guest devotions

[keith hobkirk]

JC RYLE

Rotten at the heart!

(J. C. Ryle, "Our Hope!" 1877)

"Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps
himself pure, just as Christ is pure." 1 John 3:3

The man who has a good hope will show it in all
his ways. It will influence his life, his character,
and his daily conduct. It will make him strive to
be a holy, godly, conscientious, spiritual man.
He will feel under a constant obligation to serve
and please Him from whom his hope comes.

If there is light in a house it will shine through the
windows--if there is any real hope in a man's soul
it will be seen in his ways. Show me your hope in
your life and daily behavior. Where is it? How does
it appear? If you cannot show it, you may be sure
it is nothing better than a delusion and a snare.

The hope that does not make a man . . .
honest,
honorable,
truthful,
sober,
diligent,
unselfish,
loving,
meek,
kind,
faithful
in all the relations of life--is not from God.

Let us beware of any hope that does not exercise
a sanctifying influence over our . . .
hearts,
lives,
tastes,
conduct, and
conversation.
It is a hope that never came down from above. It is
mere base metal, and counterfeit coin. It lacks the
mint-stamp of the Holy Spirit, and will never pass
current in heaven. The hope that does not make a
man holy--is no hope at all.

The person who can allow himself in any willful and
habitual breach of God's law, is rotten at the heart!
He may talk of his hope as much as he pleases--but
he has none in reality. His religion is . . .
a joy to the devil,
a stumbling block to the world,
a sorrow to true Christians,
and an offence to God!

Oh, that people would consider these things!

RIFKAH

A HEBREW SAGE MIGHT SAY. . .
A wise man hears one word and understands two. [Yiddish Proverb]

SOUND & FRUIT
"On its hem make pomegranates of blue, purple and crimson yarns all round the hem with bells of gold between them all around: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. Aaron shall wear it while officiating, so that the sound of it is heard when he comes into the Sanctuary before the LORD and when he goes out — that he may not die." [Exodus (Shemot) 28. 33 - 35 Tanakh, Torah]
Upon the hem of the seamless robe of blue were pomegranates and bells alternating. The blue, purple and crimson which is blended in this fruit foretell of the bruising and crushing of the BLESSED SAVIOR, the ROCK OF OUR SALVATION. The multi-seeds of the pomegranate(613 seeds, 613 commandments in the TORAH) signify fruitfulness.
The gold bell has a tongue in it. This tells of testimony, being gold, it is DIVINE testimony. It rings clearly because there is a pomegranate, which acts as a pad, between each bell. The softness prevented the bells from clanging together and producing discord. The LORD YESHUAha'MASHIACH wore the spiritual fruit and bells all around the hem of HIS seamless garment as HE walked upon the earth (the hem hangsnear the earth). YESHUA, the GALILEAN, had a clear ringing testimony which was backed up by the fruit of HIS life. It should be the same with CHRIST-like-ones who wear the spiritual robe of blue. It is not by our much speaking, our preaching, nor by the miracles performed in the NAME OF JESUS, or the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT operating through our life that we are known. YESHUA, the ANOINTEDONE said, "by their fruit you shall know them." [Matthew 7. 16, 20]
NEW COVENANT priests are to wear the bell with the pomegranate, not one without the other, in order to bring a clear ringing testimony with the FRUIT OF DIVINE LOVE to the world. 1 Corinthians 12 & 14 are the " BELL " chapters, having the "TESTIMONY OF GOD'SPOWER." These two chapters surround 1 Corinthians 13, is the "Pomegranate or Fruit" chapter. The GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT must operate with and by DIVINE LOVE. Even though the NAME OF YESHUA is not mentioned in these chapters, HE is still there. . . HE is Love!

Sha'alu (Pray) for the Shalom (Peace) of Jerusalem and all of Israel!
Redeem Israel, O ELOHIYM, out of all their troubles!
Blessed are YOU, O GOD, our salvation and our help. Everything that lives shall give thanks to YOU forever and shall praise YOUR NAME in truth. YOUR NAME is ALL-GOOD, and unto WHOM it is becoming to give thanks and praise.

EDWARD GRIFFIN

My God! the eternal pit has closed upon them forever!

(Edward D. Griffin, "The Watchman" 1839)

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me." Ezekiel 33:7

Standing on my watch-tower I am commanded that if I see anything of evil coming, to give warning. I solemnly declare that I plainly see evil approaching; I see a storm collecting in the heavens; I perceive the commotion of the troubled elements; I hear the roar of a distant wind — heaven and earth seem mingled in the conflict — and I cry to those for whom I watch, "A storm! A storm! Get into the Ark — or you are swept away!"

Oh! what is it I see next? I see a world convulsed and falling to ruins — the sea burning like oil — nations rising from under ground — the sun falling — the damned in chains before the judgment bar of God, and some of my poor hearers among them! I see them cast from the battlements of the judgment scene! My God! the eternal pit has closed upon them forever!

"Say to them: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?" Ezekiel 33:11

PRAYERNEED MINISTRY

YOUR DOOR OF DELIVERANCE

“Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the Lord closed it (the door) behind him…Genesis 7:16.

This verse recalls the day, when according to the Lord’s command, Noah and his sons together with his wife and the wives of his three sons entered the ark. The Lord had told Noah some 120 years before, to make for himself an ark for a Day of Judgment was coming upon the earth. The word “ark” in Genesis 6 is translated “basket” in Exodus 2:3 where the baby Moses is saved from certain death by being placed in an ark. In both cases, the ark served as a vessel of deliverance for its occupants.

God did not expect Noah to design his own means of salvation. He gave him specific instructions to follow so he and his family could avoid the coming judgment. All Noah had to do was place his faith and trust in the Word of the Lord. The Good News is that God has done the same for us. Salvation is by God’s design (John 3:16) and not by mans’ design.

The ark represented in the Old Testament is a type of Christ. It is worthy to note the “ark” like the “basket” referenced in Exodus 2 was coated with pitch. The word “pitch” can be translated as “covering” or “atonement.” The pitch assured the ark would be a safe and secure haven for those inside when the flood of God’s judgment came upon the earth.

The Bible records that Noah and his family had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind and everything with wings in the ark. Then, the above verse says in very sobering language that the Lord closed the door of the ark behind him.

The ark only had one door by which you could enter. Noah, a preacher of righteous (see 2 Peter 2:5), warned the people of his day of the coming judgment but no one would listen and perhaps even thought him a fool. However, when the Day of Judgment came, Noah did not have to shut the door on anyone’s salvation; GOD DID IT. It is never our job to disqualify people from salvation. We let God shut the door. When the door is open, it is open, but when it is shut, it is shut. There were no second chances for people in Noah’s Day once The Door was closed.

Jesus says in John 10:9, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus Christ is the one who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens (read Revelations 3:7). The ark was salvation for Noah, but it meant condemnation for the world. Perhaps you have been putting off going through the door of deliverance yourself. The Bible says today is the day of salvation and that once you have passed through the door the Lord provides there is no any condemnation. (Read Romans 8:1)

Jesus warns in Matthew 24:36-44 that the lack of preparedness by people in Noah’s day is a picture of how spiritually ill-prepared many will be found when He returns. Are you spiritually prepared? Are you on the inside or outside of the door of your deliverance? Will you be found in the safe haven of Jesus when the floods of judgment come? I urge you to not be like the people in Noah’s day who realized too late that God’s righteous judgment was upon them.