DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 25:
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!
WORD OF WISDOM
The weatherman describes this as unseasonable weather.
Of course its unseasoned -- that's why the city maintenance crew put salt on
it.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Holidays and Commandments
"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept
my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken
unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
John 15:9-11
Benjamin Franklin said, "How many observe Christ's birthday! How few His
precepts! O 'tis easier to keep holidays than commandments." As we celebrate
the love of God demonstrated to us at Christmas, we should also be showing
our love for Him through our obedience to His commandments. God offers
salvation freely through His grace, and we do nothing to earn His favor. He
has every right, however, to expect our obedience.
The proper understanding of grace does not lead to us to live any way we
please. Instead, it leads us to live in a way that is pleasing to God. Paul
wrote to Titus about the role of grace: "Teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12). When people declare that they
can do something wrong because of grace, it is a sign that they really don't
understand what grace is.
The more we love God, the more we want to do what He says-not out of a
desire to earn our place or favor with Him, but from a desire to please Him.
This is the way Jesus lived His life on Earth. Speaking of His Father in
Heaven He said, "I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29).
How would the next few days of this Christmas season be different for you if
you were as observant of Christ's commandments as you are of commemorating
His birthday?
Honor God this Christmas and show your love for Him by obeying His
commandments.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Peter 1-3 & Jude 1
2 Peter 1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting the Faithful
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have [a]obtained like[b] precious faith with us by the
righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus
our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to
life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and
virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious
promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the [c]corruption that is in the world through lust.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control
[d]perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly
kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours
and abound, you will be neither [e]barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even
to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election
sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an
entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter's Approaching Death
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these
things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I
think it is right, as long as I am in this [f]tent, to stir you up by
reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must [g]put off my tent, just as
our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure
that you always have a reminder of these things after my [h]decease.
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His
majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a
voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased." 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when
we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 [i]And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed
as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning
star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of
Scripture is of any private [j]interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by
the will of man, but [k]holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy
Spirit.
Destructive Doctrines
2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be
false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,
even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift
destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom
the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you
with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and
their destruction [l]does not slumber.
Doom of False Teachers
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to
[m]hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for
judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of
eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the
world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into
ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who
afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was
oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man,
dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing
and hearing their lawless deeds)- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the
godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the
day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in
the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous,
self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of [n]dignitaries, 11 whereas
angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling
accusation against them before the Lord.
Depravity of False Teachers
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed,
speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in
their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as
those who count it pleasure to [o]carouse in the daytime. They are spots and
blemishes, [p]carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of [q]adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing
unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are
accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey
speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, [r]clouds carried by a tempest, for whom
is reserved the blackness of darkness [s]forever.
Deceptions of False Teachers
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure
through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who [t]have
actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them
liberty, they themselves are slaves of [u]corruption; for by whom a person
is overcome, by him also he is brought into [v]bondage. 20 For if, after
they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome,
the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have
been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having
known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has
happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own
vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
God's Promise Is Not Slack
3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir
up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the
words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment
of [w]us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that
scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4
and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5
For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of
old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the
world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the
heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved
for fire until the day of judgment and [x]perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is
as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward [y]us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance.
The Day of the Lord
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the
heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [z]burned
up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and
hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be
dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new
earth in which righteousness dwells.
Be Steadfast
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be
found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul,
according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all
his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things
hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own
destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you
also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the
wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.i
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Jude New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting to the Called
1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, [a]sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in
Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Contend for the Faith
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common
salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend
earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4
For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for
this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness
and deny the only Lord [b]God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Old and New Apostates
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having
saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did
not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their [c]proper domain, but
left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness
for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities
around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to
sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example,
suffering the [d]vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak
evil of [e]dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in [f]contending with
the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against
him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these
speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally,
like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them!
For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of
Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Apostates Depraved and Doomed
12 These are [g]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without
fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried
[h]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled
up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame;
wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also,
saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to
execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all
their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all
the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Apostates Predicted
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts;
and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17
But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the
apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be
mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly
lusts. 19 These are [i]sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the
Spirit.
Maintain Your Life with God
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying
in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, [j]making a distinction; 23 but others save
[k]with fear, pulling them out of the [l]fire, hating even the garment
defiled by the flesh.
Glory to God
24 Now to Him who is able to keep [m]you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To [n]God our Savior,
[o]Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and [p]power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
