#54 CHRIST AND THE CLOCK OF TIME 8-29-26

We live by clocks.

We watch the hands move across the face. We mark our lives by birthdays and anniversaries, beginnings and endings, yesterday and tomorrow. We hurry because the clock is moving. We worry because time is passing. We look backward and wish we could return. We look forward and wonder what is coming.

Time is one of the great mysteries of our existence.

But there is One who is not controlled by the clock.

Christ is the Christ before time, the Christ within time, and the Christ beyond time.

THE CHRIST BEFORE TIME

“In the beginning was the Word.” (John 1:1)

John takes us back before Bethlehem. Before there was a manger, there was Christ. Before there was a star over Bethlehem, there was glory in heaven. Before Mary carried Him in her arms, He existed with the Father.

Christ did not begin at His birth.

His earthly life began, but His existence did not.

He was with God in the beginning. He was God in the beginning. All things were made through Him. (John 1:1-3).

Think about the mystery of that truth.

The hands that were formed in Mary’s womb were the hands that formed the world. The voice that cried as an infant was the voice that spoke creation into existence. The One who lay beneath the stars in Bethlehem was the One who had hung those stars in the heavens.

He was before the clock began ticking.

Before there was a first day, there was Christ.

Before there was a first sunrise, there was Christ.

Before there was time, there was eternity.

And Christ was there.

THE CHRIST WITHIN TIME

Then something happened that angels must have wondered at.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

Eternity entered time.

The Creator stepped into His creation.

The One who existed before time allowed Himself to be born into time. He entered the world He had made. He walked roads He had created. He breathed the air He had fashioned. He became tired. He became hungry. He wept. He suffered.

And He did it for us.

Galatians says, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son.” (Galatians 4:4)

Not when Rome was ready.

Not when Jerusalem was ready.

Not when humanity thought it was ready.

When the fullness of the time had come.

God’s clock was never wrong.

Jesus came at precisely the appointed time. He lived according to the Father’s will, and when His hour came, He went to Calvary. Again and again in John’s Gospel we hear about His “hour.” (John 2:4, John 7:30, John 12:23)

The cross was not a divine interruption.

It was the divine appointment.

Jesus entered time so that He could die within time, rise from the grave, and redeem people who were trapped beneath the curse of sin and death.

What a Savior.

The eternal Son became temporal flesh so that temporal sinners could receive eternal life.

THE CHRIST BEYOND TIME

But Christ did not remain in the grave.

The clock moved forward.

The stone was rolled away.

The tomb became empty.

And the One who had entered time through Bethlehem conquered death within time through the resurrection.

Now He reigns in glory.

And one day, when our clocks have stopped and our calendars have ended, Christ will still be Christ.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Yesterday cannot change Him.

Today cannot surprise Him.

Tomorrow cannot threaten Him.

Time changes us, but time does not change Christ.

We grow older.

He does not.

Our strength fades.

His strength does not.

Our circumstances change.

His promises do not.

Our earthly homes disappear.

He is preparing an eternal home for His people. (John 14:2–3)

This is why the Christian does not have to fear tomorrow.

Tomorrow is already in the hands of Christ.

We do not know what the next hour will bring. We do not know what the next year will hold. We do not know how many pages remain in the story of our earthly lives.

But we know the Author.

And that is enough.

The clock may be ticking, but Christ is reigning.

The years may be passing, but Christ remains.

Our bodies may grow weak, but Christ is our life.

And someday our final earthly hour will come.

For the believer, that hour will not be the end.

It will be the doorway.

The clock will stop, but eternity will begin.

And there we will discover that the Christ who was with us in our first hour is the Christ who will welcome us into our eternal home.

So do not spend your life merely watching the clock.

Watch Christ.

Do not let yesterday enslave you.

Christ is there.

Do not let today overwhelm you.

Christ is here.

Do not let tomorrow frighten you.

Christ is already there.

He was there before your first breath.

He is with you in every breath you take.

And He will be there when you breathe your last.

Christ before time.
Christ within time.
Christ beyond time.

The clock belongs to Him.

The ages belong to Him.

And if you belong to Christ, then your life is safely held in the hands of the One who holds eternity itself.

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Lord Jesus, You were before time, You entered time for us, and You reign beyond time. Help us not to be imprisoned by yesterday, overwhelmed by today, or frightened by tomorrow. Teach us to trust You with every moment You give us. When our days seem short, remind us that eternity is long. When our lives seem uncertain, remind us that You never change. And when our earthly clock finally stops, may we find ourselves safely in Your presence, where time shall be no more. Amen.

BDD

#53 CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD 8-29-26

John begins his Gospel by taking us farther back than Bethlehem. Before there was a manger, there was the Word. Before Mary held Him in her arms, He was with God. Before the angels sang over His birth, He was already the eternal Son. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Christ is the Word of God. He is God’s perfect expression, God’s eternal message, God’s living revelation. When God wanted humanity to know what He is like, He did not merely send another prophet with another message. He sent His Son. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

HE REVEALS GOD

We cannot climb our way into heaven and discover God by human wisdom. We need God to reveal Himself to us. And that is precisely what Christ came to do.

John says that “no one has seen God at any time,” but the Son has declared Him. (John 1:18) Christ came to make the invisible God known.

Philip once said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus answered, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:8–9)

Look at Christ, and you see the compassion of God. Look at Christ welcoming sinners, and you see the mercy of God. Look at Christ confronting hypocrisy, and you see the holiness of God. Look at Christ weeping at the grave of Lazarus, and you see the tenderness of God. Look at Christ on Calvary, and you see the love of God.

Jesus did not merely talk about God.

Jesus revealed God.

HE REFLECTS GOD

Christ does not give us a distorted picture of the Father. He perfectly reflects Him.

Paul calls Christ “the image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15) The writer of Hebrews says that He is “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” (Hebrews 1:3)

A reflection reveals what is before it. Christ’s character, His holiness, His love, His righteousness, His mercy, His authority, and His compassion all declare the character of God.

There is no conflict between the God of the Old Testament and the Christ of the New Testament. The same holy God who judged sin is revealed in Christ. The same merciful God who called sinners to repentance is revealed in Christ. The same God who promised redemption is revealed in Christ.

Christ is not less than God.

Christ is not merely similar to God.

Christ is the perfect revelation of God.

If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.

HE REACHES GOD

And then Christ does something that we could never do ourselves. He brings us to God.

Sin separated us from God. Our righteousness could never bridge that separation. Our religion could never climb high enough. Our works could never pay the debt. Our wisdom could never discover the way home.

But the Word became flesh.

The eternal Son entered our world. He took upon Himself humanity. He walked our roads, bore our sorrows, endured our temptations, suffered our rejection, and finally gave Himself upon the cross.

Peter said that Christ “suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

There it is.

That He might bring us to God.

Christ reveals God to us, reflects God before us, and brings us to God.

He stands as the bridge between the holy God and sinful humanity. He is the Mediator between God and men. (1 Timothy 2:5) Through Him we have access to the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)

The Word who was with God came to where we were so that those who believe could be brought to where He is.

That is grace.

The One who came from heaven came looking for sinners on earth. The One who reveals the Father became our Redeemer. The One who shares the glory of God humbled Himself to the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6–8)

So do not merely admire Christ.

Come to Christ.

Do not merely study His words.

Believe His words.

Do not merely acknowledge that He reveals God.

Receive the God He reveals.

Christ is the Word of God.

He reveals God.

He reflects God.

He reaches us to God.

And when we come to Christ, we have not merely found a teacher. We have found the One who was in the beginning, the One through whom all things were made, the One in whom life is found, and the One through whom sinners can come home to God.

The Word became flesh.

The Word dwelt among us.

The Word went to the cross.

The Word rose from the grave.

And the Word is still calling sinners to Himself.

Christ is God’s message to a world that needs to hear Him.

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Father, thank You for giving us Your Son, the eternal Word. Thank You that in Christ we can see Your character, know Your heart, and come into Your presence. Help us to look to Jesus when we want to understand You. Help us to trust Jesus when we are burdened by sin. Help us to follow Jesus when we do not know which way to go. And may our lives reflect the Christ who has revealed You to us and brought us near to You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

BDD

#52 CHRIST—THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE 8-29-26

These words of Christ seem to gather all of heaven into one sentence. When Martha stood weeping at the grave of her brother Lazarus, Jesus did not merely tell her that a resurrection was coming. He did not simply promise that death would someday be defeated. He looked into the face of a grieving woman and declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

Notice the words. He did not say, “I can give you resurrection.” He said, “I am the resurrection.” He did not say, “I can point you toward life.” He said, “I am the life.” Resurrection is not merely an event. Life is not merely a gift. Both are found in a Person, and that Person is Jesus Christ.

THE PRICE HE PAID

Before Christ could come forth from the tomb, He had to go into it. Before there could be an empty grave, there had to be a bloody cross. The resurrection morning cannot be understood apart from Calvary.

Jesus did not purchase our redemption with silver or gold. He purchased it with His precious blood. (1 Peter 1:18–19) He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. (1 Peter 2:24) He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5)

What a price!

The hands that had touched the sick were pierced. The feet that had walked the dusty roads of Galilee were nailed to the cross. The brow that deserved a crown was crowned with thorns. The One who spoke worlds into existence allowed Himself to be mocked by the very creatures He had made.

And why?

For us.

The cross was not an accident. It was not a tragedy that God failed to prevent. It was the great purpose of redemption being accomplished through the willing sacrifice of the Son. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

The price was paid in full.

THE PROMISE HE MADE

But Jesus did not leave His disciples with a dead Savior and a sealed tomb. He made a promise that death itself could not cancel.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25)

What a promise!

Christ does not merely promise life after death. He promises Himself. He is our life now, and He is our hope beyond the grave. The believer may enter the valley, but Christ is there. The believer may face the grave, but Christ is there. The believer may close his eyes in death, but Christ remains the resurrection and the life.

Death may take the body, but it cannot take Christ.

The grave may receive the believer, but it cannot hold what belongs to Christ forever.

That is why Paul could write, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

The Christian’s hope is not wishful thinking. Our hope rests upon an empty tomb.

The grave of Jesus is different from every other grave. Other graves contain people who are waiting for resurrection. His grave became empty because He Himself is the resurrection.

THE PLACE HE STAYED

There is something else that ought to capture our hearts. Jesus was not raised merely to walk out of a tomb and return to ordinary earthly life. Lazarus was raised and eventually died again. Christ rose never to die again. He conquered death permanently. Death no longer has dominion over Him. (Romans 6:9)

And after His resurrection, He ascended into heaven.

The One who was laid in a borrowed tomb now reigns upon the throne of heaven.

The One who was rejected by men is exalted by God.

The One who wore a crown of thorns now wears glory.

The One whose hands were nailed to a cross now intercedes for His people. (Hebrews 7:25)

Where is Christ now?

He is not in the tomb.

He is not hanging upon the cross.

He is at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)

And He has gone to prepare a place for His own. “I go to prepare a place for you,” He told His disciples. (John 14:2)

Think about that.

He paid the price.

He made the promise.

He prepared the place.

And because He lives, those who belong to Him have hope.

The resurrection is therefore more than an empty tomb. It is heaven’s declaration that the sacrifice of Christ was accepted, the power of sin was broken, and death had been defeated. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out, but so that the world could see that He was already gone.

The tomb could not hold Him.

Death could not conquer Him.

The grave could not keep Him.

And because He lives, there is hope for every sinner who comes to Him in faith.

Martha thought Jesus was talking about something that would happen someday. Jesus showed her that resurrection was standing right in front of her.

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

That is still the answer.

Not merely resurrection.

Not merely life.

Christ.

Christ is our resurrection.

Christ is our life.

Christ is our hope.

Christ is our home.

And when our journey through this world is finished, we will discover that the One who met us at the beginning of faith is the same One who will meet us at the end of the road.

The price He paid was sufficient.
The promise He made is certain.
The place He stayed is prepared.

And the Savior who rose from the grave will one day raise all who belong to Him.

Hallelujah.

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Lord Jesus, thank You that You are not merely the giver of resurrection and life. You are the Resurrection and the Life. Thank You for the price You paid at Calvary, for the promise You made to those who believe, and for the place You have prepared for Your people. Teach us to look beyond the grave and see Your glory. Amen.

BDD

#50 CHRIST FOR EVERYONE 8-28-26

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is bigger than our boundaries. Christ did not come for a certain class of people. He came for people. He did not come for the impressive. He came for the broken. He did not come for the worthy. He came to make sinners worthy through His grace. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Christ is for everybody.

His love and acceptance know no bounds. It is not based on race. The gospel does not belong to one nationality. Jesus died for Jews and Gentiles, for every nation, tribe, people, and tongue. Peter learned this lesson when God showed him that “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34). The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Every person comes the same way. Every person needs the same Savior. Every person is invited to the same grace.

It is not based on religion. Religion can become a wall if we allow our traditions to become more important than Christ. Jesus did not come to create another system in which people could boast about their religious accomplishments. He came to reconcile sinners to God. “There is neither Jew nor Greek for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Christ is greater than our labels. He is greater than our backgrounds. He is greater than everything we have built around Him.

It is not based on ritual. We cannot purchase God’s love through ceremonies, traditions, or outward performances. The Pharisees had rituals, but many of them missed the Redeemer standing right in front of them. The thief on the cross had nothing to offer except faith in a dying King, yet Jesus gave him hope beyond the grave (Luke 23:42-43). God’s grace cannot be reduced to human performance. Our confidence is Christ.

It is not based on resources. It is not based on riches. Jesus welcomed people who had nothing. He received the poor, the hungry, the helpless, and the forgotten. James warned against showing favoritism toward the rich (James 2:1-5). The kingdom of God cannot be bought. A person’s bank account does not impress heaven. Whether a person has a fortune or an empty pocket, that person needs the same Savior. Rich or poor, powerful or powerless, Christ is for everybody.

It is not based on royalty. Jesus did not reserve His grace for kings and queens. He touched lepers. He ate with sinners. He welcomed children. He spoke with Samaritans. He stopped for blind beggars. He called fishermen. He received tax collectors. He forgave the guilty. He sought the lost. The King of kings came not merely to those who occupied earthly thrones but to those who were sitting in the darkness of sin. His kingdom is open to all who come to Him.

And it is not based on restoration. Sometimes we think we must get ourselves cleaned up before Christ will receive us. But Christ is the One who restores us. The prodigal did not return to his father with a record of accomplishments. He came home broken, and his father ran to meet him (Luke 15:20). Jesus does not say, “Restore yourself and then come to Me.” He says, “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:28). The Savior receives broken people and begins the work of making them whole.

So what is our acceptance based upon? The Redeemer. Not race. Not religion. Not ritual. Not resources. Not riches. Not royalty. Not restoration. Christ alone is our hope. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

That is why the gospel can be preached to everybody. The same Christ who saved Paul can save you. The same Christ who welcomed the outcast can welcome you. The same Christ who forgave the sinner can forgive you. There is room at the cross for the poor and the wealthy, the educated and the uneducated, the famous and the forgotten, the religious and the irreligious. Christ is for everybody because everybody needs Christ.

The question is not, “Am I good enough?” The question is not, “Do I have enough?” The question is not, “Do I belong to the right group?” The question is, “What will I do with Jesus Christ?” He is the Redeemer. He is the Savior. He is the door. He is the hope. And He is the only basis upon which any of us can stand accepted before God.

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Lord Jesus, thank You that Your love reaches everybody. Tear down every wall we build between ourselves and others. Teach us to see people as You see them. Help us never to trust in anything we have or can do. May we trust only in You, the Redeemer who loved us and gave Himself for us. Amen.

BDD

#49 THE SEED OF THE WOMAN 8-28-26

The first promise of redemption was spoken in the darkest moment of human history. Sin had entered the world. Adam and Eve had fallen. The serpent had deceived them. Judgment had been pronounced. Everything had fallen apart.

But in the midst of the darkness, God gave a promise. He told the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).

There it is.

The first glimpse of the Gospel. A Savior would come through the woman. He would enter our world. He would suffer, but through His suffering He would destroy the enemy.

Centuries later, Paul wrote, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). The Seed of the woman had come.

HIS HUMAN LIFE. Jesus did not merely appear to be human. He became flesh and lived among us. He was born as a baby. He grew. He became tired. He hungered. He thirsted. He wept. He experienced the ordinary limitations and sorrows of human life, yet without sin. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The One who created humanity entered humanity. The hands that formed Adam from the dust became the hands of a carpenter. The voice that spoke creation into existence learned the language of a child. The Son of God became the Son of Man. He became one of us so that He could redeem us.

HIS HEALING LOVE. Everywhere Jesus went, He brought mercy. He opened blind eyes. He made the lame walk. He welcomed the rejected. He forgave sinners. He stopped for people others passed by. His miracles were demonstrations of His power, but they also revealed His heart. He was moved with compassion when He saw suffering (Matthew 9:36). He did not merely see people’s problems. He saw people. His love healed more than bodies. He restored dignity. He gave hope. He brought the sinner back into fellowship with God. The Seed of the woman came into a broken world, and everywhere He went He brought the healing love of God.

HIS HURTING LOSS. But the Seed of the woman came for more than Bethlehem. He came for Calvary. The promise of Genesis said that His heel would be bruised. The cross was the bruising of the heel. Jesus knew rejection, betrayal, loneliness, injustice, and grief. He was despised and rejected by men. He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. He was denied by another. His friends fled. He was mocked, beaten, crucified, and forsaken. He experienced the terrible reality of death. Isaiah said, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). His hurting loss was not meaningless. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).

But notice the promise. The serpent would bruise His heel, but He would crush the serpent’s head. Calvary looked like defeat, but it was victory. The grave looked like the end, but it became the doorway to resurrection. Satan wounded Christ, but Christ defeated Satan. Death received Him, but death could not keep Him.

HIS HEAVENLY LIFE. The story does not end with the wounded Christ in the tomb. The Seed of the woman rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is alive forevermore. The One who came down from heaven has returned to the Father, and He lives as our risen Lord. Paul said that Christ “was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25). The baby of Bethlehem is the King of glory. The carpenter of Nazareth is the Lord of heaven. The suffering Savior is the reigning Christ.

From Genesis 3:15 to Galatians 4:4, God kept His promise. The Seed of the woman came. He lived our human life. He revealed God’s healing love. He endured hurting loss. And now He lives a heavenly life. What began as a promise in Eden became a Person in Bethlehem, a sacrifice at Calvary, a victory at the empty tomb, and a reign in heaven.

And one day, the Christ who came will come again. The Seed of the woman who crushed the serpent’s head will finally and completely put every enemy beneath His feet. Until then, we look to Him, trust Him, love Him, and proclaim Him. Eden pointed to Him. Bethlehem revealed Him. Calvary purchased us. The empty tomb vindicated Him. Heaven receives Him. And eternity belongs to Him.

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Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming the Seed of the woman, entering our human condition and coming to redeem us. Thank You for Your healing love and for willingly enduring the pain and loss of Calvary. Thank You that death could not hold You and that You now live in heavenly glory. Help us to love You more deeply, trust You more completely, and live every day looking toward the day when we will see You. Amen.

BDD

#48 ACCEPTANCE THROUGH CHRIST 8-28-26

Paul says that God has “made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). What a beautiful expression. We are accepted, but our acceptance is not based upon our goodness. It is not based upon our performance. It is not based upon how well we have kept God’s law. It is not, in fact, based on anything at all in us. We are accepted “in the Beloved.” Our standing before God is connected to Christ. The Father accepts us because He accepts His Son.

At the baptism of Jesus, heaven declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). At the Transfiguration, the Father said again, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 17:5). Jesus is the Beloved. He is the One in whom the Father is completely pleased. He perfectly obeyed the Father’s will. He fulfilled the righteousness that we could never perfectly fulfill. He became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). And because He is accepted, those who are in Him are accepted.

This changes everything. We do not come before God presenting our own righteousness and asking Him to accept us because we have done enough. We come clothed in Christ. Paul says that we are “found in Him, not having my own righteousness” (Philippians 3:9). Our confidence is not, “Look at me, Lord.” Our confidence is, “Look at Christ.” He is our righteousness. He is our mediator. He is our peace. He is our acceptance. He is our everything.

ADORE HIM

Because we have been accepted in the Beloved, we should adore Him. Jesus is worthy of our deepest affection. Christianity is not merely believing facts about Christ. It is loving the Christ we believe in. The more we see His beauty, His holiness, His humility, His obedience, His mercy, and His love, the more our hearts should adore Him. He is not merely the One who saved us. He is the One we love.

APPRECIATE HIM

We should never become so familiar with the story of Jesus that we lose our wonder. Think about what He has done. He left heaven. He took upon Himself the form of a servant. He lived among us. He endured temptation. He bore rejection. He carried our sins. He went to the cross. He died in our place. He rose again. He lives forever. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

ADMIRE HIM

There has never been another like Jesus. Admire His compassion toward the broken. Admire His courage before His enemies. Admire His patience with His disciples. Admire His purity in a sinful world. Admire His willingness to obey when obedience led Him to Calvary. Admire His forgiveness from the cross. Admire His resurrection power. The more closely we look at Christ, the more beautiful He becomes.

ACCEPT HIM

God has accepted us in the Beloved, but we must receive the Beloved by faith. We must come to Christ. We must trust Him. We must surrender ourselves to Him. Jesus said, “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:28). He is God’s answer to our deepest need. There is no salvation apart from Him, because there is no acceptance apart from Him.

ATTAIN HIM

Paul said, “That I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Christ was not merely something Paul wanted to know about. Christ was the great treasure he wanted to gain. This ought to be the ambition of every Christian. Not merely to gain possessions. Not merely to gain recognition. Not merely to gain success. To gain Christ. To know Him. To become like Him. To possess Him as our greatest treasure and to be possessed by Him in every part of our lives.

What a glorious truth! We are accepted in the Beloved. The Father looks upon His beloved Son with perfect pleasure, and by grace He welcomes those who belong to His Son. Therefore, adore Christ. Appreciate Christ. Admire Christ. Accept Christ. Attain Christ. And when you have Christ, you have found the One in whom you are fully accepted before God.

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Father, thank You for accepting us in Your Beloved Son. Teach us to stop trusting in ourselves and to rest completely in Christ. Give us hearts that adore Him, appreciate Him, admire Him, accept Him, and desire above everything else to attain Him. May Jesus become more precious to us every day. Amen.

BDD

#47 CHRIST IS THE FULFILLMENT OF EVERYTHING

Jesus Christ represents and means absolute completion. He is not merely one part of God’s plan. He is the center of it. He is where the promises lead, where the law finds its meaning, where love finds its fullest expression, where God’s eternal purpose comes together. Everything God was doing was moving toward Christ. Everything God had promised finds its “Yes” in Him. Everything the human heart truly needs is found in Him. Christ is the fulfillment of everything.

CHRIST IS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S LAW. The law of God was holy, righteous, and good, but it was never the final destination. It pointed beyond itself to Christ. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). The sacrifices pointed to His sacrifice. The priesthood pointed to His priesthood. The tabernacle pointed to His presence. The Passover pointed to His redemption. The righteousness demanded by the law finds its perfect expression in the life of Jesus. Christ did not come to throw away everything that came before Him. He came to bring it to its appointed fulfillment.

CHRIST IS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S LOVE. The Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and God’s love is not merely an idea. God’s love has a face. God’s love has hands and feet. God’s love came into this world in the Person of Jesus Christ. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). At the cross, we see what divine love is willing to do for sinful people. Christ loved us when we were undeserving. He loved us when we were helpless. He loved us enough to lay down His life for us. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). If you want to know how much God loves you, look at Jesus.

CHRIST IS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES. God had been making promises throughout the story of Scripture, and those promises were all moving toward Christ. Paul wrote, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). The promise made to Abraham. The promise concerning David’s throne. The promise of a coming King. The promise of redemption. The promise of God’s presence. The promise of salvation. All of these find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. God did not make empty promises. He fulfilled them in His Son.

And this is why Christ is enough. We do not need to look beyond Jesus for the answer to what God has revealed. The law points us to Him. Love brings us to Him. The promises rest in Him. The prophets testified of Him. The apostles preached Him. The Father glorified Him. Heaven declares His worth. Earth has received His grace. The cross reveals His love. The empty tomb declares His victory.

Jesus is not simply the beginning of Christianity. He is the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. Paul said that God has “made known to us the mystery of His will” and that His purpose is to “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:9-10). Everything comes together in Him. What sin scattered, Christ gathers. What death destroyed, Christ restores. What the law revealed, Christ fulfills. What love desired, Christ accomplishes.

So look to Christ. Trust Christ. Follow Christ. Love Christ. There is no greater treasure and no greater fulfillment. When you have Christ, you have the One in whom God’s law finds its fulfillment, God’s love finds its expression, and God’s promises find their “Yes.” Christ is not merely something God gave us. Christ is everything God was leading us toward.

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Lord Jesus, teach us to see everything through You. Help us understand that You are the fulfillment of God’s law, the revelation of God’s love, and the assurance of God’s promises. Take our eyes off everything that competes with You and fix our hearts upon You. May You be our hope, our righteousness, our treasure, and our all in all. Amen.

BDD

#46 THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST 8-28-26

When you know that someone you love is coming to see you it brings very positive feelings. You may not know the exact hour. You may not know exactly how everything will unfold. But you know they are coming, and that knowledge changes the way you live while you wait.

The Christian lives with that blessed expectation. We are not simply waiting for an event. We are waiting for a Person. We are waiting for Jesus Christ.

The early church lived with this expectation, and the Bible calls us to do the same. “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

We should be looking for His coming. There ought to be an expectancy in the heart of every believer. We should lift our eyes beyond this present world and remember that this world is not our final home. Jesus promised, “I will come again” (John 14:3). His coming is not a possibility resting on human speculation. It is a promise resting on His word. The Christian does not have to wonder whether Christ will keep His promise. He will. And because He is coming, we can face today with hope. We look for Him because we love Him.

We should be living for His coming. Looking for Christ should affect the way we live before Christ. “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). The expectation of Christ’s coming should produce holiness, faithfulness, and obedience. We should not spend our lives trying to squeeze everything we can out of this present age. We should live as people who know that eternity is ahead of us. We should work while it is day. We should love people. We should preach the Gospel. We should forgive quickly. We should keep our hearts clean. We should be found faithful when our Lord comes.

We should be longing for His coming. Paul said that he had a “desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:23). There is something in the redeemed heart that longs to see Jesus. We may love our families. We may enjoy our work. We may be thankful for every good gift God has given us. Yet beneath all of those blessings there is a deeper longing. We want to see the One who saved us. Faith will become sight. The One we have trusted without seeing will one day stand before us. The One whose name we have spoken in prayer will be the One before whom we stand.

And we should love the thought of His coming. The world may dread the thought of Christ appearing, but the church should rejoice. Paul spoke of a “crown of righteousness” that would be given “to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). Notice those words. Loved His appearing. Not merely tolerated it. Not merely believed it. Loved it. There should be something in us that says, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). We do not love His coming because we are eager to escape responsibility. We love His coming because we love Him.

The best thing about heaven is not streets of gold, reunion with loved ones, or freedom from sorrow. The best thing about heaven is Christ. The goal of redemption is not merely to get us out of hell. It is to bring us into the presence of the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. So we look for Him. We live for Him. We long for Him. We love the thought of His coming. Until that day, let us keep our lamps burning, our hearts tender, our hands busy, and our eyes fixed upon Jesus.

__________________

Lord Jesus, teach us to live with our eyes upon You. Give us hearts that look for Your coming, lives that are lived for Your glory, souls that long to see You, and hearts that rejoice at the thought of Your appearing. Keep us faithful while we wait. Keep us holy while we work. Keep us hopeful while we suffer. And when You come, may You find us watching, loving, trusting, and ready. Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Friday, August 28, 2026

10:00 AM

“Complete in Him”
(Colossians 2:10)

2:00 PM

“Christ the Light”
(John 1:5)

5:00 pm

“Stop Judging”
(Romans 2:1)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#45 CHRIST IS 8-27-26

We will never exhaust the great truths about Christ Jesus. We may study them for a lifetime and still feel that we have only stood at the shoreline of an ocean without beginning or end. Three of those truths are these:

CHRIST IS GOD. Jesus is not merely a good man, a great teacher, or a prophet sent from God. He is God who came among us. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Then John tells us something astonishing: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The One who was with God and was God became flesh. Jesus could say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Paul declared that in Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). When we look at Jesus, we are not looking at someone less than God. We are looking upon God revealed in human flesh.

And because Christ is God, Christ is worthy of our worship. Thomas saw the risen Christ and answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Heaven itself declares the worth of the Lamb, giving Him the praise, honor, glory, and worship that belong to God (Revelation 5:12-14). Christianity does not begin with merely admiring Jesus. It begins with bowing before Him.

CHRIST IS GRACE. The God who came to us in Christ did not come because we deserved Him. He came because He loved us. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). Grace has a face. Grace has hands. Grace walked the roads of Galilee. Grace touched lepers, welcomed sinners, forgave the guilty, received the broken, and finally stretched out His hands upon a cross.

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). Salvation is not something we can purchase, achieve, or deserve. It comes to us through Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). The cross is the greatest demonstration of grace the world has ever seen. There, the innocent One bore the guilt of the guilty so that guilty people could be brought near to God.

That is why we never outgrow grace. We do not begin our Christian life by grace and then graduate to something better. We live by grace. We stand by grace. We are strengthened by grace. We are kept humble by grace. Everything we have in Christ is a gift. “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

CHRIST IS THE GOAL. This may be the truth we are most likely to forget. We can become so occupied with the blessings of Christianity that we forget Christ Himself. We want forgiveness, peace, joy, answers to prayer, heaven, and victory. All of these are wonderful gifts. But the greatest gift is Christ.

Paul said that his great desire was “that I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10). He counted everything else as loss “for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Christ was not merely the doorway into Paul’s faith. Christ was the destination of his faith.

The goal is not simply to know about Christ. The goal is to know Christ. The goal is not merely to receive His gifts. The goal is to possess Him and be possessed by Him. The goal is not merely to escape hell. The goal is to belong completely to Jesus.

Everything points toward Him. Creation points toward Him. Scripture points toward Him. Redemption points toward Him. The church belongs to Him. History is moving toward Him. And one day faith will become sight when we see Him face to face.

Christ is God, therefore worship Him.

Christ is grace, therefore receive Him.

Christ is the goal, therefore pursue Him.

And perhaps the greatest prayer we can pray is simply this: “Lord Jesus, let me never become so busy with the things of Christianity that I lose sight of Christ.”

For when we have Christ, we have what heaven itself cannot improve upon. He is the beginning, He is the center, and He is the goal. “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).

_________________

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see You as You truly are. You are God, worthy of all worship. You are grace, undeserved and overflowing. You are the goal of our faith, the treasure of our hearts, and the One for whom we long. Keep us from becoming satisfied with anything less than You. Let our lives begin with Christ, continue with Christ, and end with Christ. May everything we are and everything we do point to Your glory. Amen.

BDD

#44 CHRIST IS THE FINISH LINE 8-27-26

The book of Hebrews begins with one of the greatest portraits of Jesus Christ found anywhere in the Scriptures. In only a few verses, the writer lifts our eyes above everything earthly and shows us the glory, greatness, and supremacy of the Son of God. He is not merely another messenger from God. He is the One through whom God has spoken in these last days, the heir of all things, the One through whom the worlds were made, and the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:1-3).

This is the Christ we are called to look toward as we run the race. Hebrews later says, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Notice where our eyes are directed. We are not told merely to look at the road. We are not told merely to look at the difficulties. We are not even told merely to look at the people running beside us. We are told to look unto Jesus.

Jesus is more than the One who shows us the course. He is the finish line. He is more than the One who tells us where to go. He is where we are going. He is more than the One who gives us the prize. He is the prize.

Everything in Hebrews points us toward the fullness and finality that are found in Christ. The old covenant, the priesthood, the sacrifices, the tabernacle, and the promises were all pointing beyond themselves to something greater. They were shadows. Christ is the substance. They were incomplete pictures. Christ is the fullness of what God intended to reveal (Hebrews 8:5; 10:1).

There is a fullness in Christ that nothing else can provide. The apostle Paul said that in Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” and that we are “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:9-10). Everything our souls truly need is found in Him. Forgiveness is in Him. Peace is in Him. Hope is in Him. Life is in Him. Redemption is in Him. The more we discover Christ, the more we discover the immeasurable riches of the grace of God.

And there is also a finality in Christ. He does not merely add something to what came before. He brings God’s redemptive work to its appointed fulfillment. His sacrifice was once for all. His priesthood is permanent. His blood accomplishes what the blood of animals could never accomplish. “By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

We will never exhaust Christ. A lifetime is not long enough to discover the depths of His love, the greatness of His grace, the beauty of His holiness, or the glory of His person. We may spend our whole lives studying Him, loving Him, serving Him, and seeking Him, and eternity will still have more of Christ to reveal.

That is why we keep our eyes on Jesus. When the race becomes difficult, look to Christ. When temptation comes, look to Christ. When you grow weary, look to Christ. When the world loses its attraction, look to Christ. When you cannot understand what God is doing, look to Christ. The goal is not simply to make it through the race. The goal is Christ Himself.

One day, the race will be finished. Faith will become sight. The struggle will be over. The journey will end. And we will discover that everything we surrendered for Christ was worth it. We will see that He was not merely leading us to the prize. He was the prize all along.

________________

Father, please fix our eyes upon Jesus. Keep us from becoming distracted by the world, discouraged by the race, or consumed with ourselves. Help us to see the fullness and finality that are found in Your Son. Teach us to love Christ more deeply, trust Him more completely, and follow Him more faithfully. And when our race is finished, let us find that our greatest treasure was Jesus Himself. In His name, Amen.

BDD

#43 SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST JESUS 8-27-26

Paul begins 1 Corinthians with a beautiful description of the people of God. He writes, “To those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Notice the order. They were sanctified in Christ, and they were called to be saints. Sanctification is not merely something we talk about. It is something God calls us to live.

THE CALL TO SANCTIFICATION

The word “sanctified” means set apart, made holy, separated for God. When we come to Christ, we are no longer our own. We belong to Him. We have been called out of the world to belong to Christ and to live differently because we belong to Christ. “You were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

God does not save us so that we can remain exactly as we were. He calls us to holiness. He calls us to purity. He calls us to obedience. He calls us to become increasingly like Jesus. “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). The Christian life is a life of being set apart for God.

THE CHARACTER OF SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification changes our character. It changes what we love, what we desire, what we pursue, and how we treat other people. The closer we walk with Christ, the more His character should become visible in us. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Holiness is not merely avoiding certain sins. It is becoming the kind of person who loves what God loves. A sanctified heart learns to love truth, practice mercy, forgive freely, speak graciously, walk humbly, and pursue righteousness. Sanctification is Christ being formed in us. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

THE COMMUNITY OF SANCTIFICATION

Paul did not address the Corinthians as isolated believers. He called them “the church of God” and those “called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Sanctification has a community dimension. God puts us among other believers so that we can encourage one another, correct one another, serve one another, bear one another’s burdens, and help one another become more like Christ.

The church should be a community where holiness is encouraged and sin is confronted with truth and love. We do not walk this road alone. “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). We need brothers and sisters who will help us keep our eyes on Jesus.

You have been sanctified in Christ Jesus. Now live as one who belongs to Him. You have been set apart. Walk set apart. You have been called to be a saint. Live like a saint. You have been brought into the family of God. Help others walk in holiness as you walk with Christ.

Sanctification is not simply where you have been placed. It is the life you have been called to live.

_______________

Father, thank You for sanctifying us in Christ Jesus and calling us to be Your people. Set our hearts apart for You. Make us holy in our thoughts, our words, our desires, and our actions. Form the character of Christ in us, and make us a community that encourages one another toward holiness and faithfulness. May our lives show that we belong to Jesus. In His name, Amen.

BDD

#42 LIFE IN THE SPIRIT 8-27-26

There is a difference, often overlooked, between having the Spirit and living in the Spirit. Many a child of God has received the Spirit as the seal of new birth and yet has gone on, year after year, governed still by the old life of the natural man—thinking his own thoughts, planning his own way, drawing on his own strength—while the Spirit within waits, grieved, for a fuller possession. It is possible to possess and yet not to live by what is possessed. The whole burden of the Christian life, rightly understood, is that this should not remain so; that what has been given in seed should become the very atmosphere and element in which we move, as naturally as the fish moves in the sea or the bird in the air.

Not a Doctrine, But an Element

We must be careful here, because it is possible to make the Spirit a subject of study, a doctrine to be mastered, an experience to be sought after and testified to, while all the time missing the plain, quiet fact that He is meant to be the very air we breathe. Doctrine has its place, and testimony has its place, but neither is the thing itself. The thing itself is a life—hidden, continuous, unspectacular for the most part—in which the believer no longer draws upon himself for the resources of living, but upon Another. This is not achieved by working ourselves up into some higher plane of feeling. It is not attained by seeking after unusual manifestations. It is entered by a deep, settled recognition that in ourselves we have nothing, and by an equally deep and settled reliance upon the Spirit who indwells.

The Cross Stands at the Door

No one comes into this life who has not first been dealt with at the Cross. This is not a truth to be passed over lightly. The natural life, however religious, however well-intentioned, however active in the Lord’s service, is simply not capable of carrying the life of the Spirit. It must be brought to its end. Not improved, not educated, not even greatly disciplined—ended. Paul’s word was not that he had crucified himself, as though it were his own achievement, but that he had been crucified with Christ, and that the life he now lived, he lived by the faith of the Son of God. Here is the ground of all Spirit-life: not a self reformed, but a self displaced, and Christ, by His Spirit, become the living center.

This is deeply humbling, and rightly so. There is nothing in the Spirit-filled life that allows for pride, for the whole basis of it is that we have nothing of our own to be proud of. The most spiritual man is not the most gifted, or the most eloquent, or the most active; he is the man who has learned, through repeated dealings of God, how utterly bankrupt he is apart from the indwelling Christ, and who has therefore ceased leaning on his own understanding.

Led, Not Driven

The Spirit-led life is not a driven life. There is a vast difference between the restless activity of the flesh, even when employed in Christian work, and the quiet, sure movement of a soul that waits upon God and moves only as He moves. Much that passes for zeal is simply the old energy of nature, now baptized with religious vocabulary but still essentially self-generated, self-sustained, and self-glorifying in its outcome, however unconsciously. The Spirit does not hurry. He does not strive in the way the flesh strives. His fruit, Paul tells us, is love, joy, peace—the language of rest, not of anxious labor.

This does not mean passivity. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Spirit-led life is intensely active, but its activity flows out of a center of rest, rather than being a substitute for it. There is an immense difference between working for God and God working through us; the first exhausts, the second sustains. The mark of a soul truly in the Spirit is that even in the midst of great labor, there remains an inward quietness, because the labor is not, at its root, one’s own.

The Inward Witness

How does one know whether they are walking after the flesh or after the Spirit? Not, in the first place, by outward measures how much service is rendered, how much is known, how much is felt. The truest register is inward: is there a settled sense of Christ’s Lordship over the whole being, or is there a persistent, if subtle, assertion of the self? Does the life, at its center, bear the marks of death and resurrection, or does it still cling to its own rights, its own reputation, its own way? The Spirit will not share His government with an unyielded self. He may allow much activity, much apparent usefulness, in a life that is still largely governed by nature; but there comes always, sooner or later, a deeper dealing, a further stripping, until that self is brought low enough for the Spirit to have unhindered way.

An Ongoing Work

We must not think of this as something achieved once and settled forever. It is a continuous history, a walking, as Paul says, not a single crisis but a way of life, renewed day by day. There will be times of fresh discovery, fresh brokenness, fresh fullness. The Spirit is not given to make us static, finished products, but to lead us, by a way we could not have chosen for ourselves, ever deeper into the fullness of Christ. Every apparent setback, every fresh dealing of God with the self-life, is not a contradiction of this life but its very method. The Spirit does His deepest work not around our weakness but through it, until at last it is not we who live, but Christ who lives in us. And that, increasingly, is what it means to walk in the Spirit.

BDD

#41 THE STAFF AND THE HAND 8-27-26

When God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt, Moses did not immediately respond with confidence. He questioned whether the people would believe him. He felt inadequate for the task before him. Moses looked at his own weakness, but God wanted him to look at His power. So God gave Moses signs that would demonstrate that the Lord Himself had sent him. (Exodus 4:1-9)

The first sign involved something Moses already had in his hand. God asked him, “What is that in your hand?” Moses answered, “A rod.” God told him to cast it on the ground, and when he did, it became a serpent. Then God told Moses to reach out and take it by the tail, and when he did, it became a rod again. (Exodus 4:2-4) What Moses thought was merely a shepherd’s staff became an instrument through which God demonstrated His authority.

There is a lesson here for us. God can take what seems ordinary and use it for extraordinary purposes. Moses did not possess some impressive weapon. He had a staff. But when placed in the hands of God, that staff became a testimony to the power of God. The issue was never the greatness of Moses or the greatness of the staff. The issue was the greatness of the God who used them.

Then God gave Moses another sign. He told him to put his hand inside his garment. When Moses brought it out, his hand was covered with leprosy. Then God told him to put it back inside his garment, and when he brought it out again, it was restored. (Exodus 4:6-7) God was showing Moses that He had authority over the human body, over disease, and over healing.

These signs were not magic tricks. They were divine confirmations. God was assuring Moses that he was not going into Egypt alone. The God who called him would go with him. The God who commanded him would empower him. The God who gave him the assignment would also give him everything necessary to accomplish it.

Sometimes God calls us to move forward before we understand everything that lies ahead. Faith does not mean that we have every answer. Faith means that we trust the One who does. Moses had questions, but God had power. Moses saw his limitations, but God saw what He could accomplish through him.

Perhaps today you are looking at what is in your hand and thinking it is not enough. Perhaps you are looking at yourself and seeing weakness instead of usefulness. Remember Moses. The staff was ordinary, the man was hesitant, and the assignment was impossible by human strength. But God was present.

The power was never in the staff. The power was never in Moses. The power was in God.

When God calls, trust Him. When God commands, obey Him. When God sends, go. You do not have to understand everything God is doing before you take the next step. You simply need to believe that the God who called you is greater than the task He has placed before you.

_________________

Lord, help me to trust Your power when I am conscious of my weakness. Take whatever is in my hand and use it for Your glory. Give me the faith to obey You even when I cannot see the outcome. Help me remember that the strength is not in me, but in You. Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Thursday, August 27, 2026

5:30 AM

“Sanctified In Christ Jesus”
(1 Corinthians 1:2)

12:00 PM

“Remember the Poor”
(Galatians 1:10)

2:00 PM

“Obedience To The Faith”
(Romans 1:5)

4:00 PM

“Desiring the Word”
(1 Peter 2:2)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#40 THE HOUSE OF GOD 8-26-26

How wonderful is the house of God! It is more than four walls, more than a sign out front, and more than a place where people gather on Sunday. The house of God is a place where hearts are turned toward heaven, where God’s Word is opened, where burdens are carried together, and where Christ is honored. Paul called the church “the house of God, which is the church of the living God” (1 Timothy 3:15). When God’s people work together, we are reminded that we belong to something bigger than ourselves.

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

The greatest blessing of God’s house is the presence of God. We do not live simply to follow a tradition or fill a building. We live and love because God is worthy of our worship. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). What a thought. When God’s people gather in the name of Christ, we come seeking Him. We come to hear His Word, lift our voices in praise, bow our hearts in prayer, and remember that He is among us. Because He is within each of us.

THE PEOPLE OF GOD

The house of God is also about the people of God. The body of Christ is a family. We rejoice together, we weep together, we pray together, and we help carry one another through the difficulties of life. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). There ought to be something different about believers. The lonely should find fellowship. The broken should find compassion. The struggling should find encouragement. The sinner should hear the truth, and the weary should find people willing to walk beside them.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD

God’s house has a purpose. We live to worship and work and to take Christ to the world. So let us love the house of God. Let us love the people of God. Let us honor the presence of God. And let us never forget the purpose of God. The church is not merely a place we attend. It is a people to whom we belong, a family in which we serve, and a mission through which we glorify Christ.

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Father, thank You for the gift of Your church. Help us cherish Your presence, love Your people, and fulfill Your purpose. Make our hearts a place where Christ is honored, truth is proclaimed, the broken are welcomed, and the gospel goes forth. May Your house always be a house of worship, fellowship, truth, and love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#39 THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS 8-26-26

There was a shadow hanging over the earthly ministry of Jesus. It was the shadow of the cross. Jesus knew where His journey would end. He knew the rejection, the betrayal, the beating, the nails, and the darkness that awaited Him. Yet He kept walking toward Jerusalem. The cross was not an interruption of His mission. It was the purpose of His mission. “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

THE SHADOW OF SACRIFICE

Jesus lived with the cross before Him. He knew that He had come into this world to give His life for sinners. “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The cross reminds us that our salvation was not cheap. Our forgiveness came at the cost of the blood of Christ. He was willing to give what we could never earn and pay what we could never pay. “Christ also loved us and given Himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2).

THE SHADOW OF SUFFERING

The road to the cross was a road of suffering. Jesus was despised, rejected, betrayed, mocked, beaten, and crucified. Yet He did not turn back. “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). Sometimes following Christ means walking through difficult places. Faith does not promise that we will never suffer. It promises that suffering does not have the final word. If our Savior could endure the cross for the joy set before Him, we can endure our trials with our eyes fixed upon Him (Hebrews 12:2).

THE SHADOW OF SALVATION

But the shadow of the cross also points us toward something glorious. Beyond Calvary was an empty tomb. Beyond the suffering was resurrection. Beyond death was victory. The cross became the place where mercy and justice met, where sin was confronted, and where redemption was accomplished. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

We should never look at the cross merely as an instrument of death. We should see it as the doorway to life. The shadow of the cross reminds us what Christ was willing to endure, what our sin required, and what God’s love was willing to accomplish. So when the shadows of life grow long, look toward the cross. There you will find the sacrifice of Christ, the example of Christ, and the salvation found in Christ.

_______________

Lord Jesus, help me never forget the cross. When I see Your sacrifice, make me grateful. When I face suffering, make me faithful. When I am discouraged, remind me of the salvation You purchased for me. Help me follow You beneath the shadow of the cross until I stand in the light of Your glory. Amen.

BDD

#38 CHRIST OUR LEADER 8-26-36

Jesus Christ is not merely someone we admire. He is someone we follow. He is our Leader, and if He is our Leader, then our lives must be shaped by His love, His life, and His leadership. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Christianity is not simply believing in Christ. It is following Christ.

HIS LOVE shows us the heart of our Leader. Jesus did not lead from a distance. He came near. He touched the hurting, welcomed the forgotten, forgave the repentant, and ultimately gave Himself for sinners. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). The love of Christ was not merely something He talked about. It was something He demonstrated with His life and His cross.

HIS LIFE shows us the pattern we are to follow. Jesus lived with compassion, purity, courage, humility, and obedience. He prayed when others slept. He served when others wanted to be served. He stood for truth when truth was unpopular. He loved people without compromising righteousness. His life tells us what holiness looks like when it walks around in human flesh. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

HIS LEADERSHIP calls us to surrender our own way. A leader cannot lead someone who refuses to follow. Jesus said, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19). That invitation still stands. He leads us through His Word. He leads us through His example. He leads us toward righteousness, toward service, toward sacrifice, and ultimately toward heaven. We do not need to know everything about tomorrow if we know who is leading us today.

Christ is our Leader. His love is our motivation. His life is our example. His leadership is our direction. So let us keep our eyes upon Him, our feet upon His path, and our hearts surrendered to His will. The safest place a Christian can ever be is following Jesus.

_________________

Lord Jesus, teach me to follow You faithfully. Let Your love become my motivation, Your life become my example, and Your leadership become my direction. Help me surrender my will to Yours and follow You wherever You lead. Keep my eyes on You until I reach my heavenly home. Amen.

BDD

#37 THE WAY OF FAITH 8-26-26

Faith is not simply something we believe. Faith is a way of life. There is a way of faith, a walk of faith, and a war of faith. The Christian life begins by faith, continues by faith, and is sustained by faith. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith does not mean that we understand everything God is doing. It means we trust the One who does.

THE WAY OF FAITH is the road we choose when we decide to trust God rather than ourselves. Abraham went out, “not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). That is faith. Faith does not demand a map before taking the first step. Faith hears the voice of God and obeys. There will be times when you cannot see the destination, but you can still trust the Guide. There will be times when you do not understand the plan, but you can still trust the Planner.

THE WALK OF FAITH means that faith must become more than a moment of decision. It must become our daily manner of living. We walk with God when the road is easy and when the road is difficult. We trust Him when the answer comes and when the answer seems delayed. We keep moving when we can see the path, and we keep moving when all we can see is the next step. “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). Faith is not merely how we begin the journey. Faith is how we continue the journey.

THE WAR OF FAITH means that faith will be challenged. Satan wants to fill our minds with doubt, fear, discouragement, and unbelief. Circumstances will tell us to quit. Feelings will tell us that God has forgotten us. The world will tell us to trust what we can see instead of trusting the God we cannot see. Paul told Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). Sometimes faith means standing when everything around you says to fall. Sometimes faith means praying when you have no words left. Sometimes faith means saying, “I still believe God,” even when you cannot explain what God is doing.

The way of faith is a narrow road. The walk of faith is a daily journey. The war of faith is a battle worth fighting. And through it all, Jesus remains our example, our strength, and our destination. So keep walking. Keep believing. Keep fighting. You may not know everything that lies ahead, but you know who walks beside you. And if Jesus is with you, you have everything you need to make it home.

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Father, teach me to walk by faith and not by sight. When I cannot understand, help me trust You. When I become weary, give me strength. When doubt attacks, remind me of Your promises. Help me fight the good fight of faith and never turn back. Keep my eyes on Jesus until the day faith becomes sight. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#36 WHEN GOD HARDENS A HEART 8-26-26

The statement that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart has caused a lot of unnecessary confusion . Did God reach down and make Pharaoh rebellious? Did God force Pharaoh to reject Him so that Pharaoh could then be condemned? If that were the meaning, we would have a serious problem with the character of God.

The Bible never presents God as the author of sin. Pharaoh was a proud, stubborn man who repeatedly resisted the command of God. Before we ever read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, we read that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34).

THE RESISTANCE OF PHARAOH

Pharaoh did not wake up one morning as an innocent man whom God suddenly turned into a rebel. He heard the word of God and resisted it. He saw the power of God and rejected it. He witnessed plague after plague and continued to refuse obedience. Pharaoh made his choice, and God allowed him to continue down the road he had chosen. God did not have to create rebellion in Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh already had rebellion in his heart.

This is an important warning for us. Every time God speaks, we are making a response. We either become more receptive to His truth or more resistant to it. The Bible says, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8). A hardened heart does not usually happen all at once. It happens when a person repeatedly says no to God.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

Some theological systems have attempted to explain God’s sovereignty by making God’s choice the ultimate cause behind everything a person does. Calvinism, particularly in its stronger forms, leaves people with the impression that Pharaoh was simply carrying out a divine determination from which he could not escape. But that is not the picture Exodus gives us.

God is sovereign without being sinful. God can judge a rebellious person, permit that person to continue in rebellion, and still accomplish His purposes through that rebellion without becoming the author of the rebellion. Pharaoh was responsible for Pharaoh’s sin. God was responsible for His righteous judgment. Those truths stand together.

The Bible says that God “gave them over” to the desires they had already embraced (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). There is a terrifying judgment in that. The judgment of God is not that He forces a person to do evil. It is that He allows a person to have the consequences of continually choosing evil.

THE REVELATION OF GOD’S GLORY

God was doing something greater through the entire story. Pharaoh’s rebellion did not overthrow God’s purpose. God delivered Israel. God judged Egypt. God demonstrated His power. God made His name known throughout the earth (Exodus 9:16).

That is the sovereignty of God we need to remember. God does not have to make people sin in order to remain sovereign. He can work through the choices of sinful people and still accomplish His righteous purposes. The rebellion of Pharaoh became the backdrop against which the power, justice, patience, and deliverance of God were revealed.

So do not become obsessed with trying to explain away every mystery of God’s sovereignty. Look at Pharaoh and take the warning seriously. Do not resist God until resistance becomes your character. Do not hear His Word and continually say no. Do not mistake God’s patience for God’s approval.

When God speaks, listen. When God convicts you, repent. When God calls you, follow. When God reveals your sin, bring it into the light. The same heart that can become hardened through continued resistance can also become tender through humble obedience.

God is sovereign. Man is responsible. We do not have to deny one truth to defend the other. Pharaoh hardened his heart, God judged Pharaoh, and God’s purposes were accomplished. The King of heaven remains righteous in all His ways.

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Father, keep my heart tender toward You. Never let me become so proud that I resist Your voice or so stubborn that I refuse Your correction. Give me a heart that hears Your Word, believes Your truth, repents of sin, and gladly obeys Your will. Help me trust Your sovereignty without blaming You for my sin. May my life reveal Your glory rather than resist Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD