Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
Resisting authority seems to be part of our nature from birth—so it’s no surprise that many consider God’s commands controlling and restricting. But listen to Truth For Life as Alistair Begg explains how God’s laws actually reveal His love and goodness.
From the Sermon
The Goodness of God — Part Two
Nehemiah 9:6–15 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 22:50 • ID: 1740
Gospel ABC
Has your church ever done a community outreach event? Perhaps you’ve been part of one of these that has offered people free food, along with games for children and a chance to bounce around on inflatables. That’s all wonderful. We certainly want people in our neighborhoods to know we are friendly, perhaps even likable. But, quite frankly, any group of people—believers or not—can put on an event like that.
We must want more for our friends and neighbors than that. We must long for them to have an encounter with the risen Jesus and to find life in Him.
The best reason for a church to convene a community day, then, is the same reason for it to convene any gathering: so that men, women, and children might have a direct encounter with the living God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, we want unbelieving people around us to become committed followers of Jesus.
One way to conceive of sharing the good news is by reciting the ABCs of the gospel:
A – Admit: We all have something to admit. We have sinned, every last one of us. We have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And though “the wages of sin is death, … the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (6:23). Unless we admit our need, we will never know the remedy.
B – Believe: There is something to believe. Jesus Christ died in the place of sinners like us. The good news of the gospel is not about what we’re able to do in order to make ourselves acceptable to God; it is the wonder of what God has already done in Jesus. The message is that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We must believe it.
C – Come: We must come to Jesus. We can have a sense of our sinfulness and even know that Christ died in our place, but unless we entrust ourselves to Him, we remain lost. Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, emphasis added).
Sometimes people get stuck between B and C and, despite knowing they’re sinners and understanding the gospel, have never actually come to the Lord Jesus. It is worth checking that this does not describe you. If it does, it’s appropriate to ask, What are you waiting for? The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” When you sense pangs and longings in your soul that nothing else seems to satisfy, then come to Jesus. Full and everlasting satisfaction awaits.
If you have come to Jesus and found life in Him, then do not keep quiet about Him. The “bread of life” is for offering around! So by all means let us and our churches show gospel kindness in our acts of love. But we are called to do more, too: to share gospel truth in what we say. To whom will you offer the “bread of life” this week?
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?
53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of jthe Son of Man and drink his blood, you khave no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood lhas eternal life, and mI will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood nabides in me, and I in him. 57As othe living Father psent me, and qI live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58rThis is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread3 the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59Jesus4 said these things in the synagogue, as he taught sat Capernaum.
The Words of Eternal Life
60tWhen many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, vknowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62Then what if you were to see wthe Son of Man xascending to ywhere he was before? 63zIt is the Spirit who gives life; athe flesh is no help at all. bThe words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But cthere are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus vknew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and dwho it was who would betray him.) 65And he said, “This is why I told you ethat no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66fAfter this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67So Jesus said to gthe twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have hthe words of eternal life, 69and iwe have believed, and have come to know, that jyou are kthe Holy One of God.”
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.
Unaffected by Change
For I the Lord do not change.
It is just as well for us that in all the variableness of life there is One whom change cannot affect, One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow inconsistency can make no furrows.
All other things have changed—all things are changing. The sun grows dim with age; the world is growing old; the final chapter of the worn-out vesture has begun; the heavens and earth must soon pass away; they will perish—they shall grow old like a garment. But there is One who only has immortality, of whose years there is no end, and in whose person there is no change.
The delight that the sailor feels when, having been tossed about on the waves, he steps again upon the solid shore is the satisfaction of a Christian when, in all the changes of this distressing life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth—“I the LORD do not change.”
The stability that the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a solid hold is like that which the Christian’s hope provides him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “there is no variation or shadow due to change.”1
Whatever His attributes were in the past, they are now; His power, His wisdom, His justice, His truth are unchanged. He has forever been the refuge of His people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and He is still their sure Helper.
He is unchanged in His love. He has loved His people with “an everlasting love”;2 He loves them now as much as ever He did, and when the creation itself is set free from its bondage to decay, His love will still endure.
Precious is the assurance that He does not change! The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love.
Death and change are busy ever,
Man decays, and ages move;
But His mercy waneth never;
God is wisdom, God is love.
1) James 1:17
2) Jeremiah 31:3
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 November 2
Azariah Reigns in Judah
1vIn the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, wAzariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 2He was xsixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 3And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 4yNevertheless, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. 5zAnd the Lord touched the king, so that he was a leper1 to the day of his death, aand he lived in a separate house.2 And Jotham the king's son was over the household, governing the people of the land. 6Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 7And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers bin the city of David, and Jotham his son reigned in his place.
Zechariah Reigns in Israel
8In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. 9And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, cwhich he made Israel to sin. 10Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and dstruck him down at Ibleam and put him to death and reigned in his place. 11Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 12(This was ethe promise of the Lord that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it came to pass.)
Shallum Reigns in Israel
13Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of fUzziah3 king of Judah, and he reigned one month in gSamaria. 14Then Menahem the son of Gadi came up from hTirzah and came to Samaria, and he struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place. 15Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, and the conspiracy that he made, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 16At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, iand he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant.
Menahem Reigns in Israel
17In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria. 18And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 19jPul4 the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave jPul a thousand talents5 of silver, that he might help him kto confirm his hold on the royal power. 20Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels6 of silver from every man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land. 21Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 22And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.
Pekahiah Reigns in Israel
23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, cwhich he made Israel to sin. 25And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him with fifty men of the people of Gilead, and struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the king's house with Argob and Arieh; he put him to death and reigned in his place. 26Now the rest of the deeds of Pekahiah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Pekah Reigns in Israel
27In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. 28And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, lwhich he made Israel to sin.
29In the days of Pekah king of Israel, mTiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured nIjon, oAbel-beth-maacah, Janoah, pKedesh, qHazor, Gilead, and rGalilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria. 30Then Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah and struck him down and put him to death and reigned in his place, sin the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. 31Now the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Jotham Reigns in Judah
32In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33He was ttwenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, uaccording to all that his father Uzziah had done. 35vNevertheless, the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built wthe upper gate of the house of the Lord. 36Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 37In those days the Lord began to send xRezin the king of Syria and xPekah the son of Remaliah against Judah. 38Jotham slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.
Greeting
1Paul, a servant1 of God and aan apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and btheir knowledge of the truth, cwhich accords with godliness, 2din hope of eternal life, which God, ewho never lies, fpromised gbefore the ages began2 3and hat the proper time manifested in his word3 ithrough the preaching jwith which I have been entrusted kby the command of God our Savior;
4To Titus, lmy true child in ma common faith:
nGrace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Qualifications for Elders
5oThis is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and pappoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6qif anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,4 and his children are believers5 and not open to the charge of rdebauchery or insubordination. 7For an overseer,6 sas God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not tbe arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent uor greedy for gain, 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, vand disciplined. 9He must whold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in xsound7 doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10For there are many who are insubordinate, yempty talkers and deceivers, especially those of zthe circumcision party.8 11They must be silenced, since athey are upsetting whole families by teaching bfor shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12cOne of the Cretans,9 a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”10 13This testimony is true. Therefore drebuke them esharply, that they fmay be sound in the faith, 14gnot devoting themselves to Jewish myths and hthe commands of people iwho turn away from the truth. 15jTo the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and kunbelieving, nothing is pure; but both ltheir minds and their consciences are defiled. 16mThey profess to know God, but they ndeny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, ounfit for any good work.
Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind
1Set ethe trumpet to your lips!
One flike a vulture is over the house of the Lord,
because gthey have transgressed my covenant
and rebelled against my law.
2To me they cry,
h“My God, we—Israel—know you.”
3Israel has spurned the good;
the enemy shall pursue him.
4iThey made kings, jbut not through me.
They set up princes, but I knew it not.
With their silver and gold they made idols
for their own destruction.
5kI have1 spurned your calf, O Samaria.
My anger burns against them.
lHow long will they be incapable of innocence?
6For it is from Israel;
a craftsman made it;
it is not God.
kThe calf of Samaria
7For nthey sow the wind,
and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain has no heads;
it shall yield no flour;
if it were to yield,
ostrangers would devour it.
8pIsrael is swallowed up;
already they are among the nations
as qa useless vessel.
9For rthey have gone up to Assyria,
sa wild donkey wandering alone;
Ephraim has hired lovers.
10Though they hire allies among the nations,
I will soon gather them up.
And tthe king and princes ushall soon writhe
because of the tribute.
11Because Ephraim vhas multiplied altars for sinning,
they have become to him altars for sinning.
12wWere I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands,
they would be regarded as a strange thing.
13As for my sacrificial offerings,
xthey sacrifice meat and eat it,
but the Lord does not accept them.
yNow he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins;
zthey shall return to Egypt.
14For aIsrael has forgotten bhis Maker
and cbuilt palaces,
and aJudah has multiplied fortified cities;
so dI will send a fire upon his cities,
and it shall devour her strongholds.
Psalm 123
Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God
A Song of mAscents.
1To you I qlift up my eyes,
O you who are renthroned in the heavens!
2Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3sHave mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of tcontempt.
4Our soul has had more than enough
of uthe scorn of vthose who are at ease,
of the contempt of wthe proud.
Psalm 124
Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord
A Song of mAscents. Of David.
1xIf it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
ylet Israel now say—
2if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3then they would have zswallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4then athe flood would have bswept us away,
the torrent would have gone cover us;
5then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7We have escaped like a bird
from dthe snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8eOur help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 125
The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of mAscents.
1Those who ftrust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which gcannot be moved, but abides forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so hthe Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3For ithe scepter of wickedness shall not jrest
on kthe land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous lstretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4mDo good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are nupright in their hearts!
5But those who oturn aside to their pcrooked ways
the Lord will lead away with qevildoers!
rPeace be upon Israel!
Get the Program, Devotional, and Bible Reading Plan delivered daily right to your inbox.