Table of contents of devotions on our Web site:

Series on the Apostle's Creed

1. God the Father Almighty
2. The Creator of Heaven and Earth
3. The Identity of Jesus Christ
4. Jesus Was Born For Us!
5. Jesus' Suffering Before His Crucifixion
6. Jesus' Crucifixion, Death, and Burial
7. Jesus is Risen!
8. Who Is The Holy Spirit?
9. The Fruit of the Spirit

Series on Discipleship

The Bible

Prayer

Worship & Fellowship

Spiritual Warfare

Evangelism

Series on Eschatology

1. An Introduction to the End Times
2. The Last Days Are Here!
3. Signs of the Times
4. Waiting with Hope for the Bridegroom and the Judge
5. The Resurrection
6. Coping with Evil Powers
7. The Believer's Destination

The Bible is Worth Studying

Characteristics of the Bible

2. The Bible comes from God:

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version)

"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV)

3. The Bible is without error:

"All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." (Psalms 119:160 NIV)

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." (Proverbs 30:5 NIV)

"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17 NIV)

4. The Bible is powerful:

"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11 NIV)

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (Romans 1:16 NIV)

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)

5. The Bible is eternal:

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, 'All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands for ever.' And this is the word that was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:23-25 NIV)

"Do not think that I [Jesus] have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18 NIV)

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How to Study God's Word

"No one ever graduates from Bible study until he meets the Author face to face." (Everett T. Harris in The Christian Herald, quoted in 12,000 Religious Quotations by Frank S. Mead, p. 28)

NOTE: The following 5-step method is taken from the Navigators, as explained in Personal Disciplemaking by Christopher B. Adsit, pp. 238-239.

1. Hear the Word

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17 NIV)

Helps: Take notes during messages. Listen to tapes while commuting and working.

2. Read the Word

"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Revelation 1:3 NIV)

Helps: Select a plan appropriate for your stage in life to read through a book of the Bible in a month or the whole Bible in a year or two.

3. Study the Word

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11 NIV)

Helps: Join a group Bible study or schedule study time each week on a subject of personal interest.

4. Memorize the Word

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalms 119:11 NIV)

Helps: Memorize verses that have significance for you. Work on one verse a week or a month to begin with. Post the verse where you will see it daily. Review it frequently.

5. Meditate on the Word

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." (Psalms 1:1-3 NIV)

Helps: (Adapted from Come Walk With Me by Carole Mayhall, p. 51-56)

Use the A-E-I-O-U method:
A= Ask questions about the verse's meaning.
E= Emphasize different words in the verse as you repeat it.
I= Illustrate the verse from other reading or life experiences.
O= Other Bible verses can be found as cross-references.
U= Use the verse in conversation and put it into practice.

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Benefits of Studying the Bible

"The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts." (George Mueller, quoted in A Handbook for Christian Maturity by Bill Bright, p. 189)

1. The Bible shows the way to salvation:

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31 NIV)

"and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15 NIV)

2. The Bible gives access to guidance:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalms 119:105 NIV)

"When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you." (Proverbs 6:22 NIV)

3. The Bible is a resource for spiritual growth:

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." (1 Peter 2:2 NIV)

"Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:13-14 NIV)

4. The Word equips:

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17 NIV)

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

5. The Bible helps keep us from sin:

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalms 119:9,11 NIV)

Jesus used Scripture to resist Satan's temptations of him:

Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" (Matthew 4:4,7,10 NIV)

6. Knowledge of the Bible leads to blessed obedience:

"By them [the commands] is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." (Psalms 19:11 NIV)

"[Jesus] replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.'" (Luke 11:28 NIV)

7. The Bible is a source of joy, hope, and comfort:

"The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes." (Psalms 19:8 NIV)

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4 NIV)

"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. . . .I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them." (Psalms 119:50, 52 NIV)

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Our Response to The Bible

"Be careful how you live; you may be the only Bible some person ever reads." (W.J. Toms, The Detroit News quoted in 12,000 Religious Quotations by Frank S. Mead, p. 33)

1. Believe it:

"Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You [Jesus] have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'" (John 6:68-69 NIV)

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31 NIV)

2. Stay in contact with it:

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NIV)

"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." (John 8:31 NIV)

3. Obey it:

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:21 NIV)

"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him." (1 John 2:5 NIV)

4. Let it live in you:

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16 NIV)

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8 NIV)

5. Use it properly:

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." (Revelation 22:18-19 NIV)

6. Share it with others:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV)

7. Produce spiritual fruit:

"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . The farmer sows the word. . . .Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (Mark 4:3,14,20 NIV)

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Jesus Was Born For Us!

"I believe in Jesus Christ. . .who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary."
(From: "Apostles' Creed", Psalter Hymnal, 1987, by CRC Publications, p. 813)


God Promised Jesus' Birth
God Prepared for Jesus' Birth
God Presented Jesus at His Birth
God Presents Jesus to Us and We Must Respond

God Promised Jesus' Birth

The Lord God said when time was full,

He would shine his light in the darkness.

He said a virgin would conceive

and give birth to the Promise.

For a thousand years the dreamers dreamt,

and hoped to see His love.

But the Promise showed their wildest dreams

had simply not been wild enough.

The Promise was love and the Promise was life;

the Promise meant light to the world.

Living proof Jehovah saves

for the name of the Promise was Jesus.

The faithful One saw time was full,

and the ancient pledge was honored.

So God the Son, the Incarnate One,

His final word, His own Son

Was born in Bethlehem,

but came into our hearts to live.

What more could God have given, tell me

what more did He have to give?

The Promise was love and the Promise was life;

the Promise meant light to the world.

Living proof Jehovah saves

for the name of the Promise was Jesus.

1. God said Jesus would be born of David's family line:

a. Prophecy:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV)

b. Fulfillment:

"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:" (Matthew 1:1 NIV)

"Then I [John] heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb [Jesus] be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!'" (Revelation 5:13 NIV)


2. God said Jesus would be born of a virgin as "God with us":

a. Prophecy:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).

b. Fulfillment:

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. . . .the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus." (Luke 1:26-27,30-31 NIV)

"All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel'-- which means, 'God with us.'" (Matthew 1:22-23 NIV)


3. God said Jesus would be born in Bethlehem:

a. Prophecy:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (Micah 5:2 NIV)

b. Fulfillment:

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born." (Luke 2:4-6 NIV)


4. God said Jesus' birth would trigger the slaughter of children:

a. Prophecy:

This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more." (Jeremiah 31:15 NIV)

b. Fulfillment:

"When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 'A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.'" (Matthew 2:16-18 NIV)

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God Prepared for Jesus' Birth

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1,14 NIV)

The opening music of the heavenly spheres

Has not yet sounded, nor has come to light

The texture, intricacy, color-flight

Of cosmos, introducing history's years,

And yet, already God transcendent sears

The Void with holy splendor, glory bright,

No shadows known, no meaning yet to night,

Sans shade, sans death, sans sin, sans hate, sans tears.

God's Self-Expression, his own Son, his Word

Joins with his Father, clothed with light of bliss,

In solemn covenant, resolve assured,

To save the lost who do not yet exist.

Transcendent Deity now deigns to mesh

With finite clay: the Word takes on our flesh.

When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord [Jesus]." (Luke 1:12-17 NIV)

2. God prepared Mary, Jesus' mother, for Jesus' birth:

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.'
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.'
'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'
The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth [the mother of John the Baptist] your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.'
'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.'" Then the angel left her." (Luke 1:26-38 NIV)

3. God prepared Joseph, Mary's husband, for Jesus' birth:

"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'" (Matthew 1:18-21 NIV)

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God Presented Jesus at His Birth

What might have been in the news:

"Make Travel Reservations Early! Bethlehem Overflows with Visitors!"
"Woman Gives Birth in a Stable!"
"Angels Visit Shepherds! Who is Next?"
"Commotion At Innkeeper's Manger!"
"Starstruck Wisemen Keep Herod in the Dark!"

1. Mary gives birth to Jesus:

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:1-7 NIV)

2. God presented Jesus to the shepherds:

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.'
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." (Luke 2:8-16 NIV)

3. God presented Jesus to the Magi:

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.'
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
'In Bethlehem in Judea,' they replied, 'for this is what the prophet has written: "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel."'
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.'
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." (Matthew 2:1-12 NIV)

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God Presents Jesus to Us and We Must Respond

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9 NIV)

1. Let us adore the promised Jesus:

It Is as if Infancy Were the Whole of Incarnation

One time of the year

the new-born child is everywhere,

planted in madonnas' arms,

hay mows, stables,

in palaces or farms,

or quaintly, under snowed gables,

gothic angular or baroque plump,

naked or elaborately swathed,

encircled by Della Robbia wreaths,

garnished with whimsical partridges and pears,

drummers and drums,

lit by oversize stars,

partnered with lambs,

peace doves, sugar plums,

bells, plastic camels in sets of three

as if these were what we need

for eternity.

But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.

We are too wary, these days,

of beards and sandalled feet.

Yet if we celebrate, let it be

that he

has invaded our lives with purpose,

striding over our picturesque traditions,

our shallow sentiment,

overturning our cash registers,

wielding his peace like a sword,

rescuing us into reality,

demanding much more

than the milk and the softness

and the mother warmth

of the baby in the storefront creche,

(only the Man would ask

all, of each of us)

reaching out

always, urgently, with strong effective love

(only the Man would give his life

and live again for love of us).

Oh come, let us adore him--

Christ--the Lord.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world!

The Lord is come:

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart

Prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing.

Give One Gift to Christ This Christmas:

Forgive someone.

Let go of a habit.

Begin a holy habit.

Love someone who doesn't love you.

Accept the circumstances you are in, by faith.

Bow down before Him.

Worship Him.

Praise Him.

Adore Him!

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What is Prayer?

Numerous formats for prayer are possible--in fact, prayer is as unique as each person--but all prayer has as a central purpose the opportunity to express yourself fully and honestly to the Lord, to listen for His reply (very often in the form of insight, assurance, and joy), and to participate in the 'mystery' of seeing God's purposes on earth accomplished. Prayer offers an opportunity for Christian fellowship and guidance for the church." (The Woman's Study Bible, p. 2090)


An Invitation to Pray
Personal Prayer and Corporate Prayer (Praying Together)
A Prayer Plan
Prayer Attitudes

An Invitation to Pray

"Every page of [Scripture] encourages prayer. God will have us pray, and he will answer prayer. . . .He delights to hear our prayers; he will not weary with our often coming."
(Dwight L. Moody, as quoted in Classics Devotional Bible, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996], p. 1000)

1. God invites seekers and believers to pray to him:

"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7, New International Version)

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." (Psalms 91:14-16 NIV)

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV)

2. God commands believers to pray and promises to answer:

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18 NIV)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3 NIV)

3. The source of confidence in prayer is Jesus Christ:

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6 NIV)

a. Through Jesus' work of salvation:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV)

"and since we have a great priest [Jesus] over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:21-22 NIV)

b. In Jesus' name:

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:13-14 NIV)

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:24 NIV)

4. God provides help in our prayers:

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32 NIV)

a. Jesus prays for us:

"But because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:24-25 NIV)

b. The Holy Spirit prays for us:

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)

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Personal Prayer and Corporate Prayer (Praying Together)

"Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly. Others give but an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might." (Charles Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, p. 178)

1. Personal prayer:
Our relationship with God grows in intimacy proportionately to the time we spend with him in prayer.

a. The principle:

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace." (Matthew 6:6, The Message)

"Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Psalms 5:2-3 NIV)

b. Biblical examples:

Jesus:
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35 NIV)

David:
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (Psalms 51:10-12 NIV)

Paul:
"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:16-19a NIV)

2. Corporate prayer:
The power of prayer is multiplied when believers pray together.

a. The principle:

"Glorify the LORD with me: let us exalt his name together." (Psalms 34:3 NIV)

"Again, I [Jesus] tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20 NIV)

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. . .Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:13,16 NIV)

b. Biblical examples:

Israel in the time of Solomon:
"Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel. . . He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands towards heaven. . .
He said: 'O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth--you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. . .Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. May your eyes be open towards this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays towards this place.'" (2 Chronicles 6:12,13b,14,19-20 NIV)

Jesus' disciples:
"When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." (Acts 1:13-14 NIV)

The early church:
"'Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.' After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (Acts 4:29-31 NIV)

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A Prayer Plan

A simple way to organize personal prayer is around the acrostic ACTSS, representing: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, and Surrender. Jesus' gave the Lord's Prayer [below], which contains most of these elements, to the disciples as a pattern for prayer.

"This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [adoration]
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [surrender]
Give us today our daily bread. [supplication]
Forgive us our debts, [confession]
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one, [supplication]
for yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever.Amen'" [adoration]
(Matthew 6:9-13 NIV)

1. Adoration: Adoration is praising the Lord for who he is.

"Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." (Psalms 150:1-6 NIV)

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?' 'Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?' For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36 NIV)

2. Confession: Confession is admitting our sins to God and asking for his forgiveness.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9 NIV)

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' --and you forgave the guilt of my sin." (Psalms 32:5 NIV)

3. Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving is thanking the Lord for what he does.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

"Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:20 NIV)


4. Supplication: Supplication is humbly asking God to act, either for oneself (petition) or for others (intercession).

a. Petition:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)

b. Intercession:

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone." (1 Timothy 2:1 NIV)


5. Surrender: Surrender is submitting your will to God's will, acknowledging God's authority over you.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalms 139:23-24 NIV)

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2 NIV)

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Prayer Attitudes

NOTE: These are suggested goals, not absolute requirements:

"We will never have pure enough motives, or be good enough, or know enough in order to pray rightly. We simply must set all these things aside and begin praying. In fact, it is in the very act of prayer itself--the intimate, ongoing interaction with God--that these matters are cared for in due time." (Richard J. Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, p. 8)

1. Spend some time in silence:

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalms 46:10 NIV)

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him." (Psalms 37:7a NIV)

2. Exercise faith:

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:5-8 NIV)

3. Clear away unconfessed sin:

"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2 NIV)

4. Examine motives for prayer:

"You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:2-3 NIV)

5. Clear and focus the mind:

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." (1 Peter 4:7 NIV)

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV)

6. Use meaningful words:

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." (Matthew 6:7 NIV)

7. Remember God's answers to prayer can be "yes," "wait," and "no":
(See "surrender" in Week Three, point 5.)

a. "Yes":

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. . .Then Peter came to himself and said, 'Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.' When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. . . Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished." (Acts 12:5,11-12,16 NIV)

b. "Wait":

"A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, 'Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.' And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.'" (Daniel 10:10-13 NIV)

c. "No":

"To keep me [Paul] from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NIV)


NOTE: See also the devotion on "How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say" with ideas for incorporating Scripture in your prayers.

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Jesus' Suffering Before His Crucifixion

Prophecies of Jesus' Suffering

1. The Old Testament prophecied about the suffering Servant (Jesus):
(NOTE: This passage is just one of many prophecies about Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection in the Old Testament.)

"See, my servant will act wisely;

he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Just as there were many who were appalled at him--

his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man

and his form marred beyond human likeness--

so will he sprinkle many nations

[with the blood of his sacrifice],

and kings will shut their mouths because of him.

For what they were not told, they will see,

and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He [Jesus] grew up before him [the LORD] like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised,

and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered him stricken by God,

smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

And who can speak of his descendants?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in his mouth."

a. During his ministry:

1.) Jesus said he would die:

Jesus took the Twelve [disciples] aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be turned over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. (Luke 18:31-34 NIV)

2.) Jesus said he would live again:

"Then the Jews demanded of him, 'What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?'
Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.'. . . But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken." (John 2:18-19, 21-22 NIV)


b. At the Last Supper, the night before his death:
(Read more about the Last Supper in Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-38; and John 13-16.)

1.) Jesus said he would die:

"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take it; this is my body.'
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,' he said to them. 'I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 14:22-25 NIV)

2.) Jesus said he would live again:

"Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no-one will take away your joy." (John 16:22 NIV)

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The Setting of Jesus' Suffering

1. The plots against Jesus:

a. The religious leaders plotted against his life:

"Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him." (Matthew 26:3-4 NIV)

b. Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, plotted to betray him:
(Read more about Judas' betrayal in: Matthew 26:21-25; 27:3-10 and Mark 14:18-21 and Luke 22:21-23 and John 13:21-30.)

"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve [disciples]. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present." (Luke 22:1-6 NIV)

"[Judas] asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty silver coins." (Matthew 26:15 NIV)


2. Jesus' voluntarily submitted to the suffering plotted against him:

a. He stated this during his ministry:

"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again. No-one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (John 10:17-18 NIV)

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45 NIV)

"And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8 NIV)

b. He prayed this submission in Gethsemane before his arrest:
(Part of Jesus' prayer is also recorded in John 17.)

"They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.' He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,' he said to them. 'Stay here and keep watch.'
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 'Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup [of suffering] from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. 'Simon,' he said to Peter, 'are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.'
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!'" (Mark 14:32-42 NIV, italics added)


Meditation on Jesus' prayer:

"One man, totally alone, is swaying back and forth as if dizzy, his face in his hands. . .
'Abba, Father, I don't want to do this. Please! You can do anything; then take this cup [of suffering] away from me--. . .
Hell is in that cup! Death and Damnation are in that cup! My Father, my Father, it will tear me away from you! No, I don't want to do this! No! Sin is in that cup--and if I drink it you won't look at me, you will loathe me. . .
Nevertheless. . . not what I want. . .what you want. . .do.'

. . .And when he returns to his friends the final time, waking them with the news of his own betrayal--'Rise, let us be going'--this, in that hour, is what the solitary man [Jesus] is doing: drinking. Drinking."
(Walter Wangerin Jr., Reliving the Passion, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992], pp. 63, 64)

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Jesus' Suffering at His Arrest

The Bible account:

"When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, 'Who is it you want?'
'Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied.
'I am he,' Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground.
Again he asked them, 'Who is it you want?'
And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.'
'I told you that I am he,' Jesus answered. 'If you are looking for me, then let these men go.' This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: 'I have not lost one of those you gave me.'
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)
Jesus commanded Peter, 'Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?'" (John 18:1-11 NIV)

"But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And he touched the man's ear and healed him." (Luke 22:51 NIV)

"Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: 'The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.' Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, 'Rabbi!' and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him." (Mark 14:44-46 NIV)


Meditation on Jesus' arrest:

"There comes an orange snake eastward through the night. A snake of fire, a long snake of torches. Perhaps the disciples glance down from the Mount of Olives and see it and do not understand. . . It is a fatal snake. It kills by kissing. . .

The binding strength of that snake is the armed guard of the Temple and the police of the Sanhedrin [the Jewish high court]. Behold how the servants of God can bite!

But the head of the snake is one of the twelve, a disciple of Jesus. Behold how an intimate may kiss for other reasons than affection and respect. . .
And even so, with the meekest of gestures, has the war for the world been engaged. With a kiss. And the kiss has a tooth. And the snake that struck the Lord has a back of fire and a body of human opinion."
(Wangerin, pp. 68-70)

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Jesus' Suffering at His Trials

1. Jesus was falsely accused and sentenced at his religious trials:
(Note: Notice that the verdict against Jesus was decided in advance.)

a. Before Annas:

"They brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. . .Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching." (John 18:13-14,19 NIV)

b. Before Caiaphas [the high priest] and the Sanhedrin [the Jewish high court]:
(Read about Peter's denials of Jesus while waiting during this trial in: Matthew 26:31-35, 58, 69-75 and Mark 14:27-31, 54, 66-72 and Luke 22:31-38, 54b-62 and John 13:37-38; 18:15-18, 25-27.)

"Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. . . .
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward and declared, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"
"He is worthy of death," they answered. Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?" (Matthew 26:57, 59-68 NIV)

Note: The religious leaders recognized that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah (the Christ). However, Jesus was innocent of blasphemy, because he was who he said he was. Ironically, it was Jesus' accusers who were blaspheming against Jesus as they abused him. Jesus was claiming he would fulfil the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV):

"In my vision at night I looked,

and there before me was one like a son of man,

coming with the clouds of heaven.

He approached the Ancient of Days

and was led into his presence.

He was given authority, glory and sovereign power;

all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away,

and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."

c. The verdict:

"Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death." (Matthew 27:1 NIV)


2. Jesus was abused and falsely accused at his civil trials:

a. Before Pontius Pilate:
(For the most complete account of this trial, read John 18:28-38.)

"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.'
So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?'
'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied.
Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, 'I find no basis for a charge against this man.'
But they insisted, 'He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.'
On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean." (Luke 23:1-6 NIV)

b. Before Herod:

"When [Pilate] learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends--before this they had been enemies." (Luke 23:7-12 NIV)

c. Before Pilate and the people:

"Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, 'You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.'
With one voice they cried out, 'Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!' (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!'
For the third time he spoke to them: 'Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.'
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed." (Luke 23:13-23 NIV, italics added)

"When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!'
All the people answered, 'Let his blood be on us and on our children!'
Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." (Matthew 27:24-26 NIV)

d. The verdict:

"It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. 'Here is your king,' Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, 'Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!' 'Shall I crucify your king?' Pilate asked. 'We have no king but Caesar,' the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (John 19:14-16 NIV)


3. Although he was convicted and sentenced by two courts, Jesus was innocent of the charges against him:

"If I were presenting this brief in a court of law, I would tell the jury that the evidence will show that the above facts are believable, based upon accepted ancient writings, archaeological evidence, and common sense. Furthermore, as we learn more about the evidence and the criminal law of the day, we will prove that the so-called Jewish trial was illegal according to the court's own procedures and that Jesus of Nazareth was not guilty of any crime against the Roman Empire."

("Summation" by Dale M. Foreman, Crucify Him: A Lawyer Looks at the Trial of Jesus, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990])



What does Jesus' suffering have to do with me?

Jesus suffered all of these things for the purpose of saving those who believe in him from their sins!

"Although he [Jesus] was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." (Hebrews 5:8-9 NIV)


How should I respond to Jesus' suffering?

1. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, click on the links
"I'd like to know more about Jesus" and "Steps to Salvation" (below)
to begin this important relationship today.

2. If you already know Jesus as your Savior and Redeemer, offer thanks to Jesus for his willingness to suffer for you:

"There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son,

Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.

Thank You, O my Father, for giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit 'til the work on earth is done."

Jesus, my Redeemer, Name above all names,

Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, hope for sinners slain.

Thank You, O my Father, for giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit 'til the work on earth is done."

"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:7 NIV)

"So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19 NIV)


4. Know that since Jesus suffered himself, he is able to understand us and help us in all circumstances:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV)

"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:25 NIV)

NOTE: See "Jesus' Crucifixion, Death, and Burial" for the rest of the account of Jesus' death and his resurrection and ascension to glory.

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Jesus' Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

(Michael Green, Who is This Jesus?, [Nashville, TN: Oliver-Nelson Books, 1990, 1992], p. 69)


NOTE: Click on the link below for background information on this devotion.
Jesus' Suffering Before His Crucifixion


Jesus Was Crucified-Part 1
Jesus Was Crucified-Part 2
Jesus' Body Was Buried
The Significance of Jesus' Death

Jesus Was Crucified-Part 1

(NOTE: The full account of Jesus' crucifixion can be found in: Matthew 27:32-56 and Mark 15:21-41 and Luke 23:26-51 and John 19:16-37.)

1. Jesus was taken to the cross:

"Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers round him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. 'Hail, king of the Jews!' they said. They spat on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.
After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it." (Matthew 27:27-34 New International Version)

2. Jesus was crucified:

"When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left." (Matthew 27:35-38 NIV)

3. Jesus was mocked:

a. By the passers-by:

"Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!'" (Matthew 27:39-40 NIV)

b. By the religious leaders:

"In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 'He saved others,' they said, 'but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, "I am the Son of God."'" (Matthew 27:41-43 NIV)

c. By the soldiers:

"The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, 'If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.'" (Luke 23:36-37 NIV)

d. By a criminal:

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:39-43 NIV)


4. Women stayed with Jesus:

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing near by, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple [John], 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:25-27 NIV)

"Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there." (Mark 15:40-41 NIV)


5. Meditation: "A Prayer of Reflection on the Last Words of Christ":


"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34a NIV)
Lord, I hold on to a grudge like it was a treasure, but it rots my soul. Help me to let go of what I can't control and learn to forgive.

"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NIV)
Like the thief to whom You promised eternal life, I believe in Your ability to save me. Help my unbelief.

"He said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.'" (John 19:26-27 NIV)
When I hurt, I think only of myself. Give me an unselfish heart to see and care for others who are hurting.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 NIV)
It was for me that You were forsaken. Help me to let go of the unanswered "why's" in my life and to find peace in knowing that You are my God.

"I am thirsty." (John 19:28 NIV)
Give me an unquenchable thirst to know You, my Lord.

"It is finished." (John 19:30 NIV)
I can never add to what you have done for me. My salvation is complete. Help me to know the joy of Your grace as I serve You.

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46 NIV)
I want to surrender everything in my life to You. Teach me what that means for each new day, and give me the will to do what I know I need to do. Amen.

(Poetic reading from Christ in Easter:A Family Celebration of Holy Week, [Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1991], under "Good Friday/The Crucifixion")

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Jesus Was Crucified-Part 2

"And this, precisely, is the bitterest drop in the cup: that, crying down eternity unheard, separated absolutely from God--from the God he cannot help but love even still--Jesus is in Hell. The darkness that covers Jerusalem from noon to the middle of the afternoon, it is no less than the damnation of the Messiah, who wails and gnashes his teeth in an utter solitude from now (so it must seem) unto eternity. Hell is eternal. And he has descended into Hell."
(Walter Wangerin Jr., Reliving the Passion, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992], pp. 63, 64)

NOTE: Jesus did not remain in hell. He promised the believing criminal that they would be in paradise together that day:
"Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:43 NIV)


1. Darkness descended for three hours:

"From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' --which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Matthew 27:45-46 NIV)

2. The symbolism of darkness is:

a. Separation from God:

"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'" (Matthew 22:13 NIV)

"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power." (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV)

b. Judgment of sin:

"They have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore the LORD's anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. . . .In that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, he will see darkness and distress; even the light will be darkened by the clouds." (Isaiah 5:24b, 25a, 30 NIV)

"But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. . . .These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them." (2 Peter 2:12, 17 NIV)

c. Spiritual battle with evil forces:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

"I [Jesus] will rescue you [Paul] from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." (Acts 26:17-18 NIV)


3. Jesus' gave up his life:

"Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:28-30 NIV)

"Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46 NIV)


4. Signs accompanied Jesus' death:

a. The temple curtain before the Most Holy Place tore in two:

"The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." (Mark 15:38 NIV)

The meaning of the sign is the removal of the spiritual barrier between God and people:

"And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place [God's presence] by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body." (Hebrews 10:18-20 NIV)

b. The earth shook:

"The earth shook and the rocks split." (Matthew 27:51b NIV)

The meaning of the sign is that God has the power to judge sin:

"I [John] watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. . .
The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'" (Revelation 6:12a, 14-17 NIV)

c. Some Old Testament saints came to life:

"The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people." (Matthew 27:52-53 NIV)

The meaning of the sign is that the dead will be resurrected in the future:

"I [Job] know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:25-27 NIV)

d. The Roman centurion believed in Jesus:

"When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, 'Surely he was the Son of God!'" (Matthew 27:54 NIV)

"The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, 'Surely this was a righteous man.'" (Luke 23:47 NIV)

The meaning of the sign is that the Gentiles will believe in Jesus:

"The centurion sees better than he did, and more than he ever did before: he sees God! He sees the very nature of the love of God! The dying of one [Jesus] is the other one's window, and what has been veiled is now revealed, and a pagan whispers with the solemn weight of conviction, confession, faith: 'Truly, this man was the Son of God!'"
(Walter Wangerin Jr., Reliving the Passion, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992], p. 134, emphasis added)

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Jesus' Body Was Buried

"O my God, Jesus, I am in every way unworthy of you. Yet, like Joseph of Arimathea, I want to offer a space for you. He offered his own tomb; I offer my heart.
Enter the darkness of my heart, as your body entered the darkness of Joseph's tomb. And make me worthy to receive you, driving out all sin that I may be filled with your spiritual light."

(Bonaventura, "Prayers on the Death of Christ," Classics Devotional Bible, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996], p. 1266)

1. Jesus was verified to be dead:

"Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
The man who saw it [John] has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: 'Not one of his bones will be broken,'[Psalm 34:20] and, as another scripture says, 'They will look on the one they have pierced' [Zechariah 12:10]." (John 19:31-37 NIV)

2. Joseph and Nicodemus took Jesus' body:

"Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night [John 3]. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs." (John 19:38-40 NIV)

3. Jesus' body was placed in Joseph's new tomb:

"At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no-one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus there." (John 19:41-42 NIV)

4. The tomb was sealed shut:

a. By Joseph:

"So Joseph. . . rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb." (Mark 15:46b NIV)

b. By Pilate:

"The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 'Sir,' they said, 'we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, "After three days I will rise again." So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.'
'Take a guard,' Pilate answered. 'Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." (Matthew 27:62-66 NIV)


5. Jesus' burial in a new tomb was significant:

a. Jesus' body was preserved from decay:

"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." (Acts 2:26-28 NIV)

b. The tomb fulfilled prophecy:

"He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9, NIV)


6. The women planned to return to the tomb after the Sabbath:

"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." (Luke 23:55-56 NIV)

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The Significance of Jesus' Death

"All things were altered by Christ's passion, past and future. Time and space are no longer barriers which separate us from one another, but ways of communion, paths by which we may come to meet one another in the life which flows from the side of Christ. Injury itself, evil and wrong, all that can cause men and women to hate and destroy one another, that too is overcome, for with life there comes forgiveness, the life-giving power of reconciliation and peace."
(Arthur Macdonald Allchin, The Doubleday Christian Quotation Collection, [New York, NY: Doubleday, 1997], p. 228)

1. Jesus sacrificed himself for us:

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NIV)

"Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." (1 Corinthians 5:7b NIV)

"Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:2 NIV)


2. Jesus' sacrifice paid for our sin, which deserved the death penalty:

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NIV)

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV)

"The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29 NIV)

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24 NIV)


3. Jesus reconciled us (restored our relationship) with God:

"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." (Colossians 1:21-22 NIV)

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:10-11 NIV)


4. Jesus paved the way for peace between people:

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two [Jew and Gentile] one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2:13-16 NIV)

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)



SUGGESTIONS for responding to Jesus' sacrificial death:

1. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, click on the links
"I'd like to know more about Jesus" and "Steps to Salvation" (below)
to begin this important relationship today.

2. If you do know Jesus as your Savior, humble yourself before the cross:

"How do you humble yourself before the cross?

Just take a look up into the night sky.

Jesus, who set suns and stars spinning in motion,

who dreamed up not just our galaxy. . .

but a billion other galaxies. . .

Jesus who held together by his word

the very sinews and joints in the hands

that hammered spikes in to his wrists;

this same Jesus bore his Father's wrath

against you and your sin when he hung on the cross.

Amazing love!"

"Though our Saviour's passion is over, his compassion is not."
(Willam Penn, The Doubleday Christian Quotation Collection, p. 151)


NOTE: Hold onto your hope! We also explore Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven. God did not leave Jesus in the tomb!

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Jesus is Risen!

"I believe in Jesus Christ. . .The third day he rose again from the dead.He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father, almighty."
(From: "Apostles' Creed", Psalter Hymnal, 1987, by CRC Publications, p. 813)


"Taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no single historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ."
(Bruce Foss Westcott, The Doubleday Christian Quotation Collection, [New York, NY: Doubleday, 1997], p. 199)

Jesus is Alive!
Jesus Appeared to Believers After He Rose from the Dead
Jesus Gave the Great Commission and Ascended to Heaven
What is So Important About Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension?

Jesus is Alive!

1. The tomb opened:

"There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men." (Matthew 28:2-4 NIV)

2. Women came to the tomb:

"When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.
Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?' But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man [an angel] dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you [Mark 14:28]."'
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." (Mark 16:1-8 NIV)

3. The women reported to the disciples:

"When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense." (Luke 24:9-11 NIV)

4. Peter and John visit the tomb:

"So Peter and the other disciple [John] started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)" (John 20:3-9 NIV)

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Jesus Appeared to Believers After He Rose from the Dead

"Jesus. Have you seen him? Those who first did were never the same.
'My Lord and my God!' cried Thomas.
'I have seen the Lord,' exclaimed Mary Magdalene.
'We have seen his glory,' declared John.
'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked?'
rejoiced the two Emmaus-bound disciples.
But Peter said it best. 'We were eyewitnesses of his majesty.'

His majesty. The emperor of Judea. The soaring eagle of eternity. The noble admiral of the Kingdom. All the splendor of heaven revealed in a human body. For a period ever so brief, the doors to the throne room were open and God came near. His Majesty was seen. Heaven touched the earth and, as a result, earth can know heaven."
(Max Lucado, God Came Near, [Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1987], p. 7)


1. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene:

"Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?'
'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus.
'Woman,' he said, 'why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?'
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.'
Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'
She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher). Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, "I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."'" (John 20:11-17 NIV)

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." (John 10:14 NIV)


2. Jesus appeared to the women:

"Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.'" (Matthew 28:9-10 NIV)


3. Jesus appeared to two men on the Emmaus road:

"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognising him.
He asked them, 'What are you discussing together as you walk along?'
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, 'Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?'
'What things?' he asked.
'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.'
He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going further. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognised by them when he broke the bread." (Luke 24:13-35 NIV)


4. Jesus appeared to ten disciples in Jerusalem:
NOTE: Jesus had a body. The disciples could touch him, and he could eat.

"While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, 'Do you have anything here to eat?' They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence." (Luke 24:36-43 NIV)


5. Jesus appeared to eleven disciples in Jerusalem:

"Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.'
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.'
Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!'
Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'" (John 20:24-29 NIV)


6. Jesus appeared to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee:

"Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias [Galilee]. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 'I'm going out to fish,' Simon Peter told them, and they said, 'We'll go with you.' So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.
He called out to them, 'Friends, haven't you any fish?'

'No,' they answered.
He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, 'It is the Lord,' he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.'
Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples dared ask him, 'Who are you?' They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead." (John 21:1-14 NIV)


7. A Summary of Jesus' appearances after his resurrection:

"For what I [Paul] received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time [possibly at his ascension--see #2 below], most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me [Paul--see Acts 9] also, as to one abnormally born." (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NIV)


Recommended Reading: Who Moved the Stone? by Frank Morison. Zondervan Publishing House has reprinted the 1930 edition, published by Faber and Faber in London, England.

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Jesus Gave the Great Commission and Ascended to Heaven

"The ascension of Christ is his liberation from all restrictions of time and space. It does not represent his removal from the earth, but his constant presence everywhere on earth [through the Holy Spirit]."
(William Temple, The Doubleday Christian Quotation Collection, p. 223)

"Where is Jesus? Up in heaven and in my heart." (Pastor Tim, Palm Sunday March 28, 1999)


1. Jesus' gives his last charges to his disciples:

a. He taught them how the Scriptures related to him:

"He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.'
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, 'This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.'" (Luke 24:44-49 NIV)

b. He gave them the "Great Commission":

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" (Matthew 28:16-20 NIV)

(NOTE: Jesus would always be with them through the Holy Spirit, promised in the next passage.)

c. He told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit:

"After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit. . . .
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 1:3-5, 8 NIV)

(NOTE: Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled in Acts 2.)


2. Jesus ascended to heaven:

"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven." (Luke 24:50-51 NIV)

"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white [angels] stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'" (Acts 1:9-11 NIV)


3. Jesus is reigning in glory now in heaven:

"God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear [at Pentecost]." (Acts 2:32-33 NIV)

"I [Paul] pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:18-23 NIV)

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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." (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV)

"The Son [Jesus] is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty [God the Father] in heaven." (Hebrews 1:3 NIV)

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What is So Important About Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension?

"No Resurrection. No Christianity."
(Arthur Michael Ramsey, The Doubleday Christian Quotation Collection, p. 309)

1. Without Jesus' resurrection we have no hope:

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him." (1 Corinthians 15:14-23 NIV)


2. Jesus' resurrection means hope for believers' resurrection and eternal life with Jesus:

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:11 NIV)

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26 NIV)

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6-7 NIV)

"Then I [John] saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband [Jesus Christ]. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" (Revelation 21:1-4 NIV)


3. Jesus' reign in heaven calls us to receive his blessings and focus our life on him:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
(Ephesians 1:3 NIV)

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1 NIV)


4. It is time for YOU to make a decision about Jesus:

"'What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?' Pilate asked." (Matthew 27:22a NIV)

"Pilate's question is yours. 'What will I do with this man, Jesus?'
You have two choices.
You can reject him. That is an option. You can, as have many, decide that the idea of God becoming a carpenter is too bizarre--and walk away.
Or you can accept him. You can journey with him. You can listen for his voice amidst the hundreds of voices and follow him."
(Max Lucado, And the Angels Were Silent, [Portland, OR: Multnomah, 1992], p. 161)

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How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say

"Avoid being bashful with God. . . .A fine humility it would be if I had the Emperor of Heaven and earth in my house, coming to it to do me a favor and to delight in my company, and I were so humble that I would not answer His questions, nor remain with Him, or accept what He gave me. . . .Have nothing to do with that kind of humility."
(Teresa of Avila, quoted in Walking With the Saints, by Calvin Miller, [Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1995], p. 87)


Many people ask, "What do I say when I pray?" or "I don't know how to say to God what I want to say." Wonderful resources for verbalizing our prayers are the Bible (or Scripture) and the songs and hymns of the Christian faith.

Also, remember God promises in the Bible that Jesus and the Holy Spirit will help us (intercede for us) in our prayers:

"But because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood.

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through

him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews

7:24-25 New International Version)

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to

pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that

words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind

of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in

accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)

In addition, many published prayers resources are available. Believers have collected prayers and songs which praise and thank God, confess sins to him, and present requests to him. Used with your own prayers, published prayers and songs may broaden your outlook and reveal new areas of need to present to God. They can also aid in developing a daily discipline of prayer.


Pray Scripture
Use Scripture in Worshipful Prayer
Use Scripture in Structured Prayer
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Pray Scripture

"'Praying the Scripture' is a unique way of dealing with the Scripture; it involves both reading and prayer. Turn to the Scriputre; choose some passage that is simple and fairly practical. Next, come to the Lord. Come quietly and humbly. There, before him, read a small portion of the passage of Scripture. . . .

You may then want to take that portion of Scripture that has touched you and turn it into prayer. . . .

Plunge into the very depths of the words you read until revelation, like a sweet aroma, breaks out upon you. I am quite sure that if you will follow this course, little by little you come to experience a very rich prayer that flows from you inward being."
(Madame Jeanne Guyon, quoted in Devotional Classics, ed. by Richard J. Foster, [New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1993], pp. 320-321)


1. Pray a Bible prayer by changing the pronouns:
(Scriptures personalized with "I," your name, or someone else's name can be turned into a prayer to God.)

"For this reason I kneel before [You] Father, from whom [Your] whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of [Your] glorious riches [You] may strengthen [us] with power through [Your] Spirit in [our] inner beings, so that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith. And I pray that [we], being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that [we] may be filled to the measure of all [Your] fulness.

"Now to [You] who [are] able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to [Your] power that is at work within us, to [You] be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:13-21 New International Version)

2. Pray using a more informal version of the Bible:

"My response is to get down on my knees before [You] Father, [a] magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask [You] to strengthen [us] by [Your] Spirit--not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength--that Christ will live in [us] as [we] open the door and invite him in. And I ask [You] that with both feet planted firmly on love, [we'll] be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. [Teach us to] reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of [You].

"[You] can do anything, [we] know--far more than [we] could ever imagine or guess or request in [our] wildest dreams! [You do] it not by pushing us around but by working within us, [Your] Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to [You] in the church!
Glory to [You] in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!"

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."
(Psalms 23:1-6 NIV)

As a prayer:

"Lord, I praise you that you are my Shepherd and that I shall not be in want. I thank you for making me lie down in green pastures and leading me beside quiet waters. I take comfort that you have restored my soul. Please continue to guide me in the paths of righteousness for your name's sake. I have the confidence that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I know you are with me.
I thank you for your rod and staff which have comforted me. I thank you for the table you have prepared for me in the presence of my enemies. You have annointed my head with oil and have overflowed my cup with blessings. I know that surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and that I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Thank you, Lord. Amen"

Some favorite Bible prayers to pray for yourself and for others:

Psalm 23

Psalm 42

Psalm 51

Psalm 139

Ephesians 1:15-20

Ephesians 3:14-21

Philippians 1:9-11

Colossians 1:9-14

Locate Bible passages which are meaningful to you on a topic of interest and adapt them into a prayer.

a. Bible passages on speech:

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." (James 3:9-10 NIV)

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalms 19:14 NIV)

b. A prayer of request for proper speech:

"Lord, please help me not to let any unwholesome talk come out of my mouth. I want to say only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, to benefit all who listen to me speak.

I confess with my tongue I have praised you, my Father, and I have also cursed men, who have been made in your likeness. I know that out of my mouth have come both praise and cursing and that this is not the way it should be.

Please guide the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart so that they will be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen."

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Use Scripture in Worshipful Prayer

An example from: Robert Webber, The Book of Daily Prayer, pp. 407-408 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1993). This book contains prayers for each day of the year according to the Church calendar: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and Pentecost. Dr. Webber also has suggestions for personal prayers at the back of his book.

Theme: Our choice to believe in and follow Jesus is no mere intellectual decision, but a life-changing event.

Antiphon and Opening Prayer:

"Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry. Lord God, you who give peace to those who follow you, work in my heart and life those virtues that are becoming to your children, to your glory." (Psalm 5:1-2a New Revised Standard Version)


Scripture Reading:

"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5 NRSV) 


Responsorial Psalm:

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11-12 NRSV)


Closing Psalm Prayer:

"Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch." (Psalm 5:2-3 NRSV)

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Use Scripture in Structured Prayer

(This structured prayer expands on the ACTSS method of organizing prayer taken from A Prayer Plan in "What is Prayer?")


This example is taken from: Kenneth Boa, Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship, pp. 74-77 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), Scripture translation and adaptation by Kenneth Boa. This book contains daily prayer plans for three months.

Adoration:

"Blessed are You, O Lord, God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of all things. In Your hand is power and might to exalt and to give strength to all. Therefore, my God, I give You thanks and I praise Your glorious name." (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

"I will proclaim Your name and praise Your greatness, O God." (Deuteronomy 32:3)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.


Confession:

"O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, And do not chasten me in Your anger. For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, And Your hand has pressed down upon me. There is no health in my body because of Your wrath--No peace in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; As a heavy burden, they weigh too much for me." (Psalm 38:1-4)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.


Renewal:

"As Your servant, O Christ, and a steward of Your possessions, it is required that I be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and some, by longing for it, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But let me flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness." (I Timothy 6:9-11)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.


Petition:

"May I put away all of these things: anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language from my mouth." (Colossians 3:8)

Pause here to petition God for growth in love and compassion toward others. Offer prayers for your loved ones, for those who do not know Jesus and for those in need. Offer prayers regarding your activities for this day and any special concerns you may have.


Intercession:

"Use me, O God, to open the eyes of others and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to You, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Jesus." (Acts 26:18)

Take a few moments to intercede on behalf of friends, relatives, neighbors and coworkers who do not yet know salvation in Jesus Christ. 


Affirmation:

"Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because they have been approved, they will receive the crown of life that You have promised to those who love You." (James 1:12)

"Those who suffer according to Your will should commit themselves to You, their faithful Creator, and continue in doing good." (I Peter 4:19)

"I have overcome, O God, because You are in me, and You are greater than he who is in the world." (I John 4:4)

Pause to reflect on these Biblical affirmations.


Thanksgiving:

"My soul blesses You, O Lord; And all that is within me blesses Your holy name. My soul blesses You, O Lord, And I will not forget all Your benefits; You forgive all my iniquities And heal all my diseases; You redeem my life from the pit And crown me with love and compassion; You satisfy my desires with good things, So that my youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalm 103:1-5)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.


Closing Prayer:

"You, O Lord, are my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
You are my rock; I will take refuge in You.
You are my shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge--
My Savior, You save me from violence.
I call on You, Lord; You are worthy of praise,
And I am saved from my enemies." (2 Samuel 22:2-4)

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Pray the Hymns and Songs of the Christian Faith

NOTE: It is easiest to pray hymns and songs which are written in the first person--from you addressed to God.

1. Examples of prayerful hymns:

a. Praising God:

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with thee;

thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not

As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

all I have needed thy hand hath provided.

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Lord, speak to me that I may speak

in living echoes of your tone.

As you have sought, so let me seek

your erring children lost and lone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead

the wandering and the wavering feet.

O feed me, Lord, that I may feed

your hungry ones with manna sweet.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach

the precious truths which you impart.

And wing my words that they may reach

the hidden depths of many a heart.

O use me, Lord, use even me,

just as you will, and when, and where

until your blessed face I see,

your rest, your joy, your glory share.

Be Thou My Vision
Have Thine Own Way, Lord
How Great Thou Art
I Need Thee Every Hour
Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Lead Me, Guide Me
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
My Jesus, I Love Thee
O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee
Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart
Take My Life and Let It Be
Whiter Than Snow



2. Examples of prayerful songs:

a. Worshiping God:

As the deer panteth for water,

so my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart's desire,

and I long to worship Thee.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

and I long to worship Thee.

You're my friend and You are my brother

Even though You are a King

I love You more than any other,

So much more than anything.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

and I long to worship Thee.

I want You more than gold or silver,

Only You can satisfy,

You alone are the real joy giver

And the apple of my eye.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire,

and I long to worship Thee.

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts I pray.

See if there be some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from ev'ry sin and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;

Fulfill Thy Word and make me pure within.

Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;

Grant me desire to magnify Thy name.

Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine;

Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.

Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;

I now surrender: Lord in me abide.

Be Exalted, O God
Bless His Holy Name
Change My Heart, O God
Create in Me a Clean Heart
Father, I Adore You
I Exalt Thee
I Love You, Lord
Lord, Be Glorified
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
My Life Is in You, Lord
Spirit of the Living God
Thou Art Worthy




NOTE: Weeks Two through Four offer a sample of the many prayer resources which are available to help the prayerful person express what is difficult to put into words. If you would like to use a resource or a variety of resources in your personal prayers, choose those which best fit your personality and your time commitment to prayer. Ideally, choose resources which are based on the truths of Scripture. Above all, continue praying daily.
Please see the devotion "What is Prayer?" for an introduction to prayer.

NOTE: Click on the links below "I'd like to know more about Jesus" or "Steps to Salvation" to travel farther on your journey with Jesus.

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Biblical Encouragement

The Meaning of Encouragement

"A simply worded definition of encouragement might be this: Encouragement is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough."
(Larry Crabb, Encouragement: The Key to Caring, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984] p. 10)

1. Encouragement and the Comforter:

A Greek word [parakaleo] used for "encourage" in the Bible is closely related to the word [Paraclete] for the Holy Spirit, translated as "Counselor" (NIV) or "Comforter" (King James Version). The primary source of Biblical encouragement is God, working via the activity of the Holy Spirit through other people and in the study of the Bible.

"But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26 New International Version)

2. Other words for encouragement:

Words related to encouragement used in the New International Version are: exhort (strongly urge), strengthen, counsel, advise, comfort, and consolation.

Encouragement would include, then:

praising/thanking someone for who they are or what they have done

urging (exhorting) someone to continue in a behavior or task

strengthening someone for a ministry assignment

challenging someone to grow spiritually and take on new behaviors and tasks

advising someone in a difficult situation

comforting someone in trials, suffering, or temptations.

a. People:

"We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow-worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith." (1 Thessalonians 3:2 NIV)

b. A letter:
NOTE: See also the example in A Letter of Encouragement.

"The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message." (Acts 15:30-31 NIV)

c. Material resources

"I [Paul] have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." (Philippians 4:18 NIV)

d. The example of other believers:

"Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith." (1 Thessalonians 3:7 NIV)

e. Angels:

"Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'" (Acts 27:23-24 NIV)

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The Spiritual Gift of Encouragement

1. What a spiritual gift is:

A spiritual gift is "a grace gift. . .God's special endowment of believers for service to the community of faith."
(Lawrence O. Richards, Zondervan Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, [Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1985, 1991], p. 305)

2. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts:

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. . . .Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. . . .All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." (1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 11 NIV)

3. The gift of encouragement:
(NOTE: See an example of the gift of encouragement as used by Barnabas in Week One of "Resources for Encouragement" next month.)

The definition of encouragement as a spiritual gift is: "the ability to motivate people through encouraging words to live practical Christian lives."
(Discover Your Gifts workbook, 3rd edition, [Grand Rapids, MI: CRC Publications, 1983] p. 56)

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. . . .if it is encouraging, let him encourage;" (Romans 12:6a,8a NIV)

4. The cost and reward of the gift of encouragement:

a. Cost:

Encouragement energizes others for their work! Energizing others requires the giver to expend energy and can result in a "let down" feeling as an after-effect. Encouragement could be compared to jump-starting a car or cheering at a sporting event.

Encouragement can also be a "quiet" gift, often going unnoticed by anyone but the receiver. The encourager is rewarded by obedience to the prompts of the Holy Spirit to encourage and by seeing resulting changes in the recipient. If you have been encouraged by someone, tell them!

b. Reward:

"How beautiful, then, is the gift of encouraging. Those with the spiritual gift are able to strengthen others, enabling them to win fresh victories in their Christian lives." (Richards, p. 246)


5. Every believer is called to encourage others:
(NOTE: Some Christians are specially gifted for encouragement, but all believers are called to minister in encouragement.)

"Encourage one another. Not because encouragement is nine-tenths of the law, but because encouragement is what nine-tenths of us need, from time to time, to be able to keep the law of love ourselves." (Suk, p. 4)


"Therefore encourage each other with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:18 NIV)

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV)

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The Givers and Receivers of Encouragement

1. Human givers of encouragement:

a. Christians and gifted believers (See "The Spiritual Gift of Encouragement"):

b. Teachers:

"After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them [Paul and companions], saying, 'Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.'" (Acts 13:15 NIV)

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV)

"He [an elder] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." (Titus 1:9 NIV)


c. Leaders:

"He [Paul] travelled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece." (Acts 20:2 NIV)

"With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I [Peter] have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." (1 Peter 5:12 NIV)


2. Divine givers of encouragement:

a. God the Father:

"You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry." (Psalms 10:17 NIV)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. . . . For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:10,13 NIV)

"God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us." (2 Corinthians 7:6 New Living Translation)


b. Jesus Christ:

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NIV)

c. The Holy Spirit:

"Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord." (Acts 9:31 NIV)

d. Scripture:

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus." (Romans 15:4-5 NIV)


3. Who needs encouragement?:

a. Leaders:

"But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." (Deuteronomy 3:28 NIV)

b. The oppressed:

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." (Isaiah 1:17 NIV)

c. The persecuted:

"Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,' they said." (Acts 14:21b-22 NIV)

d. New believers:

"After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and travelled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples." (Acts 18:23 NIV)

e. All Christians:

"I [Paul] long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." (Romans 1:11-12 NIV)

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A Letter of Encouragement

The author of the book of Hebrews, a letter addressed to a Jewish audience, has encouragement as one of the themes of his letter:

"Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation [encouragement], for I have written you only a short letter." (Hebrews 13:22 NIV)


NOTE: The author uses a series of "Let us. . ." verses to exhort/encourage spiritual growth in his audience.


1. He suggests daily encouragement:

"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." (Hebrews 3:13 NIV)

2. He encourages prayer:

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16 NIV)

3. He encourages maturity:

"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God." (Hebrews 6:1a NIV)

4. He encourages fellowship:

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)

5. He encourages perseverance:

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. . . .So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:2,35-36 NIV)

6. He encourages praise and service:

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:15-16 NIV)


Application:

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24 NIV)

"So who can we minister to today by encouragement? Is there someone who might be encouraged if we:

lifted them up to the Lord in prayer?

wrote them a note?

gave them a phone call just to see how they're doing?

offered a verbal 'well-done'?

paid them a visit?

offered them a listening ear?

offered to help them do a difficult task?

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Resources for Encouragement

Please see also the first part of this devotional on encouragement.

Barnabas: Profile of an Encourager
Suggestions for Offering General Encouragement
Encouraging Biblical Truths to Share with Others
Where to Find Encouragement in the Bible

Barnabas: Profile of an Encourager

"The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch." (Acts 11:21-22 NIV)

"The leaders of the church at Jerusalem. . .might have sent someone of a rigid mind who made a god of the Law and was shackled by its rules and regulations; but they sent the man with the biggest heart in the Church."
(William Barclay, Daily Study Bible, New Testament, commenting on Acts 11:22-26)


1. Meet Barnabas, who risked his riches to share with others:

"Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet." (Acts 4:36-37 NIV)

2. Barnabas risked his reputation and life to help newly-converted Paul:

"When he [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus." (Acts 9:26-27 NIV)

3. Barnabas risked crossing racial barriers to encourage the new Gentile believers in Antioch:

"When [Barnabas] arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people." (Acts 11:23-26a NIV)

4. Barnabas was entrusted with monetary encouragement for Judean believers during a famine:

"The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul." (Acts 11:29-30 NIV)

5. Barnabas risked his relationship with Paul to help a discouraged John Mark get back on his feet:

"Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.' Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus." (Acts 15:36-39 NIV)

6. Lessons from Barnabas' example:

a. Encouragement may have many forms:
(NOTE: See "Biblical Encouragement" for other examples.)

Barnabas encouraged others with material support, his presence and time, and words of encouragement. Barnabas demonstrates encouragement in his character and as a lifestyle.

b. Encouragement involves risk:

An encourager may risk rejection, being misunderstood, and losing money or a relationship in the process of encouragement. Personal reputation or comfort zones may also need to be left behind.

c. Encouragement reaps blessings for the giver and the receiver:

The lives of Paul, the Antioch believers, and John Mark were affected forever by the encouragement of Barnabas.

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Suggestions for Offering General Encouragement

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." (Proverbs 25:11 NIV)

NOTE: The following suggestions are adapted from Catherine E. Rollins, "Ten Things You Can Say to Make Someone's Day," Today's Christian Woman, May/Jun 1992, pp.65-67)

1. "You are growing."

Note behavior, habits, and skills that have been acquired and developed. Share progress you see being made.

2. "You may be down, but you're not out."

Encourage setting reasonable goals for the future.

3. "You have options."

Make a creative list of ideas and evaluate the possibilities together.

4. "You did really well."

Offer a compliment on appearance, choices, ideas, or efforts.

5. "I forgive you."

Forgive failures, mistakes, and sins; ask forgiveness for your own failings.

6. "One thing I really admire about you is. . ."

Recognize strengths, talents, interests, and personal character traits.

7. "Here is something that spoke to me of you."

Share a positive poem, Scripture verse, story, or slogan, etc. which relates to another's personality or achievements.

8. "It's never too late to make a change."

Every day can be a New Years Day for resolutions to change. Or, alternatively, give permission for another to take a break or reduce the stresses of a burned-out life.

9. "You're not alone."

Let people know you are with them. Encourage them to develop a support network.

10. "You are one of a kind."

No one else has a person's unique combination of talents, skills, insights, or resources. God has a unique plan for each life.

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Encouraging Biblical Truths to Share with Others

"Passively accepting people where they are until they get around to godly living is not a biblical strategy for encouragement."
(Larry Crabb, Encouragement: The Key to Caring, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984], p. 78)


NOTE: The following truths to share are adapted from Charles Stanley, Sharing the Gift of Encouragement, [Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1998], p. 109). The first 2 truths may be shared with believers or unbelievers. However, the remaining truths apply and are promised only to believers in Jesus Christ.

FOR BELIEVERS OR UNBELIEVERS:

1. "You are loved by God."

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

2. "You can receive forgiveness from God if you repent and ask to be forgiven for the sake of Jesus."

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. (I John 1:9-10 New Living Translation)

NOTE: If you don't know if you are a believer or know if you have a personal relationship with and forgiveness from God through Jesus Christ, please click on the link below which will explain how to begin this relationship today.

Steps to Salvation


FOR BELIEVERS ONLY:

"There was a time when some of you were just like that [wicked], but now your sins have been washed away, and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you." (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)

3. "You are destined for eternal life in heaven."

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I [Jesus] am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2-3 NIV)

4. "God is in absolute control and we can trust Him to make a way where there is no way."

"I know that you [God] can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2 NIV)

"[I am] confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6 NIV)


5. "God enables you by the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life victorious over evil."

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses." (Acts 1:8a NIV)

"But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I [Jesus] have said to you." (John 14:26 NIV)


6. "You can live in freedom from evil, and live in freedom to pursue your God-given potential and to serve others."

"Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new teaching God has given you. Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18 NLT)

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36 NIV)

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." (Galatians 5:13 NIV)


7. "You are being changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ."

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." (Romans 12:2 NLT)

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he [Jesus] appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3 NIV)


8. "God has a way for you through any storm you may experience."

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 NIV)

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us-- they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:3-5 NLT)


9. "God will give you his answer, his wisdom, and his counsel."

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6 NIV)

10. "God is always with you."

God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)

11. Application:

PRAY over these truths for yourself and for others.
In what ways are you being challenged today to encourage others?
Is there someone specific to whom God is calling you to share one or more of these truths?

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Where to Find Encouragement in the Bible

"Encouragement is not doing for someone what they can do for themselves. It is not removing pain from their lives. It is noticing them, feeling with them, and reminding them of the hope we have in Christ as we persevere in our walk with Him." (Lois Mowday Rabey, "The Power of Encouragement," in Discipleship Journal, Jan/Feb 1997, p. 87)


NOTE: Encouragement may be found in many verses of the Bible which do not use the word "encourage." Concentrations of encouraging passages can be found in the Old Testament Psalms and in the New Testament letters (Romans through 3 John).

Here are some examples:

When your world seems to be falling apart: Read Psalm 46, Romans 8

When you are afraid: Read Psalms 23, 91

When you face a challenge: Read Psalm 27, Colossians 1

When you feel forgotten: Read Psalm 139, Ephesians 1

When you are barely hanging on: Read Psalm 86, 2 Corinthians 4

When you feel unnecessary: Read 1 Corinthians 12, Hebrews 11

When you feel guilty: Read Psalm 51, 1 John 1

When you are tempted: Read 1 Corinthians 10, James 1

When you're in trouble: Read Psalms 31, 103

When you need to remember believers' real destiny: Read 1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 21-22


Further suggestions:

1. Maintain an ongoing list of Bible verses or passages which have encouraged you or have special meaning for you. (You may want to record the dates and circumstances of your discoveries as well.)
Keep the list in your Bible for your own reference or to share with others.

2. Consider memorizing the verses most meaningful to you.

3. Pray for opportunities to share the encouraging messages in this month's devotion or to share from your own personal list of Bible passages. (No one can argue with saying, "I've found this helpful in my life. . . .")

4. Listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit to the needs for encouragement around you and the best ways to meet those needs. The needs will be there every day.

"Words can hurt you if you let them;

People say them and forget them.

Words can promise; words can lie,

But your words make me feel that I can fly."

Help someone fly today!

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God the Father Almighty

Examples of Frequently-Used Names of God

Why study the names of God? Elmer L. Towns gives several reasons in My Father's Names, (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1991) pp. 14-15.
Studying God's names:

". . . reveals His character to us more intimately.
. . .[helps us] understand the different relationships we can have with him.
. . .reveals that He is the source and solution to our problems."

1. "Almighty" (Shaddai):

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalms 91:1 New International Version)

"But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness." (Isaiah 5:16 NIV)

2. "Most High" (Elyon):

"Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD--that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalms 83:18 NIV)

"For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods." (Psalms 97:9 NIV)

3. "Lord" (Adonai):

"Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." (Psalms 54:4 NIV)

"Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you." (Psalms 86:3-5 NIV)

4. "LORD" or "I AM" (Yahweh):

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14 NIV)

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." (Psalms 23:1 NIV)

5. "Father" (in the New Testament):

NOTE: The saving work of Jesus Christ makes it possible to call God "Father".

Jesus [after his resurrection and before his ascension] said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17 NIV)

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." (Romans 8:15-16 NIV)

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Examples of Special Names of God

"Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." (Psalms 9:10 NIV)

"In a broad sense, then, God's 'name' is equal to all that the Bible and creation tell us about God."
(Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, [Intervarsity Press and Zondervan Publishing House, 1994], p.157)

NOTE: These names are usually given to God by people or by God to Himself to commemorate special events. If you would like to know more of the story behind one of these names, read the whole Bible chapter the verse is taken from.

1. "The God who sees me" (by Hagar):

"[Hagar] gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who sees me.'" (Genesis 16:13 NIV)

2. "The LORD Will Provide" (by Abraham):

"Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'" (Genesis 22:13-14 NIV)

3. "The LORD who heals you" (by God):

[God] said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." (Exodus 15:26 NIV)

4. "The LORD is my Banner" (by Moses):

"Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, 'For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.'" (Exodus 17:15-16 NIV)

5. "The LORD is Peace" (by Gideon):

"So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace." (Judges 6:24a NIV)

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Examples of Attributes Unique to God

NOTE: Attributes are character qualities. God posseses many attributes simultaneously. "When Scripture speaks about God's attributes, it never singles out one attribute of God as more important than all the rest. There is an assumption that every attribute is completely true of God and is true of all of God's character." (Grudem, p. 178)

1. God is eternal:

"Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives for ever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation." (Daniel 4:34 NIV)

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (Psalms 90:2 NIV)

2. God is the Creator:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalms 33:6-9 NIV)

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)

3. God is transcendent (above everything):

"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. (Isaiah 40:25 NIV)

"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." (Isaiah 46:9-10 NIV)

4. God is unchanging:

"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6 NIV)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17 NIV)

5. God is sovereign (the only God):

"Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other." (Deuteronomy 4:39 NIV)

"For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods." (Psalms 95:3 NIV)

6. God is omnipotent (all-powerful):

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." (Jeremiah 32:17 NIV)

"For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37 NIV)

"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2 NIV)

"The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth." (Psalms 97:1-5 NIV)

7. God is omniscient (all-knowing):

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33 NIV)

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD." (Psalms 139:1-4 NIV)

8. God is omnipresent (present everywhere at once):

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalms 139:7-12 NIV)

"Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 23:24 NIV)

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Examples of God's Attributes Which He Shares With Believers

NOTE: God exhibits the following character qualities perfectly. Believers can never exhibit them perfectly, but are commanded continually to strive to improve in these areas. These are called God's "communicable attributes (those God shares or 'communicates' with us)." (Grudem, p. 156) This week, each quality is divided into Scripture references first describing God and then references applying to believers.

1. Holiness

a. of God:

"And the [seraphs] were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'" (Isaiah 6:3 NIV)

For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives for ever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." (Isaiah 57:15 NIV)

b. command to believers:

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV)

"Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV)

2. Love

a. of God:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

b. command to believers:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31 NIV)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-8 NIV)

3. Wisdom

a. of God:

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV)

"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (Revelation 7:12 NIV)

b. command to believers:

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:1-6 NIV)

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5 NIV)

4. Goodness

a. of God:

"For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalms 100:5 NIV)

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No-one is good-- except God alone. (Mark 10:18 NIV)

b. command to believers:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV)

5. Mercy

a. of God:

"Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." (Isaiah 55:7 NIV)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3 NIV)

b. command to believers:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8 NIV)

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36 NIV)

6. Righteousness (being and doing right)

a. of God:

"The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving towards all he has made." (Psalms 145:17 NIV)

(Prophecied about Christ:) "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness." (Jeremiah 23:5-6 NIV)

b. Righteousness and believers:

NOTE: This is from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary: Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

"Man is inherently unrighteous. As the prophet Isaiah said,
'All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.' (Isaiah 64:6 NIV).
Man cannot be righteous in the sight of God on his own merits. Therefore, man must have God's righteousness imputed, or transferred, to him.

The cross of Jesus is a public demonstration of God's righteousness. God accounts or transfers the righteousness of Christ to those who trust in Him. We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God sees us as righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son."

c. righteousness is offered to believers:

1.) through Jesus (God sees Jesus' righteousness in us):

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Romans 3:21-22 NIV)

"So also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:21 NIV)

2.) believers are commanded to pursue righteous living in gratitude to Christ:

"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22 NIV)



NOTE: A more complete listing of the names of God can be found in many books, including Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Claude V. King, pp. 175-183).


"We need to know that God is love, and that He is beautiful beyond comprehension. We also need to know that God is omnipresent. No matter where we go, God is there. We need to know that He is omniscient. He knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. We need to know that God is omnipotent. Consequently, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."
(Neil T. Anderson and Hal Baumchen, Finding Hope Again, [Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1999], p.109)


SUGGESTIONS for using the names and characteristics of God:

1. Meditate on them to learn more about God.
2. Use them to praise and thank God.
3. Acknowledge his name and characteristics in your prayer requests.
4. Ask God to show you a character quality He wants you to grow in.
5. Do your own Scriptural study of a name or an attribute of God.

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The Creator of Heaven and Earth

"we should approach the study of Scripture eagerly and with confidence that, when rightly understood, Scripture will never contradict facts in the natural world."
(Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, [Intervarsity Press and Zondervan Publishing House, 1994], p. 275--italics added)


The God of Creation
The Key Words of the Creation Account
The Order of Creation
The Significance of God's Creation of People

The God of Creation

1. All three Persons of the Trinity participated in creation:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." (Genesis 1:26 New International Version).

a. God the Father

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1, NIV)

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (Psalms 90:2 NIV)

"For this is what the LORD says--he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--he says: 'I am the LORD, and there is no other.'" (Isaiah 45:18 NIV)

"yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live" (1 Corinthians 8:6a NIV)

b. God the Son

"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:1-3 NIV)

"He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:15-17 NIV)

c. God the Holy Spirit

"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Genesis 1:2 NIV)

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4 NIV)


2. God's purpose for creating is bringing glory to himself:

"Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Answer 1)

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Revelation 4:11 NIV)

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalms 19:1-4a NIV)

"Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created. He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away." (Psalms 148:1-6 NIV)

"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-- everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:6b-7 NIV)


3. It is essential to believe in creation by God:
NOTE: The Apostle's Creed and the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 both begin with creation by God.

"It is the creation that underlies the Christian world and life view, and it is the creation that distinguishes the Christian [world and life view] from all others." (Morton H. Smith)

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20 NIV)

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)

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The Key Words of the Creation Account

1. "Created":

a. Genesis 1:1--"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (NIV)

"When we say that the universe was created "out of nothing," it is important to guard against a possible misunderstanding...We mean...that God did not use any previously existing materials when he created the universe."
(Grudem, p.262--footnote)

"[He is] the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." (Romans 4:17b NIV)

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." (Jeremiah 32:17 NIV)

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)


b. In Genesis 1:21--the creation of sentient life

"So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:21 NIV)

c. In Genesis 1:27--the creation of humanity

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27 NIV)


2. "And God said...and it was so":

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. . . For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalms 33:6,9 NIV)

"It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens. When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the wind from His storehouses." (Jeremiah 10:12-13 New American Standard 95)

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)


3. "according to their kinds" or "according to its kind"

Examples outside of Genesis chapter 1:

"These are the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk. . ." (Leviticus 11:13-16 NIV)

"These are very specific kinds of animals, and God created them so that they would reproduce only according to their own 'kinds'. It seems that this would allow only for diversification within each of these types of animals (larger or smaller hawks, hawks of different color and with different shapes of beaks, etc.) but certainly not any 'macroevolutionary' change into entirely different kinds of birds."
(Grudem, pp. 277-278--footnote)

"But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body." (1 Corinthians 15:38 NIV)


4. "God saw that it was good" and "very good":

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3 NIV)

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." (1 Timothy 6:17-18 NIV)


5. "And there was evening and there was morning" and "day":

NOTES: Regarding the use of "day" in Genesis 1-2: "The simple fact is that day in Hebrew (just as in English) is used in three separate senses, to mean: (1) twenty-four hours, (2) the period of light during the twenty-four hours, and (3) an indeterminate period of time [Psalm 90:4]. Therefore we must leave open the exact length of time indicated by day in Genesis."
(Francis A. Schaeffer, Genesis in Space and Time, in Volume 2 of The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer, [Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2nd ed., 1991], p. 39)

Wayne Grudem cautions: "with respect to the length of days in Genesis 1, the possibility must be left open that God has chosen not to give us enough information to come to a clear decision on this question. . ."
(Grudem, p. 297)

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The Order of Creation

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

"Very significantly, the concept of the special creation of the universe of space and time itself is found nowhere in all religion or philosophy, ancient or modern, except here in Genesis 1:1."
(Henry M. Morris, commenting on Genesis 1, The Defender's Study Bible, [Grand Rapids, MI: Word Publishing, Inc., 1995], p. 3)

1. The first day--God called light and separated it from darkness:

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day", and the darkness he called "night". And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 NIV)

"For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." (Psalms 36:9 NIV)

Commentary:

"'Light,' the most basic form of energy is mentioned specifically, but its existence necessarily implies the activation of all forms of electro-magnetic energies." (Morris, p. 4)


2. The second day--God separated the sky's water from other water:

And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky". And there was evening, and there was morning--the second day. (Genesis 1:6-8 NIV)

"He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in." (Isaiah 40:22 NIV)

Commentary:

"God separated the primeval deep into two deeps, with a great space in between. the waters below the space retained the elemental earth materials. . .The waters above the [expanse] had apparently been transformed into the vapor state. . .and elevated above the atmosphere, where it could serve as a thermal blanket for the earth's future inhabitants."
(Morris, p. 4)


3. The third day--God separated out dry ground, which grows vegetation:

And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land", and the gathered waters he called "seas". And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the third day. (Genesis 1:9-13 NIV)

"But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. . . .He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-- bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart." (Psalms 104:7-9,14-15 NIV)

Commentary:

"the energizing Word initiated a vast complex string of chemical and physical reactions to precipitate, combine and sort all the rock materials and metals composing the solid earth. . .great basins opened up to receive and store the waters. . . .It should be noted that plant life, in all its forms, was created before animal life, thus contradicting the order postulated by evolutionists."
(Morris, p. 5)


4. The fourth day--God made the lights to mark the passage of time:

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the fourth day. (Genesis 1:14-19 NIV)

"This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar--the LORD Almighty is his name: (Jeremiah 31:35 NIV)

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." (Isaiah 40:26 NIV)

Commentary:

"These great bodies were set burning in complex chemical and nuclear reactions, to serve henceforth as light-givers for the earth. . .The light energy emanating from [the stars] would henceforth traverse space to 'give light upon the earth,' providing patterns and movements which would also enable man to keep records of time and history."
(Morris, p. 6)


5. The fifth day--God created the sea creatures and winged creatures:

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning--the fifth day. (Genesis 1:20-23 NIV)

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?" (Job 12:7-9 NIV)

Commentary:

"Fish and other marine organisms were created simultaneously with birds and other flying creatures, in obvious contradiction to the sequence postulated by evolutionists... Animals possess another entity--that of consciousness--which plants do not posses, and this required a second act of true creation."
(Morris, p. 6)


6. The sixth day--God created animals and man:

And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day. (Genesis 1:24-31 NIV)

"How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures." (Psalms 104:24 NIV)

"What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour." (Psalms 8:4-5 NIV)

Commentary:

"The phrase 'after its kind' occurs repeatedly, stressing the reproductive integrity of each land animal kind, of the same sort as that of each plant kind and each air animal and water animal... Man's body was designed to be like the body which God had planned from eternity that He Himself would one day assume [in the person of Jesus Christ]."
(Morris, p. 7)


7. The seventh day--God rested:

"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 2:1-3 NIV)

"Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:9-11 NIV)

Commentary:

"By speaking of six days of work followed by one day's rest, Genesis 1 draws attention to the correspondence between God's work and man's and God's rest as a model for the Sabbath, but that does not necessarily imply that the six days of creation are the same as human days." (Wenham, p. 40)

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The Significance of God's Creation of People

1. Adam and Eve and their children were real persons:

The following Bible passages confirm the belief of Jesus and the New Testament writers that Adam and Eve and their descendants were historical persons: Matthew 19:4-5 (Adam and Eve); Luke 3:38 (Adam and Seth); Romans 5:12,14 (Adam); 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 (Adam and Eve); 15:21-22,45 (Adam); 1 Timothy 2:13-14 (Adam and Eve); Hebrews 11:4 (Cain and Abel); Jude 11 (Cain).

2. God sustains all life, including human life:

"the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7 NIV)

"This is what God the LORD says--he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:" (Isaiah 42:5 NIV)

"But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." (Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV)

"In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10 NIV)

"And [God] is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. . . 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'" (Acts 17:25,28 NIV)


3. Men and women are made in God's image:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

"And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." (Genesis 9:5-6 NIV)

"Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:9-10 NIV)

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:1-2 NIV)


4. God takes interest in the needs of each person:

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18 NIV)

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. . . . For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalms 139:1-4, 13-16 NIV)


5. God has given humans fruitful purpose:

"God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'" (Genesis 1:28 NIV)

"You made [man] ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas." (Psalms 8:6-8 NIV)

"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. . .You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last." (John 15:8,16a NIV)


6. People are called to worship their Creator:

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker." (Psalms 95:6 NIV)

"He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.'" (Revelation 14:7 NIV)


SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTION:

1. Find other creation passages in the Bible and study, memorize, or meditate on them.
2. Discover new ways to nurture God's world, alone or with others, as you work and play.
3. Focus on a personal area in which God is encouraging you to bear more fruit to his glory.
4. Offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving to the God of creation.
5. Share with others the moments God has particularly touched you in his creative works. Bring God into the conversation!
6. Spend time worshiping God in song for his creative and sustaining acts. Use published songs or compose one of your own! Here are some suggested songs to help you begin:

Ah, Lord God

All Creatures of Our God and King

All Things Bright and Beautiful

For the Beauty of the Earth

Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah

He's Everything to Me

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

How Great Thou Art

Let All Things Now Living

Mighty is Our God

The Heavens Declare Your Glory

This is My Father's World

Thou Art Worthy

We Bow Down

We Sing the Mighty Power of God

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Worship--Part 1

Or do you possibly enter worship with a prepared, open heart, waiting to receive from God what he has for you, wanting to give in return, and willing to share that experience with others around you?

Where is your focus? Whom are you really worshiping? Do you have to be "together" in order to worship? What are you willing to offer to God?
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:15-16 New International Version)

Is worship your obedient sacrifice to the Lord? God invites you into his presence and it is an honor to be there. Come and begin exploring what God has to say in his Word about worship in all its variety. Come, worship the Lord!


Basics of Worship Part 1
Basics of Worship Part 2
Components of Worship Part 1
Components of Worship Part 2

Basics of Worship--Part 1

"Worship is an act of communication. A relationship is happening between God and God's people. . .In worship the church gathers to celebrate God's saving deeds. Through this celebration, God continually brings to the worshiper the benefit of His saving deeds--the forgiveness of sin and the healing of life, which flows from the saving and healing death and resurrection of Jesus Christ." (From Robert E. Webber, Learning to Worship with All Your Heart, Nashville, TN: The Institute for Worship Studies, 1994, pp. 66, 15)

1. God is the only worthy object of worship:
NOTE: Worship is the human response to God's revelation of Himself. Therefore, worship begins with and is initiated by God.

"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:3-6 NIV)

"Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain." (Psalms 48:1 NIV)

2. God must be worshiped in spirit and in truth:

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24, NIV)." (John 4:23-24 NIV)

"The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it." (Philippians 3:3 The Message)

3. God must be worshiped in service:

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" (Matthew 4:10 NIV)

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever." Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV)

4. God must be worshiped with reverence and awe:

"But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down towards your holy temple." (Psalms 5:7 NIV)

"Worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth." (Psalms 96:9 NIV)

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Basics of Worship--Part 2

NOTE: "Words of worship call upon us to acknowledge the surpassing majesty and worth of God. . .As we meditate on the otherness of God, we should not lose sight of the other truth about God: God is among us and intimate with us. . . The fact that God is other (transcendent [not us]) and intimate (incarnate [the Lord Jesus became human among us]) is what we call a paradox--a seeming contradiction. It's not a real contradiction but a language that helps us to get at the mystery of God, who is both above us and yet present to us. . .
The interesting thing about the experience of God's otherness is that it not only makes us aware of our sinfulness, but also when we hear that we are acdepted and loved by the Holy One, there is in us an overwhelming desire to respond to the Holy One is joyful abandonment."
(Robert E. Webber, Learning to Worship with All Your Heart, pp. 58-59)

1. God must be worshiped in humility:

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

"Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. 'This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.'" (Isaiah 66:2 NIV)

2. God must be worshiped in faith and obedience:

"However, I [Paul] admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets." (Acts 24:14 NIV)

"But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22 NIV)

3. God must be worshiped with thanksgiving:

"Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (Psalms 95:2 NIV)

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." (Hebrews 12:28 NIV)

4. God must be worshiped with celebration:

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." (Psalms 100:1-2 NIV)

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4 NIV)

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Components of Worship--Part 1

"Ascribe to God the worship due his name:

The LORD is great, and worthy of all praise.

Amazing, uncreated glory, rays

Of holiness transcendent, burn and shame

Our hesitant devotion. Timid, tame

Domesticated adoration plays

No part in heaven's chorus: let the lays

Of ransomed men exult with hearts aflame.

Now let the heavens rejoice, the earth be glad,

The sea resound, the fields and forests sing:

Comes now the judge: the vile, the crude the bad

Obliterated by the righteous King.

Exalt his splendor, raise with one accord

Unbounded, lavish praise before the Lord."

1. Entering God's presence:

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care." (Psalms 95:6-7a NIV)

"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29 NIV)

2. Praise (often through songs or music):

"Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." (Psalms 150:1-6 NIV)

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:19 NIV)

3. Thanksgiving:

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." (Psalms 100:4 NIV)

"I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." (Psalms 35:18 NIV)

"We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds." (Psalms 75:1 NIV)

4. Confession:

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" --and you forgave the guilt of my sin.'" (Psalms 32:5 NIV)

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16 NIV)

5. Prayer:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20 NIV)

6. Offerings:

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." (Malachi 3:10 NIV)

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38 NIV)

"On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up." (1 Corinthians 16:2a NIV)

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Components of Worship--Part 2

"The Story is the message of redemption, salvation, and hope that is contained . . .within all the stories of Scripture. . .This story is the content of worship. In worship we recite the story, we sing the story, we feast to the story, and we are called to live out the story."
(Robert E. Webber, Renew Your Worship, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1997, p. 55)


1. Scripture:

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. " (Colossians 3:16 NIV)

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

2. Teaching from the Word:

"They [the disciples] devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42 NIV)

"The Levites. . .instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read." (Nehemiah 8:7-8 NIV)

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV)


3. Reciting of church creeds:
NOTE: "'Creed' derives from the Latin credo, 'I believe.' The form is active, denoting not just a body of beliefs but confession of faith. . . . [Creeds] facilitate public confession, form a succinct basis of teaching, safeguard pure doctrine, and constitute an appropriate focus for the church's fellowship in faith."
(G.W. Bromiley, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A. Elwell, [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1984], pp. 283-284)

a. An example of an early church creed:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
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." (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)


b. An example of a historical church creed: The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

(From Psalter Hymnal, [Grand Rapids, MI: CRC Publications, 1987], p. 813)


4. Sacraments:

"Christ instituted only two visual signs and seals of the covenant: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism occurs once in a person's life amd the Lord's Supper is administered on a regular basis throughout the believer's life, representing his continual need to be nourished by the power and grace of Jesus Christ." (Tabletalk [From Ligonier Ministries and R.C. Sproul], June 1998, p. 47)

a. The Lord's Supper:

"For I [Paul] received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.'" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV)

b. Baptism:

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:18-19 NIV)

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38 NIV)

5. Dismissal / Blessing:

NOTE: "Primarily, the dismissal is a blessing. . .When God blesses us, he confers on us a power to fulfill our calling in righteousness and our holiness in Jesus Christ. . .We bless God by offering what is pleasing to God--acknowledgement and service." (Webber, Renew Your Worship, p. 75)

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV).

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV).

LOOK for these components in your worship experiences. Which ones have taken on a fresh meaning for you? How have your attitudes toward worshiping God developed and changed?

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Worship--Part 2

(SEE "Worship--Part 1" for an introduction to the purpose and components of worship.)

Have you experienced the intimacy of worshiping God on your own? You do not have to be in a church to worship! When you are alone, no one but God hears that you cannot carry a tune (and God already knows). When you are alone with God, you don't have to smother expressions of your feelings. You are not limited in the movements of your body. You can focus on your needs, on receiving what God has to communicate to you, and on what you want to say to him. You can be free in your confessions of wrongdoings and failures and accept God's assurances of his forgiveness and personal love for you. You can pray for others specifically in private. You can be still before God and rest in his presence as long as you need to and as long as he calls you to.

As blessed as personal worship with God is, the benefits of faithfully worshiping with other believers cannot be duplicated on your own. Nothing compares to the experience of the Holy Spirit moving many voices united in glorious praise to God and in prayer for each other. Listening to the reading or dramatization of the Bible, the teachings of the message, participation in the sacraments, and the sharing of testimonies of others bonds believers in the family of God and gives them resources to encourage each other. Together the spiritual and physical gifts of many believers achieve ministry, service, and witness to the world far beyond what God enables one person to do.

Personal and corporate worship (worship with other believers), each with their unique benefits, together offer variety in experiencing intimacy with God. May you receive many blessings as you grow in your worship in both ways.

Personal Worship Principles
Examples of Personal Worship
Corporate Worship Principles
Examples of Corporate Worship

Personal Worship Principles

Take time to be holy,

Speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide in Him always

And feed on His Word.

Make friends of God's children,

Help those who are weak,

Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy,

The world rushes on;

Spend much time in secret

With Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus,

Like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 New International Version)

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, (Hebrews 10:19-20 NIV)

2. Believers by the grace of Jesus, are now the priests and the temple of God:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?." (1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV)

3. God desires our worship and delivers us in order to worship him:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1 NIV)

And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." (Exodus 3:12 NIV)

4. Personal worship opens the heart to God:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." (Ephesians 3:16-17a NIV)

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:5 NIV)

5. Personal worship meets personal needs:

"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God." (Psalms 42:1-5 NIV)

6. Suggestions for personal worship:

a. Be creative in how you use the worship components found in "Worship Part 1".
b. All worship components need not be used in every worship session. Variety can be exciting!
c. Please note, however, that the sacraments are properly celebrated in corporate worship and are rarely, if ever, celebrated in private worship.
d. Have an established, regular time for personal worship; even a small amount of time spent in worship can benefit your relationship with God.
e. A fine resource for personal worship is Space for God: The Study and Practice of Prayer and Spirituality, by Don Postema (Grand Rapids, MI: CRC Publications, 1983)

NOTE: See also the two devotionals on prayer for other ideas for prayers in personal worship.

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Examples of Personal Worship

NOTE: "Never underestimate the blessed consequences of one adoring act of worship! Your private devotions in your own home can have spiritual repercussions around the world." (Warren W. Wiersbe, Real Worship: It Will Transform Your Life, p. 83)

1. An example of personal worship--Isaiah:

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I [Isaiah] saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.' Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.' Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:1-8 NIV)

2. An example of personal worship--Mary of Bethany (see John 12:1-3):

"While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, 'Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.' And they rebuked her harshly.
'Leave her alone,' said Jesus. 'Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.'" (Mark 14:3-9 NIV)

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Corporate Worship Principles

NOTE: "Worship with people in the church is one way we give public thanksgiving. The church is a place where we realize and celebrate that we belong to God, that God has acted redemptively for us. The church is the body of Christ, the place where the covenant is actualized, the covenant community. . .
We gather around the Word of God to commemorate God's mighty works and words. In the sacraments we remember and celebrate our belonging to God, our union with Christ. . .
Proclamation [teaching] connects God's acts in the past with God's continuing acts in our present lives. We are encouraged to obedience and service and specific acts of gratitude in our daily lives."
(Don Postema, Space for God, p. 74)


1. Encouragement:

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)

2. Fellowship:

"Glorify the LORD with me: let us exalt his name together." (Psalms 34:3 NIV)

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2 NIV)

3. The use of spiritual gifts for the benefit of everyone:

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." (Romans 12:6-8 NIV)

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:7 NIV)

4. Order:

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. . .But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." (1 Corinthians 14:33a, 40 NIV)

"For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." (Colossians 2:5 NIV)

5. A loving testimony of Jesus' love to the world:

"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-- the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth." (Colossians 1:3-6 NIV)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:7-12 NIV)

6. Suggestions for attitudes in public worship:

a. Arrive early for worship.
b. Quiet your heart and mind.
c. Stay alert and focussed on God.
d. Ask God to teach you personally during worship.
e. Expect worship to be spiritually rewarding.
f. Participate fully in worship. (If you don't sing well, make a joyful noise!)
g. Support and thank those who lead worship.
h. Become involved in the church family.

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Examples of Corporate Worship

"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly." (Hebrews 12:22 NIV)

NOTE: "We must also recognize that John does ascend to a worship service on the Lord's Day; and this is a clear image of the weekly ascension of the Church into heaven every Lord's Day where she joins in the communion of saints and angels 'in festal array' for the heavenly liturgy." (David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation, Tyler, TX: Dominion Press, 1987, p. 147)


1. An example of corporate worship (a heavenly worship service):

Then I [John] saw a Lamb [Jesus Christ], looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!"
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen", and the elders fell down and worshipped. (Revelation 5:6-14 NIV)

2. A pattern of corporate worship in the early church:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47 NIV)



RESPONDING:

1. Pray to God and ask him how he wants you to expand your worship experiences.
2. How often and when is God calling to spend personal time with him?
3. In what ways have you been neglecting public worship in your life?
3. Do you have a gift in worship that you can share within your church?
4. How do you see the balance of personal and corporate worship working out in your life?
5. How can you share with others how you've been blessed in your personal and corporate worship and encourage them in their worship?

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The Identity of Jesus Christ

". . .regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 1:3-4 New International Version)

NOTE: This month's devotions will focus on four names of Jesus mentioned in the Apostles' Creed. Over 700 names for Jesus can be found in the Bible, all contributing knowledge about the character of Jesus.
In our study of Jesus, we follow the example of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a well-known preacher of the Word, who described the study of the character of God:

"the mystery of godliness is great; it is no rippling rill

of dogma, but a broad ocean of thought, no molehill of discovery,

but an Alp of revelation, no single beam of light but a sun

shining at its strength."

The Name "Jesus"

"Jesus" (Old Testament equivalent = Joshua) was Jesus' given name.

"She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you [Joseph] are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21 NIV)

1. "Jesus" means "Yahweh is salvation":

"Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours." (2 Peter 1:1 NIV)

2. Jesus is Yahweh:

a. God calls himself "Yahweh" or "I AM WHO I AM":

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14 NIV)

b. Jesus claims to be "I am":

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58 NIV)


3. Jesus is the Savior:

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11 NIV)

"The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29 NIV)

"And, once made perfect, he [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." (Hebrews 5:9 NIV)

4. The name "Jesus" is powerful:

"Therefore God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Philippians 2:9-10 NIV)

"Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NIV)

5. Believers are told to use Jesus' name:

a. in prayer:

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my [Jesus'] name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:24 NIV)

b. in baptism:

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38 NIV)


6. Jesus' name is to be used in true faith and is not to be used falsely:

He [Jesus] replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am he,' and `The time is near.' Do not follow them." (Luke 21:8 NIV)

"Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, 'In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.' Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding." (Acts 19:13-16 NIV)

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The Name "Christ"

"Christ" describes Jesus' office.

1. The meaning of "Christ" or "annointed one":

"to anoint:

consecrating Jesus to the Messianic office, and furnishing

him with the necessary powers for its administration"

"When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" (Luke 3:21-22 NIV)

3. Jesus is the "annointed one", the Messiah of David's line promised in the Old Testament:

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David." (Luke 1:32 NIV)

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" (Matthew 9:27 NIV)

4. Jesus claimed to be the Christ:

"Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ." (Matthew 16:20 NIV)

But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Mark 14:61-62 NIV)

5. Jesus was recognized as the Christ:

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven." (Matthew 16:15-17 NIV)

"Yes, Lord," she [Martha] told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." (John 11:27 NIV)

6. Jesus is given the Messiah's offices of prophet, priest, and king:

a. prophet:

"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." (Matthew 7:28-29 NIV)

"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John." (Revelation 1:1 NIV)

b. priest:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:14-15 NIV)

"But because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:24-25 NIV)

c. king:

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15 NIV)

"That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:19b-21 NIV)

d. Conclusion:

"When the prophets of Israel and Judah spoke of the coming Messiah, their highest thoughts of Him were those of Prophet, Priest, and King. Jesus functions today in each of those offices in the life of the believer. But He is also far more. He is no longer merely 'the Christ' but also 'Christ,' the One in whom we dwell and depend upon for the very essence of spiritual life and the One who lives within, providing all that is necessary for effective Christian living." (Towns, p. 44)

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The Name "God's Only Son"

"God's only Son" refers to Jesus' relationship in the Godhead or Trinity.

". . .this is one of the most extraordinary doctrines that was ever declared in human hearing, for were it not well attested, it would be absolutely incredible that the infinite God who filleth all things, who was and is, and is to come, the Almighty, the Omniscient, and the Omnipresent, actually condescended to veil Himself in the garments of our inferior clay. He made all things, and yet He deigned to take the flesh of a creature into union with Himself: the Infinite was linked with the infant, and the Eternal was blended with mortality." ("The Mystery Of Godliness--1 Timothy 3:16," from Spurgeon's Encyclopedia of Sermons)

1. Jesus was born as God's Son:

"You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:32-35 NIV)

2. Jesus was eternally God before his birth:

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV)

"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:1-3 NIV)

3. Jesus is God's only Son, sent to save believers:

a. Jesus is God's only natural Son:

"[Jesus said,] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. . .Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:16,18 NIV)

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31 NIV)

b. Believers are God's adopted children:

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12 NIV)

"[God] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." (Ephesians 1:5 NIV)

4. Jesus on earth was "God with us":

All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-- which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23 NIV)

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

5. Jesus was recognized as the Son of God:

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16 NIV)

"At once he [Paul] began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God." (Acts 9:20 NIV)

6. Response:

"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:22a NIV)

"Jesus was not only the son of [Mary] but also the only begotten Son of God. That is what He claimed and taught. That being the case, we must respond to Jesus in one of three ways. If He lied about His identity and knew it, then. . .He got exactly what He deserved [execution]. If He believed He was the Son of God and was deceived Himself, then He should be regarded. . .as a lunatic on the level of a man who thinks He is a poached egg. [the egg illustration is borrowed from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, p. 56]
If, however, He was telling the truth. . .then we must recognize and worship him as none other than the Lord of Life and very God of very God." (Towns, p. 100)

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The Name "Lord"

"Lord" refers to Jesus' title.

1. The meaning of "lord":

"he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord:
a) the possessor and disposer of a thing

1) the owner; one who has control of the person, the master

2) in the state: the sovereign, prince, chief, the Roman emperor

2. Jesus was referred to as "Lord" by others:

"You call me `Teacher' and `Lord', and rightly so, for that is what I am." (John 13:13 NIV)

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28 NIV)

3. After his ascension Jesus received the highest honor of Lordship:

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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." (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV)

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36 NIV)

They will make war against the Lamb [Jesus], but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings-- and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." (Revelation 17:14 NIV)

4. Confessing Jesus as Lord is a central to salvation:

Therefore I tell you that no-one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no-one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3 NIV)

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NIV)

5. Believers are blessed in Christ as their Lord:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

6. Believers must respond to Jesus and his Lordship:

a. "know":

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him." (Romans 6:8-9 NIV)

b. "count yourselves":

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:11 NIV)

c. "offer yourselves":

"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." (Romans 6:13 NIV)

d. "obey":

"But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. . . .But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:17, 22-23 NIV)

e. Conclusion:

"Lordship is an experience of the believer rather than the unsaved. . . . Lordship marks the progress or growth of your Christian life. . . . Lordship means surrender. . . . But God wants more than yielded Christians; He wants control of your life. When he has control, we will take up our cross. When He has control, we will deny self and the flesh. . . . When it comes to recognizing the lordship of Christ, we have a choice. It can be our decision now, or His coercive act later." (Towns, pp 27-30)

Then [Jesus] said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23 NIV)


NOTE: If you don't know Jesus Christ as God, Savior, and Lord, please click on "I'd like to know more about Jesus " to learn about how to know him personally.

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