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Strength For The Journey Devotional
Theodore H. Epp, a graduate of Southwestern Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, Texas, was the founding director of the Back to the Bible Broadcast.
He began his ministry as a pastor in Goltry, Oklahoma, where he received his first taste of radio preaching. He moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to establish the Back to the Bible Broadcast, and the first program was heard on May 1, 1939, on a small local station. He served as General Director for the broadcast until his retirement from on-air radio speaking in 1984. He continued to serve the ministry as well as perform other speaking engagements until his death in 1985.
The Christian life is a journey filled with mountaintops and valleys—and the good news is, we don’t have to go it alone. God’s Word guides our steps, leading us through the ups and downs of our faith journey. Does the path ahead seem unclear? Unpack these devotions and stay on course.
Victory On The Mount
Exodus 17:8-16 The Christian's war with the flesh is seen in the Israelites' desert experiences as outlined in the Old Testament. This age-old battle is seen in Amalek's attempt to keep Israel out of the land of promise. The simple statement is made in Exodus 17:8 : "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim." This historical battle furnishes us with a good illustration of the internal warfare every believer in Christ experiences. Amalek is a type of the flesh. He
Thank God for the Godly!
Revelation 2:18-29 There were some good people in the Church of Thyatira. The Lord knew their works, all the hard work they were doing and the love that was the basis for it and their faithfulness to Him. He saw all they did even to their giving of a cup of cold water. Some people are quick to spread a great banquet, but they are slow to give just a cup of cold water. The smallest deed of kindness done in our Lord's name will not go unrewarded. There is too much today of the
Your Debt to God's Spirit
Romans 8:6-17 It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is sinful to allow oneself to be drawn away and to yield to the temptation. So at the time when temptation arises is the moment to apply Romans 8:13 --to mortify the deeds of the body through the Holy Spirit. And notice that it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can effectively do this. This calls for a new attitude. We must recognize that we are personally responsible. We cannot escape our responsibility by saying, "We
The Law of Liberty
Galatians 5:1-7 The law of Christ is a law of liberty, a law of freedom made operative through the Spirit of God within us. Nothing in our sin nature could produce a godly life. Indeed, it is opposed to righteousness. It is void of all power to do what pleases God. Though we may know what the right standard of righteousness is because we have God's Law, we do not have in ourselves the ability to meet the Law's righteous demands. All the Law can do under such circumstances is
Not Imitation but Incarnation
Romans 12:1-5 Christ wants to live His life through us. He wants to use our eyes to behold the world situation as it is today. He wants to use our ears to hear the cry of the unsaved and the cry of those who are in need. He wants to use our lips to tell others the Gospel. He wants to use our hearts to express compassion and love to everyone. He wants to use our minds to think through situations and to have something to say to the people involved. He wants to use our hands to
Love Must Serve
1 John 3:11-24 The word for love in 1 John 3:11 does not refer to a sentimental love but is a strong word that describes God. It is the kind of love that recognizes a need and responds to that need. An illustration of this contrast is seen in the case of Cain, who was of the Wicked One and killed his brother (v. 12). He killed Abel because his own works were evil and his brother's were righteous. Cain did not have love in his heart because he was not a child of God. He had h
Results of the Lack of Faith
Genesis 16:6-16 After Hagar fled from Sarah's presence, before Ishmael was born, the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren" ( Gen. 16:11 , 12 ). The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael, and this prophecy
Togetherness
Ephesians 5:25-33 No believer lives a spiritually isolated life. Together, we are members of Christ's Body ( Eph. 5:30 ) and have responsibilities to each other. Ephesians 4:25 says, "We are members one of another." Therefore, Spirit-filled believers treat fellow Christians as they would treat themselves. We are not to be domineering, but recognizing that Christ is the Lord of all, we are to have a submissive spirit. As we mutually desire to do the will of God, the Holy Spir
Don't Court the World
James 4:4-7 Consider the accusation of James concerning the illicit love affair with the world as stated in the following paraphrase: "You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God."( James 4:4 , Amplified Bible). Being a friend of the world indicates that the
He Is At The Door!
James 5:7-12 To "grudge not" is to "complain not." We are not to groan or grumble against each other. In this life, where there is the tendency to be partial to others who have more than we do, James reminded us not to be grumbling and complaining about others. We are not to develop an attitude of thinking the other person always has it better than we do. We must remember that the Lord can come back at any time to judge us for such attitudes. James said, "The judge standeth b
What to Do with Anger
Ephesians 4:17-27 It is apparent that we should be angry with sin and come to hate that which would separate us from God or cause loss of fellowship. This means there will be times when we will hate what others do because it goes contrary to the Word of God. Such anger may be referred to as "righteous indignation." However, when self becomes projected into the matter, it is possible for a believer to sin, at least in his attitude toward others. In Ephesians 4:26 Paul was war
Character Comes First
Ephesians 1:4 ; 1 Peter 1: 13-21 There is much talk today about "working for Christ" but little about "being like Christ." Being like Christ means more than just following Him as a good teacher or example; it refers to the believer's being molded into the image of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished only as the believer yields to the work of the indwelling Christ. The term "without blame" in Ephesians 1:4 means "without blemish"; that is, "free from faultiness." The believer
Fire on the Prayer Altar
Colossians 4:12 , 13 We often pray out of a sense of duty, paying a sort of lip service to what we believe. The average prayer meeting today is a sad event for this very reason. Sometimes we who are there scold those who are absent, and we look down on them. Sometimes those who attend the prayer meeting feel themselves to be better than those who do not. This attitude hinders real prayer. We are inclined to say the same things over and over again without really ever getting d
Keep Your Eyes Open!
Ephesians 5:7-17 Because of the subtle works of darkness and the importance of being a witness for the Lord, Paul said, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise" ( Eph. 5:15 ). The word translated "see" means "to look, to consider, to take heed." It was as if Paul was waving a sign before them that said, "Stop, look and listen." Paul wanted believers to make a thorough check of the way they were living to be sure they were walking as they should be. Pau
Power for Witness Is Yours
John 15:17-27 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to bear witness of the Saviour. This promise was made by our Lord to His disciples before His ascension: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" ( Luke 24:47-49 ).
Dealing with Disagreements
Romans 12:14-21 It is not our business to repay people for what they do to us. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, even as it is indicated in Deuteronomy 32:35 . Since vengeance belongs to the Lord, we would be presuming to take the Father's business out of His hands if we tried to repay evil with evil. He takes into full account every injustice done to us, and He Himself will settle the account. We are to keep on loving with the love with which God has loved us. That love is shed
God's Perfect Timing
Genesis 17:1 , 2 In Genesis 17:1 we are told, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." Thirteen years had gone by since Abraham had hearkened unto Sarah, and during this time there was no mention of God's appearing to Abraham. In the Scriptures these 13 years are passed over as a period of spiritual barrenness. For Abraham it was what is known spiritually as a t
The Marks of a Christian
Galatians 2:1-10 Four marks of a Christian are set forth in the Book of Galatians. First, a Christian is one who has the living Christ living in him. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" ( Gal. 2:20 ). Second, a Christian is one who has the Holy Spirit within him, for in Galatians 4:6 we see, "And because
Zeal Without Knowledge
Philippians 3:1-11 Paul said about himself, "Concerning zeal, persecuting the church" ( Phil. 3:6 ). This reveals the pride of personal devotion to his religious choices. In a sense, it was Paul's pride of reputation. He was more devoted than any of his contemporaries. He was not only a Pharisee, but he was also a very zealous one. He was a conscientious and relentless persecutor of all who were considered heretics outside of his pharisaic Judaism. In Paul's unsaved state in
The Almighty God
Ephesians 3:14-21 By the time of the 17th chapter of Genesis, it had been 24 years since God's first promise to Abraham that he would have a seed and that the land would be given to his seed. When God now appears to Abraham, He appears to him as "the Almighty God" (v. 1). The Hebrew name for God here is actually El Shaddai. El means "God" or "the Strong One." Shaddai means "nourisher" or " strength-giver." As El Shaddai, God is "the all-sufficient One." Thus, when Abraham
Wanted: Faithful Servants
Hebrews 11:8-18 Have you ever thought about the fact that you and I have the Gospel today because Abraham and others who were chosen of God were faithful? God has chosen to work through men; therefore, the future of God's work rests on what He is able to motivate men to do. In Old Testament times the work of God depended on men such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In New Testament times Jesus Christ made His future program dependent on the apostles. He spent time with these men
Looked in the Mirror?
James 1:22-25 Whereas James 1:22-24 view the person who does not act upon the basis of the Word, verse 25 looks at the person who does act on the basis of the Word of God. He is like one who does something about what he sees in the mirror. His positive attitude is beautiful, as was David's when he said, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" ( Ps. 139:23 , 24 ). Davi
God Enjoys Giving!
James 1:16-18 James left no doubt about the fact that God is the giver of all that is good. James cautioned, "Do not err" ( James 1:16 ). The Greek word translated "err" means "to go astray" or "to go off course." It was used to describe a ship that had been driven from its course and was in severe danger. So James was not referring to making a minor mistake but to making a serious error in judgment that could have awesome and terrible results. Notice that James did not say "
Claim Your Inheritance
Ephesians 1:7-15 An inheritance is something that a person comes into possession of because of his relationship with another. It is not something that is earned; it is a gift. The believer's inheritance includes life itself. By receiving Christ as Saviour, the believer inherits eternal life. Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" ( John 5:24 ). Th
Prices-or Values?
James 5:1-6 Christians can become so addicted to money and to achieving a higher level of living that they lose all perspective and forget what they are really here on earth to accomplish. Those who live only for the pleasures of the moment stand under the condemnation of Paul's words of 1 Timothy 5:6 : "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." Many Christians have had the vitality taken from their spiritual life because of their great concern for the things of
Cast Your Vote for Victory!
Read Galatians 5:13-26 The flesh and the Holy Spirit are contrary one to the other. Their aims and purposes are diametrically opposed to each other. Each one says no to the other. They checkmate each other. This, of course, results in a stalemate for the Christian. This is why the apostle says, "Ye cannot do the things that ye would" ( Gal. 5:17 ). A mistake made by many of us Christians is that we try to gain victory over the flesh by our own will and efforts. But this is th
Two Children Become Two Nations
Read Genesis 25:21-26 Jacob was a miracle child. Abraham and Sarah had waited 25 years for Isaac to be born, and Isaac and Rebekah waited 20 years for the birth of Jacob. Genesis 25:21 , 22 says, "Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord." Rebekah did not know
The Spirit Also Loves You!
Romans 15:30-33 The Holy Spirit is a Person because He has emotions. He has the ability to love. Romans 15:30 says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." This teaches us that the Holy Spirit has the capacity to love. He not only influences us to love, but He also loves us. John 3:16 reveals that God the Father loves us. Philippians 2:5-8 describes how
Prayer and the Trinity
Read John 14:12-17 Each member of the Trinity has a distinct role in prayer. The Father waits at the throne of grace to hear the prayers of us who trust His Son. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Advocate in the presence of God the Father. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is the Advocate in our hearts, teaching us to pray. We can view it from another position. The Holy Spirit in us prepares the case we need to make. Christ pleads that case before the Judge. God the Father, as t
Only God Sees Everything
Read Revelation 2:12-17 The Lord knows all about our living conditions, the temptations to which we are exposed and the motives that govern our conduct. He can judge us correctly. This is a factor we must bear in mind with regard to our evaluating another person's actions. We need to know how much the other person has to face and resist before we can be even reasonably accurate in our approving or disapproving of the other person's conduct. Are we sure that if we would face t
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