by John Carpenter | Jan 18, 2016 | Devotional
“When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back!
This I know — for God is for me.” [Ps.56:9]
The beginning of a New Year is always a time for sinful fallen human beings to make (and ultimately to break) resolutions. They feel that if they can keep them, they will make themselves better people so that they can live healthier and happier lives. The Word of God is filled with descriptive principles that provide a simple truthful way to measure (even in this fallen world) the character and behavior of those who are saved and of those who are lost. For the saved ones these descriptive principles become, rather than resources for failing fallen human efforts to make and try to keep resolutions for human improvement — but reasons for seeking from God in prayer, through His Word, His enabling, converting and life transforming grace. It is God’s grace that is needed in order for any fallen sinner to become a Holy Spirit living scriptural description of one of His eternally loved and chosen saved ones in this fallen world. Jesus said, “The flesh profits nothing! It is the Spirit that quickens. The words that I speak unto you — they are Spirit and they are life.” [John 6:63]
The above phrase of Psalm 56 is a descriptive of every truly saved one that is alive in this fallen world. Ro.10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord — shall be saved.” And, Ps.56:9 declares: “When I cry (or, call) unto thee — then shall mine enemies turn back! This I know for God is with me.” The saved one calls unto the Lord — and He hears and rescues him. Among other things, this text is a great assurance unto all of God’s people that when they are led to cry out to Him — then all their enemies shall turn back from them. What a comfort it is to know that this is the way that it is! And, if anyone imagines that the motivation to cry out to the Lord is all their own idea, then let me refer you to Ro.7:18: “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me — but how to perform that which is good, I find not!” There are many in this fallen world the seem to trust in — and put their hope in — their own will to succeed, but all of God’s true children are led of Holy Spirit to put all their trust and hope in Him — and Him alone!
All too often — way too much credit is put on the seeming personal power that is resident in our flesh. Another very important scriptural truth that describes only the eternally loved and chosen saved one is found in that which is taught from Ro.2:28-29, “For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” And, Phil.3:3> “For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh!” We grow in grace to realize that when we are faced with the threat of an enemy we know that, “with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord God to help us and to fight our battles…” [2Chronicals 32:8]
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Dec 18, 2015 | Devotional
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich — yet for your sakes — He became poor — that ye through His poverty might be rich.” [2Co.8:9]
From this short, terse text of holy scripture there is delivered a most profound statement of description of what is referred to as the Biblical doctrine of eternal atonement by substitution. In it there is declared and made to be prominent the real reason for there being a celebration of Christmas, viz., the incarnation of the eternal Son of God where the history of fallen and sinful humanity is concerned. There is also referenced the high cost of what Christ had to pay in order to accomplish and acquire that which He came to provide for all those that God eternally loved, chose, decreed and designed to be the true recipients of so rich a gift as their personal eternal salvation through the person and work of His Son. What a great verse this truly is when one considers all that it touches where the gospel of God’s free grace is concerned!
How sad to realize that in today’s society and world Christmas time has become a time for focusing on all that distracts and literally denounces the true sacred message and meaning of it. Jesus has, by this world, become completely circumvented by Santa Claus! Christmas candy and gifts are things that are more relished than the fact that this time marks the coming of Christ, the God/man, into this cursed world as the Savior!
The Word of God from Phil.2:5-8 aptly exhorts all who have been graciously granted spiritual ears to hear and spiritual eyes to see, to, as it says: “Let this mind be in you — which was also in Christ Jesus — who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation and took on Him the form of a bond-servant: and being found in fashion as a man — He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and granted Him a Name which is above every name: that at the Name of Jesus — every knee should bow — of things in heaven, and things on earth and things under the earth — and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord — to the glory of God the Father.”
That which Christmas time in this world marks is the historical fulfillment of the eternal covenant between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit to eternally save each and every one of His eternally loved and chosen fallen children. It is the Son of God whom the Triumvirate God sent into this world to be the Sovereign Savior Substitute for them. He, Himself, being equal with God, willingly submitted to all the mandates of that covenant which includes all that He said and all that He did (which requirements involved everything 2Co.8:9 and Phil.2:5-8 declare and describe and more). The incarnation of the eternal Son of God is manifested in the perfect person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem according to the scriptures. Praise and glory unto His holy Name!
by John Carpenter | Nov 9, 2015 | Devotional
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart — that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…” [Ro.6:17; 2Co.2:14]
There is never a time of year the true child of God should not be filled to the brim with thankfulness unto their God! Thanksgiving as a state of being and as a constant activity becomes a character trait of the eternally redeemed. Everything that the Lord God reveals to His loved and chosen ones gives unto them another reason for them to thank Him.
The scripture says that it is through God the Father that we are taught the life transforming truth of God the Son. In fact, it is the Father’s love that sent His eternal Son into our world [Jn.3:16-17; Ga.4:4-5]. This is what Ro.1:16 calls the “gospel of Christ”. And, this gospel is said to be the “power of God”! This is that which Ro.6:17 refers to as “that particular form of doctrine which was delivered you”. From the original, that phrase is more literally rendered: “that form of teaching — to which you were delivered”. This emphasizes God’s sovereign power over providence and the individual circumstances in which each of His eternally loved and chosen, by His grace, came into the hearing of the pure truth of the “gospel of Christ”. “All that the Father giveth me”, Jesus said, “shall come to me…” [Jn.6:37].
The scripture tells us that God the Son is to be thanked for willingly taking on the all important task of being incarnated into becoming one of us — in order to save us! 1Ti.3:16 tells us that this truly is the great mystery of godliness — that “God was manifested in the flesh”. We needed a sovereign Savior substitute and the eternal Son of God having become incarnated into the manifestation of being the Lord Jesus Christ — perfectly and eternally filled that need! Eph.1:3-4 declares that God the Father has blessed us with all spiritual soul saving heavenly blessings in Christ — just has He has chosen us in Him from before the foundation of the world! He is well pleased with His Son — who is to be thanked for causing us to triumph in Him!
The word of God also informs us that God the Holy Spirit indeed deserves all of our thanks. For it is He who leads us to Christ and then closes on our hearts by bringing to pass the revelations of all the things our glorious Savior has eternally done on our behalf. Jesus said from Jn.16:14-15 concerning the Holy Spirit: “He shall glorify me,
for He shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.” He goes on to say of the Spirit: “All things that the Father hath are mine — therefore said I — that He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.” It is the saving work of the Holy Spirit to lead us in the way everlasting and reveal unto us that Christ is indeed our all and in all. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God — these are the sons of God.” [Ro.8:14]
For Christ’s Glory Only
-John Carpenter
“But thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” [1Co.15:57]
by John Carpenter | Oct 26, 2015 | Devotional
“Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my Word.” “He that is of God, heareth God’s words. Ye, therefore, hear them not — because ye are not of God.” [Jn.8:43,47]
These two verses are found in a context that involves a conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees. They declare and underscore an important spiritual reality. They reveal an immutable divine principle that determines who has and who has not received God’s sovereign grace among sinful, fallen mankind. This is why pure gospel preaching ministries are, for the most part, seed sowing ministries.
Earlier in Jn.8:21 Jesus told them: “I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go — ye cannot come.” Then He said to them from vs.23-24: “Ye are from beneath; I am from above. Ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins — for if ye believe not that I am — ye shall die in your sins.” This is an astoundingly poignant descriptive declaration! It elicits from them the most relevant question: “Who art thou?” Which Jesus answers: “Even the same that I said unto you — from the beginning”.
Now that which our Lord is referring to here is everything that He had been saying about Himself from Jn.2:23 down through Jn.8:12. In this portion of scripture a definite distinguishing line is continually being drawn between those that do hear, see and believe the truth as to whom the Lord Jesus really is as being the eternal Son of God incarnated into the likeness of fallen human flesh, and those who do not.
Observe what is said from Jn.2:23-25 about certain ones that believed in Jesus because of the miracles that He did. Their faith was not genuine! It was based simply on sensationalism! Jesus did not close on their hearts so that they truly did believe in Him. Not like Nicodemus exemplifies in Jn.3. Nor like the woman at the well, or the other Samaritans from Sychar in Jn.4. Nor was it like the lame man in Jn.5 whom Jesus singled out from among all the other sick and infirm folk to be healed by Him. Jesus revealed Himself to only that one, and told the persecuting Jews who sought to slay Him, “My Father worketh hitherto – and I work.” They knew, right then, that He was saying that God was His Father, and that He was equal with God [Jn.5:18]. In Jn.6 Jesus explains that it is the particular work of His Father to cause lost and fallen men to believe on Him whom He had sent [6:29]; and that it is these — that make up all that the Father has given to Him – and they most certainly shall come to Him – and not one of them will be lost [6:37-40, 44-45]. Nevertheless, right before, Jesus tells them from vs.36, “You also have seen me — and believe not.” Jn.7 continues to unfold the line that divides and distinguishes the true believers from the false [observe 7:30-31 and 40-44]. Ch. 7 ends with Nicodemus showing up again as defending Jesus against the unbelievers [see 7:45-53]. Then in Jn.8:12 Jesus rescues the woman caught in adultery from being stoned to death, and declares Himself to be the sin cleansing Christ of God and the “Light of the world”.
For Christ’s Glory Only!
– John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Sep 15, 2015 | Devotional
“And without controversy — great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh — justified in the Spirit — seen of angels — preached unto the Gentiles — believed on in the world — received up into glory” “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” 1Ti.3:16; Jn.1:14
It is without a doubt, or any argument whatsoever, that absolutely the most mysterious divine truth of God’s wonderful grace is — first of all — how that the eternal almighty, all holy, all powerful, all just and all righteous Son of God — is manifested in fallen human flesh. He, the creator God, not only entered and became a part of our human history, but He has also forever changed it! There is no disputing this fact — as the eternal Son of God and the eternal Savior Son of man, He historically lived, He died, He was buried, He was raised again and He was received up into Godly glory and grandeur as the only triumphant and totally sovereign Savior/substitute — that there ever was, is, or forever will be. He became this for all His eternally loved and chosen ones! Praise His all glorious Name! This is the very substance of the gospel of the glory, only, of our Lord Jesus Christ!
This is what the Word of God descriptively declares throughout its holy scriptures. This is why it is that John refers to Jesus as being the living “Word” of God.
Jn.1:1-2 declares this: “In the beginning was the Word — and the Word was with God and the Word was God; the same was in the beginning with God!” Hence, it is most definitely true that by, the “Word”, John is here referencing Christ Jesus as being the incarnated eternal Son of God — of whom he, also (under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit) goes on to write from vs.3 that “All things — were made by Him — and without Him was not anything made that was made!” And then, we see from vs.14, as is stated above, that: “the Word was made flesh”. Oh, think about that! The “Maker” of all things in all of creation was, Himself, made flesh! It in fact declares that: “He was made flesh — and dwelt among us…”. The Spirit chosen word here for “dwelt” is the verbal form of the word, “tabernacle”. In other words, the gospel is here declaring that the living and eternal Word of God became human flesh and blood and “tabernacled” among us. Wow!
Therefore, this same gospel of the wonderful grace of Jesus is that which is being descriptively declared by type — by symbol — by representation — throughout the Holy Bible wherever the “Tabernacle” is mentioned, or referenced. How grand is that, my friends!? The very place in which the sovereign saving sacrifice was symbolically performed by the chosen people of God — is, in Christ, made to be real and actual! Jesus, the eternal and living “Word” of God, became the very same eternal and living and saving sacrificial “Lamb” of God — for all of His eternally loved and chosen ones. He is the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
by John Carpenter | Aug 19, 2015 | Devotional
“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2Th.1: 11-12
There is a copulative and cumulative connection that this text has with 2Th.1:7-10 that is right before it. It is a connection of great forcefulness in that there is described the truth and certainty of the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ that is going to take place in judgment in eternity against all who do not truly know God, nor have genuinely obeyed the gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ.
In reaching the point of the realization of this truth, which the apostle declares from vs.11-12, he is then motivated by the Holy Spirit into being busy in always praying for all those who have become the good recipients of his ministry. And, in this light there are five specifics that are given for which he and his companions do pray will be accomplished by God on their behalf:
1. That God “would count them worthy” — or, deem them entitled to, His effectual calling.
2. And next, that God would, in turn, then “fulfill in them all the good pleasure of His goodness” viz. His virtue and beneficence toward them.
3. And, even more so, that He would fulfill in them His divine “work of faith with power”!
4. To the end that the “Name” — that is, the very authority and character — of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in them —
5. And, they in Him.
All of these grand things are accomplished in accordance with the bestowal, by
God, of His grace upon us. This text plainly demonstrates how the blessing of God’s grace is indeed an edifying work that culminates in our bringing glory to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is indeed noteworthy that, according to Ro.8:28-29, we – who are His true children — are predestined to be conformed to His image.
But even more than this, this text tells us that we, being His eternally saved ones, are also the very substance of the glory of God in Him! Dear ones, this is, indeed, a very incredible thing! It’s easy to see how that He — as our Savior — is also obviously our glory, but the fact that we become His glory emphasizes the exceeding riches of His mercy and grace. These are the things that comprise the ministry of the gospel.
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
