Scripture Treasures

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 As we come to the dawn of a new year on our calendar, so we come to the dawning of a new person in Christ. The key word here is "if". Such a small, but such a powerful word: If we believe, if we would listen and obey, if we are in Christ...if only. If is known as a conjunction which introduces a conditional clause: on the condition that, providing that, assuming that. So stems the secret to this verse, for the new creation like a new year does not just happen to everyone. The condition is that person is a believer in Christ, has accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, and Christ on those terms has come to live within that person. It seems like it is a lot of work but the reality is that it is not. All it takes is to say, "I believe and receive Jesus as my Saviour." And, pow! When that happens, watch out! Who you were really born to be will com

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God ~ 1 John 4:15 I think it is the easiest thing to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. After all, all it takes is the acknowledgement that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that all that He did, He did because He was the Son of God. Yet, I did not always think that way. There was a time when I fought who others said He was. There was a time when I did not acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. There was a time when it was the most difficult thing for me to do. Perhaps you are there too. Perhaps you are reading this and asking if it is really true - can Jesus really be God's Son? And if it is true, did He really die for me? Does He really love me? The answers are this: Yes, and Yes! Jesus loves you more than you can ever understand. And He died that you might have life. And when you believe, He will come into your life and heart and He will reside there, not as a controller, but as a lover seeking

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked ~ Luke 6:35 I must admit that I live a protected life, for I cannot say I have "enemies". My life is pretty basic, secured, and predictable. Perhaps yours is too, and you live in much the same way as I do. But there is always that one thing we may occasionally need - mercy, and that is what is being offered here. Mercy is offered to one we have a right to not forgive and to bring harm to, but instead we offer forgiveness and our compassion. We all are liable to make mistakes with our words and actions, which lead others to become upset with us, though they may not be our actual "enemy". We need mercy when such situations arise. Mercy is what God did in Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross for our sins and in our stead. We were the enemy God

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did ~ 1 John 2:6 The ESV (English Standard Version) uses the word "Walk" instead of live, which I find interesting. It reminds me of Psalm 1 - the one who walked, then stood, then sat as his actions took on more of the sinner. Here, Jesus walks through life. He was constantly on the move, never growing stagnant in his life, his hope, his belief. Jesus walked in submission to God his Father, living a life of obedience. His every action was based on the command of God to go here or go there. His life was one of devotion to God. As He walked, He saw with the eyes of God those who were around Him - those who needed healing in the physical, mental, and spiritual. As He walked He touched those who came toward Him for life. As we walk with Him, or live in Him, we conform to His image; we become one with Him in unity. To live and walk as Christ, we live in self-denial, giving for others and to others as Christ gave of Himself

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him ~ Colossians 1:16 The Jehovah's Witness try to say that Christ was created by God, linking the Scripture that he is the first born of all creation to this theology. This is a misinterpretation of the Greek language, and the true meaning is that Christ was preeminent, or superior, and was in fact over creation, not created (1:15). One cannot look at verse 15 and ignore the next verse, which is quoted above. Jesus is the spoken word in Genesis, the Creator of all things. God saw, God spoke, God moved - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three-in-One. And all things were created FOR him (Jesus), not just through and because of him. Too often we live from day to day and expect from God, reversing this scripture and basically saying God was created to do our bidding, to do our will, to meet

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" ~ Matthew 4:4 Jesus had been fasting in the desert for fourty days. To withstand the extreme heat of the day and the cold of the night would be task enough, but to have no food during that time would be too much. And Satan well knew this as he approached Jesus. The human aspect of Christ he knew well, just as he knows our weaknesses and preys upon them when given the chance. Jesus body was weak from lack of food, and his body was hungry, and therefore Satan desired to meet His need through coercion. We have just come through our Christmas celebrations with family and friends, and I am sure there was no lack of food present at most tables. We do live in a blessed country, yet I do not want to ignore that there are still many who suffer from lack of supply. But here the concentration is not directly upon what fills the stomach, but w

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together sh e was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called hi

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned ~ Isaiah 9:1, 2 The regions of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali had been overrun by those who invaded her lands, and had been shamed in that experience. The Jews in the lower regions felt they were purer than those who lived in these areas, yet it is to this shamed place where the Son of God first began his ministry. These places were of mixed blood, a shame not only of their heritage, but of the accounts of conquest which had taken place within her borders. Yet, Galilee is where most of Jesus disciples were from, and these unlearned men in the end were brave and courageous, filled with the Hol

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit ~ Isaiah 11:1 First, this is a beautiful scripture which prophetically captures the ingredients of the Messiah to come. I encourage you to read Isaiah 11 in its entirety. Then we see what was cut down has a new branch growing out from its stump. It is a promise of a new Israel, one which will grow out from the stump of the Davidic line, a history now of fortune lost. There is nothing left of David's line but a stump. Out of that will grow One who will change the course of "Israel." That one branch will bear fruit. What follows in the next verses is the described fruit that one will bear, but the main point in what follows is that it will be done by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit will rest upon Him, meaning that all he does will be done in and through the power of the Holy Spirit. The prophet saw one with a perfect human character and one who would make for a perfect

But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself ~ Psalm 49:15 ...Because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay ~ Psalm 16:10 John, the beloved disciple, recalled these words after Jesus had risen from the dead (2:22). Jesus himself had placed his hope in the prophetic words written. As he prayed in the garden before he was arrested, he prayed so earnestly he sweat drops of blood. Scripture tells us he could have called down the angels to change his course, but instead he went through with what the Father had planned. Would he have done so if he had not had the hope that he would again see life, and the victory of death would be overcome by him? Without the resurrection of Christ there would be no Christian belief. He would have been another man in another grave. Joseph of Arimathea would have had no grave for himself, for it would have been occupied already! But it was not - it was

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem ~ Isaiah 53:3 Such a contrast in this verse to the messages of promise for a new King that would be the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God! We turn to look at a man we cannot and will not look at in this scripture. He is one the world has turned away from instead of one which is gravitated toward with gifts and honour and rejoicing. This is not another, however, this is exactly the same of which was said his mother would be a virgin and would conceive a baby that would be called "Jesus", or Yeshua, which means "to deliver" or "to rescue." Here we read of one who needs rescuing! Here is our Saviour! As he walked toward the cross to give us life, he was cursed by those around him. As the nails pierced his hands and his feet he was mocked. As h

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” ~ Micah 5:2 Bethlehem Ephrathah is a combination of old and new names for this little town. How significant that what was known as a fruitful but small place is where the Saviour was born. This is the little town where Naomi returned with her daughter-in-law, Ruth, and where the great grandfather of King David was born. It is an encouragement to God's people that the Messiah, the Promised One, would be of the line of David, and it is the prophecy which was well known. When King Herod the Great asked the Priests where this King the Wise Men, or Sages, we're looking for was to be born, this is the place of which they spoke. Bethlehem Ephrathah, the "house of bread" which would feed thousands upon thousands from the teachings of the One born within her place.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace ~ Isaiah 9:6 Some Jewish leaders credit this scripture to the king, Hezekiah, but this cannot be so. Hezekiah was about 10 or 11 years old when this prophetic voice was heard, and at his birth there was no loud acclaim of joy. Hezekiah was not a light to his nation, nor was there any great peace that came with his government. This word can only be placed in context with the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Everything here is correctly applied to Christ, as it looks at His humanity and His incarnation. That Christ lived in a human body cannot be discharged. He was made flesh to dwell with us. Unto us a Son is given, the Son of God, to be the Mediator and Redeemer of His people. He is the King, not only of this world, but King over His church and people. He

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn ~ Isaiah 61:1, 2 When Jesus was grown and beginning His ministry, these were the words He quoted while reading in the temple. Luke records them in Chapter 4:18. They are beautiful words, but only because they were made beautiful by our Saviour, for without His grace, they are mere words. Jesus came to proclaim good news. I think of the stories which impacted me: the woman at the well, the adulterous woman and the men who would stone her. These are just a couple of stories of those whom Jesus impacted with the good news of hope and freedom from their past. And He healed the brokenhearted. I

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel ~ Isaiah 7:14 The meaning of "Immanuel" is interpreted as "God with us." Though Jesus was never called by that title, He is Immanuel. When Mary became pregnant, Joseph was very surprised, for he had not known Mary in this way, so how could he accept this unborn child which was not his? It would be hard for anyone to understand this, and even more so perhaps for what happened next. An angel came to Joseph, just as one had come to Mary, and told him that this child was conceived of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew's account of the Christmas story or the story of Jesus' lineage, he quotes from Isaiah in his writings (1:23) to show that Jesus is indeed the promised one Isaiah had written about so many centuries earlier. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He was not created and infused with the Holy Spirit when He was born, He is God w

A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken ~ Isaiah 40:3, 5 Elizabeth, an aged cousin to Mary, became pregnant. This was an impossibility, for she and Zechariah had been married for many years with no children, and Elizabeth was past time for bearing a child. But an angel came to Zechariah in the temple while he was burning incense to the Lord and told him he was to have a son. He would name this son "John", and John would be a great joy to him. This son would bring many back to worship the Lord their God as he was to be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born! All of this was very unusual, and hard to believe. Yet, Zechariah was chosen as was his wife to be graciously given the gift of bringing a child into the world which would herald in the coming kin

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever ~ Isaiah 9:7 In this prophecy, the first line is striking in a world that is without peace and where governments fail their citizens. Peace is hard to find, if it can be, and government rule makes one shake their head in wondering what the elected might be thinking, and who they are thinking for. This government and peace described by Isaiah is far different than what we look at in our world today. This is a peace which will have no limitations, that is what is meant by having no end. It will go on forever, yes, but it also will bring in a reign of unlimited peace! This Prince will rule on David's throne, a promise a young shepherd boy would never imagine. Yet, this young man rose to be an ultimate Jewish leader, strong in battle and courageous beyond other men. H

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his ~ Genesis 49:10 We are again reading about the scepter, which was a symbol of a great king or leader. This leader was forecast to come from the tribe of Judah, one of Jacob's twelve sons, one son also of which was Joseph. Of course, all the tribes were still around when Jesus was born, whereas today, the Jews are spread all over and are not in original tribes as they were over 2,000 years ago. What is interesting about Judah, and about Christ being of his lineage is the mother of that lineage - Tamar. A royal king would be born from a relationship which was deceptive in its creation, yet God sees through that in love to bring about a promise He had made to Judah's grandfather, Abram (Abraham). The staff mentioned would be a tribal gift passing from father to son, the indication that indeed, Juda

I see him, but not now, I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel ~ Numbers 24: 17a In Genesis God brought a man called Abram from the land of Ur and led him on a journey, eventually to stop in what we call the land of Israel. A covenant was made with this man when he was 75 years old, and though he did not yet have any offspring, God told him his following generations would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. A very grand promise it was, but the problem was there were no children and his wife was past child-bearing years. But for God this was not a problem. God is the God of the impossible, and about 25 years later, Abram's very elderly wife conceived and bore a son. They named him Isaac, and Isaac was the father of Jacob. It was Jacob who was renamed "Israel", a name which has carried down to this day. The words of our Scripture, 'I see him' cannot be understood as seeing what is in front of the eyes o

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel ~ Genesis 3:15 As we draw closer to Christmas, I want to draw on prophecies of the Old Testament for my devotions, beginning today from the beginning of the Bible. As God speaks to the serpent which is Satan, God gives a warning of what will be. The devil seduced Eve in the garden, making her believe that if she ate the apple she would be more blessed than she was already. In hindsight we of course know this is not to be so, for her choice brought death and sin into our world, and separation between us and God in our relationship. There was only one way to bring restoration into that relationship, and that being through Jesus Christ. Eve's offspring are of course you and me, but first and foremost, Christ is her offspring. It was His job alone to bruise the head of Satan, to destroy his powers and prowress. By striking the head of Satan, Jesu

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart ~ Jeremiah 29:13 Do you know how much God loves you? Stretch out your arms...bigger...bigger...BIGGER! He loves you so much he wants to have communion with you, and by that I mean community. He wants you to love him so much that you will run after him. But He isn't like a child hiding on you and playing a game, he is out in the open and he is waiting for you to come and find him and place him in your heart. And then when you do, you will find a Father who loves you with all the gentleness yet firmness, the faithfulness yet justice, holy yet forgiving, atoning yet understanding Father and Christ. He will hear your prayers, He will fill you to overflowing with His bread of Life, He will favour you with His ever flowing grace, He will be your Provider and Care Giver. When you seek Him with a sincere and honest heart, He will be there, ready and waiting to be found. So run after Him today, and ask Him to fill you!

Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law ~ Romans 13:10 In an earlier verse, Paul calls this statement a "continuing debt to love one another." It is set in a strange place, for this whole chapter has been about submitting to the governing authorities to love fulfilling the law, to concluding with how we live day to day. The love part almost seems out of place, yet, as we look around at the unrest in many countries and the disturbances we see in government factions, we must acknowledge that it does indeed fit where Paul has placed his advice. Too often we find ways of disagreeing with our neighbour on the activities of government, let alone religion in our day. Too often speaking in love is forgotten as we communicate over delicate subjects. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God above all others and to love each other as we would love ourselves. I wonder at times if there is too little self-love in our world as we put e

For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths ~ Proverbs 5:21 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us the eyes of the Lord go to and fro over the whole earth searching for those who will follow Him. Proverbs speaks those words to us once more. The message we have is that God sees it all. If we react to life from a heart that is good, God sees it. If we commit a sin or a crime, God sees it. If we do a good deed which brings all sorts of acclaim yet have a bitter heart, God sees. He does not only see, but He examines. In other words He checks and balances the motives our heart has in place. He is the Great Judge, and one day, we will all stand before Him. Devotion by Pastor Julia

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still ~ Exodus 14:14 This is a part of the story of freedom from Egypt for the Israelite people, but it places before us a story of spiritual rather than physical warfare. Here the people had finally been released from slavery to Pharaoh. It suddenly dawned on him what he had done by freeing these people and he began to pursue them. He did not want them free from his hand or from his land. He wanted permanent slaves! Isn't that the way of the enemy of our soul? When someone leaves the world behind and chooses Christ, the enemy will pursue to take back, to lay claim to what he thinks is his possession. But I have seen, and I have read, where time and time again, when the commitment for Christ has been made the enemy has no power. It is what we read here in verse 14 - the Lord will do the fighting for you. Too often we think we have to use our words or our actions to escape the arrows of the enemy. But Moses is saying somethi

The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught ~ Isaiah 29:13 So many times in the Old Testament God had to warn his people to not just pay him lip service, but to truly love and worship him. Even when Jesus came, this same problem was present. The Pharisees and Scribes did no better. But, did it stop there? No, for too often our world does the same thing and comes to worship God from the basis of tradition and history rather than to give to Him the awe he should have from a people who love and adore him. We live in a society which claims to be "Christian" yet it is a title only. When it comes to making Christ Lord over all of life, he is left in the background for emergency purposes. When I am in crises I will pray, when it is Christmas or Easter I will attend a community of worship...or, I believe in God but he

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous and strong. Do everything in love ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13, 14 Paul sounds like a drill Sargent here: Be on Guard, Stand Firm, Be courageous, Be strong! These are commands to lead us to be at attention. The enemy is advancing and one must be prepared for them. Only by careful attentiveness to these positions can one protect themselves and others from the onslaught of the enemy. Too often we are careless and too easy about our faith. Our Christian life is one of disciplines: of daily reading our Bible, of daily at minimum talking with our Lord, of constant listening for His voice in our life. We are called to a life of vigorous warfare against the spiritual realm which exists around us. It is always there, never leaving, yet we forget that we have a charge to fight against that which tries to destroy the Christian life in God. Not only are we to watch for the outward enemy, but we are to guard our own hearts as well. Evil can