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Search TAG: Nearer to God daily devotional

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Daily devotional

July 13 - Governing authorities instituted by God

“Be subject for the Lord to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by Him.” - 1 Peter 2:13  ...
Daily devotional

July 12 - Being a chosen race

“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called...
Daily devotional

July 11 - Building our lives on the solid rock

“As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built u...
Daily devotional

July 10 - Growing in contentment because of Jesus Christ
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Daily devotional

July 9 - The living and abiding word of God

“Love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” - 1 Peter 1:22-23 Scripture reading: Romans 10:5-9 Peter encourages us to have a healthy fear of God, to be in such awe of Him that we always want to do what is pleasing in His sight. He goes on to say that our souls have been purified by our obedience to the truth to develop a sincere love for our brothers. Notice that Peter does not say by our obedience to the commands of God, but to the truth. The good news of Jesus Christ is the truth. Obedience to the truth is trusting Jesus truly saved us. Peter tells us that if we believe the gospel, we will have sincere brotherly love. We who have become new people through faith in Jesus Christ, are called to love one another earnestly because we have a new heart. We are to show that we are new persons in Jesus Christ by having a deep love for brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are to do this even if we do not always get along with them. Why is this both possible and necessary in our lives? It is because we have been born again, or made into a new person, by the living and abiding Word of God. This Word, the Good News of Jesus Christ, changed us and will keep on changing us so we will not only have a desire, but also an ability to love one another. If it is not changing us so that we are starting to love others, it has not yet saved us. Suggestions for prayer That the living and abiding Word that saves will continue to change you to love one another. 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 8 - Have a proper view of our heavenly Father

“Conduct yourself with fear throughout the time of your exile knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.” - 1 Peter 1:17-19  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:17-21 In the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray, He instructs us to call His Father our heavenly Father. Peter tells us that if we do call God our Heavenly Father, we should conduct ourselves in a certain way, showing we have a special fear of God. This fear of God is the opposite of having a fear of man. As children of our heavenly Father, we should first seek to do what is pleasing to Him, not our fellow man. We are to do this while we wait for the time when He will call us to our heavenly home. We are to live our lives, remembering the payment made for us to become part of the family of our heavenly Father. The payment was made with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. May we trust that God, from eternity, wanted to send His son to make this payment so that we could be His beloved children. God sent His Son into this world to sacrifice His life on the cross. He sent His Son to do this so that sinful, undeserving people can call God their loving, heavenly Father. Do you believe that Jesus paid the price to ransom you from the futile ways of this world to be a beloved child of a heavenly Father? In believing this, you are called to conduct yourself as one who does not fear what man thinks, but what God thinks. As His beloved child, you are called to do what is pleasing to your Heavenly Father. Suggestions for prayer That we would grow to fear man less and our heavenly Father more. 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 7 - Having our focus on Jesus’ return

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passion of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you are to be holy in your conduct.” - 1 Peter 1: 14-15  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:1-16 We live in a time the Old Testament believers would have loved to see. Peter writes a “therefore” statement. Because we live in the time we do, knowing and believing in Jesus Christ, we are to prepare our minds for action, that is we are to keep our minds focused on Jesus Christ and what He did for us. Only then can we be ready to serve Him. When our mind starts to concentrate on the things of this world, we will lose our desire to serve the Lord. Peter goes on to tell us that we need to be sober minded, meaning we are to focus our minds on the heavenly kingdom. We are not to set our hope on the things of this world such as money, careers, or even our families, but on Christ, looking forward to what He will give us when He returns. Peter writes about the great future Jesus purchased for us on the cross, the new heaven and earth. As God’s adopted children we are to keep our eyes on the home Jesus is preparing for us and not on earthly treasures, as if we don’t know what Jesus purchased for us. It would be like settling for sand castles at the beach rather than a heavenly home. For this reason, Peter tells us that while we live on this earth we are to be holy, people who live differently, not for worldly pleasures, but for God’s glory and His Kingdom, fixing our eyes on our heavenly home. Suggestions for prayer Ask that we would be holy, having our focus on living for the Lord, having our eyes fixed on our heavenly home. 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 6 - The blessing of our position in history

“…the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully.” - 1 Peter 1: 10  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:1-12 Yesterday we saw the great joy that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ. Peter goes on to tell us that the prophets in the Old Testament longed to see what we often do not appreciate as much as we should. The Old Testament prophets wrote about the coming of the One, God was going to send to redeem His people. But they did not fully know who this person would be and to what extent He would go to save His people. They did not know the One coming was God’s beloved Son and that He would go to the cross and experience the agony of hell to save His people. They did not fully know the glorious reality we would receive because of Jesus. Jesus’ work allows us to be called sons and daughters of God, having the privileges of God’s family. Paul mentions this in Ephesians 1:3, “In Christ we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Peter, in His second letter, tells us that through faith in Jesus Christ we become partakers in the divine nature. We get what Jesus has as a beloved child of God. Although the Old Testament writers did not know what we know about Jesus, they served us, for we can look back and see that they were speaking about the coming of Jesus. When we read scripture or hear it preached and soak in the good news of Jesus, we are called to rejoice and see that we live in a glorious time in history. Suggestions for Prayer That we would understand the great position we are in history, having the complete revelation of our 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 5 - The inexpressible joy

“…obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” - 1 Peter 1:9  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:1-9 Yesterday we looked at the great gift of a tested and genuine faith. Those who have it know it is more valuable to them than much gold and it causes one to praise and glorify Jesus Christ in the joy of salvation. Peter, in verses 8-9, tells us that this tested and genuine faith causes people to love Jesus deeply even though they have not seen Him while He lived and ministered on earth. That happens because in working this faith in His people, God opens their hearts to see His love for them more clearly than they could see with their physical eyes. Peter says this causes one to rejoice with a joy that cannot be understood by those who do not have this faith. It is like trying to explain the colour red to one who was born blind. Peter wrote his letter first of all to Christians who were scattered and persecuted for their faith. Peter said this tested faith caused them to be filled with a joy that made others wonder what they had. What made them experience this joy in the midst of much hardship? Sometimes the physical comforts we experience in North America can dim the great joy that is ours in Jesus Christ. Peter calls us to reflect on the fact that, through faith in Jesus Christ, we already have the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Through faith in Jesus Christ our eternal well-being is secure; nothing can separate us from the love of God. This is our joy. Suggestions for prayer That we would more and more reflect on what we have been given, in having a faith in Jesus Christ as 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 4 - Glorifying God in our struggles

“…that the tested genuineness of your faith … may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” - 1 Peter 1:7  Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:1-7 Yesterday we saw what a great future is ours because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. But our hope is not just in a future heavenly glory. Peter reminds us that we are guarded by God’s great power, the same power that created the world. God wants us to trust that He will not let us go; that He who began a good work of faith in us will bring it to completion when Jesus returns to take us to our eternal home. Peter encourages us to rejoice in the knowledge that God will continue to work in us by His Word and Spirit so that we will continue in the faith even in the midst of trials. Trusting in God, we should see that He will not only bring us through hard times or temptations, but will also use these for our good. Peter tells us that our loving heavenly Father allows these difficulties in our lives so that our faith will be refined through them to such a degree that they will result in praise, glory and honour when we meet Jesus at His second coming. Jesus said a similar thing in John 15 when He said every branch that bears fruit He prunes, so that it will bear more fruit. Peter really wants us to see that when we suffer in this broken world, while serving our Lord Jesus Christ in a true faith, we will be blessed with a more intimate relationship with God and so praise Him with greater commitment and joy. Suggestions for prayer That we would see that our trials and struggles are in God’s control and He is using them to purify us to draw us closer to him so that we can glorify Him in a deeper way. 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 3 - Why we should praise our God

“He has caused us to be born again . . . to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefined and unfading.” - 1 Peter 1:3-4 Scripture reading: John 3:1-14 After praying for grace and peace to be multiplied in the lives of his readers, Peter tells us why we should praise God. It is not because we have nice homes and families, good jobs or health, but because He has caused us to have a new life. Most important of all, we have a living hope because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Peter is calling us to believe that just as Jesus rose from the dead, we now have a new life as children of the living God, an eternal relationship that will never end. While living on this earth with struggles and problems, we can trust that nothing will be able to separate us from the Love of God. This means that we always have a reason to praise our God and Father. But there’s more. Peter says we are to praise our God because we have an inheritance in heaven that will never perish, fade or spoil. Jesus promised that He not only died to secure our inheritance, but went to heaven to prepare it for us. He is there now making a place for us where we will no longer be sinful and the devil will never be able to come there. This inheritance will never go bad, get boring or be too much for us to handle. We will experience the reality of being completely at home, with no sadness or fear, only joy and contentment. This is a great reason to praise our God and Father. Suggestions for prayer That we rejoice in what we have as children of God now and be overjoyed with what is coming our way in heavenly glory. 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 2 - A blessing for Christ’s church

“May grace and peace be multiplied in you.” - 1 Peter 1:2b  Scripture reading: Romans 1:1-7 After Peter announces who he is and to whom he is writing, he declares something very important. Many pastors also declare a blessing to God’s people at the beginning of a worship service. They give a special blessing to those who have come to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. This sets the tone of our worship services. God gathers and welcomes us to bless us as we come to worship Him under the reading and preaching of His Word. In declaring a blessing to the Christians, Peter is also summarizing what the letter is about: God extending grace and peace to His people in abundance. The first Christians to read this letter faced persecution and displacement and were often struggling with why God was allowing this in their lives. Today, we may not deal with the struggles early Christians faced, but we still face various situations that challenge our faith. We are blessed when we believe these words are not just from the man Peter, but from our Lord. God wants us to believe His grace has been abundantly supplied to us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Out of a great love that we did not deserve, God the Father sent His only Son to take the punishment for our sins, so that we can become God’s beloved children, adopted into the eternal family of God. He did this so that we can have eternal peace with God, a peace that no one and nothing can take away, not even death. Suggestions for prayer That we would trust God’s grace and peace are ours because of Jesus Christ our 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, Uncategorised

July 1 - Introduction to 1 Peter: holding fast to Christ in a rebellious world

During the past years, our governments and the people of our lands have shown more rejection of God and His Word. We see ungodly lifestyles promoted. We see what Paul explained in Romans 1. Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking has become futile and their foolish hearts are darkened. Although they claim to be wise, they have become fools, exchanging the glory of God for images and heroes of their making. We see that God is giving them over to their sinful desires. When we see the foundations of our culture being destroyed, we wonder what the righteous can do. Peter wrote his letter in a time of great persecution, immorality and confusion. We are not sure what lies ahead for us, but Peter tells us where to find our hope and comfort, and how we are to live as saints set apart in the midst of a rebellious world, being ready to give a reason for the hope we have as beloved children of God. We will be going through the first letter of Peter this month. Peter tells us to praise God in the midst of a fallen, rebellious world for the great blessings we have because of Christ our Saviour. He also tells us how we are to live for Him as His beloved children, fighting sin and encouraging each other as fellow citizens of the Kingdom of heaven, looking forward to a glorious future that will never perish, spoil or fade. May Peter’s words encourage us to be faithful, so that we will not give up following Jesus, continuing in the mission He has given us: to tell others about Jesus and show that Jesus is a true and loving Saviour. Having our identity in Christ “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion . . . according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” - 1 Peter 1:1-2a  Scripture reading: John 21:15-19 Peter starts this letter by emphasizing the identity of those who believe in Jesus Christ. Earlier, Peter had struggles in this area. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter was asked if he knew Jesus. He denied it three times. But Peter repented and now calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ; one who represented and witnessed for Jesus Christ. And he gives special designations to those to whom he is writing. First, he calls us God’s elect, chosen to be God’s beloved children according to His eternal, unconditional love. God sent His Son to die for His people. He also sent the Holy Spirit to enable His children to believe and live in joyful obedience because of Christ’s sprinkled blood. Peter encourages us to trust in Jesus Christ, find our identity as His beloved, chosen people and confess our faith in Him. In the second designation, Peter calls us strangers. Peter was writing to those who were scattered throughout the world. Although they were scattered among various places they were citizens of a new Kingdom, the kingdom of God. Peter is encouraging us to see that this world is not our real home. We should seek to be a blessing to any country we live in, yet in believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. May we see that we are strangers to this world and part of God’s chosen people, the Kingdom of God. Suggestions for prayer That we would more and more see our identity in Jesus Christ as members of God’s elect people, strangers in this world living in obedience to our Lord. 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

June 30 - Jesus the radiance of the glory of God

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” - Psalm 19:14  Scripture reading: Hebrews 1:1-4 Radiance is a rarely used word in the Greek New Testament. It means shining brightness. That probably doesn’t help matters much in terms of trying to define what radiance is. What I love about this title for Jesus is, it really is at the very edge of both our language and ability to explain that Jesus is the Beautiful One. Thinking about Him and His work is like following a sunbeam that pierces the clouds after a rainstorm. As you follow the outward edges of the sunbeam upwards your eye is drawn to the source of its light, the sun. So it is with Jesus, the more you consider Him, the longer you gaze into Scripture and contemplate Who He is, the more your senses will be drawn upwards in Jesus, up toward the brilliance of the Living God, Who alone lives in unapproachable light. It is the contemplation of the Names of God and the Attributes of God which clarify your understanding of Who He Is. As you spend more and more time thinking about God, your imagination gets stirred up and your soul soars in hymns and prayers to Him. If He did not reveal Himself, His radiant brilliance and His glory would remain hidden. He has shown us His salvation. He invites you to keep learning of Him, so that in the endless reaches of eternity, you will still shout: “Oh, Jesus, radiance of the Father’s glory, show us more that we may give more love to You, Triune God, and serve You ever more joyfully!” Suggestions for prayer As you continue to read the Bible, pray that the Spirit of God will show you more of the beauty of God, His glorious Self-Revelation, so that your vocabulary for praise and worship will grow and your delight in the LORD our God will be infectious to all around you. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 29 - Jesus the Nazarene

“And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene”.” - Matthew 2:23 Scripture reading: John 1:43-51 It is difficult to understand how much Jesus was despised in His lifetime. Today many people hear Jesus’ Name used as a curse word. It is a sign of how sheltered my upbringing was that even now, I am shocked whenever someone spits out the Name of my Saviour in frustration. The Bible prophesied this—“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). Intellectually you know Jesus was rejected, but how many sermons have you heard on this? Soon after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, Joseph was warned in a dream that King Herod would try to kill Him. So, the holy family became refugees in Egypt. They were displaced because Jesus was despised even before He’d done anything good or bad. When it was safe for Joseph and Mary to return to the Promised Land, they had to move to an out-of-the-way little town, so that they’d escape the vengeful eye of the King who followed Herod. The conversation between Philip and Nathanael highlights the mockery Jesus received. Nathanael can’t imagine anything (or anyone) good coming out of the backwater town of Nazareth. Jesus was called a Nazarene all through His life. It was the place where many foreigners lived and intermingled with the Jewish people—so that those who lived there were not considered pure Jews. His reputation is, humanly speaking, sullied by association. All of this means that when you pray to Jesus, you are speaking with the One Who can identify with all your rejection and wounds. Suggestions for prayer Bring in prayer to Jesus, the hurts of rejection and wounds caused by the circumstances of your life—you will find in Him One Who is full of compassion; as the Spirit of God brings to mind people in your life who are suffering, remember their needs and circumstances in prayer. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 28 - Jesus a son

“…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son…”” - Matthew 1:20b  Scripture reading: Matthew 1:17-25 The reading today focuses on Jesus as a son—the emphasis is on His humanity. What a picture the Bible paints of the humanity of Jesus. We read of Joseph, His earthly father, in the early part of Jesus’ life, but not later in His life. Jesus lost His earthly dad. Before Jesus was tempted, He fasted for forty days and nights. It is such a blasé statement to describe what must have been going on inside His body—He’d be near to starving. He experienced real, gnawing hunger, and was without sin. Jesus saw the crowds coming to Him and He had compassion on them “because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34). Jesus Himself had just learned that His cousin, John the Baptist, had died. Around the same time, His disciples who’d been sent out to various towns to prepare them for His coming to teach there, returned to Jesus and clamoured for His attention. He experienced complex emotions. Just before Jesus began the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, John informs the reader that Jesus was weary from His journey (John 4:6). In other places of Scripture, you read, “Jesus wept”. Why mention all these things? The Bible shows that Jesus is fully human. Because a man sinned against God the Holy One, a man must bear the wrath of God against sin. The Bible shows Jesus to be fully human. Think of Jesus as human as you are and yet, without sin. What a glorious Redeemer He is! Suggestions for prayer Pray that God the Father will teach you more about the humanity of Jesus so that you can draw closer to Jesus and know Him better; so that you can truly love Him and be more amazed at the grace He brings you. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 27 - The Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery

“…giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered you from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - Colossians 1:12-14  Scripture reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Do you think of yourself as rescued? Perhaps you heard the Ten Commandments yesterday. At the start of the Decalogue, the LORD states why He has the right to call for obedience to His Law. He brought Israel out of Egypt. He rescued them from slavery. Have you been rescued from the house of slavery? Yes, you have. In a passage that recalls Egyptian slavery, Paul wrote to the Colossians: “He, the Father, delivered us from the domain of darkness.” Before the Father rescued you, you were bound in sins. The hold of the evil one chained you in patterns of sin. Israel kept on returning to Egypt in heart and action. An illustration of this is the time they made a golden calf to worship it. They remembered the sins of Egypt and the worship they’d seen there. They mimicked the Egyptians in defiance of their covenant allegiance to God. Though they’d been rescued from that slavery, they willingly returned to it. It is true of you as well. Old sins easily assert their mastery. Unless the believer sees how blatantly he sinned before he was rescued and how readily he returns to this sin, he will think that Israel being brought up from the House of Slavery has no relevance to him. But if he is aware of how readily he can return to sin, he will look to the Father Who brought him up out of the Egypt of his sins, and by way of the Ten Commandments, he will live a life of thankfulness. Suggestions for prayer Whenever you see how your old sins so easily cling to you, honour and praise God for rescuing you; pray for your continued deliverance from sin and its effects. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 26 - Jesus: Teacher and Lord

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” - John 13:14  Scripture reading: John 13:12-20 Who in your life has the right to tell you what to do? If you are a youngster, no doubt you realize your parents have the right to tell you what to do. As adults, it is tempting to think, “You can’t tell me what to do”. This is subtly reinforced in church life in that catechism classes are required before membership, but not after becoming a member. It is like saying, “Your education is complete.” Jesus tells us, He is our Teacher and our Lord and continually teaches us as He leads us. The Word of God overflows with the teachings about Jesus and the teachings of Jesus. I have some friends who are new to the faith and they are excited because they just purchased “red letter” Bibles. These Bibles, in the Gospels, highlight Jesus’s words by printing them in red. Interestingly, all the letters of the Bible should be in red, for all the words are God-breathed, inspired by the Spirit. The whole Bible, from start to finish, is the instruction of our Teacher, Jesus. Keep reading the Word so that you will know Jesus, your Teacher. Jesus is your Lord. His words have ultimate authority in your life. What you learn from Him, you are commanded to put into practice. The life of a Christian is imbued with the glorious task of taking the things of God and putting them into practice in daily life. This is the great adventure and mighty work of all who have been saved in Jesus Christ. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to give you a spirit of humility so that you will be teachable and ready to receive the instruction of Jesus; look to God the Father to show you the opportunities He is giving you to put Jesus’ teaching into practice in the ordinary flow of your day and week. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 25 - Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath

“So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” - Genesis 2:3 Scripture reading: Matthew 12:1-14 It is confusing for many people to know what the Sabbath means. In his commentary on this passage, Lange noted that from the time Jesus made this declaration as being the Lord of the Sabbath, He was on the run. This title moved Jesus from being acclaimed and loved, to becoming harassed and questioned. Jesus is Lord. He has the right to interpret the Sabbath: why it was given and what it is designed to achieve. Genesis 2 teaches that the LORD blessed the seventh day and made it holy. That first Sabbath, Adam and Eve experienced the joy of knowing Him and being loved by the LORD. Adam’s fall disrupted the pattern of Sabbath. When Jesus fed His disciples or healed the broken on the Sabbath, He was fulfilling Psalm 23. As He prepared to restore the soul, He first provided food and water. The weary, thirsty soul cannot rest content in Him when the belly is growling and the heart is parched. So, it is with Jesus’ works on the Sabbath, He feeds, He heals so that His people can truly be refreshed in the presence of the King. This day, confess your sins, knowing these are forgiven because of Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath, so that nothing will hinder your walk with God. This LORD’s Day, do you know someone who needs mercy or help? Demonstrate the kindness of God so that they will experience the blessing of God. In this way Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath, will be made known to this generation and beyond. Suggestions for prayer Pray that the Lord of the Sabbath will open your eyes to the needs of the people around you, the broken places of their lives where your acts of mercy will help them to see Jesus; praise God the Father that He has given us this joyful day of fellowship and blessing. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 24 - God who hems us in an knits us together

“You hem me in, behind and before…You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” - Psalm 139:5a & 13  Scripture reading: Psalm 139:1-24 Two striking images of God the Father stand out in this Psalm. These are two particularly intimate images of the LORD: He hems me in and He knitted me together. While teaching this passage in a Bible study in prison, one man noted the expression “to hem in” eluded him. I thought about it for a moment and asked, “Have you ever had pants that were too long for you?” He nodded. “To hem the pants is to fold the edge back over itself and sew it so the pants will be the appropriate length. That fold is the hem—and the picture is of God folding us close to Himself and keeping us there.” The LORD our God surrounds us with His goodness. It is like He sews us close to Himself so that we will not stray from Him. It is silly to think of the Father with knitting needles and a string of DNA, clattering those needles together to form His people. Yet, the image of a knitter making a sweater or a pair of socks, is something that teaches the believers about the intimacy of God’s workmanship. He knows the purposes for which He makes us. He knows how He put us together. He knows what is good for us; what will unravel us, and He hems us so that we do not fray and become useless. This nearness of God is not based on our feelings, or our sense of His presence or absence. He is near. Trust the Word of God on this. Suggestions for prayer Pray that your mind and heart would own the promise of God that He is near; thank Him for His nearness; pray by name for friends, co-workers and family members who do not yet know God as near and loving, so that they too will rejoice in God as Saviour and Lord. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 23 - Jesus: the holy one, the true one

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “The words of The Holy One, The True One, Who has the Key of David.”” - Revelation 3:7  Scripture reading: Revelation 3:7-13 The Holy One, The True One are titles which, applied to Jesus, draw together many teachings of Scripture. He has the power to shut the Kingdom to wicked people and open it to sons and daughters of the Most High God. In the hands of ordinary people, such power would corrupt. Humans strive for power, promising to use it for good, but achieving power, we find out how corrupt their hearts are. Jesus is the Holy One with God the Father, co-equal in power, majesty and holiness. Jesus’ power to open or shut heaven is always, perfectly and honourably carried out. Though Jesus is fully man and fully God, His humanity is conformed in perfect obedience to the will of God. He cannot be corrupted. Therefore, His warning to the people of Philadelphia and to us today, is an important teaching. Believers must hold fast to Jesus Christ as the only foundation for their salvation. We are called to be holy as He is holy. He is the Only True One. This makes sense when we think of the idiom: ‘He is a true friend’. When you say that, you mean his friendship will withstand the tests of time, betrayal and reconciliation after hurts are healed. Jesus is True. When His own people waver in affection, Jesus stays true. Nothing can stop His steadfast love which is poured out on His people through the presence of the Holy Spirit. This love brings the people under His care to a place of patient endurance for the sake of His Name. Suggestions for prayer Bring any struggle in your faith to Jesus, The Holy One, the True One, trusting in His steadfast love; if things are good in your life, intercede for those experiencing hardship in their walk with God; when such trials are covered by the merciful love of God, give thanks. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 22 - Jesus: holder of the key of David

“And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” - Isaiah 22:21b-22  Scripture reading: Revelation 3:7-13 To understand this title, one must know what the Key of David is. When King David ruled, the steward of his household was the key holder who had the authority to grant access to the king. Later in the Old Testament, God prophetically used the title, “the key of David”. This use of the title was both for the time of Eliakim and was used as a foreshadowing of the time of the Messiah, the True One, Who is the ultimate holder of the Key of David. In the time of Eliakim, holding the Key of David meant God granted him the authority to open or shut. Eliakim would be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah. A father defends his people from imposters. Previous leaders were false leaders and kings. These false holders of the Key of David led the children of God into apostasy. They embraced wickedness and spawned evil children who rejected the Living God. Jesus is the Holder of the Key of David: He exposes those who are false children though they claimed to be God’s sons and daughters and true Jews. Jesus shuts out of the Kingdom those who think they can come to Him based on their works, based on how well they kept the Law. The only way to enter the Kingdom is based on receiving Jesus’ righteousness. He alone is our righteousness. Jesus welcomes true sons and daughters, bringing them to the City of God, ushering them into the presence of the Great I AM. Suggestions for prayer Examine your heart for any falseness leading to rebellion against God; praise God the Father for giving Jesus the Key of David; praise God for the work of the Spirit to reveal to believers this gift of life which ushers believers into the presence of the Father. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 21 - Arbiter

“There is no Arbiter between us, Who might lay His hand on us both.” - Job 9:33  Scripture reading: Job 5:7 Perhaps this proverb from Job is familiar to you. Those who love the movie Anne of Green Gables might recognize it because it is quoted there. Think of roaring campfires, the deep night pierced by the flames which lick up the wood and as it is devoured, it breaks before the blazing tongues of fire, sending sparks jumping upwards, dancing in the night air. Why is man born to trouble and suffering? It is Job’s question as he wrestles with God and strives against his friends whose words do not bring him comfort. Job longs for a mediator between himself and God. It is our suffering that drives us into the arms of Jesus Christ—the arbiter between God and man. It is suffering that shows us the ugliness of sins and the wrong-headedness of our old nature. It is suffering, the path which Jesus endured, which unites us with Christ—for He suffered more than we ever could or will—and His suffering, death and resurrection made us right with God. When I see sparks fly upward, I am reminded of my desire to fly up to God. But I also recognize how easily my own passion dies out. When I see sparks fly upward, I am reminded that Christ was raised up and His fiery passion never burned out. He endured great agony on the cross so that He might lay a hand on us and present us to the Father as blameless and pure. Jesus’ sacrifice has done this for us. Hallelujah, what a Saviour! Suggestions for prayer Praise the Father that He has given you an Arbiter between Himself and you. As you think of sins which haunt you, ask the Father to pour out His Spirit so that you will know that you are forgiven, and He will strengthen you to turn from your sin and walk in His righteousness. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 20 - Jesus who has the seven spirits and seven stars

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: “The words of Him Who has the Seven Spirits of God and the Seven Stars.”” - Revelation 3:1  Scripture reading: Revelation 3:1-6 Reading the letters to the seven churches in Revelation has changed for me. Now I pause to consider the revealed Name of Jesus as He gives His words to the churches. Jesus has the Seven-Spirits of God (a.k.a. the Seven-fold Spirit). He Who wields the power of the Spirit is speaking to a church that is spiritually dead. Why is Jesus speaking to this church if it is dead? The Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 1:4) is the same Holy Spirit Whom He will give to revive Christians who are in need. This same Spirit has the power to raise the dead. Jesus has the seven stars, the seven angels given to guard the seven churches. Those whom Jesus revives by His Spirit, He protects by sending His angels. What a glorious picture this is. It is also a picture with a long term view. A. W. Tozer noted, “The faith of Christ offers no buttons to push for quick service. The new order must wait for the Lord's own time. It is too much for the man in a hurry. He gives up and becomes interested in something else.” Something happened in Sardis so that people wandered into sin. They refused to repent. But Jesus is here appealing to His people. Listen. Wake up. I will protect you. I will lead you in victory so that you will be conquerors over sin. This is the power I have and this is the power I give to all who hear and are prepared to obey. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Father for the wonderful work of Jesus and the gift of the reviving Spirit. Thank Jesus, Who sends His guardian angels to protect His people. Pray for repentance in the areas of your life where you need to repent so that you may walk in newness of life. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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

June 19 - He who keeps it steady

“We give thanks to You, O God; we give thanks, for Your Name is near. We recount Your wondrous deeds. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I Who keep steady its pillars.” - Psalm 75:1, 3  Scripture reading: Psalm 75: 1-10 Nearly one year ago, on June 29, 2022, the National Physical Laboratory of England recorded the shortest day in history. The usual 24-hour rotation of the earth was shortened by 1.59 milliseconds. Next to this news article were “climate change” predictions. It is important to remember that people have not kept records of the temperature throughout human history. This is a relatively recent phenomenon. The Christian is confident of the promises of the Living God. He Who created the world is also He Who Keeps It Steady. The creation account of Genesis shows believers that the LORD of Glory made the heavens and the earth as a place of meeting between man and Himself. The earth and its fullness are designed to allow for humanity to have a relationship with the LORD of Heaven and Earth. In Jesus Christ, this is perfectly displayed. Though Jesus suffered throughout His life, He walked in submission to the Father, in wondrous peace beyond all understanding. Jesus was drawn near to the Father by the presence of the Spirit within Him. Jesus understood that the fears and horrible predictions of the world of His day were mere jaw-flapping idleness. His Father sets the appointed times for all things. Fellow believer, this is the same blessed assurance we have today. God sustains this world, keeping it steady until the day of Christ’s return. We do not tremble at the fearful predictions of sinful man. The Spirit of God gives us confident hope in the LORD Who keeps steady the pillars of the world. Suggestions for Prayer Recount to God all the wondrous things He has done, especially in times of history when the world was gripped in fear (like Y2K, or World War II) and God showed Himself faithful; express in thanksgiving your confidence that God is keeping this world steady in His tender care. Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. 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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