#638 Praise – One Day He’s Coming – O, Glorious Day!

Guest devotional by Roger O’Dell, Executive Director of Model Cities – El Paso and active in ministry at Immanuel Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas.

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Your Kingdom come” –  part of the model prayer.  Isn’t this the way a Christian should live each day his life?  You know – in the constant anticipation of Jesus’ Christ’s return! If we lived every day as though it might be the last one before His return, what a difference it would make – at least in my life!  Throughout the Bible it is written that God is going to bring His kingdom here to earth. Whether you believe that the church is going to be taken up (raptured) before, during, or after a 7-year tribulation is probably not relevant. God is going to bring His kingdom to earth and Christ, the King of Kings will reign.  Any day now, the clouds could open up and God’s Son could step out to call believers to join Him in the place He is preparing for us? Are you ready?  Jesus paid our debt. If Jesus is not your Lord here on earth, one day your knee will bend before His throne, and you will be sent to hell to pay for your sins all by yourself – for the rest of eternity. My Jesus is a loving and caring Lord and He wants you to come to Him in faith.  He thought enough of us to make a way.  Ask Him, He’s waiting for you.

Matthew 6:9-13 – ESV:

[9] “Pray then like this:  “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  [10] Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  [11] Give us this day our daily bread,  [12] and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

John 14:2-3 – ESV:

[2] “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” 

#637 Faith – Rising, He Justified Freely, Forever…

Guest devotional by Roger O’Dell, Executive Director of Model Cities – El Paso and active in ministry at Immanuel Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas.

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Rising, now that’s something.  This act forever sets our Lord apart from all the “wannabees”.  You can run down the list -  Allah, Apollo, Atlas, Baal, Brahma, Buda, Gaia, Jupiter, Krishna, Osiris, Quetzalcoatl, Rama, Shiva, Si-Wang-Mu, Tyche, Thor, Vishnu, Venus, Xochiquetzal, Zeus or a thousand more “not quite’ gods.   Jesus is the only one who ever came back to life after being dead!  This shows His power over death and sin.  He arose after three days in Joseph’s borrowed tomb. He again, set the example for us,  We, too will one day rise again to be with Him in heaven.  Those who do not know Him and have not accepted His gift will be forever separated from Him.  You can go toIsraeland see a tomb, but there is no body there.  Today He sits at the right hand of the father.  He lived as a lowly servant but now He is highly exalted, interceding for us!  He is risen!  Praise Jesus for the empty tomb!

 

1 Peter 1:3-12 – ESV

            [3] “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” 

#636 Faith – Buried, He Carried My Sins Far Away

Guest devotional by Roger O’Dell, Executive Director of Model Cities – El Paso and active in ministry at Immanuel Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas.

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

They lowered His dead body from that rugged cross and carried it to a borrowed tomb.  Our Savior knew this day would come.  He also knew that by his death, our sins’ debt would be paid – in full.  Nothing ever again would have to be done to purchase my/our forever.  Our Believer’s Baptism symbolizes the death of that old way of life.  Our new lives should be full of grace and good works because that sin nature has been removed.  Yes, we are going to fall into sin from time to time but He carried those sins far away.  I know, for me, it hurts when I think of how my new sins must hurt my Lord.  Forgive me, Father.

Romans 6:1-23 – ESV:

Dead to Sin, Alive to God:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? [2] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?…[10] For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. [11] So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” 

#635 Praise – Dying, He Saved Me…

Guest devotional by Roger O’Dell, Executive Director of Model Cities – El Paso and active in ministry at Immanuel Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas.

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Master gave us a way out!  The full Bible reference below tells the story of how sin entered the earth and how our sin has convicted us.  Thank you, Jesus for this way out.  Faith – we are forgiven because of our faith in Him, we have access to Him because of this faith.  His shed blood and His dying on that cross paid our debt in full – before we were even born!  He loved us that much, knowing we would sin and in forethought, He provided the sin offering – himself.  When asked why I should be allowed to enter Heaven and be in His presence, the right answer will be “because of my faith in Jesus, my Master and His blood shed for me!”

Romans 5:1-21 – ESV:

            “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…[6] For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly… [8] but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… [10] For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

#634 Praise – Living, He Loved Me…

Guest devotional by Roger O’Dell, Executive Director of Model Cities –El Paso and active in ministry at Immanuel Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas.

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A few weeks back I was asked me if I would write five of devotionals to be circulated while the regular author is on vacation.  I said, “sure, no problem!”  Maybe no problem for him, but as I searched for devotional material I soon prayed and asked God for His direction.  God allowed me to struggle with the task and when I called out in my desperation (in my shower, no less) this morning, He gave me my direction.  Maybe some of you are like me, we sing in the shower.  Especially if we believe there is no human listening.  This morning I knew God would forgive my singing voice and I hoped he would accept my words of praise.  At the top of my lungs I was singing  the old song by Chapman and Marsh – “Living, he loved me, Dying, He saved me, Buried, he carried my sins far away, Rising, He justified freely forever, One day He’s coming, Oh Glorious day!  That’s it I said!  Those are the five topics I will write on.  And at that the ideas flowed like a river.  In Jesus’ short three year public life He poured out His heart and wisdom for us to have a model to try to follow.  Wow, He loved even me.   More tomorrow!  Blessings.

Philippians 2:1-11 – ESV:

 “… but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 

#633 Worship – “Worship His Majesty”

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thoughts concerning worship should not conclude with hypocrisy, but with the majesty of how we are to worship our Lord Jesus Christ.  Jack Hayford penned the following beautiful praise chorus of worship, describing how we should best worship the Lord:  “Majesty, worship His majesty.  Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.  Majesty, kingdom authority flow from His throne, unto His own; His anthem raise.  So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus.  Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King.  Majesty, worship His majesty; Jesus, who died, now glorified, King of all kings.”[1]  What a wonderful description of worship,  how we should praise and adore the Son of God.  May God help us as Christians to “exalt, magnify, glorify, honor, and praise” His Majesty, the King of kings, Lord of lords, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do you give God adequate worship? 

“For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’”  (II Peter 1:17)

May God Richly Bless You Today

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[1] Hayford, Jack, Majesty,Calabasas,CA:  Rocksmith Music, 1981.

#632 Worship – Wrong Reasons for Worship

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Just as the Pharisees of Jesus’ day worshipped God for the wrong reasons, too many people today worship Him for the wrong reasons.  The Pharisees showed no love for God; they worshipped with a desire for profit, status, and appearance sake.  Today is not too different than then; there are those who worship with a desire for profit, status, and appearance sake.  What about those who attend church in order to build their business?  To gain votes for an election?  To look good to their peers or others they desire to impress?  These hypocrites pay more attention to reputation than character, follow certain religious practices while allowing their hearts to remain far away from God, and emphasize their virtues while emphasizing others sins.  We need to be faithful in worshipping God in a way that is sincere, honest, and honoring to Him.

Make sure the above description of a hypocrite does not describe your worship of your God!

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them:  otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:1)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#631 Worship – Pharisees of Today?

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We as Christians would never want to be called “Pharisees.”  Yet, every one of us could easily fall into the routine of religion if not careful, and thus become hypocrites.  Hypocrites are those who pretend to be something they are not and have no intention of being.  When we attend church regularly, let others know how faithful we are in church attendance, yet fail to worship God genuinely, we are hypocrites just as the people of Isaiah’s day and the Pharisees of Jesus’ day were.  God wants our worship to be from our hearts, honest and sincere, giving Him our love and devotion, and when that is not the case, our worship means nothing to Him.  God knows our hearts, and the attitude of our hearts speaks louder to Him than our acting religious without sincerity.

Protect your heart from being “holier-than-thou,” and being considered by God as a hypocrite!

“Which say, ‘Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou.’  These are a smoke in My nose, a fire that burneth all the day.”  (Isaiah 65:5)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#630 Worship – Holier-Than-Thou Attitude

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The people of Isaiah’s day were not the only hypocrites when it came to going through the motions of religion; in Jesus’ day the Pharisees were the same way.  They were the religious leaders of New Testament times, and they had no hesitancy in placing religion before true worship of God.  In fact, their attitude of “holier-than-thou” indicated they felt they were holier than Jesus Christ Himself.  Constantly studying religion, as well as the Old Testament, they knew a lot about God, but they did not know God personally or respond to Him.  Jesus Christ, though, had an answer for them:  He told them about themselves when He quoted Isaiah to them.[1]  Hypocrites, whether religious leaders or others claiming to know God, are going to face God’s wrath someday.  Tomorrow, let’s                       apply God’s definition of hypocrisy to ourselves.

Do you only know a lot about God, or do you also know God personally?

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying…” (Matthew 15:7)

May God Richly Bless You Today

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[1] Matthew 15:8-9

#629 Worship – Routine Religion

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we have recently been writing concerning worship, the context has primarily been associated with the local congregation, how church leadership is approaching worship in the regular church services.  Although it is church leadership that sets the tone for worship, either emphasizing it properly or placing emphasis elsewhere, it is us as Christian individuals that either worship our God or go through the motions.  In Scripture we see instances where individuals or groups of individuals went through the motions without truly worshipping God, even though they claimed to be close to God.  They were the epitome of hypocrisy as they were disobedient to God in the worship He desired of them, instead allowing the routine of religion to replace real worship.  God’s answer?  Judgment!

Be careful of religion becoming routine instead of obedient worship as God desires!

“Wherefore the Lord said, ‘Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men; Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder:  for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.’”   (Isaiah 29:13-14)

May God Richly Bless You Today