August 24th - God Is Your Friend

"For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God." (Romans 5:10-11 NLT)

God actually LOVES His "enemies" and SAVES His enemies. His grace, love and mercy will eventually make all His enemies friends.

"And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” (Revelation 5:13)

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:32)

August 23rd - Do Not Lose Heart In Doing Good

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8)

Paul is making an observation about life in this present evil age. Those who labor and strive in the “flesh” produced works of the flesh which are temporary…we leave these things behind!

"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love...the works of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those committing such things will not be enjoying the ALLOTMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD." (Galatians 5:13, 19-21)

Works of the flesh will not be in the kingdom of God (the allotment). On the other hand, those who live their lives producing fruit of the spirit will continue to have those fruits in the kingdom of God.

"...the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) 

So….

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.” (Galatians 6:9)

August 22nd - Pray for Our Leaders

“The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone He wishes...” (Daniel 4:17)

Like it or not, the Bible says that God decides who the leaders of humanity will be. In some Presidential elections my will and God’s will turn out not to be the same. But I do not spend time worrying about it since I trust God to do what He determines necessary.

"Don't worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:5-7)

We are urged to pray for our leaders, whomever they may be, even if we dislike their policies...

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior…” (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

Paul also gave some some good advice on what we should think about, and it is not politics or religion...

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

August 21st - Faith Gives Us Rest

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His REST, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 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)

God has made a promise that when “BELIEVED” gives “rest”. This belief has nothing to do with obtaining salvation, that is a "free gift" from God. Believing is FAITH that what we have been told is going to happen. Those who have faith in God's promises have rest NOW, in this present world, while we wait for the salvation promised to be manifested when Christ Jesus returns to resurrect the dead.

"...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." (Titus 2:13)

Christ Jesus…

“…appeared once FOR ALL at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself…And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time FOR SALVATION without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him (are resting by faith in His promise)” (Hebrews 9:27-28)

Jesus came the first time and dealt with sin as the great high priest and sin bearer. He is “the lamb of God which takes away the sin of THE WORLD” (John 1:29). He will come the second time to deliver humanity from death just as He himself was delivered from death.

At his second coming the sins of the world will not be considered against humanity because they were “taken away” by the sin bearing “lamb of God” at His first coming. Humanity will be given "immortality" as "a free gift of God."

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord….when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘death is swallowed up in victory’….thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Romans 6:23: 1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

Resting in our faith in God is a good place to be in these troubled times.

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)