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December 3

Scripture for today: Daniel 11:2-35; 1 John 3:7-24; Psalm 122:1-9; Proverbs 29:1

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“Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.” (1 John 3:9 NLT).

From: December 3, 2018

NEW PRACTICES NOT YET PERFECTION
John here describes the fruit of being born again, namely, that those with God’s life in them, no longer make a practice of sin. Sin is no longer their habit. This is not the precondition of salvation. For salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Yet, the fruit of having received this salvation is that the child of God is putting off the old nature with its sinful desires and putting on the new nature, which loves God and neighbor.
 
There is a positional truth and an experiential truth in view here. First, the believer is already counted righteous before God positionally in Christ. But experientially, that same believer is still working out their salvation in this world, putting off the old man and putting on the new. So, perfection, complete sinlessness, will not be the believer’s experience until the glorified body is received. On that day, position and experience will be the same.
 
Until that day, let us work out what God is working in us (Phil. 2:12-13), knowing that Christ is our Advocate before the Father and depending on Him to complete that which He began in us.

“Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece” (Daniel 11:2 ESV)

From: December 3, 2016

One of the most amazing prophesies concerning the future of human kingdoms was given to Daniel. Written around 530 BC, God revealed the rise and fall of kingdoms from the time of Daniel to the end times. The three kings predicted to “arise” in Persia was fulfilled by the reigns of Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius. The 4th and final king of Persia, the one “richer than all” before him, was fulfilled by Xerxes. As Daniel’s prophecy predicted over 200 years before it happened, Xerxes “stirred up” the Greeks which led to Persia being conquered by the “mighty king” (Dan. 11:3), Alexander the Great. The rest of the chapter goes on to describe kingdoms that have come and gone in the following centuries all the way up to the present and beyond. The Lord pulled back the veil of time to show Daniel the kingdoms to come before Christ would establish His everlasting kingdom. The future is in the Lord’s hands.

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17 NKJV)

From: December 3, 2015

Love gives. That’s the proof of its authenticity. And those who claim to be children of God are to exhibit this proof. Do you see a brother in need? Don’t “shut up” your heart. Living in this world it’s easy to become hard hearted, but John tells us to live with open hearts and open hands towards those in need. Does the love of God “abide” in you?

“Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper” (Psalm 122:6)

From: December 3, 2012

Pray for peace in the City of Peace (Shalom in Jeru-shalom). To pray for shalom in Jerusalem is to practically pray for the Lord’s return, as He is the only one who can bring true peace. The most that men can broker is a cease-fire. The city of peace has probably been the center of more wars throughout the centuries than any other. Yet, we do pray for peace in Jerusalem.