1 Corinthians 1: 18

I Peter 3 vs22 

Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

For further study - I Peter 3:1-22

Our key verse for our devotional reading today, verse 22, tells us where Jesus is right now. I want us to think about this verse in a moment. But first might we peruse the rest of the chapter, our extended reading for today.
Peter tells us, those of us who are husbands or wives, how we are to live with our mate. Verses 1-6 address how the wife should live, in "subjection" to her own husband.
Now the Word "subjection" is not a bad word. The Lord speaks of His being "subject" unto His Father. The Word also tells us that we should be "subject" to those who are placed over us in higher authority, in leadership roles in the church and/or in the political arena.
God has a plan for each of us and the wife is to be "subject" to her own husband. Peter then addresses the husband, now that would be me, and those of you who are husbands.
Verse 7 reveals how I, as a husband, and all of you reading these verses who are husbands, must live. We must "honor" our wives lest our prayers be "hindered".
The word "honor" has the instruction within its meaning that says we must "lift up" our wives, place them on a pedestal, give each of them "respect."
If we fail to follow the Lord's directives our prayers will be hindered. By the way, notice that as we live our lives together, the Lord's eyes are upon us, He knows all that we are doing in our husband-wife relationship.
Verse 15 is an exhortation for each of us to have a ready answer to everyone that asks us of our reason for the "hope" that is within our lives. The answer of course is that the "blessed hope" is the truth of the "glorious appearing of Jesus Christ" in the future, seemingly the near future, Titus 2:13.
There is much more in these verses but look once again with me to our key verse, verse 22. Jesus is now in heaven, not on the throne that the "Most High God" will give Him one day, but instead Jesus is "seated at the right hand of God", interceding for each of us.
One day God will give Jesus Christ the "dominion over all of creation." The “kingdom” and His “kingship” comes about when Jesus returns to the earth from the heavenlies to set up His Kingdom.

PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord to be the husband that Your Word tells me I should be, until You come.

I Peter 4 vs17

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

For further study - I Peter 4:1-19

The Apostle Peter had a very close relationship with Jesus even though Peter was often in trouble with the Lord. There are a number of examples that I could bring to your attention, let me just remind you of one.
At Caesarea Philippi, in the foothills of Mt Hermon, at the pronouncement by Peter that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Matthew 16, is that one example. Those lips that praised the Lord, a few moments later, would be used to rebuke the Lord.
When Jesus told His disciples that He would have to go to Jerusalem and there be put to death, Peter, the text tells us, rebuked the Lord. The Lord's response was "get behind me Satan", Matthew 16:22-23.
Peter was quite the character. As we read I Peter we see that this Apostle had matured and was able to be used of the Lord to remind the body of Christ that "judgment" is coming. The judgment of the "works of Christians."
One of the great past-times of Christians today is judging others. Paul told the Romans to not do that, Romans 14:10. We should not judge others. We must remember that we "all" will stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ one day.
Peter goes one better than Paul, he says all judgment must start at the Church, “the house of God." In verse 5 of I Peter 4, Peter also reminds each of us that we will all give an account of ourselves to Jesus.
It is so important for us to remember that there is a "judgment day" ahead. It's not for judging to see if we're saved, that's already been determined before we get to the Judgment Seat of Christ.
This judgment is to determine if our "works" receive "rewards" for doing good works in His power and for His glory.
Bible prophecy, if studied, will reveal to each of us, every day, how close we are to the Rapture when Jesus shouts and calls us up into theheavenlies to be with Him forever. It is within this chapter of I Peter that we can find out how we can, and must live in the end times.
In fact, Peter reminds the readers of this book that the "end times are close, at hand," verse 7. This verse means that the Rapture is an "any moment" event. The days that we are living in now seemingly are the days leading up to the Rapture.
Verse 8 says we must love each other, it covers a multitude of sins. We are also to welcome people into our homes and use hospitality with those from without, verse 9. This hospitality must be done with joy, not grudgingly.
These "how-to-live tips" will prepare us for the Judgment Seat to follow right after the Rapture of the Church. This is an event that could happen at "any moment", maybe today. Keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Lord, help me to remember that one day I will stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ and thank You for the instruction given to us from You through Peter on how I am to live as I await Your shout to join You in theheavenlies.

I Peter 5 vs.8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
For further study - I Peter 5:6-13

Our devotional reading for today starts with the exhortation to be vigilant in light of the reality that the devil is loose and seeking to devour each of us. The reading ends with a salute to the church which Peter had started in the city of Babylon.

From the outset, let me tell you that I believe Peter was truly in the literal city of Babylon when he wrote this passage of scripture.

I do not believe that the use of the term Babylon is a code name for the city of Rome. I do not ever remember Peter being cryptic with his words in written or spoken form. Babylon is Babylon.

The fact is that Babylon was the second most populated city in the world at the time Peter wrote this epistle. Jerusalem was the most Jewish populated city with Babylon a close second. What this means of course is that the literal city of Babylon on the Euphrates River then in Mesopotamia was still alive, a vibrant city, over 500 years after the fall of the Babylonian Empire. In Peter's day, Babylon was a thriving city. In fact, even today Babylon is still a city inhabited. Today there is a military compound there called Camp Babylon.

With this information, and the knowledge of Bible prophecy that the city of Babylon must be destroyed and never lived in again, one has to realize that Bible prophecy found in Isaiah 13-14, Jeremiah 50-51, Revelation 18:10,17,19, and Revelation 16:17-21 all state that Babylon, the literal city, must be destroyed and never lived in again forever. These prophecies have not been fulfilled.

The conflict going on today in modern-day Iraq is setting the stage for all the aforementioned prophecies to be fulfilled - and soon.
PRAYER THOT: Help me to understand current events in light of Biblical prophecy.

I Samuel 3 vs.20 - And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
For further study - I Samuel 3:1-21
This is the record of Samuel, the one who would be not only a priest, but a prophet to the Jewish people as well. Samuel would be used by God to select the first King of Israel, King Saul. He would also be the messenger from God who would pass along the Lord's command to destroy a people, the Amalekites, descendants of Esau and his grandson, Amalek (Genesis 36:12).
Our devotional for today also records how the Lord would call this one who would become a prophet. In fact, the Lord did actually call Samuel a number of times and each time Samuel thought someone else was calling him. Finally, Samuel recognized that it was the Lord calling and he responded, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth."
What a profound statement. It states that Samuel had made the Lord, the Lord of his life and ministry. It also states in verse 9 that

Samuel was not enamored with the fact he was a priest and a prophet.

Samuel, in his mind, was a "servant" which made him ready to do whatever the Lord called him to do. This is an excellent example for each of us. No matter our position, we are to be servants. It is also our responsibility to listen to the Lord for His direction and instruction - not to set our own agenda.
Samuel was living in the area of Shiloh, the location for the

Tabernacle that housed the Ark of the Covenant for some 350 years.

This account dates back over 3000 years to a time when the Jewish nation was headquartered in Shiloh.
I make mention of this fact because Shiloh today is in a very controversial location in the area of the disputed territories, sometimes erroneously referred to as the "West Bank." The Biblical terminology for this geographical area is Judea and Samaria. The record shows that God brought the Children of Israel into the Promised Land and gave them the land, including Shiloh (Joshua 18:1).
I remind you that the land is God's land, Leviticus 25:23, and He gives it to whomever He chooses. In fact, the Leviticus passage on the land indicates that God has chosen the Jewish people to be the "caretakers" of His land.
Shiloh will continue to be a center of controversy among the nations of the world at this time in history, but will belong to the Jewish people forever, one day in the future. Until then, there will be conflict.
PRAYER THOT: Help me to be your servant ready for your anytime call.

I Samuel 4 vs21-22

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

For further study - I Samuel 4:1-22

The scripture for today recounts a sad story about how the children of Israel had become so disobedient that the Lord would allow the enemies of Israel, the Philistines, to not only defeat the mighty army that had taken over the “promised land”, but to take their most valued possession, the “Ark of the Covenant”, from them.

This passage reminds the readers that the Ark of the Covenant was where the "glory of the Lord" dwelled among the children of Israel, I Samuel 4:4. The “glory of the Lord dwelleth between the cherubims" on the Ark. The Ark had rested in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle located in Shiloh for almost 350 years.

God had watched the Israelites move into idolatry and disobedience and decided that it was time to chastise them. This account of the attack by the Philistines and the taking of the Ark from the Jewish people is a very sad story.

This passage also records the death of the High Priest Eli and his two sons. The two boys were killed as they were attacking the Philistines, and Eli fell and broke his neck when he heard what had happened.

The sadness of the story is illustrated in the name given to the grandson of Eli. The boy's mother died from grief in the midst of childbirth. The woman attending the birth, I Samuel 4:20, named the newborn "Ichabod" meaning "the Lord has departed from Israel."

Let me remind you that the Philistines of Samuel's day are not the ancestors of the modern Palestinians. (See my study on "Esau and the Palestinians")

The “glory of the Lord” ceased to dwell among the Jewish people, as had been the case for almost 400 years. It would be a number of years before the Ark would be in the hands of the leaders of Israel and the “glory of the Lord” would return to Israel.

“Ichabod” is a not a name that is commonly used. It speaks of a very sad time for the Jewish people when the “glory of the Lord” departed from the midst of the Israelites, leaving them powerless.

This story depicts the past, but, as was the case in New Testament times, the” glory of the Lord”, made manifest in the person of the Messiah Jesus Christ, dwelt among His people. The “glory of the Lord” will dwell among His chosen People once again in the future. This future is quickly drawing closer.

God's people must turn from idolatry and disobedience and turn to the Lord for the “glory of the Lord” to once again dwell among them. The Jewish people will become His people and He will be there God, Jeremiah 31:33. Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

PRAYER THOT: Help me, Lord, to never have "Ichabod" written over me. Help me to be faithful and true to You.

I Samuel 16 vs.13 - Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

For further study - I Samuel 16:1-13

This portion of I Samuel selected for our devotional reading today is the record of a young shepherd boy being selected to be the second King of Israel. This account follows the account of Saul, the first King of Israel, who failed to follow the instructions of the Lord that Samuel the prophet had given him.

God had told Samuel to have King Saul kill all of the Amalakites, and even their king, King Agag. King Saul failed to obey the Lord, and thus God rejected King Saul as the King of Israel, I Samuel 15:23.

Samuel mourned for King Saul and as he did so the Lord told the prophet to go to Bethlehem and select one of the sons of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, as the next King of the Jewish people.

In our extended reading you can see the record of Samuel's trip to Jesse's home and how he finally got to the son that the Lord wanted to be King over Israel. It is so interesting to see that God's choice was not among those first seven sons presented by Jesse, their father.

Finally, Jesse brought his youngest son, David, a young shepherd boy, to the prophet. That is when the Lord told Samuel to anoint David as the next King of Israel. This appointment was the beginning of a life given over to God.

In fact, God called David His friend and made a covenant with him, the Davidic Covenant, which would promise the Jews, through the line of King David, that a King would sit upon a throne in the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. And that He would rule and reign from that spot forever.

Of course, the Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, when He returns to earth to set up His Kingdom. The Lord also has already selected King David to be co-regent with Jesus at the Temple for the thousand year millennial kingdom that is coming, as promised, Ezekiel

34:23-24 and 37:24-25.

The Lord took a little shepherd boy and set him in the place of high service in the plan of God, during his own lifetime. The Lord as also determined for David a place of service in the future. He selected David to be a special servant unto Himself.

By the way, the Lord does that for us as well when we give our all to Him.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for saving me and using me in your service as I surrender my will to Your will.
I Samuel 17 vs.46 

This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

For further study -I Samuel 17:31-54

This portion of I Samuel 17 that we have chosen for our extended devotional reading today is the record of David's victory over the giant, Goliath. This is one great story. In reality, it would make a good movie script; however, it may be too wholesome for today's “movie-goers”.

David, the youngest son of Jesse, from Bethlehem, was selected to take some “food-stuffs” to his brothers who were about to enter battle with the dreaded enemy of the Jewish people, the Philistines.

As the young shepherd boy, and I mean boy, most likely in his early to mid teen years, David caught up with his brothers in the valley ofElah to the west of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. He saw that the Israelites were fearful of entering the battle, especially in light of the leader of the Philistines, a giant of a man, most likely over nine feet tall.

David immediately said to Saul that no one should fear or "let his heart fail" because he would go out to fight this Philistine, verse 32.

David told King Saul that when he had watched over his father's sheep on two different occasions a bear and a lion had come to attack the sheep and that he had killed both of them, verses 34-36. He was able to overcome the bear and the lion because the Lord was with him.

David assured Saul that because the Philistines had defied the "armies of the living God," the giant leader would be defeated. David refused Saul's armour, sword and helmet and took five smooth stones from the brook to go to battle with Goliath.

David would use the weapon that God had given him as a shepherd boy to protect his Father's sheep, the "slingshot," to kill the giant. By the way, David took five stones because he had heard that Goliath had four brothers. He thought he might have to defeat the whole family.

"David shouted to the Philistines that he came to them in the name of the Lord of Host, the God of the armies of Israel, whom they had defied", verse 45. David acknowledged that the battle was the Lord's and that the Lord would give the Philistines into the hands of the Jews, verse 47.

David killed Goliath, the children of Israel defeated the Philistines and David carried the "head " of Goliath into Jerusalem. He did this to let the Jewish people know that their God was the only true God and would protect them from their enemies, in His own way, not their way.

In fact, this whole incident was done, David and the children of Israel defeating Goliath and the Philistines, so "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel", verse 46.

God, has for four thousand years, given the Jewish people the victories over seemingly unbeatable enemies so that the world would know that there is a true, powerful, almighty, holy God, the God of Israel.

The Jew has been, is now, and will be the evidence of that truth, even into the future.

PRAYER THOT: Help me to live Lord so that the world will know that You are real and can change all who come unto You and receive eternal life as I did when I came unto You.

I Samuel 28 vss17-18

And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

For further study - I Samuel 28:7-19

King Saul, the first king of Israel, consulted with the Witch of Endor, a satanically-possessed woman. Because of that encounter, the Lord withdrew from King Saul and would not answer him.

The influence of the Devil has been present since the “fall of man” in Genesis 3. The Devil has in the past sent evil angels in the form of demons and witches into the world to cause havoc.

At the first coming of Jesus Christ there was much demonic activity that Jesus would confront. Demonic activity will be prevalent at the time of His second coming, and more so as we draw nearer to the coming of the Lord, Matthew 24:4-5, 11 & 24. In fact, demonic deception was the first indication that Jesus said would signal His Second Coming.

The last days are quickly approaching, I Timothy 4:1-2. As we understand these truths we can see just how close we may well be to His return. This knowledge also alerts us to the way to stand against this Satanic activity, James 4:7.

But please notice our key verses for today, verses 17 and 18. The Lord took the kingdom from King Saul and gave it to David because Saul had failed to follow the command of the Lord to destroy the Amalekites, I Samuel 15.

By the way, the problems that Israel has today with the Palestinian people are due to the fact that King Saul did not obey the Lord. You see the Palestinian people of today are the Amalekites of yesterday.

This is all of what will happen in the last days leading up to the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Actually, the Rapture is the next thing to happen on God’s time clock and there are no prophecies to be fulfilled before the Rapture, it could happen at any moment, perhaps today.

PRAYER THOT: Dear Lord help me to be obedient to you, no matter what your will for me might be.

I Thessalonians 1 vs10 

And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

For further study - I Thessalonians 1:1-10

The extended reading today is another example of the “heart of love” Paul has for those he had led to the Lord or had a ministry in their lives. Paul must have been a real man of prayer. We read over and over again of his prayers for the brethren. Also he is always thanking the Lord for brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul sets the example for a good, and faithful minister to people.
All that I've written is true but the blessings of the truths from the one key verse will take up my space with you for this devotional. Stop a moment and reflect on what the verse says, we "are to wait for His Son to return from heaven." Just think of some of what that means.

esus said in the upper room that He was going to Heaven to "prepare a place for us", John 14:2. This place is in His Father's house and He is getting our place ready so that we can dwell together, forever. The Lord exhorted us to watch for Him, because we know not which hour He comes, the spiritual application for us from Matthew 24:42.

As we watch for Him to come from Heaven we are also to pray, Matthew 26:41, so that we will not enter into temptation. What an amazing formula for our daily life, we can have victory over temptation by being watchful for our Lord to come back from Heaven as we watch and as we pray.
Also in verse 10 is the fact that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, by His Father, the most High God. The Resurrection is the “cornerstone” of our faith and the “foundation” of Bible prophecy. It was recorded in Revelation 1:18, that Jesus testified of His Resurrection, after His death. Sometime, look at Revelation 1:19. The Lord, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ tells John the Revelator to write down what was to come, that's prophecy.
The last phrase in verse 10 is a promise that we as Christians will not enter into the terrible time of judgment to come, the seven year Tribulation Period as described in Revelation 4:2 through 19:10. In our verse for today He promises us He will deliver us from that "wrath to come." There is a “judgment period”, yet to come. What a promise!
This passage is a parallel passage to two others, I Thessalonians 5:9 and Revelation 3:10. The book of I Thessalonians is crammed full of prophetic passages, which we will get to in future devotionals. Please notice the truth of the Rapture, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, which explains how He will keep us from the wrath to come. By the way, the Rapture could happen today.