In This Issue:
One
God for All
Valued More Than Any
More Careful Than Mother
The Sailor’s Confidence
God’s Uniqueness
Volume: 894 January 30, 2023
Theme: God
Start your day with some good news from the Bible! Sign-up at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/a26cc9M to receive the DAILY VIEW devotion. The daily e-mail includes a KJV chapter, a brief commentary on the chapter’s teachings, and more spiritual food for the hungry soul.
View 16+ years of printable, free BIBLE VIEWS at https://openthoumineeyes.com/newsletters.html. Make as many copies as you need and use them in your church, nursing homes (large print version available), Sunday school, deaf ministry, bus ministry, and as a church bulletin insert.
Society is concerned about the thoughts and actions of the masses. They are often devoted to doing what everyone else is doing, dressing how the multitudes dress, keeping up with the “Jones,” and thinking and living the popular way.
God, however, is not. His Word has quite a lot to say about “one.” Since He is the only God, He only needs Himself to accomplish what He wants to be done. Man cannot grasp that because his abilities are finite, and he cannot function or think like God.
Despite how the world hates His dogmatism, God is more interested in individuals and His one way rather than the world’s constantly changing philosophies.
Man’s thinking, however, rarely lines up with God’s desires. This brief study on “one” shows us more about God and how He thinks:
- There is one God, not multiple “gods,” as Hinduism and other religions teach. Many religions, even “Christian” cults, may only have one god, but it is not the One described in the Word of God.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Ex. 20:3
- Only One should be prayed to, and that is Jesus, not the dead.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” I Tim. 2:5 Also: Mat. 23:9.
- God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are One!
“I and my Father are one.” John 10:30
- Mankind was started by one man God created: Adam. He did not evolve from lesser creatures. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen. 1:27 Also: Gen. 2:21.
- Sin came from one man’s iniquity and was passed down to all of us!
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Rom. 5:12
- We are all sinners! Not one of us is even close to perfect!
“They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:3 Also: Rom. 3:10, 12.
- There is only one Saviour, Jesus. He died for all our sins!
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” Heb. 10:12 Also: John 11:50.
- There is only one way to Heaven! There are not “many roads” to get there.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
- Each one is important to God.
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10
- Each one has to give an account of himself before God.
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Rom. 14:12
- None can straddle God’s way and the ungodly way simultaneously. God has only one way of doing things!
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Mat. 6:24 Also: Mat. 23:10, Luke 16:13.
- When a man and woman marry, they become one. “You” and “I” should become “we.”
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Gen. 2:24 Also: Mat. 19:5-6, Mark 10:8.
- God often uses only one to lead His people in His direction, as He did with Moses, Ezekiel, Joshua, Jesus, John the Baptist, and the pastor of a local church. Also: Luke 3:4, John 1:23.
- In groups, even Christian assemblies, there is often at least one that is against the things of God.
“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” John 6:70 Also: John 13:21.
- Those who trust in Christ’s payment for their sins are members of His one church.
“But now are they many members, yet but one body.” I Cor. 12:20 Also: Eph. 4:4.
- Each one in the body of Christ should get along with the other.
“Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:2 Also: I Peter 3:8.
God cannot be understood, nor can His ways, with humanity’s faithless understanding. The Creator’s ways are often not logical to man’s comprehension because man’s thinking is limited. Despite what man teaches, God has only one way, and that is His way.
“God wants full custody, not just weekend visits.” — Author Unknown
No one claims propriety to the oceans to the exclusion of others. The massive waters are for all nations and people to use for their interests. Oceans roll their waves against every shore and send their tides into every land, inviting the inhabitants to her riches and facilities. The oceans show they are the property of all.
So with the living God. No man can claim Him to the shutting out of others. He is the God of all for their knowledge, love, and obedience. Every intelligent being on Earth can draw from His treasury of good to the endless satisfaction of His nature.
To convince all that He is their God, He gives to all life, breath, and all things. He fans them with His influence, draws them by His love, and sends hosts of holy agents to bring them to Himself. By ten thousand attractions of love and mercy, He invites the world to plunge into His fullness and be satisfied.
“When God changes things, He usually begins with changing us.”
— Author Unknown
Valued More Than Any
Author Unknown
When Antigonus was ready to engage in a sea fight with Ptolemy’s armada, the pilot cried out, “How many are there more than we?”
The courageous king replied, “’Tis true, if you count their numbers, they surpass us, but for how many do you value me?”
When our enemies come upon us like a flood, threatening to devour us with rage and fury, let us remember though we are few and they are many, our God is the God of salvation. He must be counted for more than all that are against us.
More Careful Than Mother
C. H. Spurgeon
Look at the mother and how careful she is. If her child has a little cough, she notices it. The slightest weakness in the child will be observed.
The mother has watched all the child’s motions anxiously to see whether it walked right, if all its limbs were sound, and whether it had the use of all its powers in perfection. However, she has never thought of numbering the hairs on her child’s head. The absence of one or two of the child’s strands would give her no great concern.
Our God is more careful towards us than a mother with her child. He is so concerned about us He numbers the hairs of our heads. How safe we are beneath the hand of God!
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Mat. 10:30
The Sailor’s Confidence
Author Unknown
When asked why he remained so calm in a fearful storm, the sailor gave an answer revealing his faith and trust. He was unsure he could swim, but the man replied, “Though I sink, I shall only drop into the hollow of my Father’s hand, for He owns all these waters.”
“When God measures a man, He puts the tape around his heart, not his head.”
God’s Uniqueness
Author Unknown
Take a straight stick and put it into the water; it will appear crooked. Why? Because we look upon it through two mediums: air and water. That is why we cannot discern it correctly.
Thus, the proceedings of God and His justice, which in themselves are straight, with the least obliquity, seem unto us crooked. It appears that wicked men are prospering, and good men are afflicted. It seems that the dishonest are succeeding, and the truthful suffer hardships. It seems the hard-working servants should ride horses, and the rich should do the walking.
These are some things that make many Christians stagger in their judgments. Why? Because they look upon God’s proceedings through a double medium: flesh and Spirit.
God’s proceedings with His justice are not discerned clearly by man. The eyes of man alone are not competent judges of God’s actions.