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Search TAG: Nearer to God daily devotional

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Daily devotional

August 9 - Knowing need and fulfilling need

“But you do not know that you are wretched…buy from Me gold…” - Rev. 3:17-18  Scripture reading: Revelation 3:14-22; Judges 16:16-22; Isai...
Daily devotional

August 8 - Hard pressed, but not destroyed 

“For you have a little strength…” - Rev. 3:8  Scripture reading: Revelation 3:7-13; Luke 17:1-10 Have you ever admired those men and wome...
Daily devotional

August 7 - A good name

“Hold fast, and repent.” - Revelation 3:3 Scripture reading: Revelation 3:1-6; Isaiah 42:1-9 A lot can be said about a good reputation, but ...
Daily devotional

August 6 - A mark of the true church

“I know your works…nevertheless you allow that woman Jezebel…” - Revelation 2:19-20 Scripture reading: Revelation 2:18-29; Acts 20:17-36 ...
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Daily devotional

August 5 - Pure devotion

“You have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam…” - Revelation 2:14 Scripture reading: Revelation 2:12-17; Numbers 24:15-25:3 The city of Pergamos was known for idolatry. A large altar to Zeus is believed by many to be “Satan’s throne,” and idolatry was so pervasive that to even work a trade you were required to offer sacrifices to a patron god. A member of the church even gave his life for Christ! The Pergamos believers were willing to face martyrdom to hold onto Christ. Despite this, Jesus will rebuke this church. While they held fast to Christ, they allowed members to teach the ‘doctrine of Balaam.’ Balaam was a prophet, hired by God’s enemies to curse Israel. God turned the curses into blessings, but faced with his failure, Balaam served his Moabite master by suggesting another path. Balaam tempted Israel to compromise holiness (Num. 25:1-3 & 31:15-16) and thus God would punish His people Himself. For all their courage, the Pergamos church had allowed the doctrine of Balaam to creep into the church. They permitted compromise. People taught that faithfulness and holiness were not the same. Loyalty to Christ, they taught, did not necessarily require devotion to His holy will. Believers might verbally profess faithfulness but secretly excuse and participate in sins from which Christ died to save them. Have we held fast to the testimony of Christ, while compromising with sin in secret? God is not fooled. He lovingly calls us to repentance and single-hearted devotion to Him. Only then can we know the joy of the Lord and the reward of following Christ! Suggestions for prayer Lord, help me to be steadfast in my devotion to You. Pastor Greg Bylsma is a graduate of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and he is currently serving at the Living Water Reformed Church in Brantford, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com. ...

Daily devotional

August 4 - Poverty and riches

“…but you are rich.” - Revelation 2:9  Scripture reading: Revelation 2:8-22; 2 Corinthians 8:9 The church of Smyrna struggled to make its yearly budget. The pastor worked for peanuts and the people had little more. Church potlucks were well attended and joyful occasions, but not because of an abundance of food. The church lived for Christ, but because of this they learned what it was to suffer and go without. Of the seven churches Jesus writes to in Revelation only two are not rebuked. The first of those two is Smyrna. Living in physical poverty, spiritually they were millionaires. More hardship would come; Jesus reveals they would face prison and even death for His cause. This letter (like them all) is for us. There are times in these last days when to follow Christ will mean letting go of all this world has to offer, both financially and physically. Even today, following Christ can mean being willing to suffer for Him. It may be ridicule at school or work, losing a family business, or simply less earthly comfort as we support kingdom causes. It often means a life we did not anticipate. But Christ is worth it. There is greater glory ahead than what lays behind. Faithfulness unto death gains the crown of life. We are all called to count the cost of following Jesus. Let us join Smyrna, embrace the cross, and be truly rich. Suggestions for prayer Lord help me to follow You whatever the cost, and teach me the joy of gaining Christ. Pastor Greg Bylsma is a graduate of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and he is currently serving at the Living Water Reformed Church in Brantford, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com. ...

Daily devotional

August 3 - A loveless church?

“You have left your first love.” - Rev. 2:4  Scripture reading: Revelation 2:1-7; 1 Corinthians 13 The church of Ephesus was known for diligent service and doctrinal faithfulness. They worked hard in God’s kingdom; if we knew them today we might see them supporting Christian schools, the pro-life movement, or care for the homeless. They were both discerning and diligent, two necessary traits! But because they lacked one thing, this church was warned by Jesus that unless they repented, they would cease to be a church. It’s hard to imagine that discernment and hard work for God’s glory can have a fatal flaw, but it can. It can lead to pride and a failure to love grace, or the sinners we are called to serve, or even the very God in whose name we serve. If someone described you as a Christian, would they say first and foremost that you loved Jesus, and secondly that you loved others? Sometimes we think the greatest danger in our world today is compromising on what is right, but the first thing Jesus warns His church about is losing love. When we recognize that we have ceased to live by love we need not despair. Jesus provides a way of escape. We need to remember the love that filled our hearts when we first learned of Christ, to ask God for forgiveness for having lost it, and recommit to pressing nearer to God and others in Christian love. God can rekindle this love and keep the lampstand burning, and He promises this grace for all who turn to Him. Suggestions for prayer Lord, rekindle my love for Christ. Pastor Greg Bylsma is a graduate of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and he is currently serving at the Living Water Reformed Church in Brantford, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com. ...

Daily devotional

August 2 - Safe in the storm

“I am the Alpha and Omega…” - Rev. 1:8  Scripture reading: Revelation 1:4-8 Anchors may not be considered great treasures, but they can be invaluable tools. Not only do they steady a boat to enjoy fishing on a beautiful day, but in storms they keep boats from rocky shores. The future revealed in this book is at times stormy. There will be fearful visions of beasts and dragons, evil empires and earthly calamities. But before these things appear, God points us first to Himself: the Anchor who holds. Who is this God? He is the sovereign, all-powerful, resurrected Lord who loves us, washes us, and makes us glorious in Christ (even when we do not feel glorious). He is the victor, the One who is to come in glory, and who will be worshipped by all. He is the Almighty. Whatever the future may reveal, this God is the anchor for He is the One who holds the future in His sovereign hands. This God promises us grace and peace in Christ. The implication is that we will still struggle with sin and fear in these last days. But it also implies that when we do, all we need to overcome these things will also freely be supplied by Him. As we experience life in the end times, may God keep our eyes on the One who holds all in His hand and who provides from His loving abundance all we need to be safe in the storm. Suggestions for prayer Help us to keep our eyes on Christ, the Anchor of our souls. Pastor Greg Bylsma is a graduate of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and he is currently serving at the Living Water Reformed Church in Brantford, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com. ...

Daily devotional

August 1 - Introduction to the book of Revelation

This month Pastor Greg Bylsma leads us through a series of devotions on the book of Revelation. Two Scripture readings are given for each day. The first is foundational to the devotion, the second allows you to dig a little deeper into a similar teaching in God’s Word. We encourage you to take the time to read both! Unfortunately, due to space the entire book of Revelation is not covered. After finishing Revelation 14 the devotions skip to Revelation 21 and 22 for the closing days. We trust it may still be a help to you in understanding God’s message from the book of Revelation. Revelation “The revelation of Jesus Christ…” - Revelation 1:1a  Scripture reading: Revelation 1:1-3 Have you ever wished you could know the future? The idea seems to fit into the realm of science fiction, yet God tells us from the beginning of Revelation that His purpose is to reveal to His church what must “shortly” take place. As incredible as it seems, God is revealing the future. Sometimes when we look at the book of Revelation we consider it to be anything but a revelation. At best it is confusing, and at worst divisive. The name of the book, which means ‘unveiling’ hardly seems to fit. Yet if we believe Rev. 1:1-3, this book not only reveals what is to come, but gives us key truths to live by when it does. This book has a purpose, and it is to reveal to us the future so we can follow God’s plan as we step into that future. The call to us this month is to hear God’s words about what is coming and to keep them. His word is not always easy, but it is always good and always brings blessing to His bride as she seeks to obey and glorify His name as she does so. As we approach another month of drawing nearer to God, may we do so prepared to hear God’s revelation and live by it. May we see how God prepares us for the trials to come so that, through Christ, we may be more than conquerors. Suggestions for prayer Help us to understand and obey Your revelation to the church. Pastor Greg Bylsma is a graduate of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, and he is currently serving at the Living Water Reformed Church in Brantford, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com. ...

Daily devotional

July 31 - Having peace with God

“Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” - 1 Peter 5:14 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 5:14 and Romans 5:6-11 Peter ends his letter similar to the way he started it, giving a blessing of peace, not first of all between humans, but peace with God. It can only come from God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Paul said that while we were enemies of God, He sent His beloved Son so that through Him we could be reconciled to God and have peace with Him (Romans 5:6-11). This is why Peter says, “Peace to all who are in Christ.” One who does not have a living relationship with Christ, does not have peace with God. Peter wrote to those scattered because of their faith in Jesus, those called to be a people of God. Even though Christ’s people can go through all sorts of trials and hardships, they are to trust they have an enduring peace with God. Having this enduring peace with God will also cause you to greet your fellow brothers and sisters who are in Christ in a special way. As brothers and sisters in Christ we can have different cultures, languages and pet-peeves. But if we are at peace with God because we are in Christ, together we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own possession. Only in truly believing this can we address fellow believers in Jesus Christ as beloved brothers and sisters. Greeting each other with a holy kiss, means treating each other in a special way as beloved brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suggestion for prayer That as those who have peace with God because we are in Jesus Christ, we treat all those who confess Christ as Lord and Saviour as beloved brothers and sisters. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 30 - Standing in the true grace of God

“I have written briefly to you exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God.” - 1 Peter 5: 12  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 5:12-13 Why is it a blessing to go to church each Sunday? We get to be with the Lord’s people worshipping our Saviour together under the preaching of His Word, and we are reminded of our need for God’s Grace. The commandments exhort us not to trust in ourselves, but in the grace of our Lord. In the preaching, the gospel is declared to us that we might grow in the grace that the Father offers us in the gospel. Peter ends, letting us know that Silvanus helped him so that God’s words of exhortation and declaration of grace could be extended far and wide, even to us today. The whole reason Peter had this letter written, was that God’s beloved children could be told to trust in His grace even in the hardest of circumstances. We are to trust that, because of Jesus' great work on the cross, we can truly know and believe that God will always love us, no matter what hardship we are facing or struggle we are dealing with. The more we trust that God’s unconditional love is real, the less struggles, losses and hardships will control our hearts and minds. The joy of salvation will overwhelm us. Peter says he writes from Babylon, referring to the fact he and those with him are in captivity. Peter is emphasizing that God’s children can go through hard times, but this does not take away the fact that they are chosen children and nothing can separate them from the unconditional love of God. Suggestion for prayer That the exhorting and declaring of God’s grace would sustain God’s children in all times. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 29 - The God of grace restores his children

“The God of grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” - 1 Peter 5:10  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 5:10-11 When we suffer, we naturally look for relief. However, many try to find relief in a way that in the long run, will bring them into a worse situation. Earlier, Peter wrote that Christians will suffer hardships, be attacked and face many temptations. But he also tells us as Christians to cast our anxieties on the Lord, trusting He will get us through the struggles as we seek to live for Him in the joy of salvation. In verse 10, he encourages us to live for the Lord, telling us that no matter what kind of suffering we face, it will come to an end. This life is short compared to the glorious place that Jesus is preparing for us. If we are suffering from temptations that cause us to be overwhelmed, these will one day end. If we are treated badly by others, this also will one day end. When our Lord calls us to glory in heaven, all our suffering and hardships will end. Until that time comes, Peter calls us to trust that the Lord will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us. The Holy Spirit will continue to do this as we place ourselves under the preaching and teaching of His Word. Why is this so? It is because every creature and all reality is under the dominion and power of our Lord. We need God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to continue to help us to see this. Suggestion for prayer That we would trust our Lord in the midst of our struggles and that He will give us what we need until that great day when He calls us home and all suffering will be ended. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 28 - Be sober-minded and watchful

“Cast all your anxieties on him, Because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful.” - 1 Peter 5:7-8a  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 5:6-9 When you go through a struggle, do you immediately see God’s hand at work in your life? Do you see that the mighty hand of God will bring you through all difficulties? The raising of God’s mighty hand should remind us that God rescued His people from bondage in Egypt. It should also remind us of Jesus’ victory over sin, Satan and death. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we should see that we are more than conquerors and that God will lift us up at the proper time and exult us. This should cause us to cast all our anxieties on Him. This should also cause us to be sober-minded, able to keep our eyes on anything good and see our need in this broken world as a sinful person. In doing this, we will be able to see more clearly who Jesus is, what He did and so live for His kingdom. The devil is roaming around looking for us to let our guard down, by being lax in our daily Bible reading, our church attendance and our prayer life. We can resist his attacks by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, by reading our Bibles, attending church regularly and spending much time in prayer. Then, we can stay firm in the faith. We will still deal with suffering, but as humble servants of God seeking His glory, His kingdom and His will. The devil will not devour us, and we will look with great eagerness to our future glory. Suggestion for prayer That we would trust God’s mighty hand in the midst of the struggles we face in this life. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 27 - Clothing ourselves with humility

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” - 1 Peter 5:5  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 5:1-5 In today’s passage, Peter addresses both elders in the church and those shepherded by the elders. All are to clothe themselves with humility. Elders are to be examples of humility. Peter addresses them as a fellow elder who witnessed the suffering of Christ and saw the glory of Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration. In saying this, Peter is suggesting that if elders are truly acquainted with the suffering that Christ endured for their salvation and know of the glory that is waiting for them, they will serve not under compulsion, but willingly. They must not have a domineering spirit, but a humble heart, serving Christ’s church as under-shepherds of Christ, the Chief Shepherd. While they are saddened because they still sin, they serve as those saved by grace, looking forward to the coming glory. In the same way, those who are placed under the elders’ leadership are to be subject to the elders. They are to trust that Christ set these elders over them for their spiritual well-being and must listen to them, respecting them, even though they will make mistakes and not always be perfect examples. They can only do this with humble hearts. This is why Peter ends this section by stressing that we all need to continually clothe ourselves with humility. This is to be an ongoing action. It means fighting the temptation of pride and growing in our understanding of grace, keeping this in mind that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Suggestion for prayer That we could continually work on being humble, whether we are in a leadership position or being led by others. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 26 - Entrusting our souls

“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” - 1 Peter 4:19  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:19 Knowing that God has a purpose for struggles in our life, we are more likely to endure and be more optimistic about the future. Many today are pessimistic about the future. Threats of war, predictions of global warming and financial struggles can bring many down. Verse 19 begins with the word “therefore” directing us to reflect on the previous verses telling us that when we suffer trials, God wants us to trust that He is purifying us through these. If we look back in our life, we should see how God molded us through the struggles He allowed in our lives. It is often, through the struggles in our life, that our Christian faith matures and blossoms, for it is then that we call out to Him for comfort and help. From this perspective Peter tells us we should have an optimistic view of the future. For the Lord, Who matured us as we went through various trials in the past, will never forsake us. This is why Peter says, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator. Entrusting our lives to our faithful God should show itself in doing what is good and pleasing to our God. When we truly trust God, we will not be full of ourselves and the things of this world, but God’s love and care will overwhelm us in such a way that we will have a deep love for our Lord. This will show in how we respond to God and our neighbour. Suggestion for prayer That we would always entrust our lives to our faithful God. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 25 - Purified by God

“For it is time for judgement to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us; what will be the outcome of those who do not obey the gospel of God.” - 1 Peter 4:17  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:15-18 When we suffer for being a follower of Jesus Christ we will be blessed. However, it is not good to suffer for doing wrong. Peter specifically tells us not to suffer for being a murderer, thief, evildoer or meddler. Jesus taught that saying “you fool” is considered murder and stealing starts with desiring what does not belong to you. An evildoer is anyone who does anything considered to be evil by God. A meddler wants to know everything and thinks he can fix everyone’s problems. If we are honest, we have to admit that we do these things at times and deserve to be punished. But as followers of Jesus Christ, when we suffer for doing sinful things, we should not turn from God. Instead, as His children, we are to turn to God, seeking His forgiveness. Then we can go on our way thankfully, glorifying God, seeing that God punished us to purify us, so that more and more we live for Him in the joy of our salvation. Peter goes on to ask that if God brings judgement on us to purify us, what will He do to those who do not follow the gospel call to repent and believe in Jesus Christ? When Peter quotes Proverbs 11:31, he does so to warn us: accept His discipline, repent and believe. Those who are ungodly and sin with no care in this life will receive their suffering, not as a purifying force, but as an eternal punishment in hell. Suggestion for prayer That we would accept the discipline of the Lord as a blessing that is purifying us as His beloved children. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 24 - Sharing in Christ’s suffering

"Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you." - 1 Peter 4:12 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:12-14 In high school I remember a coach saying, “I will bring you through these hard tests in practice to strengthen you so that in a game you will be able to serve the team.” Peter tells us that God brings us through fiery trials to test us in a similar way in order to better serve Him. It is about declining to go places or participating in ungodly activities because you are a follower of Jesus Christ and being criticized for it or about not taking a position at work, or joining a sports team because it would limit your ability to worship and serve the Lord. In allowing us to experience fiery trials in these ways, God wants us to trust Him. He tests us to strengthen us in our service for His glory and in our ability to do His will. The Bible has many stories demonstrating how God tested His children through various trials. Think of Daniel and his three friends. When we suffer for Christ through a fiery trial, Peter says we share in Christ’s suffering. Christ suffered for the glory that would come through His suffering. We are called to be patient when we suffer fiery trials in our service of Jesus Christ, trusting that when His glory is revealed we will see our Saviour not only in all His power and might, but in all His love expressed to us in the words, “My good and faithful servant”. Suggestion for prayer That we would be willing to suffer for Christ and be patient when we go through a fiery trial. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 23 - Good stewards of God’s varied grace

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” - 1 Peter 4:10  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:10-11 Peter tells us that each Christian has received a gift and is to use it to serve others. God does not only save us to be His beloved children, but He also equips those whom He saves to serve in some capacity in the church community. That is why Peter says each of us have been gifted by God to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. God, in His grace, desired to work in you so that you believe, and are now part of a most special and glorious community - the church community. As transformed people of the household of God, you are now called to serve one another with the gifts God gave you. The gifts you were given are to be seen as God’s gifts to the whole church community. Peter groups these gifts into two areas: speaking to people’s spiritual needs and serving people’s physical needs. Some are able to bring God’s words to others in all kinds of ways. Others see people’s physical struggles and show a desire and ability to help. To those who serve by speaking, they are to use the Bible and not their own ideas or they will be ineffective. To those who serve in a physical capacity, they are to seek God’s guiding strength in serving others or they will be burned out. In this way, God is glorified because it all comes from Him. This is why Peter ends this section with a doxology of praise to God. Suggestion for prayer That as part of the household of God, we would be eager and happy to serve the body of Christ Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 22 - Showing hospitality

“Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” - 1 Peter 4:9 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:9 If you love someone, it is easy to invite them over and show you care for them. Most in our church show hospitality to family members and close friends because they love them. But if you do not love someone or don’t really know someone, it is harder to show that person hospitality. After telling us to love one another, Peter now tells us to show hospitality. The word Peter uses could be translated as “show brotherly love for strangers”. Peter tells us not to show hospitality just when you have things in common with people, but to show hospitality to all you come into contact with, especially those of the household of faith. We are to do this because Jesus demonstrated His love to us and changed us. He made His home amongst us and showed love to us who were not only strangers to Him, but by nature enemies to Him (Romans 5:10). If we really know the loving embrace of Jesus Christ, this ought to change us so that we are willing to invite over those we don’t know well. Peter adds that we are to do this cheerfully, without grumbling. Jesus invited us into His life by displaying the greatest love He could. He gave His life for us on the cruel cross. We are now called to invite others into our lives in a loving and caring way. This Sunday start inviting someone that you have never invited and show them what Christ-like hospitality is all about. Suggestion for prayer That we would be able to show Christ-like hospitality. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 21 - Being a faithful, loving community

“The end of all things is at hand.” - 1 Peter 4:7  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:7-8 Then this age ends, the Lord Jesus will come as the great judge and establish a new order. The end of the world is the next event to occur in Redemptive history. We live in the time when the gospel call goes out to draw people into the kingdom. During this time the church is not only called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, but its members are also called to live self-controlled and sober-minded lives. Why is this so? Because we are weak in ourselves; the devil and this wicked world continue to actively tempt us to live for the things of this world rather than for our Lord. They also seek to bring false teaching into our lives and the church so that we would forsake our Lord. Peter encourages us to have a devoted prayer life, praying for the ability to honour God’s name with our lives, while living for His Kingdom according to His Word. Peter adds that we have to do this together, as a Christian community, exhibiting great love for each other, and be willing to forgive each other. When we truly show love for each other, we will not only be a hand and foot for each other, but we will be able to forgive each other for our many sins. In this we will truly be ready for the end of all things and be able to encourage each other, showing the world what the good news of Jesus Christ can do to a community. Suggestion for prayer That in knowing the end of all this is at hand, we as a church community would be a faithful loving community. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 20 - Being in the world but not part of the world

“The gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.” - 1 Peter 4:6  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:4-6 Believers reflecting on Jesus’ suffering not only become willing to suffer for Jesus Christ, but also grow in their personal fight against sin. As we live in this world with a Christ-like attitude, Peter says unbelievers will be confused by our actions. They will think it strange that we are not willing to join them in what they think is good and pleasurable. They will accuse us of being old-fashioned. As the world grows in its rebellion against the moral standards set in the Bible, we also see it angry with us because we uphold these standards and will not agree with rebellious living. It seeks to allure Christians to its way of thinking, via movies, TV shows, the internet and fine sounding educators. As the world grows in its antagonism to God and His Word, we can easily be discouraged or overly pessimistic and completely withdraw from the world. Peter tells us not to be lured into worldly ways, but he also tells us not to withdraw from the world. We are called to offer the gospel to the rebellious world. The only hope for the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why the gospel was preached in Peter’s time and in the centuries since then. By the power of the Holy Spirit, many turned to Christ when the gospel was preached and are now in heavenly glory with the Lord. As the gospel saved many who lived in past generations, it can also save rebellious people today. Suggestion for prayer That we would be in the world to present Christ, but not of the world. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 19 - Suffering as beloved children of God 

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking,..” - 1 Peter 4:1 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:1-3 & Psalm 73:1-28 The fourth chapter of this letter tells us how we are to live as God’s beloved children in this rebellious world. As adopted brothers and sisters of Jesus, we should now think like Jesus did in respect to suffering. That is, we have to be willing to suffer in the flesh. Jesus is our great example in this. Peter was writing to Christians who lost their homes, their freedom, and even at times their physical lives because they no longer lived as they used to, but lived for the Lord. This caused those around them to become angry, saying and doing much evil to them. Although Christians today might not have the same struggles, we also need to be ready to suffer as children of God. We have to say no to things that the world says are good. We have to give up some comforts in our service to the Lord. We have to be willing to be seen as “strange” by people of the world for having Sunday as a special day to worship, for serving God above worldly success and pleasure, for saying no to drinking parties, for not doing whatever feels good and for putting God and His commandments first in our lives. This can mean being left out or ignored at times by others and not enjoying things they do. It can mean seeing others having it all while we fight against being jealous. We can only suffer in this way when we see how Jesus suffered for us. Suggestion for prayer That we would trust in the great blessings we have as believers in Jesus Christ and so be willing to suffer as beloved children of God. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 18 - Christ, our risen Lord and Saviour

"Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit." - 1 Peter 3:18 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Yesterday’s passage emphasized that if we suffer in the faith, we will endure. Today, we read why. Jesus suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God. Just as Jesus died in the flesh but was made alive by the Spirit, we are called to trust that when we believe in Christ, our old self has died and we are made alive by the Spirit. Peter goes on to state that Jesus did not rise from the dead just to give us hope. He also proclaimed to the spirits in prison waiting for their eternal punishment how foolish they were in rebelling against God. Their efforts to stop the coming of God’s Son to bring salvation, failed. Jesus rose to show that He won victory for all who put their faith in God’s promises. Just as Noah and his family were saved through water, we are saved through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Peter points out that our baptism by water points us to this fact. Baptism does not wash dirt from our bodies, but assures us that just as water washes dirt away, Christ washes our sins away through faith in Him. The result of trusting that Jesus rose from the dead and is able to wash our sins away gives us a clean conscience before God. Since Jesus has gone into heaven with angels, authorities and powers now subject to Him, we can have great assurance that our salvation is secure. Suggestion for prayer That we would have confidence that Jesus not only died for us, but rose again and ascended into heaven as our all-powerful Lord and Saviour. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 17 - Setting apart Christ in our hearts

“In your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy.” - 1 Peter 3:15  Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-17 In calling us to brotherly love, Peter encourages us to be witnesses in this dark and often confusing world. When we suffer any kind of opposition from a hostile world while seeking to follow God’s Word, Peter tells us that no real harm will come to us. As we seek to serve the Lord in the joy of salvation, we are called to trust that God will turn all things for our eternal good. Even death will be turned to our good, for then we will see our Saviour face to face. Peter tells us to have no fear of those who oppose us as children of God. Instead, we are all the more to set apart Christ in our hearts. That is, we are to get to know Christ. He truly is the joy and treasure that satisfies our hearts. As we grow in this, Peter tells us to be ready to give the reason for the hope we have in this broken world. We must live in such a way that our joy and hope are noticed by those around us, to such an extent that they would ask why we have hope in this broken and rebellious world. We are to talk of Jesus with humility and not as if we deserve this hope and joy because we are better than others. We are to talk of our hope and joy in such a way that they would think this can be theirs through faith in Jesus Christ. Suggestion for prayer That we set apart Christ in our hearts and that we would be able to speak of our hope to others with tact and love. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

Daily devotional

July 16 - Showing we are God’s children

“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” - 1 Peter 3:9  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 3:8-12 Peter finishes this section on how to interact with others by calling us to live a certain way with everyone. If we are honest, we have to admit that these godly virtues are not easy to follow. They can only come from a heart that knows how deeply we are loved by God. Many times within church communities we allow pet peeves and little arguments to divide us. When we have differences with fellow Christians, may we see that, our Saviour and our desire to serve and worship Him is what must unite us. This should cause us to have sympathy for each other when we see brothers and sisters going through struggles, even when these are caused by their own foolishness. Brotherly love is all about loving our fellow Christians because we are one in the Lord, even though we have differing opinions on certain matters. We need to have a tender heart toward each other and be humble as we deal with each other, not seeking to repay evil for evil, reviling for reviling or gossiping with gossiping. We are called to bless each other; that is to approve of each other as beloved children of God. When we do this we will receive a blessing from God. We need to remember that God sees all. If we speak badly towards or about others, we need to remember that God is displeased with us when we do this. But when we speak lovingly and faithfully towards our brothers and sisters, God sees this with delight. Suggestion for prayer That we would refrain from speaking badly toward or about each other, but encourage and bless each other. Pastor Richard Bultje is a missionary and pastor of the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls Ontario. It is a church plant under the oversight of the Wellandport United Reformed Church. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children, Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.  ...

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