by John Carpenter | Dec 17, 2017 | Devotional
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights – with whom there is no variableness – neither shadow of turning.” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [Jas.1:17; Jn.3:16]
These two texts are a descriptive declaration of what God has wondrously given unto us! He gave to us His own beloved, begotten and eternal Son. He gave His Son to be the greatest love-gift that there ever was given, or that there ever could be given! He sent His precious Son to be a part of the very history of the population and progeny of this fallen-in-sin, law-cursed and wicked world. God sent Him to miraculously become the prophesied born-of-a-virgin-woman-Seed that would be manifested as the eternally redeeming Savior from all His people’s sins [Mt.1:21]! God’s eternal, only-begotten Son – became, and is — our Lord Jesus Christ! Praise His all-glorious Name!
The announcement of the angel(s) of the Lord unto the shepherds on the very night that He was born in this dreadful world was “Fear not – for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David – a Savior – which is Christ the Lord!(12) And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: (14) Glory to God in the highest – and on earth – peace, good will toward men.” [Lk.2:10-14]
The glad tidings that were announced that night unto the shepherds was the news of the arrival of the good and perfect gift of God’s eternal beloved Son — having become born and manifested in the “likeness of sinful flesh” [Rom.8:3]. This was the arrival of God’s fulfillment of His promise to provide the good and perfect Substitute and Surety for all His eternally loved and chosen ones in this lost world.
Make no mistake about it! It is a good and perfect need – that needs a good and perfect gift to meet it! And, the good news – the glad tidings – the gospel evangelistically declared unto the shepherds (and unto us) on that night was an even grander announcement that we could ever comprehend! It was the announcement of the arrival of the Christ of God – the Son of man who would also be the Son of God! Hallelujah!!
Our great Savior is also a “good” Savior. We need to see this. Remember when the rich young ruler addressed Him as “good master”? Jesus asked him why he called Him “good”. He told him there is none “good” – but God. And, that’s true isn’t it? Concerning ourselves – the scripture says: “There is none that doeth good – no not one” [Rom.3:12]. Because we’re all hopeless sinners – we, therefore, need a “good” and “perfect” Savior/Substitute like we have in God’s heaven-sent gift of His only-begotten Son. We need the God/man to do “good” for us, in us and through us – in spite of us. And, Christ Jesus is exactly that Savior!
He is also the “perfect” gift of God. He is the “perfect” “Lamb of God”! This means that He was sent into this world to be the “perfect” sacrifice for our sins. He was (and always will be) holy. This means it was impossible for Him to sin! Dear friends, it is impossible for us not to sin. Jesus taught: “Be ye perfect for your Father in heaven is perfect”. Everything that we need – He is.
For Christ’s Glory Only!
– John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Nov 14, 2017 | Devotional
“Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. (2) Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all His praise? (3) Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. (4) Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people. O visit me with thy salvation; (5) that I may see the good of thy chosen – that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation – that I may glory with thine inheritance.” [Ps.106:1-5]
This Psalm – which declares the foreboding reality of historical Israel’s sinfulness and yet also God’s manifold mercies bestowed upon them — is a demonstration of that which is taught us from Ro.5:20-21> “Moreover, the law entered that the offence might abound, but where sin abounded – grace did much more abound: (21) that as sin hath reigned unto death – even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Consequently, therefore, this Psalm begins and ends with – “Praise the Lord!”. This is the first of the Psalms that are called the “Hallelujah Psalms”. And, as vs.1 goes on to say: We are to (lit.) give praise and thanks unto the Lord for His goodness…and His mercy…forever!
Next is a declaration of pure truth: “Who can utter the mighty acts (or, works) of the Lord?” How can fallen mortals adequately articulate all the wonderful miracles of the Lord? Especially those that describe the eternal redemption of His people by Christ. The conversion and perseverance of them displays the mighty power of God’s great grace! Only He is worthy of all our praise for the eternal salvation of our souls. [See Ps.40:5]
Vs.3 pertains to God’s righteous judgments when it describes: “Blessed are they that keep (or, observe) judgment…” Regeneration – which is only obtained by a work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God – quickens the eyes of our understanding to reveal to us that God’s judgment and will in all of our providences — is as Ps.19:9 says: “true and righteous altogether”. God’s righteous judgment on all our sins we understand and see by the grace of faith was executed upon our Savior,. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. Hence, in and through Him – and Him alone — do we fulfill the description of the last phrase of vs.3: “…and He that doeth righteousness at all times.” I think it’s interesting that the first phrase describes all the blessed ones that observe God’s judgment, whereas the second phrase describes He that doeth righteousness at all times. The first may be us – but the last must be Christ our Savior and substitute!
Then comes the request of vs.4: “Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people – oh visit me with thy salvation.” This is not unlike the request of the thief on the cross to the immediate right of Jesus at Calvary. All of the true people of God can identify with the verbal exchange of that thief and Jesus. The Lord said unto him – “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise!” How wonderful is that!
Finally, vs.5 delivers the rest of the request that is started in vs.4. There are a total of four parts of the request to be remembered by the Lord. The first is seen in the last phrase of vs.4: “O visit me with thy salvation”. The next three are all found in vs.5: “that I may see the good of thy chosen” – “that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation” – “that I may glory with thine inheritance.” This echoes 1Pe.2:9> “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people – that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you…” into the light of life!
– For Christ’s Glory Only
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Oct 17, 2017 | Devotional
“The eternal God is thy refuge – and underneath are the everlasting arms…”
“Looking unto Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith – who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross – despising the shame – and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” [Deu.33:27; Heb.12:2]
Here are two descriptive declarations from the Word of God. The two were made in completely different times in the course of the history of redemption. Nevertheless, these two statements are speaking of one and the same person. The first declaration comes from the Holy Spirit inspired writings of Moses (circa 1451BC) and the second, from Holy Spirit inspired epistle to the Hebrews (circa 61AD).
The verse from Deuteronomy describes immutable God of truly having “no variableness – neither shadow of turning” [Jas.1:17]. In Him we are eternally secure – and upheld with His Almighty arms! Whereas, the verse from Hebrews describes the incarnated eternal Savior and Son of God, Jesus – who is, indeed, indwelt “with all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” [Col.2:9]. In Him all of God’s eternally loved and chosen and blessed in Christ have been placed from before the foundation of the world! Praise His Name!
The Deuteronomy text declares the unchangeable triune God as being the eternal habitation of His people – His redeemed ones. The text from Hebrews 12 declares the Lord Jesus Christ – the only sovereign Savior substitute that there ever was, is, or ever will be – as being the beginning and the end – the alpha and the omega – of our faith – of our truly believing in Him for our eternal salvation.
The Deuteronomy passage comes to us from Moses – who was an Old Testament type of Christ. Remember when God through Moses told the Israelites that He would raise up from their midst a prophet like Moses? God said, “unto Him – ye shall hearken” [De.18:15]. Then three verses later He told Moses again: “I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren – like unto thee – and will put my words in His mouth, and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.” There’s no doubt about it, beloved, that prophet – like Moses – that God raised up – was Jesus!
The incarnated eternal Son of God – whom our history recognizes as being in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ is “the author and finisher of our faith” – just as He.12:2 declares Him to be!
It is He – according to Phil.2:6-8 – the Word says: “who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (7) but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (8) and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death – even the death of the cross!”
The Hebrews 12 passage clarifies for us – by telling us that Jesus “for the joy that was set before Him – endured the cross – despising the shame – and is set down at the right hand of God.” So, therefore, our victory is, indeed, in Jesus. We should sing that hymn at the top of our voices! He has done it all – and all our praise and love is due Him! The throne from which He rules over us is a throne of grace. “There is therefore, now, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus – who walk not after the flesh – but after the Spirit!” [Ro.8:1] Having successfully purged our sins – our Savior sat down. Our eternal refuge is, indeed, in Him and in Him alone. Glory to His Name!
-For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Sep 26, 2017 | Devotional
“Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Mt. 5:6
What exactly is this verse descriptively declaring unto us? It is telling us — whom it truly is — among us — that is an eternally saved one while being still here in this fallen, passing away, sinful and law-cursed world. The “Blessed one” is an eternally loved and saved one! They that truly fit this description – male or female – young or old – are among those whom have been – according to Eph.1:3-4 – blessed by God the Father with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in His eternal Son. That is a biblical description of a sinner who has been blessed by God. A sinner who is one of God’s eternally saved ones!
This verse is telling us that all of God’s blessed ones – all of His eternally saved ones – “hunger and thirst” after something. Hunger and thirst pertain to ardent desires which are must be satisfied as a vital part of life. The meeting and filling of these desires are necessary aspects and activities of the daily pursuit and routine of the sustenance of life. And, that which the blessed saved one hungers and thirsts for – is not at all of this world! It is not success, or wealth, or fame, or even simple worldly happiness. No. What the blessed saved one daily hungers and thirsts for is that which they absolutely need in order to be allowed in the eternal, heavenly presence of the Lord their God – whom they dearly love. They daily (even hourly) hunger and thirst after “righteousness”!
Make no mistake about it – dear one — this is not referring to self-righteousness. The blessed saved one does not hunger and thirst after self contrived righteousness. Ro.10:3 plainly describes the people that pursue self-righteousness. It says: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Nor is this referencing a hunger and thirst after what may be referred to as “law-righteousness”. Ro.3:19-20 says: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law – that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. (20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified [or, declared righteous] in His sight – for by the law is the knowledge of sin!” Fallen-in-sin people of this world cannot produce the righteousness of God’s blessed saved one — by pursuing a righteousness produced by their following the law. All the law does is point out how sinfully guilty we all are! So, the blessed saved one does not hunger and thirst after law-righteousness.
It is plainly declared from Ro.3:21-22: “But now – the righteousness of God – without [or, apart from] the law is manifested [or, revealed] being witnessed by the law and the prophets. (22) Even — the righteousness of God – which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…” The blessed saved one hungers and thirsts after this particular righteousness! And, when it says that the righteousness of God is through the faith of Jesus Christ – it means that He is the One that we hunger and thirst for! Jer.23:6> “…And this is His name whereby He shall be called – The Lord our righteousness!”
There is even one more wonderful thing that is descriptively declared to us from Mt.5:6 – and we would be remiss to not emphasize it. It says: “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness – FOR THEY SHALL BE FILLED!” Praise and glory unto the wonderful Name of our eternal Savior! Oh to be filled with the eternally justifying righteousness of Christ, our God!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Aug 8, 2017 | Devotional
“Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel – I am the Lord thy God — which teacheth thee to profit – which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go.” [Is.48:17]
There are many wonderful things that are to be gleaned from this precious text. For example, it is obvious from vs.16 that the speaker in this, vs.17, is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. For it says: “ Come ye near unto me – hear ye this – I have not spoken in secret from the beginning – from the time that it was – there am I – and now the Lord God and His Spirit hath sent me.” The eternal Son of God was the one that was covenanted by the determinant counsel of the Most High — to come, through His incarnation, into this fallen world to save all of God’s eternally loved and chosen children – for all eternity. He is, indeed, the eternal Redeemer! He is the one who has taught us about God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Even as the Christ of God in human image and likeness – He was still one in His being — with the Father and the Spirit. The Father commanded every word and deed that He said and did – and the Holy Spirit led Him throughout His every step in and through this sinful, fallen and cursed world. He is our sovereign, Savior/substitute! He is our propitiation! He is our eternal High Priest! He is our eternal Surety! And, as He was one in nature and purpose from eternity – with His heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit — even so were they one throughout our Lord’s walk in this world. Nevertheless, they have always been – and always will be — three distinct persons with three distinct parts to play in the eternal fulfillment of God’s divine plan for our eternal salvation! Praise His Name!
The Father’s part is seen in making sure that we are blessed with all the spiritual blessings that are necessary to secure the accomplishment of our eternal salvation. Ephesians one tells us that He has blessed us “with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ”. The Father’s blessings are bestowed upon us! Grace – like rain falls down on us! Just like the song we sing at camp says. We receive — all the spiritual blessings that the Father and the Spirit have eternally secured and sealed – in Christ! That’s what it says! Plus, the inspired epistle goes on to tell us that God did this – “…according as He hath chosen us in Him (that is: in Christ) before the foundation of the world – that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…”! That’s in His everlasting love! The love that Jer.31:3 brings forth. Which verse says: “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me – saying – I have loved thee with an everlasting love – therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” There is a common and often quoted adage among us fallen-in-sin humans that says: “Love conquers all”! And, among our various relationships – it is all too often proven to be false! But, not so with God. His love for us, indeed, does conquer all – even all sin and death! Because, as Jesus tells us from Jn.6:44 – “No man can come unto me except the Father that sent me – draw him – and I will raise Him up at the last day!” The Father – loves us all to Christ!
Where all of this wonderful grace of Jesus is concerned – Ro.8:14-17 declares unto us: “For as many as – are led by the Spirit of God – these are the sons (the true children) of God. (15) For ye have not received – the spirit of bondage again – to fear – but ye have received – the Spirit of adoption (that’s the Holy Spirit’s adoption of all of God’s true children) whereby we cry, Abba, Father!” And then it says from vs.16-17: “The Spirit itself – beareth witness with our spirit – that we are the children of God (17) and if children – then heirs – heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ!” Then it goes even further and says: “if so be that we suffer with Him – that we may be also glorified together.” It is the Holy Spirit’s part – through the example of the Lord Jesus – to lead us in His steps through this fallen world – unto the Father of glory! Again, Praise His Name!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Jul 6, 2017 | Devotional
“…to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.” “But now the righteousness of God – without the law – is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (22) even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ – unto all and upon all that believe; for there is no difference: (23) for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; (25) whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood…” [2Pe.1:1] [Ro.3:21-25]
The gospel of the glory, only, of the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly set forth from the message of these two passages of scripture. The Word of God tells us that there is one Lord and one faith – and this truth is being here set forth. It is being set forth unto all whom Peter says — that have obtained like precious faith – that is the grace of true saving faith. They have done so through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! And, by virtue of our receiving that grace – there is given the evidential proof that we have also received the “righteousness of God”. The bestowal by God – through Christ – of this grace – is what makes us to be true believers in the Lord Jesus and His righteousness for our eternal salvation.
The apostle Paul from Romans three delivers to us the substance of this the “everlasting gospel”. He does this when he tells us that – now that the Christ of God – who is our Lord Jesus Christ – has appeared in our history and done what He (and only He) could do. He has brought to light the “righteousness of God without [or, apart from] the law”! Plus, he says, this has been witnessed also in our history – by the law – and all the Godly prophets! Praise and glory only unto our God!
We are no longer flagrant and profane worldly sinners! We are no longer religious false-believing sinners! But, because we believe in, and trust in, this pure gospel truth of God’s great omnipotent grace – we are transformed into becoming true-believing (having obtained like precious faith) – sinners-saved-by-grace! Again, Praise His Name!
All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God – and, sadly, all of us continue to sin and come short of His glory. However, unto all of us upon whom God has bestowed (by “His great love wherewith He has loved us” Eph.2:4) this eternally saving grace of faith – we have been justified – or, declared righteous – in the eternal Son of God incarnate, even in our Lord Jesus Christ! How does God, indeed, do this for us sinners?
He does this by His grace-of-faith-reckoned-and-imputed unto us> “righteousness of God”. The righteousness of God manifested — completely apart from the law — but found only in — the Lord Jesus Christ! Whom God has set forth to be – for us – a propitiation before Him. He has set forth His incarnated eternal Son — to be our eternal Substitute – to be our eternal Surety. Therefore, we are eternally approved by God — and made eternally accepted with God — by virtue of the person and work of Jesus Christ – His eternal Son – and righteous merits!
He placed us in Him. He gave us His Spirit to forever dwell in us. His victory over Satan, sin and death, is our victory over Satan, sin and death. All of God’s eternally saving spiritual blessings have been blessed upon us according as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world – before even time began [Eph.1:3-4; 2Tim.1:9]!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
