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Angels and Demons Q&A

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Bible-Based Answers to Burning Questions About Angels, Demons, and the Afterlife

What are spirits?

A spirit is “an immaterial intelligent being.”1 Each spirit possesses intellect, emotion, and will. Biblically speaking, there are three categories of spiritual beings: God, humans, and angels. Of course, humans are distinct from God and angels because we also possess a physical being. The words spirit and wind are both derived from the same Greek word, pneuma. Wind blows invisibly; only its effects are seen (John 3:6-8). Similarly, spirits are invisible, but their activities are evident.

Spirits are invisible, but their activities are evident

What does it mean to test the spirits?

First John 4:1 instructs God’s people to “test the spirits” because there are godly spirits and ungodly spirits. Verses two and three explain how we are to accomplish this testing:

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world (1 John 4:2-3).

First Corinthians 12:3 explains it this way: “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”

So, spirits who proclaim the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are of God. In fact, it is only possible to understand the “deep things of God” with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, and He is exclusively available to God’s children (1 Corinthians 2:10-12; see also John 14:16-18).

What are unclean spirits?

 On the other hand, spirits who deny any aspect of the Gospel are not of God. The New Testament refers to “unclean spirits” 25 times. This term is synonymous with “demons,” which are specifically mentioned an additional 79 times in the New Testament. Most of these occurrences refer to demons possessing humans to deceive and destroy them. Spirits do not have physical bodies, but they can inhabit a body. Clearly humans have physical bodies, and demons can possess human bodies. It is even possible for multiple spirits to possess the same body (Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:11-13, 6:9; Luke 8:30).

What are angels?

Angels are real spirit beings who were created by God before He laid the foundation of the earth (Psalm 104:5). The Bible describes them as wind, fire, and stars (Psalm 104:4; Isaiah 57:13; Ezekiel 1:13). They have supernatural strength, but their strength is limited (2 Kings 19:35; Daniel 10:13). Angels fulfill four primary roles: they are messengers, ministers, warriors, and worshipers.

What is an archangel?

Archangel is a title given to the chief angel, and Scripture names only one. Jude 9 indicates Michael is the archangel. His name means “Who is like God?” The book of Daniel also refers to him as “one of the chief princes” and “the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people” (Daniel 10:13, 12:1). In Revelation 12:7, it is Michael who battles against the dragon and his angels. Michael’s primary role appears to be protecting God’s people.

Since the Bible makes no mention of any other archangels, I believe when 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is fulfilled, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel,” Michael will be the one announcing Christ’s return.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel

Who is Lucifer?

Lucifer was an angel. The prophet Ezekiel described him as “the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). His very name means “light bearer.” Lucifer didn’t have any light of his own, but he was a great reflector. He was built in such a way as to reflect the glory of God. Ezekiel 28 reveals that Lucifer (also referred to as the King of Tyre) had been in Eden and had been the “anointed cherub who covers” with access to the holy mountain of God (verse 14). Verse 13 suggests Lucifer was created as an instrument of praise with “timbrels and pipes.” He had been given a special, distinct commission from God to minister unto Him and cover His glory with music through worship and praise. Lucifer was a walking orchestra. What’s more, this spectacular angel was brilliantly ornamented with every precious stone.

 

In all his radiance, however, Lucifer developed a fatal flaw: he became prideful. Ezekiel’s account explains, “You [Lucifer] were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you…. You became filled with violence within, and you sinned” (Ezekiel 28:15-16).

Is the devil real?

The Bible uses the term “devil” no less than 34 times. When it speaks of the devil, it speaks of him as an actual existent adversary, so any sincere student of the Bible must do the same. In fact, if we look back to Lucifer, we find the origins of the devil. You see, when Lucifer decided it was no longer good enough to be a perfect angel created in the beauty of God, his name changed to Satan, and he became the sworn enemy of God and God’s people.

Lucifer’s new name, Satan, means “accuser,” and devil means “slanderer.” Scripture gives him a variety of revealing titles. He is referred to as Beelzebub (Matthew 10:25), meaning “lord of the flies,” and Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15), meaning “worthlessness” or “ruin.”

What are demons?

Revelation 12 hints that a third of heaven’s angels fell from God’s grace when Lucifer became Satan (verse 4). These fallen angels are also called demons. Some of them sinned so gravely that God has already imprisoned them in hell. Others remain free, working to disrupt God’s plan and distract people from God’s truth. Fallen and free angels have been deceiving mankind since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:4-5). Yet, troublesome as they are, there is good news! Demons cannot rob a Christian of salvation; demons cannot possess a Christian; and after Christ returns, demons will be eternally punished in everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41).

Demons cannot possess a Christian

What are Nephilim?

Scripture doesn’t reveal many details about the Nephilim, so there are a variety of theories about who they were. Genesis 6 provides the clearest picture available:

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose…. There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown (Genesis 6:1-2, 4).

The Hebrew word for “giants” in verse 4 is Nephilim. We know from this passage that these mighty men were descended from “sons of God” and “daughters of men.” Scholars agree, with some nuances, that the daughters of men were human women. But there remains a more controversial question…

Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?

Not all scholars agree about the identity of “sons of God.” For that reason, many teachers shy away from this subject, but I’ll give you my interpretation: the sons of God were fallen angels…demons.

It may seem strange for demons to be called “sons of God,” but a passage in Job supports this conclusion. Job 38 contains God’s response to Job’s misfortunes. The Lord contrasts Job’s wisdom with His own wisdom demonstrated in creation. He 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?” (verses 4, 7)

Now, mankind had not been created when the Lord laid the earth’s foundation. The sons of God could not be humans; they must have been angels. Originating from taboo relations between fallen angels and humans, the Nephilim so corrupted God’s plan that He imprisoned all offending angels and destroyed the Nephilim in a worldwide flood.

Are ghosts real?

The answer depends on what you mean by “ghost.” The word appears 108 times in the King James Version (KJV) and once in the New King James Version (NKJV), so it would seem the answer is yes—ghosts are real. However, it is important to note the context surrounding these occurrences.

Of the KJV occurrences, nineteen are euphemisms for death: gave up the ghost, given up the ghost, yielded the ghost, etc. They characterize the everyday language of the era when they were translated to English. The other 89 occurrences of “ghost” in the KJV all refer to the Holy Ghost, which is the Holy Spirit. This is also representative of the sensibilities of seventeenth century British readers. None of the KJV references to “ghost” have anything to do with the disembodied spirits of humans loitering on earth.

In the NKJV, “ghost” appears in Mark 6. After feeding a multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus instructed His disciples to immediately board their boat and go before Him to the other side of the sea. The disciples were battling a strong headwind in the early morning hours when Jesus walked out on the water to join them. They were so frightened that Scripture tells us “they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out” (Mark 6:49). The story continues with Jesus immediately talking to them and reassuring them. Interestingly, the older KJV translates the word for “ghost” as “spirit.” The two terms are interchangeable. Notice that it is the disciples—in a moment of exhaustion and fear—who surmise the late-night water-walker must be a ghost. God never suggests on the pages of Scripture that spirits of dead people linger to interact with the living.

Ghosts are not disembodies spirits of humans loitering on earth

What about modern ghost stories—are they real?

As for modern accounts of ghosts, I submit to you that they are nothing more—nor less—than demons masquerading as dead people or possibly, in some cases, overactive imaginations at work. Certainly, if demons can possess the living, they can imitate the dead.

Hebrews 9:27 plainly states, “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” There is no suggestion of a time-lapse between death and judgment. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He assured the repentant criminal, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Second Corinthians 5:8 declares that, for a believer, absence from the body is presence with the Lord. So, ghostly apparitions are one of Satan’s deceptions.

What is the occult?

Noah Webster defines occult as “hidden from the eye or understanding; invisible; secret; unknown; undiscovered; undetected; as the occult qualities of matter. The occult sciences are magic, necromancy, etc.”2

As it pertains to spiritual matters, the occult is associated with seeking secret knowledge apart from God’s power and the five senses He has given mankind. This includes psychic practitioners, channeling, clairvoyance, astrology, paranormal psychology, tarot cards, witchcraft, magic, shamanism, Wicca, and Ouija boards, among others.

The Bible makes it clear that any wisdom apart from God’s wisdom is foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:19). Eve introduced sin, death, and despair to humanity when she sought wisdom apart from God in Genesis 3, and the destructive pattern has continued ever since. There is no need for hidden knowledge when the Creator of all things has revealed Himself through nature and His Word (Psalm 19). In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus assures us that “there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light” (Mark 4:22). If we lack wisdom, all we need to do is ask God for it because that is a petition He is eager to satisfy (James 1:5).

Wisdom apart from God's wisdom is foolishness

What happens after death?

In Luke 16, Jesus answers this query by telling a story that draws stark contrast between the earthly lives and afterlives of two men. One man, Lazarus, was a poor beggar while the other man was a wealthy socialite. Each day, Lazarus laid at the rich man’s gate in hopes of being offered a few crumbs from his lavish spread. Lazarus was covered in sores while the rich man was clothed in purple and fine linen that was probably imported and colored with expensive Tyrian dye. Lazarus was surrounded by dogs who licked his sores while extravagance surrounded the rich man. Upon his death, Lazarus’s body was likely dumped on the dung heap of Gehenna where trash was burned, but the rich man’s body was surely laid in a stately tomb following a magnificent funeral.

In the afterlife, however, the fortunes of these men reversed. When Lazarus died, he was “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” while the rich man was tormented in Hades. (Luke 16:22-23). It’s interesting to note that during their earthly lives, a gate is all that separated these men. Lazarus was outside begging for food. The wealthy man was inside the gate feasting. Lazarus couldn’t enter the gate, but it would have been a simple matter for the rich man to exit.

What determines our eternal destiny?

When death came for Lazarus and the rich man, the defining difference was neither their food nor their furnishings; it was their standing before God. You see, Lazarus knew God, but the rich man did not. After death, Lazarus enjoyed the comfort and company of Abraham while the formerly wealthy man experienced physical torment and the agony of knowing his family was destined for the same fate. Then, upon death, neither man could cross over to the other, for there was a “great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass” from one side to the other could not (Luke 16:26).

When people experience physical death, they pass into everlasting fellowship with God or eternal damnation apart from God. There are no second chances. The most important thing you can do right now is surrender your life to God, and that’s simpler than you might imagine.

What is heaven like?

Imagine a world where you are free to use your gifts and talents in entirely rewarding ways, and you never grow weary. Imagine a world where your health is perfect, and your body never weakens. Imagine a world where you are surrounded by people with whom you are perfectly compatible, and you never tire of their company. Imagine a world with gates of pearl, foundations of precious stones, streets of gold. Imagine yourself as an esteemed citizen of that beautiful place. Imagine a world where evil is absent, and you live without fear in the presence of God.

Friend, that is heaven, and what I’ve described is merely a shadow of all that awaits those who love God. When Jesus was preparing to leave His earthly ministry, He assured His disciples with these words:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:1-3).

Just think, God created the heavens and the earth and everything within them in the space of six days. If Jesus left this earth 2,000 years ago, and He’s been preparing a place for us ever since, heaven must be more magnificent than anything we can imagine! Surely, we cannot comprehend a world unchained by death and sorrow, but the Bible gives us a glimpse in Revelation 21-22.

In heaven you are free to use your gifts and talents in entirely rewarding way

Is hell real?

Shortly after Jesus’s reference to heavenly mansions in John 14 (above), He made this sobering statement: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (verse 6). The only way to heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ, yet many groups have tried to dismiss hell as a distasteful figment of man’s imagination. As a pastor, it’s my responsibility to inform you that hell is every bit as real as heaven, and it is the fate of all who do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Equipped with this knowledge, it becomes important for us to understand the nature of hell. I don’t enjoy thinking about it, but we must hash this out because hell is a widely misunderstood reality. Sometimes I hear people dismiss its horrors with comments like, “Hey, all my friends are going to hell, so I might as well join them.” Let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth. Hell is no party, and I wouldn’t wish it for anyone.

How does the Bible describe hell?

  • An endless pit that is never full (Proverbs 27:20; Ezekiel 31:15; Revelation 9:1)
  • The destination of the “uncircumcised,” which is to say a place of dishonor, far from the favor of God (Ezekiel 32)
  • Worse than losing your right eye or right hand (Matthew 5:29-30)
  • Capable of destroying the body and soul (Matthew 10:28)
  • More fearsome than murderers (Matthew 10:28)
  • Separation from God’s guidance (Psalm 28:1)
  • Unaffected by earthly affluence (Psalm 49:6-9; Luke 16:19-31)
  • A place from which God hides his face (Psalm 143:7)
  • Swallows people whole (Proverbs 1:12)
  • Maggot and worm infested (Isaiah 14:11)
  • Future place of punishment for Lucifer (Isaiah 14:15)
  • Future place of punishment and imprisonment for demons and earthly kings (Isaiah 24:21)
  • A place of corruption that can neither thank nor praise the Lord (Isaiah 38:17-18)
  • A smoking pit like a great furnace (Revelation 9:2)
  • The keys are held by Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:18)
  • Lake of fire (Revelation 20:14, 21:8)

This Q&A marks the completion of four consecutive posts regarding angels. I hope you’ve enjoyed delving into this fascinating subject as much as I have. In closing, I’d like to share an excerpt from my book, Angels—Who They Are and How They Help…What the Bible Reveals:

One thing we know for sure: Our God uses His awesome power in a compassionate, loving way to help those who need help. I like that about God. I’ve felt His love and compassion in many ways in recent months, and I know He’s that kind of God. While on the one hand He’s holy, there’s the other side of it too: He condescends to be concerned about such as us, and will even dispatch one angel or an army of them for our service and protection.

There’s great hope in that.

This is a good time to remind ourselves again that angels are created beings—God’s created beings. He’s told us much about them, but He’s also withheld much. Even if He told us everything, however—even if we knew all there is to know about angels—the simple truth still would stand that they belong to God. They’re His, and He can do with them whatever He wills. They aren’t ours to control or to use. They aren’t ours to satisfy either our physical and emotional needs or our intellectual curiosity.3


1“Spirit,” def. 7, webstersdictionary1828.com, 1828, https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/spirit, accessed on October 17, 2018.

2“Occult,” def. 1, webstersdictionary1828.com, 1828, https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/occult, accessed on October 18, 2018.

3David Jeremiah, Angels: Who They Are and How They Help…What the Bible Reveals (Orange: Multnomah Press, 2006), 188-189.

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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