Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
Audio PlayerThe Bible teaches that by nature, we’re hostile and rebellious toward God. But find out why it’s actually a good day when we grasp the fact that we’re sinners and God’s enemies! Study along with us on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.
From the Sermon
A Solid Diet
Imagine visiting your favorite restaurant and noticing that all the patrons are seated at their tables drinking milk from large baby bottles. What a bizarre scene that would be! Yet this is the picture that the writer of Hebrews painted when he urged the Jewish Christians of his day to remain hungry for greater and greater Christlikeness. He knew that many were already becoming complacent in their faith. Those who should have already been teachers instead needed to review their ABCs all over again.
The difficulty for these believers with understanding biblical principles resulted from neither any complex subject matter nor the writer’s inability to clearly explain. Rather, they were willfully slow to learn. When the author writes that they were “dull of hearing,” the word for “dull” is the same one he uses later when warning them not to be “sluggish” (Hebrews 6:12). There he exhorts his readers, instead of tolerating such a slothful attitude, to be “imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Had these early Christians been dutiful souls who were listening carefully and trying hard to grasp biblical concepts, and simply having difficulty doing so, the writer likely would not have been so stern with them. But this wasn’t the case. He found himself reprimanding church members who should have been eagerly receiving the truth but had become apathetic. Their enthusiasm had waned. They had ceased to pay attention. As a result, they failed to understand, which prevented them from being further transformed by God’s truth.
If we are not vigilant, the same could become true of us. We cannot sustain ourselves on a diet of Rice Krispies, toast, and milk. It’s ok to like milk. It’s ok to have it as part of our diet. But it is not ok to drink it as the sum total of our intake. That is for babies, and we are not to stay babies. We must learn to eat more nutritious food and expand our palate.
Make it your goal to continually “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord” (2 Peter 3:18), so that you can grapple with the implications of genuine Christian experience. Do not be someone who listens to the good news of the gospel being proclaimed and says in their mind, “Oh, I know that. I can tune out now.” Do not be someone who considers Sunday morning’s sermon sufficient spiritual food to last the week. Do not be someone who splashes in the shallows and never makes the effort to dive down deep into the riches of God’s word. Be someone who loves the gospel and who, by God’s grace, never grows tired of hearing it; and who loves God’s word—loves to drink it in and chew it over, and is stirred by its truth again and again as you become more and more like its great subject, our Lord and Savior.
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
He
33gTeach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it hto the end.6
34iGive me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35jLead me in the path of your commandments,
for I kdelight in it.
36lIncline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to mselfish gain!
37nTurn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and ogive me life in your ways.
38pConfirm to your servant your promise,
qthat you may be feared.
39Turn away the rreproach that I dread,
for your rules are good.
40Behold, I slong for your precepts;
tin your righteousness give me life!
Waw
41Let your usteadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your salvation vaccording to your promise;
42then wshall I have an answer for him rwho taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my xhope is in your rules.
44I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
45and I shall walk yin a wide place,
for I have zsought your precepts.
46I will also speak of your testimonies abefore kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47for I bfind my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
48I will clift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
and I will dmeditate on your statutes.
Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.
The Incense of Your Praise
As a pleasing aroma I will accept you.
The merits of our great Redeemer are as a pleasing aroma to the Most High. Whether we speak of the active or passive righteousness of Christ, there is an equal fragrance. There was a pleasing aroma in His active life by which He honored the law of God and made every precept to glitter like a precious jewel in the pure setting of His own person.
Such, too, was His passive obedience, when He endured with unmurmuring submission hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness, and at the end sweat as it were great drops of blood in Gethsemane. He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that plucked out the hair and was fastened to the cruel wood, that He might suffer the wrath of God in our behalf. These two things are sweet before the Most High; and for the sake of His doing and His dying, His substitutionary sufferings and His vicarious obedience, the Lord our God accepts us.
What a preciousness there must be in Him to overcome our lack of preciousness! What a pleasing aroma to put away our nasty odor! What a cleansing power in His blood to take away sin such as ours! And what glory in His righteousness to make such unacceptable creatures to be accepted in the Beloved!
Consider, believer, how sure and unchanging is our acceptance, since it is in Him! Take care that you never doubt your acceptance in Jesus. You cannot be accepted without Christ; but when you have received His merit, you cannot be unaccepted. Despite all your doubts and fears and sins, Jehovah’s gracious eye never looks upon you in anger; though He sees sin in you, in yourself, yet when He looks at you through Christ, He sees no sin. You are always accepted in Christ, are always blessed and dear to the Father’s heart. Therefore lift up a song, and as you see the smoking incense of the Savior’s merit coming up this evening before the sapphire throne, let the incense of your praise go up also.
Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.
Daily Bible Reading for March 28
Making the Priestly Garments
1From the oblue and purple and scarlet yarns they made pfinely woven garments,1 for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, qas the Lord had commanded Moses.
2rHe made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 3And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. 4They made for the ephod attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. 5And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
6They made the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7And he set them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8sHe made the breastpiece, in skilled work, in the style of the ephod, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 9It was square. They made the breastpiece doubled, a span2 its length and a span its breadth when doubled. 10And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; 11and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. 14There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. 15And they made on the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. 16And they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. 17And they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. 18They attached the two ends of the two cords to the two settings of filigree. Thus they attached it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. 19Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. 20And they made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 21And they bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it should lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
22tHe also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue, 23and the opening of the robe in it was like the opening in a garment, with a binding around the opening, so that it might not tear. 24On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. 25They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe, between the pomegranates— 26a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate around the hem of the robe for ministering, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
27uThey also made the coats, woven of fine vlinen, for Aaron and his sons, 28and the vturban of fine linen, and the caps of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twined linen, 29and the sash of fine twined linen and of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, embroidered with needlework, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30wThey made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the Lord.” 31And they tied to it a cord of blue to fasten it on the turban above, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
32Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did xaccording to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did. 33Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 34the covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins, and the yveil of the screen; 35the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; 36the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37zthe lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38athe golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and bthe screen for the entrance of the tent; 39the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin and its stand; 40cthe hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the dscreen for the gate of the court, its ecords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for their service as priests. 42fAccording to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. 43And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses gblessed them.
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
1When Jesus had spoken these words, nhe went out with his disciples across othe brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew pthe place, for qJesus often met there with his disciples. 3rSo Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4Then Jesus, sknowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, t“Whom do you seek?” 5They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.”1 Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6uWhen Jesus2 said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7So he asked them again, t“Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9vThis was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10Then Simon Peter, whaving a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant3 and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; xshall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas
12So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews4 arrested Jesus and bound him. 13First they yled him to zAnnas, for he was the father-in-law of aCaiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews bthat it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
Peter Denies Jesus
15cSimon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16dbut Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17eThe servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18Now the servants5 and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. fPeter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19gThe high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20Jesus answered him, “I have spoken hopenly ito the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. jI have said nothing in secret. 21Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, k“Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24lAnnas then sent him bound to lCaiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Again
25mNow Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of nthe man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you oin the garden with him?” 27Peter again denied it, and pat once a rooster crowed.
Jesus Before Pilate
28qThen they led Jesus rfrom the house of Caiaphas to sthe governor's headquarters.6 It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, tso that they would not be defiled, ubut could eat the Passover. 29vSo Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31Pilate said to them, w“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32xThis was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken yto show by what kind of death he was going to die.
My Kingdom Is Not of This World
33zSo Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, a“Are you the King of the Jews?” 34Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36Jesus answered, b“My kingdom cis not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, dmy servants would have been fighting, that eI might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, f“You say that I am a king. gFor this purpose I was born and for this purpose hI have come into the world—ito bear witness to the truth. jEveryone who is kof the truth llistens to my voice.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
After he had said this, mhe went back outside to the Jews and told them, n“I find no guilt in him. 39oBut you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40They cried out again, p“Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.7
1dA soft answer turns away wrath,
but ea harsh word stirs up anger.
2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but fthe mouths of fools pour out folly.
3gThe eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4hA gentle1 tongue is ia tree of life,
but jperverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5kA fool ldespises his father's instruction,
but mwhoever heeds reproof is prudent.
6In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7nThe lips of the wise spread knowledge;
8oThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but pthe prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him qwho pursues righteousness.
10There is rsevere discipline for him who forsakes the way;
swhoever hates reproof will die.
11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
how much more tthe hearts of the children of man!
12uA scoffer vdoes not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13wA glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by xsorrow of heart the spirit is ycrushed.
14zThe heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but athe cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16bBetter is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17cBetter is a dinner of herbs where love is
than da fattened ox and hatred with it.
18eA hot-tempered man fstirs up strife,
but he who is gslow to anger quiets contention.
19The way of ha sluggard is like a hedge of ithorns,
but the path of the upright is ja level highway.
20kA wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21lFolly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding mwalks straight ahead.
22nWithout counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and oa word in season, how good it is!
24The path of life leads upward pfor the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25The Lord tears down the house of qthe proud
but rmaintains sthe widow's boundaries.
26tThe thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but ugracious words are pure.
27Whoever is vgreedy for unjust gain wtroubles his own household,
but he who hates xbribes will live.
28The heart of the righteous yponders how to answer,
but zthe mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29The Lord is afar from the wicked,
but he bhears the prayer of the righteous.
30cThe light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and dgood news refreshes3 the bones.
31eThe ear that listens to flife-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32Whoever gignores instruction hdespises himself,
but he who listens to reproof igains intelligence.
33jThe fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and khumility comes before honor.
Christ's Example of Humility
1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from flove, any gparticipation in the Spirit, any haffection and sympathy, 2icomplete my joy by being jof the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from kselfish ambition or lconceit, but in mhumility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you nlook not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5oHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6pwho, though he was in qthe form of God, did not count equality with God ra thing to be grasped,2 7but semptied himself, by taking the form of a tservant,3 ubeing born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by vbecoming obedient to the point of death, weven death on a cross. 9xTherefore yGod has zhighly exalted him and bestowed on him athe name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus bevery knee should bow, cin heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and devery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is eLord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12Therefore, my beloved, fas you have always gobeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for hit is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ihis good pleasure.
14Do all things jwithout grumbling or kdisputing, 15that you may be blameless and innocent, lchildren of God mwithout blemish nin the midst of oa crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine pas lights in the world, 16holding fast to qthe word of life, so that in rthe day of Christ sI may be proud that tI did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17Even if I am to be upoured out as a drink offering upon vthe sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19I hope in the Lord Jesus wto send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20For I have no one xlike him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21For they all yseek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know Timothy's4 zproven worth, how aas a son5 with a father bhe has served with me in the gospel. 23I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24and cI trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
25I have thought it necessary to send to you dEpaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and efellow soldier, and your messenger and fminister to my need, 26for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29So greceive him in the Lord with all joy, and hhonor such men, 30for he nearly died6 ifor the work of Christ, risking his life jto complete what was lacking in your service to me.
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