by John Carpenter | Dec 20, 2020 | Devotional
“Unto us a Child is born – unto us a Son is given – and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His Name shall be called: Wonderful – Counsellor – the Mighty God – Everlasting Father – the Prince of Peace! (7) Of the increase of His government and peace — there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon His Kingdom – to order it – and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (8) The Lord sent a word into Jacob – and it lighted upon Israel.” [Is.9:6-8]
“But thou, Bethlehem – Ephratah! Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah – yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me – to be the Ruler in Israel – whose goings forth – have been of old, from everlasting. (3) Therefore will He give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth. Then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. (4) And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord – in the majesty of the Name of the Lord His God – and they shall abide. For He shall be great unto the ends of the earth!” [Mic.5:2-4]
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us – and we beheld His glory – the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father – full of grace and truth!” [Jn.1:14]
“But when the fullness of the time was come – God sent forth His Son – made of a woman – made under the Law (5) — to redeem them that were under the Law – that we might receive the adoption of sons. (6) And because ye are sons – God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts – crying: Abba, Father! (7) Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son! And, if a son – then an heir of God through Christ!” [Gal.4:4-7]
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven – but He that came down from heaven – even the Son of Man which is in heaven!” [Jn.3:13]
“Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again and called Jesus and said unto Him: ‘Art thou the King of the Jews?’ (34) Jesus answered him, ‘Sayest thou this thing of thyself – or did others tell it thee of me?’ (35) Pilate answered: “Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done!?’ (36) Jesus answered: ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world – then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews – but now is my Kingdom not from hence.’ (37) Pilate therefore said unto Him: ‘Art thou a king then?’ Jesus answered: ‘Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born – and for this cause came I into the world – that I should bear witness unto the Truth. Everyone that is of the Truth – heareth my voice!’ (38)Pilate saith unto Him: ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this – he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them: ‘I find in Him no fault at all!’ [Jn.18:33-38]
“And all that dwell upon the earth – shall worship him (i.e. the anti-christ) – whose names are not written in: The Book of Life – of the Lamb Slain – From the Foundation of the World!” [Rev.13:8]
“For so hath the Lord commanded us – saying – I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles (the nations) that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth! (48) And when the Gentiles heard this – they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed! (49) And the Word of the Lord was published throughout the region.” [Ac.13:47-49]
Praise the coming of our Wonderful Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord!
by John Carpenter | Nov 23, 2020 | Devotional, Miscellaneous
(14) But continue thou – in the things which thou hast learned (15) …the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation – through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (17) that the man of God – may be perfect – thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” [2Tim.3:14,15 & 17]
“That ye would walk worthy of God – who hath called you unto His Kingdom and Glory. (13) For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us – ye received it not as the word of men – but as it is in truth, the Word of God – which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” [1Thes.2:12-13]
“Now the God of peace – that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus – that Great Shepherd of the sheep – through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant (21) make you perfect in every good work – to do His will – working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight – through Jesus Christ – to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen!” [Heb.13:20-21]
If the divine purpose of a sinner/child of God – still alive in this worldly flesh – and still traversing through this fallen-in-sin world – is to have a vital and ongoing – or, shall we say, on–growing – relationship with the Word of God so that he “may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” – one might ask: How is this even possible?! Everyone knows that no sinner (and “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”) while in this world is “perfect”. So, how exactly do we possibly fulfill – or, how in the world can we fulfill – this descriptively declared statement that comprises all of 2Tim.3:17?
There’s only one way, dear one – and that’s — “through faith (the faith) which is in Christ Jesus”!
And, that’s precisely what the last two scripture references from 1Thess. and Heb. point out to us. And, it may be summed up in this way: Only by, “Believing”, in the Lord Jesus Christ! Let’s take a brief look at these two references one at a time.
- 1Thess.2:12-13> Right up front vs.12 begins with the commanding exhortation that we – as being true and genuine children of God – who have – by God’s sovereign grace — received God’s Holy Scriptures by the sovereignty and the personal teaching of the Holy Spirit — “would walk worthy of God – who hath called you unto His Kingdom and Glory. This “worthy walk” is a walk only by faith in the person and being – of the perfect walk of the Lord Jesus Christ! And for us who are His “Believing” in Him – is “Believing” – in the overall reality that He truly is our sovereign Savior/Substitute! His eternally accomplished and totally successful “worthy walk” – was done on behalf of us for whom He was sent into this world to save! Therefore – in, by and through Him – we are viewed by all of Holy Heaven as He, Himself, is viewed! Hence, through His work – we have been perfected – and “thoroughly furnished unto all good works” just as described in 2Tim.3:17.
- He.13:20-21> These two verses list for us nine descriptive declarations concerning God’s all-glorious work in His saving, keeping — instructing and preserving — all of His saved and quickened ones as they live and sojourn through this fallen world. This text makes it clear and plain that if – your soul’s eternal salvation – is not dependent all on Christ – then it’s all wrong! And, right in the middle of the 9 statements is: “make you perfect in every good work”. It’s all by His doing – and it’s all being done according to His will – “through Jesus Christ”! All Praise and Glory unto the Name of the Savior!
For Christ’s Glory Only! -John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Oct 22, 2020 | Devotional
“Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus – shall suffer persecution. (13) But evil men and seducers – shall wax worse and worse – deceiving and being deceived. (14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned – and hast been assured of – knowing of whom thou hast learned them. (15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation – through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (17) that the man of God – may be perfect – thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” [2Tim.3:14-17]
“That ye would walk worthy of God – who hath called you unto His Kingdom and Glory. (13) For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us – ye received it not as the word of men – but as it is in truth, the Word of God – which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” [1Thes.2:12-13]
“Now the God of peace – that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus – that Great Shepherd of the sheep – through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant (21) make you perfect in every good work to do His will – working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight – through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen!” [Heb.13:20-21]
The Word of God has a definite, all-important place in a true believer’s life and walk through this fallen-in-sin world. In fact, the presence of the gospel truth of God’s Word is really what sets a true sinner/child of God apart from this world’s evil environment. And, it is an environment that is so evil – that it is fraught with “so-called ministers” – who literally, as the Word of God from 2Pe.2:3 says, “…through covetousness shall they with feigned [i.e. molded, artificial and false] words – make merchandise of you…”. Which means that they will not only mislead you spiritually but they will do it for the sake of getting your money – your admiration – your time. Nevertheless if we, through the Holy Spirit, prayerfully follow both the admonitions and the exhortations of God’s Word – He will lead us safely through this deceitful and spiritually dangerous world.
Christ is our perfect protective sanctuary – He is our refuge – He is our Light – as we walk through this age of the Valley of the shadow of death. Remember what Jesus says from Jn.8:31-32: “If ye continue in my Word – then are ye my disciples indeed (32) And ye shall know the Truth – and the Truth shall make you free!” And, dear ones, the Lord Jesus is the Truth! That is why from vs.36 our Lord goes on to declare: “If the Son therefore shall make you free – ye shall be free indeed!” May our Lord God ever bless us in fulfilling His own Word’s description of being His true disciples by causing us to continue in our learning – from Him – about Him – in His immut-able and infallible Word! Amen? Amen.
Ps.40:7 has the Holy Spirit of Christ saying: “I, Lo, I come – in the volume of the Book it is written of me!” And, 2Ti.3:16-17 dogmatically declares that: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” This means that “All scripture” – is all about Christ! It goes on to say of the instrumentality of the written Word of God in the lives of all of God’s sinner/children, that it is all – “profitable – for doctrine – for reproof – for correction” – and then it says: “for instruction in righteousness”. There is much that will be said about this verse — and this list of functions that are given — but we want to be sure to tie vs.16 all together contextually with vs.17 – which says: “That the man of God may be – perfect – thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” This is, indeed, a beautiful thing.
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Aug 18, 2020 | Devotional
(5) For they that are after the flesh – do mind the things of the flesh – but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.(6) For to be carnally minded (or, fleshly minded) is death – but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace.(7) Because the carnal mind (or, the fleshly mind) is enmity against God – for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God! (9) But ye are not in the flesh – but in the Spirit – if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you! Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ – he is none of His!” [Ro.8:5-9]
(16) “This I say then – walk in the Spirit — and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit – and the Spirit against the flesh – and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would! (18) But if ye be led of the Spirit – ye are not under the law.” [Gal.5:16-18]
(19) “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (20) idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like – of the which I tell you before, as I also told you in time past – that they which do such things – shall not inherit the Kingdom of God!” [Gal.5:19-21]
Dear ones, the Word of God is a mirror from which we can see the spiritual reality of our own lives. Are we walking “after the flesh”, or “after the Spirit”? Whichever is the reality between the two – the “flesh” or the “Spirit” – will be the foundation of all our thinking and living while we are in this fleshly, fallen-in-sin world. Only by being “spiritually minded” – will we successfully walk right through this worldly waste land and ultimately right into the eternal Kingdom of God! To be “spiritually minded” is to “have the mind of Christ”! [see: 1Co.2:15-16] This should be the earnest prayerful plea of our daily lives right now – that we be granted the grace of God to persevere and continue being led through this world by the Holy Spirit of Christ, our Lord and God.
If we are walking through this world “after the flesh” – then while we are walking physically – we are, nevertheless, spiritually — dead! At the same time, if we are walking through this world “after the Spirit” we are experiencing through God’s grace spiritual “life and peace”. Is.26:3 declares dogmatically: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace – whose mind is stayed upon thee”. Remember, the fleshly mind “is enmity against God”! There is no peace in being God’s enemy!
Quite simply, the “flesh” pertains to anything and everything that is a part of this sinful and cursed world. This is why 1Jn.2:15-17 says: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world – the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father – but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof – but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” This world is not our home. This world is a battleground that is entirely behind enemy lines! All of us were born into this fallen-in-sin world as fit sinner constituents to populate it – because we are all sinners! This world is the very stage upon which is being lived out all of the works of the flesh of this age of sin and death.
May the Holy Spirit of our God bear witness with our spirit that we are truly His children and heirs of His Kingdom [see: Ro.8:16-17]. Then also, we shall know that we are being led by Him.
For Christ’s Glory Only! -John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jul 21, 2020 | Devotional
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above – not on the earth.(3) For ye are dead – and your life is hid with Christ in God.” [Col.3:1-3]
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world – the love of the Father is not in him! (16) For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life – is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away and the lust thereof – but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever!” [1Jn.2:15-17]
“For what the law could not do — in that it was weak through the flesh — God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh – and for sin – condemned sin in the flesh (4) that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us – who walk not after the flesh – but after the Spirit. (5) For they that are after the flesh – do mind the things of the flesh – but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.(6) For to be carnally minded (or, fleshly minded) is death – but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace.(7) Because the carnal mind (or, the fleshly mind) is enmity against God – for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God! (9) But ye are not in the flesh – but in the Spirit – if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you! Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ – he is none of His!” [Ro.8:3-9]
The evil man (or, woman) of this world is described in the Book of Proverbs in this way: “as he thinketh in his heart – so is he!” Therefore, from the above descriptive declaration he would fit the bill of one who loves this world and the things of this world. The way of this world – and the desires of this world – are motivated by -and oriented towards — what the Word of God refers to as the flesh. The flesh of this fallen world and its corrupt system. However, everyone whom God the Father has sent God the Son into this sinful world to seek and to save them from their sins has been united with the Lord Jesus Christ in His sin atoning death and resurrection. Therefore, if we have been raised up with Christ – then we will not seek the things of this sinful world, but rather we will seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God the Father! We have died with Christ and our new life is hid with Him – where He now is – in God.
This is why we, who are Christ’s, do not love this sinful world – nor the fleshly things of it. The things of this world are not at all “the things” of our holy God – nor “the things” that are in our holy God! For “the world passeth away and the lust thereof – but He that doeth the will of God abideth forever!” And, the He that doeth the will of God – is the God/man, Christ Jesus, our Surety – in whom we have been placed from before the foundation of this world! [see Eph.1:3-5]
This brings us to the Ro.8 context and its wonderful descriptive declaration. When God gave His Law unto Moses on Mt. Sinai, He did not give it in order for fallen sinful man to achieve keeping it in their fallen and sinfully fallen flesh. No! It was to manifest clearly and completely how miserably weak our sinful flesh really and truly is! As God’s Word declares from Ro.3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight – for by the Law is the (full) knowledge of sin.” This is why God sent His own Beloved Eternal Son – “in the likeness of sinful flesh – and for sin – condemned sin in the flesh”! He condemned His people’s sin – in His own Son’s flesh – so that – “the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us – who walk not (right now, through this sinful, fallen and passing away world) after the flesh, but after the Spirit!” Praise the Name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus! We shall continue to elaborate on this wonderful pure gospel truth in even more detail. Until then – may God be glorified!
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jun 12, 2020 | Devotional
(6)“The Lord is on my side. I will not fear. What can man do unto me? (7) The Lord taketh my part with them that help me.” [Ps.118:6-7]
(31) “…If God be for us – who can be against us?” (38) “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) nor height, nor depth, not any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Ro.8:31,38-39]
(3) “What time I am afraid – I will trust in Thee. (4) In God I will praise His Word, in God I have put my trust. I will not fear what flesh can unto me.” “In God have I put my trust. I will not fear what man can do unto me.” [Ps.56:3-4,11]
In these present times there is obviously a lot of fear being exuded among the masses of our whole society. In some places it is proving to be more extreme than in others. This kind of thing naturally happens when something occurs that threatens the health and well being of the world around us. This sort of thing also establishes a platform of confusion – even for many Christians.
That is why the texts that are reflected above – all tend to point us in one true and certain direction. They all remind us of the eternal truth of Who is in control – Who is sovereign overall – Who is God! And, in the first two verses from Ps.118 – the underlined phrases may be more literally translated: “The Lord is for me”. This makes their message completely compatible with the next text from Romans 8, which, in turn, makes God’s faithfulness descriptively declared from vs.28 even more blessed unto us! There is no situation in all of creation that can separate us from our wonderful and eternal Savior/God! He confirms the reality – in times just like these – of the pure gospel truth that: “He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Along with that which is also written: “Jesus Christ – the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” [He.13:5,6,8] Praise God!!
So then, dear child of God — as far as right now is concerned – we can confidently rejoice in these times for we can say with the Psalmist: “What time I am afraid – I will trust in Thee! In God – I will praise His Word. In God – I have put my trust! I will not fear – what flesh can do unto me! In God – have I put my trust – I will not be afraid what man can do unto me!” But, why is this true? The answer is found in Is.43:1-3,5: “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear Not: for I have Redeemed thee! I have called thee by thy name – thou art mine! (2) When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overthrow thee! When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (3) For – I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior…”! (5) “Fear not! For I am with thee!”
Hear (!) the Word of God from Is.44:2,8! “Thus saith the Lord that made thee and formed thee from the womb – which will help thee: Fear Not – O Jacob, my servant – and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen!” (8) “Fear ye not – neither be afraid – have not I told thee from that time – and have declared it? Ye are even my witnesses! Is there a God beside Me?! Yea, there is No God! I know not any! Praise and Glory and Dominion – Only – unto the – Savior/Lord – our God! Note what is also written in Is.54:14: “In Righteousness shalt thou be established! Thou shalt be far From Oppression – for – Thou Shalt Not Fear – and From Terror – For It Shall Not Come Near Thee!” Indeed, there is no God – like our God! Praise His Name!
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter
