Don’s Daily Devotions

Thursday December 17th:  Read Luke chapter 1 v 26-38:

We move into the NT, from promise to fulfillment, and how God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. Never let our familiarity with these things make us lose the Holy wonder of what happened here. Gabriel is sent to a young woman, emphasised to be a virgin, betrothed to Joseph – a descendant over many generations of David, but now in a humble and obscure condition. He greets Mary as one favoured by God, but understandably enough she is worried and afraid by this visit. Gabriel tells her not to fear – again, she is under God’s favour ( all by grace, not through any human deserving ) and she will give birth to a Son, whom she must call Jesus – a name used among the Jews to speaks of God Who saves ( the equivalent of the OT Joshua ) but uniquely personal to This Jesus, Who is Himself the Lord Who saves, of course. He speaks of the true greatness of this child, and how – though Mary’s son, He is also ” the Son of the Most High” – of God Himself, and will be the One Who is David’s true Son, whose final reign will be Eternal. What could Mary have made of this? Not much, we may well think, but her most pressing concern is, how can she who is a virgin bear a son? Gabriel tells her it will be by the power and the direct working of the Holy Spirit that this child will be conceived in her – He will indeed be the Son of God, with no human father. Mary now responds with faith and obedience. May we do so too, believing by God’s grace all the truth of the Christmas story, and the wonder of the birth of God’s Son to be our Saviour. Let us rejoice too in the equally sure promises here that reach beyond His first coming and the humility of His earthly life to His ultimate reign, for the babe of Bethlehem is indeed the Lord of glory!

Wednesday December 16th:  Read Micah chapter 5 v2-5:

Another remarkable prophecy, again centuries before the birth of Jesus, yet so exactly fulfilled in that birth. Bethlehem is named as the place where One Who is to be ” ruler in Israel” will be born. Bethlehem, though the City of David, Israel’s greatest king, was by this time seen as a small and unimportant town – yet the place God has decreed for this promised ruler to be born. We clearly learn that to the  teachers among the Jews, this was recognised as a reference to the coming of the promised Messiah, the Anointed one of God, by the reaction of Herod’s advisers in Matthew 2 v 4-5. Here the prophet is given by the Holy Spirit the awareness that this is God’s eternal purpose ( ” his coming forth is from of old, from ancient days ” )  and He is spoken of as the One who ” shall shepherd His Flock” – we think of Jesus’ own words in John 10 v 11 -16, and of Psalm 23. He will make His flock ( His people) to ” dwell secure”, and ” He shall be their peace”. How clearly, the Lord Jesus is set forth here, and the birth in Bethlehem which we remember at Christmas, but not only His birth, His love and care for His people, those whom he came to save and make His own. If we know the Lord as our Shepherd, by His grace, let us rejoice and praise His Name.

Tuesday December 15th:  Read Isaiah chapter 7 v10-14 and chapter 9 v 6-7:

Here are clear prophecies, centuries before, of the unique and wonderful birth of the Saviour. The context around the key verses ( which isn’t our concern here ) has some reference and relevance to events in Isaiah’s own day, but the fullness of their promise can only be understood in what God did that ” first Christmas”. So, Isaiah 7 v14 – however sceptical critics of God’s Word try to make it mean less – speaks plainly of how ” a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son ” – and how He shall be called ” Immanuel” – God with us!  This is, of course directly applied to the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1 v 22.

Then the verses from chapter 9 show the wonder of the true nature of the child who will be born. This Son ( every male child is someone’s son, of course – but he is uniquely God’s own Son, as these verse show, and the NT fully declares ) will be a “governor”, or ruler, a “wonderful counselor” ( both true of Jesus as of no other ), and is then declared to be ” the Mighty God” God Himself, born as a human child, God the Son, truly man yet truly God, and though the Son, called ” the Everlasting Father” – the wonder of the Holy Trinity is before us here, ever One God, yet ever Three Persons.  Moreover, he is ” the Prince of Peace” The nature of His ultimate eternal, just and  righteous kingdom is then declared – and the assurance that God, the Lord of Hosts, will surely do this! These verses, given to Isaiah so long before Jesus was born, declare so much of the wonder of what God did in sending His Son that first Christmas – and speak of what is yet to come in His eternal reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, a kingdom that all His redeemed people will share, by God’s amazing grace!

DDD for the week of December 14th -19th.  For the next 2 weeks, our Daily Devotions will be focused on the Christmas theme. They will be a little different from the normal pattern, giving a daily passage to read, followed not by a verse-by-verse commentary, but a general comment/meditation on the passage and what it tells us about the real meaning of Christmas.

Day 1: Monday December 14th:  Read Genesis chapter 3:8-15:

Today, we start at the very beginning. Adam and Eve have disobeyed God’s one test of their obedience to Him who has given them so much, and eaten from the forbidden tree. So God declares His judgement on the sin they have brought in to spoil the bliss of His perfect creation . The fellowship they have previously enjoyed with God is marred – they try vainly to hide from Him, and when faced with his disobedience, Adam tries to blame Eve ( and by implication, God – ” the woman whom YOU gave to be with me” ) – Eve in turn blames the serpent. So, sin is already working in them. Yet even in passing judgement, God gives the first promise of the One to come, who will defeat Satan ( the judgement on ” the serpent” is of course on him, who used this form to tempt Eve ) and though Satan will ” bruise His heel “ – the first reference to Christ’s sufferings on the cross, He who is ” the offspring ( or Seed ) of the woman “ – truly human – will ” bruise ( or crush ) Satan’s head. “ – ( see Colossians 2:15.).

Here then is the first promise of the Saviour’s coming, the revealed truth of God’s eternal purpose and plan of redemption, brought into history that first Christmas, with the birth of Jesus. How amazing to think that at the very moment of the Fall and man’s separation from God, the promise of the Saviour was given – amazing grace indeed.

Acts chapter 16 v 35- 40:

V35:  The magistrates, perhaps having second thoughts about their treatment of Paul and Silas, send an order to let them go ” in peace”.

V36:  The jailer brings this word to Paul.

V37-39:  Paul however protests at the treatment they have received, for they are Roman citizens, and as such can not legally be beaten with rods, or condemned without a fair trial. This coveted status was conferred by Rome for some great service rendered. Paul speaks of it in ch 22 v 25-28. He was born with this status, he says there, so it must have been given first to his father, but we don’t know why. Silas too must have had this status. Now Paul refuses to “go quietly”, until this is publicly recognised, and they receive an apology. The magistrates come, apologise – but still ask them to leave Philippi.

Why has Paul asserted this citizenship here, when he has not done so before? Probably to protect the infant church he must leave in this very Roman city, making it clear that the Gospel is not rebellion against Rome.

V40:  Paul and Silas ( Timothy and Luke have presumably stayed with the Philippian believers during these events ) go to visit Lydia and the other believers – there was clearly Gospel preaching and Gospel fruit during the time between v 15 and 16, though no record of it is given. They encourage the young Christians, and then leave Philippi – not ” running away”, but taking the Gospel on to new ground, as the next chapter will show.

Acts chapter 16 v 27-34:

V27:  Waking, finding the prison in ruins, the jailer panics, sure his prisoners must have escaped, and he will be held to account ( See v23 above.) so he is about to take his own life, rather than wait for the cruel judgement of Rome, which would probably involve torture.

V28:  But a voice rings out in the prison he thought deserted, Paul in concern for this man’s soul, telling him not to harm himself – for ALL the prisoners are still there. This seems amazing – the rest are probably criminals of various kinds – but we look back to v25 – this testimony, and presumably words from Paul after the earthquake, have prevailed upon them not to flee. God can do  more than we would ever anticipate through a faithful testimony!

V29-30: Trembling with fear, the jailer comes to Paul and Silas, goes down on his knees before them, and asks how he can be saved! Perhaps he knows something of Paul’s preaching in Philippi, but only a work of God’s grace can explain this response.

V31: What a clear answer he gets. Salvation is by faith in Jesus alone, Jesus who is Lord and Saviour, as His very Name declares (Matthew 1 v 21.) The promise is for his household too – not that they will be saved by his faith, but if they themselves believe.

V32:  So,they declare the gospel to all his household. (Family? Servants?) Clearly, all must be of an age to understand and believe!

V 33: God’s grace opens all their hearts to believe, and upon that profession of faith they are baptised. ( No details are given of where or indeed when ) First, the jailer washes the wounds of the men he had previously ” punished “, but who have brought the Gospel to him and his house.

V34:  He brings them food, and he and all in his household are full of Gospel joy. How wonderfully God’s grace has worked in Philippi. May we see the same grace at work in our day, to God’s glory.

Acts chapter 16 v 19-26:

V19:  The men who have exploited the slave girl are furious – their profits have gone. They seize Paul and Silas, drag them before the city magistrates – in this Roman colony the marketplace also functions, as in Rome itself, as the Forum where the authorities sit to hear cases  brought before them.

V20-21:  They bring trumped up charges of teaching rebellion against Rome – their real grievance would presumably make little impact upon the magistrates. So, they bring a charge no judge answerable to Rome would dare ignore. Just so, with Jesus before Pilate, of course.

 V22:  No trial really takes place, mob antagonism stirs up the authorities to have Paul and Silas beaten with rods on their bare backs – A Roman punishment as distinct from a Jewish one –  Paul in 2 Corinthians 11 v24-25 speaks of both. This was a severe beating, under which some actually died.

V23:  They are then thrown into prison,  and the jailer is charged to keep them safe. Any failure in this charge would be severely punished, even with his own death – so, his reaction in v27.

V24:  He locks them in the inmost cell in the whole prison, and also sets their feet in the stocks – a brutal and painful process in itself.

V25:  How do Paul and Silas react? They pray and sing praises to God. What a tremendous response of faith, living out the truth of Matthew 5 v 11-12, and what a testimony to the other prisoners, who hear them. How would we have reacted, I wonder?

V26:  And God acts in Sovereign power and grace. There is a sudden earthquake – not unknown in that region, but the timing makes it quite clear this is indeed God’s intervention, for His servants. The very foundations of the prison are shaken, and the “bonds” – chains attached to the wall, securing the prisoners’ wrists – of ALL the prisoners fall off.

Acts chapter 16 v 13-18:

V13:  On the Sabbath, Paul and his companions go to ” the riverside, where  we supposed there was a place of prayer “. Clearly, there is no synagogue in Philippi, which means nor enough adult male Jews to establish one ( and only 10 were required.) The fact that the group they do meet at prayer were all women, it seems, underlines this.

V14:  As ( Paul ) preaches, one woman is mentioned by name, Lydia, who comes from Thyatira in Asia ( the site of one of the 7 churches in Revelation 2 and 3 )  She is evidently a prosperous business woman ( Purple dye was  expensive and exclusive to a wealthy clientele ) But she is also ” a worshipper of God”,  Who now opens her heart to the Gospel.

V15:  She believes, asks at once for baptism ( more has been proclaimed and taught than is recorded, of course ) and is baptised along with her household – who must have come to faith themselves, and we need not think this all took place on that one day –  and urges Paul and the others to stay at her house, and make it their base in Philippi, if they truly judge her faith to be real.

V16:  One day – no indication is given of how much later – Paul and his companions meet a slave girl who is possessed by ” a spirit of divination”, and exploited by her masters to tell fortunes and earn them much money from this. The reality of spirit-possession is a Biblical truth we must not doubt – Satan’s malice at work through his dark forces.

V17-18:  She follows Paul and the others, and the spirit which grips her cries out who they are – even that they ” proclaim.. the way of salvation ” – but Paul will not allow testimony from such a source ( remember Satan can disguise himself as ” an angel of light” – 2 Corinthians 11 v14-15.) Such testimony, even while ” speaking truth”, can only undermine and corrupt the Gospel and cannot glorify the Lord, so Paul commands the spirit to come out of the girl in the Lord’s Name.

Acts chapter 16 v 6-12:

V6:  They travel on, through the provinces of Phrygia and Galatia ( no details given of their ministry there ) – and then clearly intend to preach in the major province of Asia too -but this is stopped by the Holy Spirit! What form this intervention took, we do not know, but it was definitely seen as a door God had closed ( though note,only to these men at this time, in His Sovereign will.)

God does at times close doors – and we need to recognise and accept where this is so.

V7:  Next they seek to turn another way, into the province of Bithynia ( it would be helpful to consult a map of this area ) and again the Holy Spirit ( called, we note the “Spirit of Jesus” – the Oneness of the Triune God is shown here.) prevents them. They accept this , as we all must do when God says ” No “, even to some dearly conceived project of our own.)

V8:  Unsure of what God’s will is, but clearly open to it, they carry on following the direct route before them ( always a good principle until directed otherwise ) and come to Troas – the coastal port for direct sailings to Macedonia.

V9:  And God now makes His purpose clear, sending Paul a vision  of ” a man of Macedonia “ begging him to come over to that land and ” help them” – in other words, bring the Gospel to them. So, God will make His will known to those who seek it in faith and obedience when He reveals it.

V10:  They all agree this is of God, and seek at once to take ship for Macedonia. Truly, if God closes one door, He WILL open another as we look to Him. The ” we” indicates that Luke, the writer of Acts has now joined them – no other details are given, and characteristically, he does not draw attention to himself.

V11:  So, they sail to Macedonia, via the island of Samothrace, where the ship would put in overnight, and the next day reach the port of Neapolis on the Macedonian coast. So, God has directly acted to bring the gospel into Europe for the first time – the ever-widening circles of Acts 1 v 8 continue.

V12:  They travel inland to Philippi, the leading city of Macedonia, and one with the coveted status of ” a Roman colony “, which granted various rights and privileges where bestowed, but also a very direct answerability to Rome.

Acts chapter 16:1-5:

V1:  Paul ( with Silas ) revisits Derbe and Lystra, where he knew both blessing and tribulation on his first journey ( ch 14.) Here Timothy joins him – we presume a convert from that previous visit. He is the son of a ” mixed marriage “, his mother being a Jewess who is now a believer in Jesus, and a Greek father. Timothy will become a dearly beloved protege of Paul, to whom he would write the 2 NT letters which bear his name.

V2:  Timothy is well-regarded by the believers, not only in Lystra but in Iconium too – clearly there was some contact and fellowship between churches in a wider area.

V3:  Paul adds Timothy to his team, first circumcising him so as not to offend Jewish believers since his mother is Jewish, so he would be seen as such himself. Paul would always argue against imposing circumcision on ” full ” Gentiles, of course.

V4:  Still Paul and his companions relay to every church they visit the outcome of the ” Jerusalem council”, and what was agreed there to be required of Gentile converts.

V5: They also exercise a wider ministry of encouragement to strengthen the believers, and of Gospel preaching – so, the daily growth of the churches.,