Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
Audio PlayerSimple acts of kindness can be a powerful way to point others to Jesus. But anyone can act nice—so what distinguishes Christian kindness? Learn how to discern supernatural goodness when you listen to Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.
From the Sermon
Kindness and Goodness
Galatians 5:22 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 41:31 • ID: 3184
Audio PlayerFor the Sake of the Gospel
Follow Paul through Acts and he leaves you breathless. He’s constantly on the move, going from place to place. One moment he’s stitching tents together, then he’s bringing Eutychus back to life, and then he survives a snakebite and heals the sick on Malta. It’s almost as if you can’t imagine ever being able to keep up with him.
Surely the worst thing that could ever happen to someone like Paul is to be stuck in one house for two years. But at the conclusion of Acts, that’s exactly how we find him (Acts 28:30-31).
You can just imagine the devil’s response to Paul’s imprisonment: Now I’ve shut him down! That’ll get rid of him. He won’t be able to go anywhere for a long while. He’ll just shrivel up and die a prisoner. Not a chance! It was during Paul’s imprisonment that he penned some of his most noteworthy letters under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—letters that God is still using to transform lives 2,000 years later. And, remarkably, the gospel advanced not only despite Paul’s chains but because of them.
Paul was likely very different from other prisoners. The soldiers who guarded him would have probably said to one another, He is the most remarkable person we’ve ever had. We’re used to people constantly cussing, screaming, agitating, and complaining. But this Paul has joy and purpose, and he just preaches!
As a result of Paul’s daily ministry among these soldiers, word began to spread throughout the entire palace guard: The reason this guy is a prisoner is because of Jesus. They got the point: He’s chained to us, he says, because he’s chained to this man Jesus Christ. And it appears that some of these guards not only heard the gospel but responded to it. As they were then redeployed throughout the Roman Empire, arriving at their new posts as new men, the gospel would advance to different places through them. And so Paul’s imprisonment, which at first appeared to be diametrically opposed to the spread of the gospel, actually proved to be essential to it.
You do not need to be a prisoner, a missionary, or an apostle to be used by God in spreading the gospel, nor do you need to wait for all the circumstances in your life to line up just as you want them to before you talk about Jesus. Whether you are in prison, a hospital, an office, a field, or wherever, and whether you realize it or not, you are never far from someone who needs to hear the amazing story of God’s grace. What are the situations you face that you naturally see as obstacles to sharing the gospel, and how might they in fact be opportunities? Who are the lost and longing people that God has placed in your life today? They need your God. And they might only meet Him through your loving boldness.
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?
The Advance of the Gospel
12I want you to know, brothers,5 that what has happened to me has really xserved to advance the gospel, 13so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard6 and yto all the rest that zmy imprisonment is for Christ. 14And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold ato speak the word7 without fear.
15bSome indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16The latter do it out of love, cknowing that I am put here for dthe defense of the gospel. 17The former proclaim Christ eout of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
To Live Is Christ
Yes, and I will rejoice,
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.
God’s Children Now
See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us.” Consider who we were and what we feel ourselves to be even now when corruption is at work within us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called God’s children. What a high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his father, and what love the father feels toward the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ.
As for the temporary drawback of suffering with the elder brother, this we accept as an honor: “The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” We are content to be unknown with Him in His humiliation, for we are to be exalted with Him.
“Beloved, we are God’s children now.” That is easy to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled underfoot? Does your faith almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith in Christ.
With all these things against us, now—in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be—now, as much in the valley as on the mountain, “Beloved, we are God’s children now.” “Ah, but,” you say, “look at my condition! My graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory.” But read the next: “What we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him.” The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, and then we shall see Him as He is.
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 February 13
Joseph Brings His Family to Egypt
1So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to gBeersheba, and offered sacrifices hto the God of his father Isaac. 2And God spoke to Israel iin visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3Then he said, “I am God, jthe God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will kmake you into a great nation. 4I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also lbring you up again, and mJoseph's hand shall close your eyes.”
5Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons nthat Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and ocame into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
8pNow qthese are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. rReuben, Jacob's firstborn, 9and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The sons of sLevi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The sons of tJudah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but uEr and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of vPerez were Hezron and Hamul. 13wThe sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These are the sons of Leah, xwhom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.
16The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17yThe sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18zThese are the sons of Zilpah, awhom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons.
19The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20And bto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of cOn, bore to him. 21And dthe sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.
23The son1 of Dan: Hushim. 24eThe sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25fThese are the sons of Bilhah, gwhom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all.
26All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all. 27And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. hAll the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
Jacob and Joseph Reunited
28He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came iinto the land of Goshen. 29Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and jfell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. 30Israel said to Joseph, k“Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, l“I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32mAnd the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33When Pharaoh calls you and says, m‘What is your occupation?’ 34you shall say, m‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock nfrom our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell oin the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is pan abomination to the Egyptians.”
The Resurrection
1uvWhen the Sabbath was past, wMary Magdalene, wMary the mother of James, and iSalome xbought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away ythe stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—zit was very large. 5And aentering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, bdressed in ca white robe, and dthey were alarmed. 6And he said to them, d“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that ehe is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, ejust as he told you.” 8And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]1
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
9[[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, fhe appeared first to gMary Magdalene, gfrom whom he had cast out seven demons. 10hShe went and told those who had been with him, ias they jmourned and wept. 11But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they kwould not believe it.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
12lAfter these things mhe appeared in nanother form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13oAnd they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
The Great Commission
14Afterward mhe appeared pto the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their qunbelief and rhardness of heart, because sthey had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15And he said to them, t“Go into all the world and uproclaim the gospel to vthe whole creation. 16wWhoever believes and is xbaptized ywill be saved, but zwhoever wdoes not believe will be condemned. 17And athese signs will accompany those who believe: bin my name they will cast out demons; cthey will speak in new tongues; 18dthey will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; ethey will lay their hands fon the sick, and they will recover.”
19So then the Lord Jesus, gafter he had spoken to them, hwas taken up into heaven and isat down at the right hand of God. 20And they went out and preached everywhere, while jthe Lord worked with them and confirmed kthe message lby accompanying signs.]]
Job Replies: The Lord Has Done This
1Then Job answered and said:
2“No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
3But I have bunderstanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know csuch things as these?
4I am da laughingstock to my friends;
I, who ecalled to God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
5In the thought of one who is fat ease there is contempt for misfortune;
it is ready for those whose feet slip.
6gThe tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hand.1
7“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
8or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;2
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9Who among all these does not know
that hthe hand of the Lord has done this?
10In ihis hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
11Does not jthe ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
12Wisdom is with kthe aged,
and understanding in length of days.
13l“With God3 are wisdom and might;
he has counsel and understanding.
14If he tears down, none can rebuild;
if he mshuts a man in, none can open.
15If he nwithholds the waters, they dry up;
if he osends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16With him are strength and psound wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17He leads qcounselors away stripped,
and rjudges he makes fools.
18He slooses the bonds of kings
and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
19He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows the mighty.
20He deprives of speech those who are trusted
tand takes away the discernment of the elders.
21He upours contempt on princes
and loosens the belt of the strong.
22He vuncovers the deeps out of darkness
and brings wdeep darkness to light.
23He xmakes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and yleads them away.
24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
and zmakes them wander in a trackless waste.
25They agrope in the dark without light,
and he makes them bstagger like a drunken man.
Personal Greetings
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant1 of the church at pCenchreae, 2that you qmay welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.
3Greet rPrisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5Greet also sthe church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was tthe first convert2 to Christ in Asia. 6Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia,3 my kinsmen and my ufellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,4 and they were in Christ before me. 8Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those vwho belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers5 who are with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16wGreet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Final Instructions and Greetings
17I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles xcontrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; yavoid them. 18For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ztheir own appetites,6 and aby smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19For byour obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you cto be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20dThe God of peace ewill soon crush Satan under your feet. fThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21gTimothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22I Tertius, hwho wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23iGaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.7
Doxology
25jNow to him who is able to strengthen you kaccording to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, laccording to the revelation of the mystery mthat was kept secret for nlong ages 26but ohas now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, pto bring about the obedience of faith— 27to qthe only wise God rbe glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
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