Category: spiritual blessings

Final Voyage

Sunday, April 15, 2012

“Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away” (Psalm 144:4 KJV).

On 10 April 1912, a massive British passenger liner left Southhampton, England to embark on its maiden voyage. Its destination was New York. The ship, 882 feet (269 m) long, held over 2,400 passengers and nearly 900 crewmembers. On 14 April, just shortly before midnight, she struck an iceberg. Exactly 100 years ago today, RMS Titanic plunged into the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, taking with her 1,500-plus persons….

Some of the wealthiest people in the world boarded Titanic for her maiden voyage, oblivious to the fact that it would actually be Titanic’s final voyage. Millionaire John Jacob Astor IV, who would be worth nearly US$12 billion today, lost every last cent he had on that cold, April night 100 years ago today. Although he was the richest person aboard Titanic, death took his fortune just as much as it took the poorest victims’.

As the psalmist expressed in today’s Scripture, this earthly life is ever so brief. Life on earth is but a “shadow that passeth away,” “even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14).

One day, short of the rapture, death will steal from us every last material possession we own. Large bank accounts, although nice, are not permanent because economic recessions and depressions can empty them quickly. Although we are expected to have jobs so we can eat and buy goods (2 Thessalonians 3:10; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:14), our priority is not seeing how much worldly possessions and “wealth” we can amass.

Our primary focus is to trust in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour now, while we still have breath. Then, as Christians, we desire to store up a treasure of sound doctrine in the inner man (studying and believing the Bible dispensationally). Although our “uncertain [material] riches” (1 Timothy 6:17) will eventually vanish, we are spiritually rich in Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9), “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

Praise the Lord—we can never lose our spiritual wealth in Christ!

By the way, our past two devotionals about Judas’ replacement have recently been combined and expanded to form the study “Judas’ Replacement: Matthias or Paul?”

Your Spiritual Bank Account

Friday, December 30, 2011

“For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account” (Philippians 4:16,17 KJV).

In the Dispensation of Grace, as members of the Church, the Body of Christ, God has not guaranteed us material riches. Actually, believers in Macedonia (northern Greece, perhaps Thessalonica and Berea) experienced “deep poverty” (2 Corinthians 8:1,2). Paul sometimes lacked certain material goods including food and shelter (2 Corinthians 11:27; Philippians 4:11,12). Material riches are “uncertain riches” (1 Timothy 6:17). Instead, God has promised us spiritual wealth in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 8:9).

We who have trusted exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ—His blood shed for our sins, His death, His burial, and His resurrection—have eternally gained “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). As “children of God,” we are “then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:16,17). Imagine that—we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ!”

In addition to those spiritual blessings we already have, we are accumulating further spiritual wealth by daily studying and believing sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine. That sound Bible doctrine is likened to “gold, silver, and precious stones”—everything else (philosophy, religious tradition, et cetera) is the worthless “wood, hay, and stubble” that should be avoided (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

Furthermore, today’s Scripture speaks of “fruit abounding to our account”—our spiritual bank account. The indwelling Holy Ghost will take the aforementioned sound doctrine and empower us to invest time, money, and energy in Christian service (like assisting other Christians, as in today’s Scripture). This will yield eternal benefits—spiritual growth/maturity, salvation of others, et cetera (2 Corinthians 9:6,7).

Once we Christians leave this life, we leave behind material wealth (1 Timothy 6:7). “Godliness,” or “doctrine according to godliness” (sound Bible teaching), is all we will be taking to heaven (1 Timothy 6:3-6). This sound doctrine and spiritual wealth is everlasting, never to be lost to recession or depression. Rejoice! 🙂

‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas

Sunday, December 18, 2011

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 KJV).

During the Christmas Season, we wonder how many people are visiting church for the second time this year (the other being Easter Sunday). Since Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, how many will be going to church just to feel “religious” or “holy?” How many really know Jesus Christ? For many, visiting a church building is just an obligation; they do not have faith in God’s Word and have no interest in God’s Word.

We do not go to church to “feel closer to God,” for if we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we cannot be any closer to God than we already are in Christ! “[Before salvation, we were] without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh [close to God] by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12,13).

Furthermore, we do not go to church in order to get God’s blessings, for God has already given us “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We go to church, not because we are keeping Israel’s Sabbath day, since we are not obligated to observe Israel’s religious days (Colossians 2:16). We go to church to fellowship with like-minded believers and hear sound doctrine… more than twice a year, by the way.

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy that whenever he would assemble with fellow Christians, certain behavior was acceptable and other types of behavior were not (described throughout the epistle of 1 Timothy). Recall that when the Bible refers to “the church,” it refers to the body of believers, not the physical building in which they meet.

As we get opportunities, let us make an effort to reach these dear souls misled by all the vain religious tradition and Christmas commercialization, and may we tell them about the wonderful Christ Jesus whose name is found in Christmas!

*Based on the poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

The Expensive Getaway

Thursday, December 15, 2011

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV).

We often hear of exotic getaways like Fiji, the Caribbean Islands, and Hawaii. While these vacations are pricey, they are ridiculously cheap when compared to heaven, “the expensive getaway.”

“[God] will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:6,7). God will give eternal life to any individual who has perfect righteousness. He demands 100 percent perfection—even 99.999 percent righteousness is far too less for God to accept.

The price to enter heaven’s glory is far too expensive for us. We all have a few “good” works here and there… mere pocket change! By nature, we are spiritually poor, bankrupt of righteousness. We have all offended God: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Our lives are filled with many sinful acts, including hatred, lying, gossiping, cursing, and coveting. These sins offend God’s righteousness, so what will you do with them?

Today’s Scripture gives us the Good News. At Calvary’s cross, God fully and completely dealt with our unrighteousness. Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, died for your sins, to give His life so you could have an opportunity to be made righteous in Him! King David wrote: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

When we trust the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, God “imputes” (applies) His righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). As today’s Scripture says, in Christ, we are rich indeed: we are spiritually rich because Jesus Christ accomplished our salvation. In Christ Jesus, we are justified, made perfect in God the Father’s sight, thus able to enter heaven (Romans 3:21-31).

One day, at the rapture, we Christians will take our expensive getaway. Are you ready for the vacation of a lifetime? Saints, our flight is coming! Stay tuned…. 🙂

Ye Are Complete in Him

Thursday, November 24, 2011

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9,10 KJV).

Today’s Scripture says all the power of the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—dwells in Christ Jesus (God the Son). Consequently, we are “complete [lacking nothing] in Christ.” The moment we trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, God instantly gave us everything He can ever give us.

We read in Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” In Christ, we have all our “need” (singular) met. What is our “need?” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). The spiritual blessings we have in Christ as a present and permanent possession are our “need.”

What are these spiritual blessings? Throughout Paul’s epistles, we read of over 120 spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus. Our spiritual blessings in Christ include:

  1. Sealed by and with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30)
  2. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)
  3. New identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  4. Holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God’s sight (Colossians 1:22)
  5. Crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6)
  6. Alive with Christ (Romans 6:8)
  7. Liberty (Galatians 5:1)
  8. Accepted in the beloved, God’s Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6)
  9. The temple of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 3:16)
  10. Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)
  11. Access by one Spirit unto the Father (Ephesians 2:18)
  12. Preserved unto the Lord’s heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:18)
  13. Eternal life (Titus 1:2)
  14. Grace to endure suffering (2 Corinthians 12:9)
  15. Deliverance from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4)

We cannot see these spiritual blessings with our physical eyes, but we see them with our spiritual eyes of faith (Hebrews 11:1). Let us always thank God for these blessings, not just during the Thanksgiving Season, but for all eternity.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study titled “A Cornucopia of Spiritual Blessings.” The Bible study can be read here.