The Greatest: Virtue / David Jeremiah

 

The Greatest: Virtue

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

 Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

Every religious and philosophical tradition—both ancient and modern—has a set of virtues it promotes. The list might be formal or informal, but the qualities of life enumerated represent the best of what the tradition promotes to its followers.

The closest Christianity comes to a list of virtues is Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Christian virtues are distinguished from other lists of virtues by their source: the Holy Spirit as opposed to the human ideas and efforts of man. A shorter list of virtues is found in 1 Corinthians 13:13: faith, hope, and love. Paul makes the point that the greatest of these virtues is love, which he also named first in the list of the fruit of the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Paul explains that no noble or spiritual act—spiritual power, great faith, sacrificial generosity—is worthwhile if love is missing. That is consistent with 1 John 4:8, 16: “God is love.” 

Since love is the greatest virtue, ask God to fill you with His love in all that you do today. 

Every virtue known to man is found in Jesus.
Michael Green

How to Sleep / David Jeremiah

 

How to Sleep   I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8   Bringing a product to market represents a huge financial investment. Based on the number of sleep aid medicines and supplements on the market, it would appear that a lot of people aren’t getting enough sleep! Those products wouldn’t exist if the world was sleeping soundly at night.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 3:5-6

The psalmist David pointed out something we know all too well: There is a difference between going to bed and going to sleep. Everybody goes to bed at night, but not everyone goes to sleep. But David did both: “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep.” Why was he able to sleep in peace? Because he trusted in God: “You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” He wrote those words during a period of unnamed trouble in his life—something everyone can identify with. But instead of being angry, he silenced his heart and went to sleep in peace (Psalm 4:4, 8).             Do you go to bed, or do you both go to bed and go to sleep in peace? Search your heart and commit your concerns to God—and rest in Him.   We sleep in peace in the arms of God when we yield ourselves up to His providence. François Fénelon

All You Need / David Jeremiah

 

All You Need His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. 2 Peter 1:3, NIV   In 1943, Abraham Maslow, the son of Jewish immigrants to America, published his famous diagram illustrating the hierarchy of human needs. It was a triangle that explained our physical needs, our need for safety and love, and our need for esteem and for self-actualization. But Maslow was a humanist who neglected to mention our spiritual needs as described in the Bible.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 23

Instead of devoting ourselves to trying to meet all our needs, the Bible tells us to devote ourselves to Him who can and will meet all our needs—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, and eternally. His divine power has given us all we need for a life pleasing to Him. The patriarch Jacob said, “God has been gracious to me and I have all I need” (Genesis 33:11, NIV).  Can you say the same thing today? Yes! With the psalmist we can all say in a moment of clarity, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!” (Psalm 23:1, TLB) Be thankful for that today! Praise the Lord for His abundant provisions!   Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind; yea, all I need in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come! Charlotte Elliott

Grow Into Philippians 4:6! / David Jeremiah

 

Grow Into Philippians 4:6! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 Philippians 4:6 is one of the most popular Bible verses in the world. That’s based on a study of Internet searches of the most sought-after biblical references. The world’s single most popular verse—can you guess it?—is John 3:16, followed by Jeremiah 29:11. Not far behind is Philippians 4:6. No wonder! The whole world is in the grip of a giant panic attack, a mental pandemic that affects the human race like a virus.

Recommended Reading: Philippians 4:4-8

Paul tells us in Philippians 4 to be “anxious for nothing.” We are not to worry about anything—not one thing!—but to be prayerful and thankful in everything. Is that possible? Not in our own resources, but as we grow in the grace of Jesus Christ, we increasingly learn to cast our cares on Him. We bring everything to Him in prayer, and that keeps us from being anxious about anything. Keep practicing the truth of Philippians 4:6. It’s a verse that grows on us!   Whenever we find ourselves worrying, our first action ought to be to get alone with God and worship Him…. We must realize that He is big enough to solve our problems. Warren Wiersbe

The Twenty-Fourth Psalm: The Lord Mighty in Battle! / David Jeremiah

 

The Twenty-Fourth Psalm: The Lord Mighty in Battle!

Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
Psalm 24:8

 Recommended Reading: 1 Samuel 17:45-47

Life is a warzone, and it’s full of battles. What battles are you facing right now? A conflict with another person? A legal challenge? A financial worry? A loved one who is breaking your heart? Why not lean on some of the Bible’s military language. Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you.” Nehemiah 4:20 says, “Our God will fight for us.” When young David faced Goliath, he said, “For the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).

The apostle Paul said, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). The apostle John added, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4).

Don’t feel helpless and hopeless. You have a Savior who will fight for you, who will oversee the battle, and who will gain the victory. Trust Him as the King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, for we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

You are not fighting for victory—you are fighting from victory. The battle has already been won!
Tony Evans

Before Anything Else / David Jeremiah

Before Anything Else Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 The road to personal peace is a multilane highway in today’s world. There is a lane for peace through prosperity, peace through prestige, peace through possessions, peace through personal achievements, and more. But all those lanes to peace omit the one lane that is necessary before all others: peace with God. Once we have peace with God, it doesn’t matter what things happen in our life. In God, we can have a clear conscience and true contentment knowing that we are secure and protected in Him.

Recommended Reading: John 14:27

That raises the question: How do we find peace with God? In his letter to the Romans (chapter 4), after Paul explained how Abraham gained a relationship with God (by believing God—Genesis 15:6), he said that we find peace with God the same way: by being “justified by faith...through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Abraham was declared righteous by God, not by his deeds or works but by simply believing in Him. And we are declared righteous the same way (2 Corinthians 5:21). Before you look for peace anywhere else, make sure you have peace with God through faith in Christ.   God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C. S. Lewis

 

Go Boldly / David Jeremiah

 

Go Boldly  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Jesus commended little children to His disciples, saying they should be like them (Matthew 18:3). In what way? Perhaps in their shamelessness—their willingness to ask for what they want or need without feeling guilty or embarrassed.

Recommended Reading: Luke 11:9-13

When Jesus taught His disciples about prayer, He used the example of a child who asked his father for bread, fish, or an egg (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13). He said that no child would expect to receive a stone, serpent, or scorpion instead! What father would treat a child that way? Jesus’ point: If imperfect human fathers will grant their children’s requests, how much more will a perfect Heavenly Father do the same for His children? The problem, Jesus said, is that we fail to ask, seek, and knock on heaven’s door; we give up too soon. He wanted the disciples to learn not to give up when it came to prayer (Luke 18:1). The original language says we are to keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking (Luke 11:9-10). Go boldly today to God’s throne of grace. He is ready to meet your needs.   Believing prayer takes its stand upon the faithfulness of God. D. Edmond Hiebert

Secret Prayer / David Jeremiah

 

Secret Prayer But when you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you and pray to your Father secretly. Matthew 6:6, TLB The renowned Scottish minister Andrew Bonar wrote, “I should count the days, not by what I have of new instances of usefulness, but by the times I have been enabled to pray in faith, and to take hold upon God…. Prayer should make time for itself.”

Recommended Reading: Matthew 6:5-8

Every part of modern life thwarts the needed habit of secret prayer. Our schedules are too busy, our phones are too engaging, our world is too noisy, and our fatigue is too great. Yet without prayer—systematic, secret, sacred prayer—we cannot manage our schedules, control our phones, quiet our world, or counteract our fatigue. Secret prayer brings us into the presence of the energizing God who stills and strengthens us, who teaches us the way to Himself and the paths to avoid, and who fills us with the confidence of His own infinite power. Make time for daily secret prayer. If we live with an attitude of prayer, we’re always in His presence. Pray today that your whole life might be a prayer as you walk day by day with Him.   The Lord…made me feel that I must be as much with Him alone as with souls in public. Andrew Bonar

Our Defender / David Jeremiah

Our Defender  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. Romans 12:19, NIV Revenge is such an ugly word that perhaps you think you’re removed from it. But even as children, we schemed to “get even” when we thought someone did us wrong. As adults, we often have trouble knowing the difference between being hurt, becoming bitter, and evening the score. It’s human nature to defend our honor and seek vindication when attacked.

Recommended Reading: Romans 12:14-21

In facing conflict or oppression from the wicked, we must never let our hearts grow hardened. There may be just ways of solving the problem, but in the end it comes back to trusting God to vindicate us. Our Lord Jesus was abused, but He answered His critics, not with ten legions of angels, but with the most shocking event in history—His resurrection. Pray that when times of conflict come, you will turn to Him and to His Word. Let Him give you wisdom to respond well, and trust Him to be your Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.   May the gospel keep me humble and patient…. I don’t want to waste one more self-absorbed moment rehearsing things that hurt me and relishing personal revenge. Scotty Smith

Through It All / David Jeremiah

 

Through It All  I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. Philippians 1:25, NLT In 1991, NBA Lakers player Magic Johnson announced he had AIDS. In the years since, Magic and his wife, Cookie, have given their lives to Jesus Christ. In a social media post a couple of years ago, Magic said, “Today marks 30 years living with HIV…. Through it all I learned to trust in Jesus and I learned to trust in God!”1

Recommended Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10

Notice the verb he used: learned. Songwriter Andraé Crouch said the same thing: “Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.” Trusting the Lord is a learning experience as we grow in faith. When we trust the Lord with today’s load, we see His faithfulness and learn to trust Him even more for tomorrow’s uncertainties. Paul told the Thessalonians, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly” (2 Thessalonians 1:3). Whenever you face a crisis, turn to the Lord and find the needed promises in His Word. Pray today that God will help you trust Him more and more with every passing day.   Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, O for grace to trust Him more! Louisa Stead 1Nicole Alcindor, “ ‘I Learned to Trust in Jesus,’” The Christian Post, November 21, 2021.

Power in the Word / David Jeremiah

Power in the Word So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 In the famous and epic movie The Ten Commandments, whenever Pharaoh would make a decision or issue an edict, he would say authoritatively, “So let it be written; so let it be done!” The royal scribes would dutifully record the Pharaoh’s words for posterity. The message was clear: Pharaoh’s words were powerful; they were the guiding force in Egypt. Recommended Reading: Psalm 107:19-20 In an even more authoritative way, the words of God are alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). By His words, God spoke into existence the earth and everything in it. Jesus is called the Word of God—the incarnation of the will and words of God (John 1:1-2). And Peter says that by God’s words—His “great and precious promises”—we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). And Paul writes that our faith comes by hearing “the word of God” (Romans 10:17). We gain power and maturity in our spiritual life as the Spirit of God illuminates the Word of God on a daily basis. Make God’s Word a priority in your life.   I hold one single sentence out of God’s word to be of more certainty, and of more power, than all the discoveries of all the learned men of all the ages. Charles Spurgeon

 

Power to Live / David Jeremiah

 

Power to Live   His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3   Perhaps it happened to someone you know: a radical transformation after meeting Jesus Christ. Every life changes, but sometimes the change is so dramatic that it’s like the person was, well, born again—like the apostle Paul who went from murderous persecutor to missionary apostle. Nowhere was that change more evident than in the band of Christ’s disciples. Before Pentecost they were fearful; after Pentecost they were fearless.

Recommended Reading: Acts 1:8

What happened at Pentecost? The fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to them: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me...to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit filled the disciples and empowered them to live as bold witnesses for Christ. One of those disciples, Peter, later wrote that God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” through Christ. If you are Christ’s today, you have power by the Spirit. You can do all things through Him (Philippians 4:13).   Christianity is not merely a program of conduct; it is the power of a new life. Benjamin B. Warfield

Ruler Over All / David Jeremiah

 

Ruler Over All   The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:19   Sovereign of the Seas, a seventeenth-century British warship, was ordered by Charles I of England in 1634 and launched in 1637. Not only was Sovereign the most beautiful ship in the British navy, but she was also the most powerful, boasting 102 cannons. The goal for Sovereign was to manifest her name: to rule the oceans. She did that until 1696 when she caught fire and burned down to the waterline.

Recommended Reading: Revelation 5:13

Temporary, partial sovereignty is not really sovereignty at all; one is either sovereign or not. When the Bible speaks of God’s sovereignty, it makes clear that He is sovereign over all. “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14). God’s sovereignty is complete and never-ending. Never let the troubles of this world, or your life, cause you to worry. Put your faith in the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).   If God is not sovereign, then God is not God. R. C. Sproul

We Need Both! / David Jeremiah

 

We Need Both!   He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5   It’s easy to say to a lonely person: “But remember, you have the Lord with you all the time!” That’s true, but it’s not what God said to Adam in the Garden of Eden: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We’re created with an intense need for fellowship with both our Lord and with other people. We need both! Psalm 68:6 says, “God sets the solitary in families.”

Recommended Reading: Deuteronomy 31:7-8

If you feel alone, work specifically on cultivating your daily walk with the Lord and enjoy His fellowship. Then, in that context, ask Him to bring into your life a person or group of people who can be a family for you. Of course, we can’t be passive in the process. We need to find someone to whom we can minister and a church in which we can become involved. The Lord knows all our needs, and He has promised to meet them. Don’t give up and don’t despair. Lean on Him who will never leave or forsake you.   God [is] at work, ready to transform our loneliness into a positive experience that…draws us into the very thing we long for: a closer, deeper, more satisfying relationship with Him and others. Ruth Graham

The Twenty-Fourth Psalm: Entering the King’s Presence / David Jeremiah

 

The Twenty-Fourth Psalm: Entering the King’s Presence

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.
Psalm 24:3-4

 Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1-6

When Prince Charles became King Charles III, the British press was eager to see the guest list for his coronation. It was limited to about two thousand people, including members of the royal family, leading politicians, and world leaders. One surprise invitee was Max Woosey, thirteen, who is called the “Boy in the Tent.” Max gained King Charles III’s attention by living in a tent for three years to raise money for a local hospice charity. At age ten, Max decided to move into a tent after a buddy died of cancer.¹

Like Max, we’re dwelling in our bodily tents (2 Corinthians 5:1), yet we’re invited into the presence of the King. It’s not because of anything we’ve done but because Jesus Christ has washed our hands and hearts with His blood.

In Psalm 24, verses 3-4 list the requirements of those who come into the King’s presence. We have failed at every one of them, but Jesus fulfilled them perfectly. Because of Him, we can walk with the King every day!

A tent or a cottage, why should I care?... I’m a child of the King!
Harriet E. Buell

1. Lachmi Deb Roy, “Who Is Max Woosey and Why Is He Invited to King Charles’ Coronation?” Firstpost, June 19, 2023.

What a Friend! / David Jeremiah

 

What a Friend!   I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. Psalm 142:1   Those who have a best friend are blessed with a relationship of transparency and acceptance. For some, it is a sibling, for others, a non-family member. That may be what Proverbs 18:24 refers to as “a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Recommended Reading: John 15:14-15

A friend is a person to whom you can pour out your heart, a person who will not judge you for the feelings you express. For David the psalmist that friend was God Himself. When David found himself alone and oppressed by those who opposed him, he cried out to the Lord. That is, he used his voice to tell God what he was experiencing and how he was feeling (Psalm 142). He didn’t hold back; he trusted his covenant friendship with God was strong enough to withstand his flood of words and emotions. In John 15, Jesus introduced a new relationship with His disciples: He called them His friends (John 15:14-15). Their relationship changed from Master/servant to Friend/friend. And so it is with us. When you are lonely, discouraged, or confused, tell Jesus. He invites you as a friend to come unto Him (Matthew 11:28-30).   What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! Joseph M. Scriven

Remember Not to Forget / David Jeremiah

Remember Not to Forget   Then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Deuteronomy 6:12   Philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” That usually refers to remembering the mistakes of the past—if we don’t remember them, we are likely to make them again. But the same could be said about blessings. If we fail to remember the blessings of the past, we are more likely to fear the future.

Recommended Reading: Joshua 4:19-24

When Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, he had a stone memorial built after they crossed the Jordan River. It was to remind future generations that God not only dried up the Jordan so they could cross, but He also parted the Red Sea so they could escape the Egyptian army (Joshua 4:19-24). Before Jesus returned to heaven, He instituted a memorial meal by which, when celebrated, future generations of believers could remember His death for them. Remembering the blessings of the past is a powerful motivation for facing the future. Do you keep a journal or diary in which you record what God has done in your life? It is a helpful way never to forget.   How worthy it is to remember former benefits when we come to beg for new. Stephen Charnock

 

A Strong Tower / David Jeremiah

 

A Strong Tower For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. Psalm 61:3   In ancient walled cities a tower was often erected at a corner of the walls or over a city gate. It served as a refuge—a place from which to defend the city from attacks and to protect inhabitants. (See Judges 9:50-55.) A strong tower became a metaphor for God as a place of refuge and protection: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

Recommended Reading: 2 Samuel 22:2-3

Today, our cities don’t have walls or towers. Our enemies are spiritual and circumstantial more than physical. So where do we run when we feel we are under attack or experiencing trouble? We do spiritually what people did physically in the Old Testament—we flee to our spiritual tower which is God Himself. In due course, the Israelites began to refer to God as their “strong tower” and “fortress.” His covenant promises and love were what they depended on for protection and comfort. The same is true for us today. The strength and protection of God are found in His promises to us. Embrace God and His Word; put your faith in Him by trusting His promises.   A sovereign Protector I have, unseen, yet forever at hand. Augustus M. Toplady

Always Faithful / David Jeremiah

 

Always Faithful   If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 3:13   Perhaps the most challenging idea in biblical Christianity for new believers to grasp is the dual concept of God’s grace and mercy. The ideas that God always loves us and always forgives us are hard to embrace at first.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 136

The grace of God means He blesses us when we don’t deserve it, and the mercy of God means He doesn’t punish us when we do deserve it. The mercy of God is a dominant theme in the Old Testament. The phrase, “His mercy endures forever,” occurs 41 times—26 times in Psalm 136 alone. God’s grace and mercy are reflections of His character, specifically His faithfulness. It is impossible for God to be unfaithful. Even when we are unfaithful, “He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Therefore, God can never be ungracious or unmerciful. His grace and mercy flow continually from His character, regardless of our behavior. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s faithfulness, nor is there anything we can do to lose it (Ephesians 2:8-9). The next time you are less than faithful, don’t spend a second doubting God’s love or forgiveness. He has made you the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).   Measure your growth in grace by your sensitiveness to sin. Oswald Chambers

Promises Are Forever / David Jeremiah

 

Promises Are Forever   And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke. Joshua 23:24   In 1971, the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever was released, and actor Sean Connery promised it was his last Bond film. He retired from the role, and others were cast as the suave British agent. But after suffering a series of movie flops and an empty bank account, Connery broke his promise and filmed another Bond movie, ironically titled Never Say Never Again.

Recommended Reading: Joshua 23:14-16

It’s easy for us to make promises only to change our mind as time passes or circumstances change. But our Lord doesn’t change His mind or shift with the circumstances. Every promise He issues is perfectly good a thousand years later. His unchangeable commitment to His promises is called faithfulness. God’s faithfulness allows us to have total confidence in every promise He’s written. It frees us from the grip of anxious worry. When we harbor fears and needless vexations, it’s not because God isn’t faithful but because we are doubting His ability to keep His promises. Don’t do that! Find a fresh promise for today—and trust Him!   God never overpromises or underdelivers. He always delivers on His promises, but He does it on His timeline! Mark Batterson