FBC Daily Devotions

by Mako Kato

Read 1 Samuel 17:34-37, 45-47

Another well-loved story that comes to mind when I think of God’s deliverance is the story of David and Goliath.  Even though you’ve probably heard this story before, please take a look at these passages before you keep reading.

David trusted God to deliver Him from Goliath and God delivered David.  In today’s culture we often think of David and Goliath as a story of how the underdog can succeed with smarts and grit (Rocky version 1000 B.C.).  Looking at the passage, it’s not that at all.  The Lord is the one who delivered David from the lion and the bear, and the Lord delivered David from Goliath.

God used the weak to shame the strong.  He didn’t have King Saul fight one on one with the sword.  He used David, a young man, to fight against someone who had defied the name of God. He gave David the victory.

God chooses to lift up the small things of the world.  God could have found a giant to fight on the Israelites side against Goliath, but He didn’t.  He used a willing vessel to display his glory.   (And made it more obvious that He was the one at work.)

In Hannah’s prayer of praise after Samuel’s birth, she says of God, “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.” (1 Samuel 2:9)

Goliath thought it was by his might that he would prevail.  David knew that it was not by his might that he would win, but God’s might.  David said that Goliath would be delivered into his hand and the Philistines would be defeated, “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (v. 17:46 ESV) Ultimately, this battle was meant to display God’s glory.

We may face hard things.  We may feel unqualified to take on a challenge.  In the end, God can deliver us from those things. When you face the giants in your life, remember how God used David… Think of how God can work through you.  You might be weak, but then it’ll just be more obvious that God is the one doing it all.

by Mako Kato

Read Exodus 3:7-12

When I think of examples of God’s deliverance in the Bible, one of the first stories that comes to mind is how God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  There are a couple things I take away from this story.  One lesson is how it points to the awesomeness of God above all other powers: Pharaoh, his priests, and the Egyptian gods didn’t stand a chance.  A second lesson is how the story of the Exodus fits in with God’s plan.

The story shows God’s deliverance, and he does so in a mighty, spectacular, way.  God performs miracles and he purposely displays his power to both the Israelites and the Egyptians.  In Exodus 11:9 ESV, it says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”  Pharaoh was hard-hearted (a.k.a. ridiculously stubborn) and God continued to display his glory.

But the question of why God delivered the Israelites brings us to the second point, and that is how Exodus fits in with the rest of God’s plan.  We read in this passage that God listened to his people.  Earlier in Exodus we read that “God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob (Exodus 3:2).”

God remembered His covenant.  The Exodus not only displayed God’s power, but it was part of God’s great plan to fulfill the promise made to Abraham.  Abraham’s descendants would inherit the land that God promised.

God chose to deliver His people in accordance with His covenant.  He didn’t give up on them or annihilate them, even if they deserved it.  In Judges we read of the Israelites falling away time and time again, but God would always work through someone to deliver the Israelites.

But we as Gentiles are part of God’s new covenant.  This same God who displayed his power to the Egyptians and delivered the Israelites out of Egypt had us in His plan.  “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him” (Romans 10:12 ESV).

Talking about God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt is a great display of God’s power, and it relates back to our deliverance in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  It was one part in the covenant that said that through Abraham’s offspring, all the nations of the world would be blessed.

It was through Jesus that all of the nations of the world will be blessed.  Yes, God cared about Israel, and I believe He still has a special place in his heart for Israel, but I rejoice that all of us are given the opportunity to be saved.  Praise God.

by Mako Kato

Read Matthew 6:13

We are going to spend some time on the topic of God’s deliverance in preparation for Pastor Glen’s sermon this coming Sunday.

Part of the Lord’s Prayer asks God to “deliver us from evil.”  We’ve heard it many times, but what does it mean?  The word translated as “deliver” in this passage is the Greek word ruomai, which can also be translated as “rescue.”  In other words, we’re asking God to rescue or save us from evil.  The word “evil” in this verse could also be translated “evil one” a.k.a. Satan.

In the beginning of Matthew 6:13 we pray that God will not lead us into temptation.  From James we learn that God cannot tempt us, but he does allow us to undergo trials (James 1:2-4).
James writes:

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”                                                                            James 1:14-15 ESV

Temptations and sin come from human’s desire to do wrong things.  The idea of God delivering us from evil is an important idea.  As Christians we still have sinful desires so that, like Paul talked about, we do things we did not want to do.  But as Christians we are no longer under the rule of our sinful desires.  God deliverers us from having to follow wrong desires, and gives us the opportunity to glorify him in our actions.

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”                        Romans 8:13 ESV

We are a new creation.  We don’t have to give in to temptation.  God has delivered us from evil, He will continue to deliver us from evil, and I hope we will continue to ask Him to do this when we pray.

God is our Deliverer.  I’m linking this to Chris Tomlin’s song “My Deliverer” on YouTube.  Enjoy, ponder and praise the God who delivers us from evil.

Yesterday, Pastor Craig talked about sharing our faith and followed it up with giving everyone an opportunity to share what God has done in their lives.  It is always cool to hear what God has been doing.

But many of us didn’t share even though we had something to share, so I would like to encourage you to share by posting a comment to this devotion.  Please write something and we can continue to encourage each other this week by sharing what God has done in the past year.

I will put up the first comment and hope you will comment also.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Luke 2:1-7
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Shedding some light…

It all seems so simple and ordinary: An imperial edict, a pregnant teenager, a soon-to-be husband, and a town full of people simply following the law of the land. Ordinary events of history, ordained by God as part of the greatest miracle in the history of the world: The Son of God being born as a child in the city of David. And it all happened when “the time came.”

In Galatians 4:4-5 Paul writes, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

The God who rules history, entered our history, to claim us and all our tomorrows as his own.

This Christmas morning, join the Apostle Paul as he proclaims the gloriousness of the gospel (1 Timothy 3:16):

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.

And join the Apostle John as he prays in response to Jesus’ proclamation, “Surely I am coming soon,” with the following: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20).

Christmas Day Prayer and Hymn: Joy to the World!

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Source:  www.ctkraleigh.org