Abundant Grace: January 2016

Friday, January 29, 2016

Power to Keep Promises

“Have I no power to deliver?” Isaiah 50:2

It is an election year, and sadly for us living in Iowa, it is an election year. Our phones never stop ringing and our mailboxes are always full. Full of what? Empty promises! If there were ever to be a politician who made no promises but only expressed his ideas of how things should be done, he wouldn’t be given a moments attention. It is promises that people love and it is the failure to fulfill those promises that people hate. With man there is simply no way to fix a broken world.

But with God? With God there is fulfillment. God has never made a promise He has not kept or will not keep. He promised a redeemer. He gave Him. He promised forgiveness of sin. He gave Him. He promised peace, perfect peace, and He gave Him. He promised the certainty of the resurrection and everlasting life and He gave Him. He promised to deliver us and He gave us the Deliverer. Yes, He has the power to keep His promises.

Dear Father, Open our eyes to see the power of Your word and the certainty of Your promises. 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.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Who Will Answer?

“Why when I came was there no man, when I called was there none to answer?” Isaiah 50:2

When we were kids, if we were doing something of great importance to us, we would often ignore the call of our mothers to abandon what we were doing and come in for supper. The voice of that loving and compassionate authority meant nothing to us except an interruption of our own will. Even though we knew we needed to eat, and even though we knew that our mothers loved us, and even though we knew there might be consequences for not coming when called, we still didn’t come.

God is our loving and compassionate authority. He is the Good Shepherd that loves and cares for His sheep. He is the tender provider who carries the lambs in his bosom. And yet when He calls, how many answer? That is God’s question today. When He calls us through His word, do we answer? When He convicts us by His Spirit, do we answer? God is asking that question to us today?

Dear Father, Forgive our self-absorption and stir our hearts to hear Your voice. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Never Forgotten

“Surely I will not forget. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16

To Thomas, after the resurrection of Christ, Jesus said, “Behold, My hands and My feet.” Those nail scarred hands testify that God has sealed us in His remembrance on the palms of His hands. God says that there are certainly some who would forget their position or responsibilities, but that He would not do so. “Mothers may forget their children”, He says. “But I will not forget.”

In our corrupt world today we see millions of mothers forgetting their children and murdering them in the womb. It has become commonplace for women to abandon the gift within them. But it will never become commonplace for God to forget His own. It won’t happen even once. Even if we become so feeble minded with disease that we no longer remember Him, He will not forget us. We are His own and He will never, ever, forget His own.

Dear Father, Thank You for inscribing us on the palms of Your hands.” Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Worthy of Praise

“Sing, O heavens, be joyful O earth! Break out in singing, O mountains.” Isaiah 49:13

What if we could hear nature singing? In the great hymn, “This Is My Father’s World” we have this line: “all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.” In Job it speaks of the morning stars singing together. In the psalms it tells us that the sun and moon, the mountains and hills, the trees, cattle, and flying fowl will together praise the Lord. If nature sings His praise, shouldn’t we be singing it as well?

Many people become “Jonny one notes” and spend their life lamenting, “Woe is me.” The great hymnist, William Cowper, who suffered greatly from depression and four times tried to commit suicide says in one of his hymns, “When this poor lisping stammering tongue lies silent in the grave, then in a nobler sweeter song I’ll sing thy power to save.” If all nature sings and even people who suffer from severe depression can sing God’s praise, shouldn’t we all?

Dear Father, Let us all delight in singing the praises of our loving God. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Monday, January 25, 2016

Peace or No Peace?

“There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.” Isaiah 48:22

There are three distinct sections to Isaiah 40 – 66. Each section concludes with this statement or a version of it. The word of God draws distinct lines between having peace and not having peace. When God says “no peace”, He isn’t just talking about our lives in this moment. There is eternal sorrow and hopelessness for those who reject Christ.

But in Christ, to those who are forgiven by faith, there is multiplied peace. Jesus said in John, “My peace I give unto you.” Believers have the peace of Christ. Romans tells us that “having been justified by faith we have peace with God.” He is no longer angry at us for our sins. In Philippians it says we can “peace that surpasses understanding.” Isaiah says we can have “peace, perfect peace.” That is what we can have by throwing our sins on Christ and trusting in His perfect salvation. For the others, however, there is no peace for the wicked.

Dear Father, Thank You for the multiplied peace we find in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Friday, January 22, 2016

Never Wrong

“I am the Lord your God who leads you by the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:17

A major denomination has posted this on their own website: “The Bible is like a GPS – A brilliant guide, all knowing, and occasionally wrong.” Occasionally wrong? If it is wrong in one part, how are we to know which part that is? If it is all knowing how can it be occasionally wrong? Can’t it correct its own errors? Does the flashlight of the brilliant guide occasionally break? God is not like that. He is the faithful guide who leads in truth at all times and never errs.

God says in the Old Testament, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” He warns against turning from the “ancient paths” of faithful men. He says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me.” God will indeed lead us by His word and by His Son. But we must trust that He is never “occasionally wrong”.

Dear Father, Thank You for your always truthful word. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Getting Things in Focus

“Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures . . . who say ‘I am and there is no one else’.” Isaiah 47:8

What is our goal in life? Do we want to “get it all”? Are our hands or eyes ever satisfied? Who do we think about the most? What do we want the most? What testimony would our schedule book or our checkbook say about our priorities and commitments? Today’s passage wasn’t given by God to the people of the nations around Israel. It was given to those who called themselves by His name but really found something else to be their real focus in life – that something being to seek fulfillment in the world and not in God.

Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” Paul said that he died daily so that “the life I now live I live by in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” God calls us to have a focus that is not on ourselves but on Him.

Dear Father, Forgive us for being too focused on self to rightly focus on You. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

God Was Not Elected into Office

“I will not arbitrate with a man.” Isaiah 47:3

In America we have little understanding of how life was in a monarchy five hundred years ago. The word of the king was law. If the peasant didn’t like the word of the king, the peasant could die. He had a choice. Absolute monarchies, whether past or present, have clearly defined guidelines of who’s the boss. In America we want to put God into the box of representative democracy. We get to vote on whether we like His laws or not. If we lose at the ballot box we take the issue to the courts and arbitrate our way to whatever we want.

God is not like that. God is the absolute ruler. He made us. He controls the universe and keeps things in order. He is not bound by our opinions. He cannot be voted out of office. And if we took things to court, He is the judge. Our political system doesn’t change the nature of God. But God calls on us to let His sovereignty change the way we are.

Dear Father, Rebuke our arrogance and give us the humility to know who You are. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

God Will Do What He Said

“Indeed I have spoken it; I will bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” Isaiah 46:11

There was a time when people said that a handshake was as good as a contract. Honesty was highly esteemed and personal honor a matter of great importance. It is hard today to imagine such a time having ever existed. A man’s word was his honor. That may be why there is so much doubt among some people today concerning God’s word. After all, can we really trust anyone to do what he says – even God?

Yes, yes we can. God is unchangeable. He calls that part of His nature to mind in today’s passage. What I have spoken I also will do. He made promises from ages past and was fulfilling them in the days of Isaiah. He has made more promises in ages past and He is still fulfilling them in our world today. He has made eternal promises and He will fulfill them unto eternity. He has spoken and He will do it.

Dear Father, Thank You that You are as good as Your word. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Monday, January 18, 2016

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

“Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done.” Isaiah 46:10

From the time that Israel came out from Egypt God had warned them about seeking advice from mediums or anyone who said they could predict the future. They were not even supposed to let such people live. He did not want His people deceived from what He Himself was telling them. God is eternal and knows all things. With Him there is no time, no past, no present, and no future. All of it is clearly seen in His divine omniscient mind.

Because He is eternal He knows what will happen. He alone knows exactly what will happen and He alone can tell the details of tomorrow as easily as the details of yesterday. He calls His children to remember that He is the wise and all-knowing God. He wants us to trust Him and in trusting Him find peace for today because He holds tomorrow. He doesn’t just hold tomorrow in His hand; He holds all the plans for every tomorrow unto eternity.

Dear Father, Give us peace in trusting Your wisdom for today and tomorrow. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Friday, January 15, 2016

Even When Our Hair is Gray

“Even to gray hairs I will carry you.” Isaiah 46:4

For forty years my wife and I have been going to the same annual Bible conference. Years ago there were many of us with hair, mostly hair that was not gray. Oh, there were plenty of older folks as well, but there were a lot of us who were just whipper snappers. We took our children and now they bring our grandchildren. But what we see more and more of is gray hair. Why do all of us old people keep attending?

Because, quite simply, God doesn’t practice age discrimination. Jesus rebuked His disciples for practicing age discrimination against the young. “Let the little children come unto me.” But He also tells the aged that they are also welcome. We haven’t worn out our welcome with Him by just growing older. Nor will we wear out our welcome if we become so old that we become infirm not only in body but in mind. Even to our gray hairs He will carry us and then on through eternity.

Dear Father, Thank You that we are yours until the end of our days. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Thursday, January 14, 2016

The Great Invitation

“Look at me and be saved, all you ends of the earth.” Isaiah 45:22

Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden.” God’s word says that whosoever will may come. No one needs to fear that if they come to Him they will be rejected by Him. God made a general invitation and He meant what He said. There are those who may believe that they are too unworthy to come to God. There may be those who think they are too wicked to come to God. There may be those who think they are too poor to come to God. All would be wrong. He said, “Look at me and be saved, ALL you ends of the earth.”

There are those who won’t come because they believe they are too smart for God, too rich for God, too important for God, or just better than God. They won’t come even though they have been invited. But no one can deny that God has issued the invitation and that all who come to Him He will receive.

Dear Father, Thank You for inviting us to come to You. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

God Speaks Plainly

“For thus says the Lord, I have not spoken in secret.” Isaiah 45:18-19

There are many mystery religions in the world, religions where only those on the inside track can know what is going on. Such religions prey on others and exact many forms of payment to let others in on their secrets. The one true God is not like that at all. He makes no secret about who He is or what He is doing. He does not speak in undecipherable mysteries. His message is and has always been quite plain. His prophets declared to everyone the messages He gave. His Son was displayed to the world that we all might know His grace.

God has given us His eternal word in printed form. We can read about Who God is, what He wants, and what He is doing any time we wish to do so. God invites all who would come to Him to come freely and without cost. He is not a mystery religion charlatan. He is God who does not speak in secret.

Dear Father, Help us daily learn more about You from Your divinely revealed word. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

An Argument We Cannot Win

“Woe to him who strives with His maker.” Isaiah 45:9

I was teaching middle school and there was a football game for the 7^th graders that afternoon. The boys in my class were exceedingly discouraged and didn’t even want to turn up for the game. The other school had a 16 year old boy who was still in 7^th grade. He was six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds. The boys knew from their previous game that it was an unwinnable situation. Many people should take a lesson from those boys. There is a t time when the biggest guy is going to win.

God reminds us of that in today’s passage. God is bigger and stronger than all of mankind put together. No one can win against Him. We shouldn’t bother arguing with God because we are going to lose. He is wiser than us, has better foresight than us, more ability to do things than us. He is going to win. Our only real hope is to accept the grace He offers through Christ or we will face the woe that God has promised.

Dear Father, Help us not to be arrogant towards You. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Monday, January 11, 2016

The Comforting Foreknowledge of God

“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus.” Isaiah 45:1

People have asked me if God really knew what was going on, and if He did, why He didn’t do something about it. I have always answered this way, “If He did do something about it, what would happen to mankind? To eliminate sin, He would have to eliminate sinners and where would we be?” That admittedly is a snarky answer to a stupid question. But we sometimes ask that same question with just enough slight rephrasing to prove we do believe in God.

The central part of that question is, “Does God really know what is going on?” Yes, He does. He knows the end from the beginning and everything in the middle. He knew Israel was going into exile because He was sending them there. He also knew that He had a plan to bring them back home. Two hundred years before He would release them from exile he named the foreign king, Cyrus, who would do the project for Him. Yes, God knows what is going on and He does do something about it.

Dear Father, Forgive our unbelief and give us greater faith. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Friday, January 8, 2016

Resolutions for the New Year #5

“I have formed you, you are my servant.” Isaiah 44:21

Paul tells us in Romans that we are servants of the one we obey. Jesus told several parables about how His followers were servants in the Master’s house. Our next resolution is to see ourselves as servants of God and not masters of our own lives. Our resolution is to both hear and obey the Master’s voice. How shall we hear His voice? We shall hear it as we daily read His word and regularly attend the preaching of His word. We shall hear His voice in the perfection of creation and give Him the proper credit and due for creating it.

How do we obey His voice? We do this by taking what we hear from God’s word and from what we read in God’s word and applying it to our lives. We will find some things as constants: love God and love our neighbor; be holy in our lifestyles; give Christ preeminence in our lives; daily see ourselves as the product of new birth. Let us resolve these things.

Dear Father, Help us daily to remember whose servants we are. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Resolutions for the New Year #4

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake.” Isaiah 43:25

We know that man’s wisdom is flawed. There is a reason for that – man is flawed. We all have the flaw of sin. That is not a minor defect. It effects everything we do, our thoughts, our actions, our desires, and our understanding. It condemns us to futility in this life and to just punishment for our sins and sinful nature now and forever.

But there is good news. Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification. God alone could blot out the sin record against us, and He did at the cross of Calvary. He did it because He loves mankind and He wants us to know it. He did it for His glory. Again we find a resolution for this new year. Since He saved us for His glory, we shall seek daily to be mindful of Him and ask Him daily to use us for His glory. Our goal will become to let others see Christ in us.

Dear Father, Help us daily to seek to live for Your glory. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Resolutions for the New Year #3

“Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.” Isaiah 43:10

Let us consider another positive resolution for this new year. Let us ponder what it means that God has always been and always will be and apply that to our lives. One thing that we do as humans is to pass wisdom and knowledge along from generation to generation. Each new generation does not to invent the wheel again and again. We see that we do learn from the past. Since God is before all things that means that we can come to Him for wisdom and knowledge. He, who is from the beginning is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Human knowledge is flawed, imperfect, and constantly changing. God’s wisdom is perfect and changes not. Men will tell us many things and challenge us to agree with their interpretation of the world. Our resolution is to seek knowledge and wisdom from God and consider anything contrary to it to be flawed and unseemly for us to believe.

Dear Father, Help us to seek and follow the wisdom revealed in Your word. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Resolutions for the New Year #2

“But now thus says the Lord, who created you.” Isaiah 43:1

Today we come to another valuable resolution for this new year. We resolve to remember who created us. That simple phrase means much more than it might appear. What rights does a creator have? I write books. I have the creative right to determine their content. Do we give our Creator the right to all the content in our lives? As an author I have the purpose that all the books that I write will glorify God. Do we let God create in us that which will bring Him glory?

There are other purposes to what I write. I write them for my use. In my case that use is to produce an income. But as to God, how do we let our Creator use us for Himself? Are we ready to let God use us as He pleases? Will we say, “Not my will but Thine be done?” Let us resolve that that may be so in this new year.

Dear Father, We confess You as our Creator. Help us to live daily in the application of that confession. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Monday, January 4, 2016

Resolutions for the New Year - #1

“Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger?” Isaiah 42:19

It is a new year and we might continue to make a few resolutions. Today’s verse was a prophecy about Christ, but since Christians are supposed to be little Christs, it can apply to us as well. So how do we get a resolution from this passage? Let’s consider what we do with our eyes. We see and judge others. There are certainly things we can judge, those being specific sins that God has declared in His Word to be sins. That’s it. But we too often see others and make judgments by what we see and think and not by what God has said.

But we don’t just judge by what we see. We too often listen to the judgments that others have made and buy into their judgments ourselves. We hear what we shouldn’t be listening to. That too is wrong and we need to be deaf to gossip. God has set the standards by which we can judge. Let’s resolve to leave all other judgments to God.

Dear Father, Help us this year to be less judgmental. Amen.

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com

Friday, January 1, 2016

New Year's Message

“For you have not passed this way before.” Joshua 3:4

Happy New Year! You have probably heard that simple comment many times already today. But what does it mean? Isn’t everything just the same old same old as before? Not really. Have you ever lived this next year before? Do you know what will happen in this year? Probably not. It isn’t just same old same old. It is new. There will be new people and some new experiences. Every year brings something new.

In this New Year we will all need guidance because we haven’t been this way before. That was God’s instruction to Joshua as the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. They were going to confront many new things and God wanted to make sure that they had their eyes focused on Him as they did so. The ark of God went before them. It contained God’s Law, our rules to live by; and it contained the budded rod, our promises of an all-powerful God; and it contained a jar of manna; the constant provision of the caring God. In this New Year we have to remind ourselves daily that we need this awesome God to guide us. We need to remind ourselves that He is the God who has never failed. We need to stand back every day and take account that we are strangers in a strange land and that every moment we will need the all-knowing God to lead us.

Dear Father, as we enter this New Year, keep our minds sharp to remember that only You know how to lead and can lead us successfully. Amen.

The Friday Benediction

Also check out our new options for publishing your Christian book. Visit us at www.qualitychristianbooks.com