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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10: 23*

When the word “faithful” first came into Middle English in the thirteenth century, it meant “full of faith.” Over the centuries, the meaning has somehow morphed into “reliable, trustworthy, and true to one’s promises.”

The Lord Jesus is faithful, so He is all of the above. As Author of Our Faith (Hebrews 12:2), He is the source and supplier of the believer’s faith. Since Christ can be counted on and relied upon, He becomes a worthy object of faith that results in the production of faith among His people. Before anyone can understand being faithful, he must first understand faith. Simply put, faith is agreeing with God in thoughts, actions, and attitudes. It’s saying to the Almighty God, “Yes Sir, that’s right; let’s do it.” True faith always demands a response.

Geometry is taught in Math class, but it is really an exercise in logic. Nobody really cares about how long a line is or how many degrees are in a certain angle, but everyone needs to know how to reach a logical conclusion. This is where if/then thinking is taught. If A=B and B=C then A=C. This makes sense in mathematics, and in the spiritual realm.

• If we died with Christ, then we believe that we shall also live with Him (Romans 6:8).
• If anyone is in Christ, then he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, then he is not His (Romans 8:9).
• If Christ is in you, then the body is dead (Romans 8:10).
• If [we are] children [of God], — then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
• If God is for us, then who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

We can have total obedient faith in the Savior, because above all else, He is Faithful.

*see also Revelation 19:11

 March 9 

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall
justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:11

The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 is perhaps the clearest description of the Messiah found in the Old Testament scripture. Here, the Man of Sorrows is clearly portrayed as Rejected by men and as the Lamb led to slaughter. The prophecy says He made His grave with the wicked (the thieves crucified with Jesus) and with the rich at His death (Christ was buried in a wealthy man’s tomb). Finally, it is noted that God was well-pleased with the job done by His Anointed.

The detail that appears in this verse, but is not found anywhere else in the Bible, is that Christ was God’s Righteous Servant. Typical adjectives that describe a servant might be loyal, trustworthy, faithful, or hardworking. The term “righteous” doesn’t seem to be appropriate for domestic help and might appear more fitting for someone higher up on the career food chain than a mere servant.

The important point to remember with this title is that the Savior was God’s servant, not man’s. Righteousness is a divine quality and part of this servant’s job description. God’s Righteous Servant came to this world to justify many and bear their iniquities. For this to happen, the Son of God had to be holy, sinless, and blameless. Without doubt, He was Righteous.

A servant’s job is to do the will of his master. In this case, it meant being cursed, rejected, tortured, and killed. The skills required for the task involved blessing the tormentors, rejoicing in suffering, loving the unlovable, and dying in triumph. Anyone less than a Righteous Servant would have failed at the task.

 February 23 

But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Psalm 3:3

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang down your head and cry,         
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,
Poor boy, you’re bound to die.          
                                  – From an American folk song

We’ve all done things we are not proud of. Worry, guilt, and shame are heavy burdens that bow us down before the god of this world, who deceived us into thinking that sin is fun. Some people never get over it. They go through their lives with their heads hung down as slaves to their own self-destruction. Others come to Jesus, who is The One who Lifts up their Heads.

Christ is the one who is above it all: Above the hustle and bustle of modern society, above the pettiness of what other people think, and above the circumstances that complicate our lives and pull us down.

Jesus is the “High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: who dwells in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).

The Apostle Paul totally understood it: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Things don’t always go my way. I even remember failures from thirty and forty years in the past and shudder. But then, I also remember that Jesus took away my sin and my shame. He is The One who Lifts up my Head.

 March 10 

Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You,
glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Exodus 15:11

The scene of the parting of the Red Sea in Cecil B. DeMille’s epic film The Ten Commandments is one of the most famous and memorable special effects shots of classic cinematography. However, standing on the beach with the children of Israel 3,500 years ago would have been much more impressive.

The emotional swing from the terror of fleeing from a huge Egyptian army to the elation of seeing all one’s enemies totally destroyed would have been intense. Being eye witnesses of God’s awesome power invoked a sense of gratitude that was spontaneously released in song: “I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!” (Exodus 15:1). There must have been great joy, but also a little timidity in their voices while singing to the One who is Fearful in Praises.

If God’s triumph over Egypt was awe inspiring, Christ’s victory over sin, death, and hell at the cross was even more so. Satan and his demon army were defeated forever, and they never saw it coming. The awesomeness of this victory makes Christians of all centuries want to sing:

When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain’t just putting on the Ritz
(Our God is an awesome God)
There’s thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
(Our God is an awesome God)
And the Lord wasn’t joking when He kicked ’em out of Eden
It wasn’t for no reason that He shed His blood
His return is very close and so you better be believing that
Our God is …“Fearful in Praises”
                                     adapted from Rich Mullins (1955-1997)

 February 24 

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
Luke 1:32

Unexpected guests can be a joy to receive, if they are dear friends that haven’t been seen in a while, but as a general rule, visitors that just pop in are stressful and interfere with the daily routine. That angst would be increased if the interruption was caused by a stranger, and then would be magnified even more if it was discovered that he was an angel.

Mary had a messenger from God in her living room, and he was talking about personal things, uncomfortable things. She was probably a young teenager who had an arranged marriage in her future, but Gabriel was talking to her about having a baby. He even had the name picked out: “Jesus” (Luke 1:31). All of this was overwhelming to say the least.

One interesting aspect of the angelic announcement was the revelation that He was to be be called the “Son of the Highest.” Since this title is used nowhere else in scripture, the question begs to be asked: “Who is going to call Him this and when?” Hints to the answer are given elsewhere.

A few more verses down, the angel Gabriel says: “…the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

A similar title is used by another non-human in Mark 5:7: “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” Here, a fallen angel is addressing Christ using a similar phrase.

God calls Himself the “High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15). This title for God would be used not only by people, but also by all the celestial principalities and powers. Therefore, the holy messenger was actually telling the mother of Christ how Jesus is referred to in heaven: “the Son of the Highest.”

 December 7 

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:9

If there is true light, there must also be false light. What is that like?

False light is light that is used to deceive. It is found in optical illusions and the tricks magicians do with smoke and mirrors. However, perhaps the greatest false light comes from the flash and sparkle of Hollywood.

Hundreds of thousands of young people have been attracted by the allure of their name in lights on a theater marquee. Being in the spotlight and having name recognition seem so desirable and important that they sacrifice everything to attain these goals. The sad thing is that few ever do get it, and even sadder is that most who acquire the fame are unsatisfied by it.

Recently I googled “actors that committed suicide” and found a list of 227 men and 145 women who ended their own lives in despair. The sheer numbers of “successful” entertainers that had nothing to live for speak volumes about the fatal attraction of false light.

Contrast all this with Jesus Christ, the True Light who gives light to everyone in this world. That light reveals truth – the good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s a problem, because people prefer delusion over inconvenient truths. Men and women love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil (John 3:19). They don’t want to hear about sin, righteousness, or judgment and would rather that the god of this age blind them to the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

If a candle and a 100-watt light bulb are both burning 10 feet from each other, the candle casts the shadow. Although the world seems to glitter and glow, people need to get out of the shadows and into the True Light.

 February 25 

In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent
and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.
Isaiah 4:2

Prophecy scholar I am not. It’s hard to sort through all the pieces and get them in their proper places. It could be compared to finding a bunch of little animal bones in a field and then taking them home to discover what they are. For me, analyzing and interpreting prophecy is just that kind of challenge, although I would much prefer re-articulating a mouse skeleton any day of the week.

That having been said, I’ve had to search out and study the Old Testament prophets looking for titles of Christ. Many times, it is not immediately apparent if the name is Messianic or refers to God the Father. The Branch of the LORD, however, is one of the very easy ones. It is like it has a neon sign beside it saying, “This is the Messiah.”

Isaiah prophesied at a time when the nation of Judah was in decline. The Assyrian empire had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and laid waste most of the land around Jerusalem. The prophet looked forward to a day when the land would flourish again, when God’s anointed would come.

Just as a branch grows out of a tree, the Branch of the LORD is just an extension of God that comes out of Him and produces fruit on the earth. The title is a very strong affirmation of the deity of the Messiah and was given to bring hope and faith to God’s people in a time of desperation.

In Jesus’ teaching of the true vine, believers are compared to branches that draw strength and sustenance from Christ Himself. When examining a tree, it’s observed that a branch forks and divides and then forks and divides again. Young Christians receive spiritual nourishment from more mature disciples, who serve as channels of grace from the Savior, who is the Branch of the LORD.

 March 12 

      I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand;
I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles…
Isaiah 42:6*

God promised Israel that He would send His Anointed to them. Many details were given about the Messiah, so God’s people knew what to expect. Born of a virgin, He would be Immanuel, “God with us,” who would reign forever on the throne of David in Jerusalem. One additional fact was repeated a number of times: He would be a Light to the Gentiles. But when hundreds of years went by without the prophesies being fulfilled, many of the Jewish people gave up waiting and re-explained the scriptures to mean other things. Gentile nations occupied and controlled Jerusalem without allowing a descendant of David to reign there. The prophesy seemed impossible to fulfill.

However, one curious bit of ancient history was playing out that no one expected. Ptolemy I, a general under Alexander the Great, ruled North Africa and commanded a Great Library be built in Alexandria, Egypt. He wanted a Greek translation of every book that existed in the world. Seventy Hebrew scholars translated the Old Testament. It was called the “Septuagint,” which means “seventy.” After that, this translation made its way into every synagogue of the Ancient Greek-speaking world.

Curious Gentiles read the prophesies of the Jewish Messiah, but the word that was used in Greek was “Christos” or “the Christ.” Educated Greeks knew that this Christ was to come, and huge numbers responded when they heard the message of the gospel, recognizing that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised one of God.

Paul and Barnabas saw this supernatural response of the Gentiles and paraphrased Isaiah’s prophesy when they preached in Antioch of Psidia: “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47).

The Jewish people had not recieved their Messiah as king, so He’ll come at a later time to reign. The part of the prophesy that has been clearly demonstrated already was that the Lord’s Anointed became a Light to the Gentiles.

*Isaiah 9:1-2; 49:6; Luke 2:32, Acts26:23.

 February 26 

“For I am the LORD, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
Malachi 3:6

When people list the attributes of God, immutability is usually there. That is the stuffy, theological word meaning “unchanging.” God’s character never changes, and that’s a good thing. People, on the other hand, can become happy or sad depending on the time of day, room temperature, or their degree of hunger. Mood swings can happen in an instant depending on circumstances, so immutability is not a human quality.

The book of Hebrews describes the Lord Jesus: “Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail” (Hebrews 1:12). As our great Unchanging Lord, He can be counted on to always be holy, loving, approachable, understanding, forgiving, patient, available, comforting, and real. The exciting thing about this is that He’ll be the same way tomorrow and next year. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”  (Hebrews 13:8).

In the Muslim religion, Allah can change his mind and act differently with different people because he is “almighty” and answerable to no one. Although at times some Christians feel God has become distant and unresponsive, it is the human heart that changes and not the Unchanging Lord.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
                              – Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)

September 23

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:12

On the first day of creation, God (Elohim) said “’Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Before God invented it, light didn’t exist. After He made it, God’s bright creation was obvious to anyone with eyes. Actually, He also had to create eyes and the brain software that converts light into images, so that others could enjoy what He made.

When Christ came into the world, God began a whole new act of creation. The Savior offered a wonderful, new upgrade for the human race to change people into sons and daughters of God. The best part of it was that it cost them nothing at all. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The difference between the new and old person is as clear as night and day (or light and darkness). However, not everyone can see the difference, because eyes of faith are necessary to see it. To transformed people, Jesus became the Light of the World. Those who are unchanged are blind as bats. They actually see just enough to know they want to get away from His presence.

Most creatures of the night try to flee or hide from light. Cockroaches, mice, and sinners don’t want to be seen. The first two run away because they don’t want to be eaten by another animal. The last group are ashamed of their deeds.

Jesus not only reveals what people do at their darkest moments, but He also shows them who they are. The majority of sinners don’t want to see that they have fallen short of the glory of God, so they close their eyes to the light. But as many as receive Him become sons and daughters of light, because He is the Light of the World.

 February 27