten lost in our vision for the world? Have we joined the idea that God loves America more than anyone else so we should invest our dollars here more than any place else? Over 80% of the world’s Christian giving comes from the United States and roughly 90% of that is used exclusively in the United States. The first part makes sense; we are the richest nation on earth. But the second part? Should 5% of the world’s population consume 75% of God’s money on ourselves? Are we serious about the command to declare His glory among the nations?

Dear Father, Give us a true heart for the world. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Message of God is for Everyone

“Hear this all peoples; give ear all inhabitants of the world.” Psalm 49:1

By no means is the Bible written just for the Jews or the Christians. The Bible is God’s proclamation to all people in all places at all times. It is His perfect, inspired, inerrant, and infallible guide for all mankind. The psalmist wants the world to hear God’s message because everyone everywhere needs God’s message. Before Jesus ascended into heaven He commissioned His followers to take His message and make it known to all people.

The psalmist said he need not worry about His fate for He trusted in God. He wants everyone else to know that they can have that same assurance of hope or that they must understand their absolute assurance of judgment. That is still our message. Trust Christ and live. Turn away from His free gift and perish. God’s message has always been consistent and He has always expected His followers to be eager messengers of that message.

Dear Father, Fill us with the joy that comes from sharing Your message of grace. Amen.