August 20th - Salvation of Humanity

“I have come as Light into the world...I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world..." (John 12:47)

From the mouth of Christ Jesus Himself comes the truth that he did not come to judge but to save the world. He also told the world that it is God's commandment to give eternal life.

“...the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life...” (John 12:49-50)

Jesus will return to save humanity from death and give them eternal life. Jesus showed humanity His power to raise the dead with the resurrection of Lazarus, but the final proof of His power to do so was His own death and resurrection! So Jesus declares...

“Now judgment is upon this world (death); now the ruler of this world (death) will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth (resurrected), will draw ALL MEN to Myself.” (vs 31-32)

The final enemy of humanity is death and it will be cast out because Jesus was lifted up out of death. Jesus will return to resurrect  all the dead and give us eternal life!

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God…the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable…DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory” (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:52,55).

This is the good news for all humanity...not just the few who go to church.

August 19th - The Faith of Jesus Christ

"...the Scripture has confined ALL under sin, that the promise by the faith OF Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." (Galatians 3:22)

Some poorer translations of the bible say faith "in" Jesus Christ but a look at the Greek shows it literally means "by the faith OF Jesus Christ", not our faith.

Because of "the faith of Jesus", the promise will come to ALL humans when they "believe".

So, what is the promise?

"...the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23b)

Only a few humans become believers in this life, but the bible says that...

"...at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." (Philippians 2:10-11)

The above obviously includes every human, so the bowing and confessing must come after the resurrection of the dead for most humans. 

So to summarize, because of "the faith OF Jesus Christ", ALL humanity will eventually believe and be given eternal life as God's free gift.

"For as in Adam ALL die, so also in Christ ALL will be made alive...that God may be all in ALL." (1 Corinthians 15:22, 28)

ALL humans who die will be made alive because of the faith of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. That is the good news of the Bible.

August 18th - Peace and Rest

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-3)

There is great peace and “rest” in this present evil age for those who believe the good news (gospel) that God has told us about, especially the good news about life AFTER death.

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God...the wages or sin is death, but the free gift or God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 3:23; 6:23)

Hearing the good news does not give “rest” unless we have faith that God will actually do what he says - save us by resurrecting us and placing us in a new heaven and new earth.. 

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive...The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:22, 26)

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with humanity. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 22:1-4)

God raised Christ Jesus from death, and Jesus promised to raise us. In this life, only those who have heard the truth and "believed" have peace and rest.

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of humanity, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and we believe that God, through Jesus, will bring to life those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up at the same time with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

August 17th - The Armor of God

"...take up the complete armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all things, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod the feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace; besides all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." (Ephesians 6:1 3-17)

We are instructed to "take up" God's armor of "truth", and "stand" behind the "shield of faith" in the truth of God's word. Only then can we be safe from the lier who comes to steal our security, peace, and joy in the salvation promised us by God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

"Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons in the hypocrisy of false expressions...Now profane and old womanish myths refuse...Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching." (1 Timothy 4:1-11)

August 16th - The Blessing of Abraham

"…that the blessing of Abraham might be coming to the nations in Christ Jesus, that we may be obtaining promise of the spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:14)

What is the “blessing of Abraham”? 

It was the promise God made to him that in him “all families of the earth will be blessed." 

"And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

"It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'AND IN YOUR SEED ALL FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’" (Acts 3:25)

From Abraham would come the "seed" through which all families of the earth are blessed. That seed was  Christ Jesus.

"Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ." (Galatians 3:16)

What is the "promise of the spirit."? 

The good news that all humanity, both Jew and Gentile, will be "one in Christ Jesus."

“…the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit...There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 3:28)

When people hear and believe the good news they are “sealed” with the "Holy Spirit". And the Bible teaches me that ALL peoples of the earth will eventually hear and believe…

“For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God….of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. " (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11)

Most people do not believe in this life, but must wait for their resurrection to appear before  "the great white throne"...

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away….and I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne…" (Revelation 20:11-12)

I think it is before the great white throne that "every knee shall bow" and "every tongue give praise to God" and all "will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”. There all will be "marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" because…

“…no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

August 15th - Good News of Great Joy

Below is a summary of the gospel, the really good news of our salvation.  It needs no explanation or comment.

"Then God said, let Us make humanity in Our image, according to Our likeness...so God created humanity in His own image, male and female made He them..." (Genesis 1:26)

"...all sin and fall short of the glory of God...the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord." (Romans 3:23; 6:23)

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible...it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself..." (Colossians 1:15-20) 

"...you shall give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

"I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."(Luke 2:10-11)

"John saw Jesus coming toward Him and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

"...you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin." (1 John 3:5)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son...love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10)

"He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)

"....that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified you on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given me to do. Now, Father, glorify me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was...Jesus said, It is finished. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (John 17:3-5; 19:30)

"We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world..."  (1 John 4:14)

"...having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach." (Colossians 1:20-22)

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all humanity..." (Titus 2:11)

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.." (1 Timothy 1:15)

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

"...when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for humanity appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy...whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the expectation of eternal life..."  (Titus 3:4-8)

"...now we know that this man truly is the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

"This is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all humanity, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:10-11)

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among humanity, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Revelation 22:21)

August 14th - Abundant Mercy

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living expectation through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3).

Above is a clear statement of good news from Peter. Peter says that as a result of God’s MERCY, humanity has the expectation of resurrection. This "living hope" is instilled in us when we hear about it, and believe it is true…

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).

I find joy in my expectation of everlasting life. However, most humans die without this hope. Nevertheless, just as all humans die as the result of Adam’s sin, all humans will be be returned to life as the result of the one righteous act of Christ Jesus - the righteous act of taking upon Himself the sins of the human race.

"Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all humanity, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all humanity, resulting in justification of life" (Romans 5:18).

Every human is destined to bow before Jesus Christ, and confess that He is Lord,

“…at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)