Sin encroaches, but God redeems and frees us

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post in the archives, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. I invite to you add in any reflections or comments you may have.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Devotions: Ps 12-14, 119:1-24; Gen 4:1-16; Heb 2:11-18; Jn 1:29-42

Help, Lord! Nobody here is living in a godly, faithful way. Everyone lies and flatters; everybody is two-faced, double-minded, divided in heart. May YHWH cut off flattering lips and shut down flapping tongues. Let God arise and put the wicked down, as they exalt vileness everywhere. Please, God: don’t withhold Your face from me; answer, my Lord, lest I sleep death’s sleep and my enemy claim victory over me. I have trusted Your steadfast love and rejoice in Your salvation; I sing God’s praises, for He has dealt generously with me in the past. Today, I’m struggling. But only fools deny God. Those who do this will face great terror at the end of their lives. Let God’s deliverance come to those who believe and obey Him. When YHWH restores our fortunes, we will rejoice and celebrate. Blessed are all who study and follow God’s word and God’s way. Help me, God, to be steadfast in keeping Your statutes; then I’ll not be put to shame. I can keep my way pure by living according to Your word; I seek You with my whole heart. Don’t let me stray from Your commands; I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Open my eyes to behold wonders in Your word; I am a pilgrim on earth; preserve me on my way home to You! Deliver me from the contempt of Your enemies, my God. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.

Adam had intercourse with Eve, and she gave birth, first to Cain, and later to his brother Abel. Cain became a tiller of the ground, and Abel a shepherd. In time, Cain and Abel brought offerings to YHWH: Cain offered the fruit of the ground, and Abel firstborn from his flock and their fat portions. YHWH looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but had no regard for Cain and his. This made Cain very angry; his countenance fell, and God confronted him: ‘Why are you angry? Why this woeful expression? If you do well, I will accept you. If not, beware: sin crouches near the door and desires to master you; but you must master sin instead.’ However, Cain said to Abel, ‘Let’s go out into the field.’ And there, Cain killed his brother Abel violently. Later, YHWH addressed Cain: ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ Cain said, ‘I don’t know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And YHWH said, ‘What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are cursed from the ground which has swallowed your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will not longer yield its strength to you; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.’ Cain said to YHWH, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear. Look: today You have driven me from the ground; and I will be hidden from Your face; I will become a fugitive and wanderer, homeless; and anyone who finds me will kill me.’ YHWH again contradicted him: ‘No so! If anyone kills Cain, sevenfold vengeance will fall on that person.’ And YHWH put a mark on Cain, to warn any who came upon him not to kill him. And Cain departed from YHWH’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Jesus Who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have one common origin; that is why He is not ashamed to call the redeemed His brothers, and to present them before God: ‘I will proclaim Your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise You.’ Again: ‘I will trust in Him.’ And: ‘Here am I and the children God has given me.’ God’s human children share in flesh and blood; therefore, God Himself, in the Messiah, partook of the same mortal nature, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil; and in the same way, Jesus delivers all those who are in bondage because of their fear of death. Jesus is deeply concerned for the descendants of Abraham, not the angels. Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

John had told the priests and Levites who questioned him, that John was not the Messiah, but the Messiah’s forerunner. The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Look! Here is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom I said, “He Who comes after me has surpassed me, because He Is before me.” I myself didn’t know Him, but God Who sent me to baptize with water told me, “He on Whom you see the Spirit descend and remain—this is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen, and have borne witness: this is the Son of God!’ The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples when they saw Jesus walking; John said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus noticed them following, and turned to the two: ‘What do you seek,’ He asked them. They replied, ‘Rabbi, where are you staying?’ He said, ‘Come and see.’ They joined Him, and saw where Jesus was staying. They remained with Him that day, for it was then about 4 PM. One of these two was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. The next thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon, and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah, God’s Anointed!’ Andrew brought Simon to Jesus; Jesus looked at him and said, ‘So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas [Aramaic for the Koine Greek Petros, or ‘Rocky’—Peter in English].