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Home » What Does the Bible Say About Angels? Understanding Heaven’s Mighty Warriors
What Does the Bible Say About Angels? Understanding Heaven’s Mighty Warriors

What Does the Bible Say About Angels? Understanding Heaven’s Mighty Warriors

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Most of us will never see an angel nor a demon as long as we walk this earth. These spirit beings live in heavenly realms, tending to matters outside of our sphere of experience. Supernatural appearances are rare, yet throughout history, there have been fascinating stories of angel encounters and terrifying tales of demonic activity. Some of these stories reek of self-serving sensationalism while others are perfectly plausible.

 

The late Reverend Billy Graham recalled his grandmother’s jubilant description of a heavenly scene, just before her passing, that included Jesus, her deceased husband, and…angels. Many overseas missionaries have reported angelic protection from certain death. For instance, John G. Paton credits angels with delivering him and his wife from an attack by hostile natives in the South Pacific. Missionaries also routinely find themselves on the front lines of spiritual warfare in cultures where demonic activity is rampant.

Meme: The Bible, itself, mentions angels over three hundred times and demons more than eighty times.

The Bible, itself, mentions angels over three hundred times and demons more than eighty times. I could go on, but I believe you get the point. Angels and demons are all around us, often unseen, sometimes surprisingly apparent, and they do intercede in the affairs of mankind.

The question, then, is not whether angels and demons are real, for I can assure you they are. The questions we must answer are:

What are angels? What do they do? What are demons? Who do they work for, and what do they do? Finally, what does all of this have to do with me?

In This Article:

5 Attributes of Angels
4 Purposes of God's Angels
Plus 5 Surprising Facts!

5 Attributes of Angels

Let’s start with angels. We have established that they are real. I can also tell you that all angels share common characteristics which set them apart from other beings, and we’ll talk about those qualities. Within the context of these commonalities, angels have individual, unique personalities and names. Gabriel and Michael are two that are named in Scripture. Finally, angels have clearly defined roles.

Attribute #1: Angels Are God’s Creations

The Genesis account of creation reveals God’s orderly design for the physical and spiritual world, and the literary masterpiece that is Psalm 104 gives further insight into the origins of angels. According to verse 4, the next act after God’s creation of space, time, and cosmos is the creation of angels, probably on day two. Immediately after the creation of angels, according to the psalmist, God laid the foundation of the earth (verse 5).

A careful analysis of Scripture informs us that all angels came into existence at once. Just as God spoke the planets, land, plants, and animals into being, He spoke the angels into being. So, angels are created beings. This has immense implications for us as we seek to understand them.

Attribute #2: Angels Have Limitations

As real beings created by God, angels are subject to God’s authority and power, and their power has limits. The ninth and tenth chapters of the book of Daniel illustrate some of these limitations. In Daniel 9:21, the angel Gabriel appears before Daniel because of Daniel’s earnest prayers for his people. This verse specifies Gabriel had been caused to “fly swiftly” because of Daniel’s petition, which stipulates that angels can only be in one place at a time; they are not omnipresent.

In verse 23, Gabriel explains, “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you….” Did you catch that? Gabriel didn’t hatch a plan to go visit Daniel; Gabriel was commanded to go call on Daniel in response to his prayerful petitions.

Attribute #3: Angels Are Subject to God's Authority

Moving down in the text, Daniel is visited by a second angel, whose name is not disclosed, in chapter 10. This angel explains that he would have come sooner, but he was waylaid for 21 days by the “prince of the kingdom of Persia,” and he required the assistance of Michael, the archangel, to overcome this prince. The angel spent three weeks earnestly attempting to visit Daniel, but he lacked the power to overcome the prince of Persia.

Attribute #4: Angels Are Not Omnipotent

In the context of our culture that is enthralled with angelic activity, we must keep sight of this fundamental truth: angels are limited to the power and authority granted them by Almighty God.

Attribute #5: Angels Are Spirit Beings

Angels are spirit beings who are often invisible, but their presence may be made manifest in human form, in dreams and visions, in their natural state, or audibly without a visible form.

To illustrate this point, it’s helpful to contrast Daniel’s angel encounter in Daniel 9 with his experience in Daniel 10. When Gabriel appears in Daniel 9:21, he is described as a man. Daniel goes on to have a pleasant conversation with Gabriel, and there is no indication that Daniel is at all intimidated by Gabriel’s presence. It’s as if two peers are discussing the politics of the day, albeit one has profound prophetic insight.

Then, flipping forward to chapter 10, Daniel encounters an unnamed angel, trembles in his presence, and describes him in a way that is completely unlike any human. Here is his description:

I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude

Daniel 10:5-6

So, angels appear as humans and in their natural state. They have also been known to appear in visions. Genesis 28 and 31 record prophetic dreams the Lord gave to Jacob in which he saw angels.

In the New Testament, Mary’s husband, Joseph, repeatedly encountered angels who instructed him regarding Mary and Jesus while he was dreaming. It doesn’t particularly matter whether these angels appeared in human or angelic form; Jacob and Joseph clearly recognized them as angels.

Yet another demonstration of angelic activity is recorded in 2 Samuel 5:22-25 when the Lord allowed David and his men to hear angels “marching in the tops of the mulberry trees” as a sign to move quickly. In this case, David did not see angels; he only heard them.

Regardless of how angels may appear, the important point to remember is this: their presence is revealed selectively and strategically.

Often, angels work in unseen ways because it doesn’t serve God’s purpose for us to perceive their presence. In fact, the angel mania that routinely engrosses our collective conscience is likely why God chooses to conceal their presence most of the time. If men like Daniel tremble (Daniel 10:8) and men like the apostle John worship (Revelation 19:10) at the sight of angels, how much more likely are we to respond improperly to their manifest presence?

God only opens our eyes to behold angels when it serves His purposes.

Perhaps the most comical example of God revealing an angel’s proximity is found in Numbers 22. In this passage we see the wicked prophet Balaam engaging in dirty business with Moab’s king who fears the approaching Israelites. The king wants Balaam to curse Israel so that they will not encamp near him. Balaam hesitates to curse the nation, but he decides to make some money off the deal by divining on behalf of Moab and traveling to visit their king. This angers the Lord, so He sends the Angel of the Lord to block Balaam’s path.

Meme: God only opens our eyes to behold anels when it serves His purposes.

Balaam is unable to see the angel, but his donkey sees him plainly. She stops in her tracks and huddles against a wall, crushing Balaam’s foot. After Balaam beats the donkey three times, Scripture says that God opened her mouth and she began to speak to him! Balaam laments that he doesn’t have a sword with which to kill the donkey, and then—it happens.

Numbers 22:31 says, “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.” The story continues with Balaam’s repentance and, I believe, a new respect for angels. Now I don’t know about you, but I think I would have enjoyed watching that interlude! God had a purpose in revealing His angel to Balaam.

Spirits of Wind, Fire, and Stars

Returning to Psalm 104, we see a fascinating description of angels in verse 4: “[O Lord my God], Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.” Unshackled by human limitations, these spiritual beings slip through the grip of gravity and transcend to heavenly realms with all the ease of fire. Wind and fire may be the best substances on earth to help us mortals understand the spiritual make-up of angels.

Meme: O Lord my God, who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. Psalm 104:4
Are angels made of stardust?

Much has been made in recent years about mankind being made of stardust. The refutation of that erroneous sentiment would fill a book, let alone this article, but let me tell you this: Scripture hints that the substance of angels is more like that of stars—orbs of fire—than anything else. In Job 38:4-7, God asks: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth…when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

Assuming this passage refers to the third day of creation, the “morning stars” could not be the same stars we view in the night sky because those stars weren’t created until the fourth day. More likely, the “stars” described here are angels, singing over the works of God.

In both Hebrew and Greek, the words for “spirit” can also mean “breath” or “wind.” The Old Testament frequently describes strong winds blowing in connection with God’s judgment. Considering the passage below, see if you can imagine God sending angels as “wind”:

When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, a breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and inherit My holy mountain.

Isaiah 57:13, emphasis added

As early as the cherubim who guarded the gates of Eden with “a flaming sword which turned every way” (Genesis 3:24), Scripture repeatedly associates angels with fire. Angelic fire consumed sacrifices in Judges 6 and 13. Both Ezekiel and Daniel described angelic beings with fiery features “like burning coals of fire or like the appearance of torches,” a face “like lightning,” and eyes “like torches of fire” (Ezekiel 1:13, Daniel 10:4-6). In Revelation 14:18, John envisioned “another angel, who had power over fire.”

Where do angels get all that fire?

Hebrews 12:29 states, “Our God is a consuming fire.” God uses smoke and fire to get our attention. He descended in fire on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18). The Lord once promised to be “a wall of fire around [his people]” (Zechariah 2:5). And we look forward to a time “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels” (2 Thessalonians 1:7, NIV).

Fire is God’s tool: He makes it the property of angels and sometimes the portrait of angels.

4 Purposes of God's Angels

Having looked at the real, created, limited, spirit nature of angels, let’s evaluate the practical purposes behind God’s creation of angels. Scripture separately delineates cherubim from seraphim, and biblical accounts reveal different roles for Gabriel and Michael. Different angels serve different purposes. However, viewing all revealed angelic activity with a wide lens, we can identify four broad roles that they fulfill:

Angels are messengers, ministers, warriors and worshipers.

Meme: Angels are messengers, ministers, warriors and worshipers.

Role #1: Angels Are Messengers

Our English word angel translates as the Hebrew word mal’ak in the Old Testament and the Greek word angelos in the New. The core meaning of both those words is messenger. That’s the essence of who and what angels are. They are couriers for Someone other than themselves. They’re Someone else’s ambassadors, Someone else’s agents. They represent only Him and never themselves. They are channels to carry only His information. They speak and act according to His instructions, and they bear His authority.

As messengers, angels communicate God’s law to mankind (Galatians 3:19, Acts 7:53). They are holy beings who have always obeyed God perfectly. In fact, they probably understand God’s law for mankind better than any biblical scholar ever has. It was the Angel of the Lord who spoke to Moses through a burning bush in Exodus 3:2, and it was an angel of the Lord who proclaimed the coming of the promised Messiah in the New Testament.

Throughout human history, angels have been involved with communicating God’s most important messages to His people.

Role #2: Angels are Ministering Spirits

The role angels play as ministering spirits is perhaps the most comforting aspect of their nature.

Hebrews 1:14 explains their ministry this way, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” Other passages of Scripture provide vivid examples of angelic ministry.

In 1 Kings 19:5, an angel appeared to Elijah when he was fleeing from Jezebel in great despair. The angel provided life-giving food and water that sustained him for forty days and nights. After Jesus Christ was tempted by the Devil in Matthew 4, Scripture states that angels came and ministered to Him. The Greek word translated “ministered” implies that they fed Him.

In Luke 16, Jesus tells a parable that introduces the idea of angels ministering to mankind by carrying God’s children home to heaven. Other passages are less descriptive but point to this truth with phrases including “carried up into heaven,” “received up into heaven,” and “taken up” (Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19, Acts 1:9).

As if the blessed assurance of our salvation weren’t enough, God provides angels to transport our loved ones home. Praise God for these ministering spirits!

Role #3: Angels are Warriors

While the idea of angels ministering to our needs is deeply comforting, the thought of angels as supernatural warriors might be downright concerning—unless you study it carefully. Our modern military protects the nation from invasion and is comprised of specialists who work together to strategically outwit aggressors. It is similar with angels.

As soldiers battling for eternity, angels wage war with the enemies of God’s people, both seen and unseen.

Throughout Scripture, we find story after story of God’s people emerging victoriously from physical and spiritual battles as they face insurmountable odds. It was angelic visitors who ushered Lot out of Sodom before destroying it (Genesis 19). It was angelic guards who went ahead of the Israelites, protecting them as they departed Egypt and entered Canaan (Exodus 14-32). It was the Angel of the Lord who killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in 2 Kings 19. And when our risen Lord rides into the Battle of Armageddon, He will be followed by armies of angels (Revelation 19:11-14).

Psalm 34:7 summarizes it this way, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” I don’t know about you, but I’m sure glad we have these warriors on our side!

As tactical experts, angels guide God's people.

Turning to Genesis 31, we find Jacob in the middle of a colorful predicament. His uncle Laban was growing resentful because God had undermined his own deceit by playing a trick on him. Laban had changed Jacob’s wages ten times, trying to swindle him. When Laban told Jacob that his wages were based on speckled livestock, God caused all the new flocks to be born with speckles. When Laban changed Jacob’s wages to streaked livestock, all the flocks were born with streaks.

And on the story goes. In case Jacob has any doubts as to the mastermind behind this selective breeding program, Scripture tells us the Angel of God appeared in Jacob’s dreams and confirmed God’s role (Genesis 31: 10-13). God’s people do not have to worry about outcomes; they must only worry about obedience to God’s plans.As provisioners, angels equip God’s people for victory.

There are many more examples of angelic guidance in Scripture. The story of Balaam in Numbers 22, which we’ve already examined, is another. After the talking donkey episode, Scripture indicates in verse 35 that the Angel of the Lord gave Balaam very specific instructions: “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.”

Jumping ahead to the New Testament, an angel gave Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, specific instructions to protect young Jesus and his mother: “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him” (Matthew 2:13).

In Acts 10, an angel gave the Roman Centurion Cornelius a message that changed the trajectory of Simon Peter’s earthly ministry. The angel instructed Cornelius to send for Peter, which he did. In the meantime, God gave Peter a vision to prepare his heart for witnessing to Gentiles. When the two met, Peter shared the Good News, and “the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word” (Acts 10: 44). God does not always use angels to guide His people, but when He does, we’d better listen.

As provisioners, angels equip God's people for victory.

Sometimes God protects His people by sending one of His angels to meet our physical needs. The story of Hagar in Genesis 21 is one such story. After being cast out of Abraham’s household on account of Sarah and Isaac, we find Hagar and her son, Ishmael, wandering in the wilderness without adequate water.

In verse 16, Hagar loses heart and determines to wait for her son to die, but the Angel of God calls to her out of heaven and says, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation” (verses 17-18). Then, Scripture tells us God opened her eyes to a well of water. In this case, the angelic messenger prepared Hagar to receive God’s provision.

The angels’ role of equipping is closely tied to their role as ministering spirits.

Looking back to the example of Elijah fleeing from Jezebel in 1 Kings 19, the Angel of the Lord ministered to Elijah by equipping him with the rest and nourishment he needed to complete his ministry. In the Garden of Gethsemane, just after Christ’s famous prayer, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42), Luke tells us that an angel appeared to Jesus from heaven and strengthened Him.

Scripture never lets God’s people off the hook for following Him in obedience. Exhaustion, unfavorable odds, and despair do not change His plans, but He equips His people throughout their trials and ministers to them.

God supplies our every need so that we may be courageous and victorious, and sometimes He dispatches His angels to do the equipping.

Role #4: Angels Are Worshipers

When angels are not ministering to mankind, they live in the presence of God, continually shouting and singing praises to Him.

The book of Revelation provides some of the richest scenes of heavenly worship available to us, in which we observe angels demonstrating their reverence for God. Revelation 4:8 describes living creatures who do not rest day or night; rather, they proclaim, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” This fervent adulation prompts 24 elders to fall down before the Lord, cast their crowns before His throne, and say, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:10-11).

We would do well to learn from the angels’ example of worship. In all their beauty, God’s angels keep no praise for themselves. The angel John encountered in Revelation 19 made this truth clear. Overcome by the angel’s presence, John fell at his feet to worship him, but the angel rebuked him saying, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (verse 10).

Meme: "I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus." -Angel in Revelation 19

"I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus." —Angel in Revelation 19

What Else Do We Need To Know About Angels? 5 Surprising Facts!

A thorough discussion of angels requires that we consider what they are not. We know that angels are real, created, spirit beings who serve God within limitations He sets for them. Here are a few important things they are not.

Fact #1: Angels Are Not Defined by Us

Because they are real, angels are not defined by our notions about them. There are some popular ideas about angels that simply aren’t true.

Angels are commonly depicted as everything from chubby babies to demure, ivory-skinned women with wings. When someone dear to our hearts passes on, it’s not uncommon to hear a family member say, “So-and-so is watching over us now.” Or they’ll say, “We haven’t lost a person. We’ve gained an angel.” Let me tell you, you can search Scripture from cover to cover, and you will find no such description.

Do you realize that every time Scripture describes angels, it uses masculine terms?

And, if you recall our examination of Psalm 104, you will recollect that angels were created on a different day than humans, and they were created all at the same time. Heaven does not gain angels. I’m sorry if it offends you, but angels are neither women nor babies nor departed loved ones; they are nothing other than supernatural masculine warriors unlike anything known to us in our material world.

Fact #2: Angels Are Not to Be Worshiped

Because they are created, angels must never receive our worship or our prayers. Most of us find the account of John’s angel worship in Revelation 19 quite understandable. The sight of God’s true angels must be awe-inspiring beyond anything we can imagine. This may be why they are invisible to us most of the time—to prevent us from sinning through angel worship.

By the same token, we should not pray directly to angels for help. The Bible gives no indication angels will respond if we pray directly to them for help. In fact, the Bible does not offer any examples of people asking God to send them an angel’s protection. We must seek God alone, for He alone is worthy of our praise and prayers.

Fact #3: Angels Are Not Fully Understood

Because angels are spirit beings who inhabit a world we’ve not yet seen, we must choose to be comfortable with what we do not know about them. Scripture mentions them over three hundred times, so we are meant to know something about them. We are wise to study our Bibles as we seek a healthy understanding of angels. However, they should not consume our thoughts, and we should not envy others who may have dramatic encounters with them.

When I had cancer some years back, it would have been comforting to witness an angel watching over me or holding my hand as I was wheeled in to surgery. That never happened, and I’m a pastor!

If God never chooses to reveal angels’ manifest presence to you or to me, it does not mean that we are inferior Christians.

It simply means that it would not suit His purposes. In His sovereignty, God reveals angels to us selectively and strategically.

Fact #4: Angels Are Not Our Servants

Because angels serve God, they do not serve us.

Matthew 6:24 explains that it is impossible to serve two masters. We’ve learned angels are God’s messengers, and they serve Him in a variety of ways. Sometimes we are fortunate to be the recipients of angelic ministry, and Hebrews 1:14 makes it plain that ministering to God’s children is their primary purpose. However, we must never imagine that they are our messengers.

The messages angels carry travel in one direction only—from the mouth of God to the intended recipient. Angels are not ours to control or to use. They are not available to satisfy our physical and emotional needs or our intellectual curiosity.

Fact #5: Angels Are Not Necessary

Because angels have limitations, they are not essential. Now, bear with me as I explain this one. When we consider that God is sovereign above all things—all circumstances, all people, all powers, all forces, all processes—it becomes apparent that He does not need angels. In the same way He was perfectly complete before the creation of man, God was perfectly complete before the creation of angels. After all, there is nothing He cannot do.

So, why would He create them?

The simplest answer is because it pleased Him to create them. Revelation 4:11 states, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (emphasis added). Other passages, particularly those we’ve studied in Revelation, make it clear that angels devote themselves to bringing Him glory and praise, which is part of their purpose. Yet, a final look at Hebrews 1:14 may give us the clearest picture of Almighty God’s purpose in creating angels. Angels are “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation.”

Angels are here for us.

Has this investigation into the supernatural world of angels challenged your thinking in some way? I hope so, and I hope you’ll join me for part two in this series when we look at the counterparts of God’s angels—the dark world of demons—and their impact on humanity.

Continue your study of angels, demons, and heaven with these other articles by David Jeremiah:

Angels and Demons Q&A

What Do Angels Look Like?

What Does the Bible Really Say About Guardian Angels?

Who Is Lucifer?

What Does the Bible Say About Angels? Understanding Heaven’s Mighty Warriors

What Does the Bible Say About Lucifer, Demons, and the Nephilim? Understanding the Origins of Evil

Embracing Eternity: Is There Life After Death?

What Kind of Rewards Will Believers Receive in Heaven?

Do I Have a Guardian Angel? And Other Questions Answered About Angels

The Loss of a Loved One: Moving From Grief to Hope

Do Children Go to Heaven? What Happens to the Souls of Little Ones When They Die?

8 Heavenly Truths That Can Change Your Life Today

What Will I Do in Heaven?

Do Dogs Go to Heaven? And Other Questions You’ve Wondered About Heaven

3 Biblical Truths for Handling Grief

What Happens When We Die? 4 Biblical Answers to Common Questions

9 Insider Secrets About Heaven

Pop Quiz: Will I Go to Heaven?

What Does the Bible Say About Heaven? 65 Passages to Get You Started

Am I Going to Heaven?

What happens when we die? Dr. David Jeremiah's landmark study on heaven pulls back the curtain on the most encouraging subject in the Bible: Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven.

Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven

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Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom.
Thomas Watson

Steadfast

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.
Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.
J. C. Ryle

Treasure!

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day.
M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World, 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside.
2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there.
Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world.
Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled The Righteous Father? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections.
Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.
D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow.
J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is acting like the offense never occurred. But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.
Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers, from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable.
John Calvin

New Earth

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death.
William Gurnall

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one.
E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.
C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes