Tuesday, February 27, 2018

ARE YOU PERFECT?

IN THE BEGINNING THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTION FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018

ARE YOU PERFECT?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:38

As Christians, we often try to be perfect in the wrong ways.  We try to do everything without error, in time, by the letter, by example.  This is good, but far from perfect.  In fact it can often create an arrogance that is unacceptable and pharisaic.  When our LORD tells us to be perfect as the Father is perfect, he is telling us to be perfect in Love.  First, perfect in mercy, forgiving those who have wronged us.  Letting the meanness of others roll off our backs.  Loving those who are lovely and the unlovely.  Helping those who deserve it and those who don't deserve it for whatever the reason. Yes, perfection is a high calling in Christ!

Monday, February 19, 2018

THIS IS THE SUM

IN THE BEGINNING THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, February 19, 2018

THIS IS THE SUM

Hebrews 8:1-13 KJV
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant , he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Grace! Grace!

IN THE BEGINNING THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR TODAY, February 7, 2018

GRACE! GRACE!

Zechariah 4:1-14 KJV
 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying , Grace, grace unto it. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord , which run to and fro through the whole earth. Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?  And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be ? And I said, No, my lord.  Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.