Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: daily devotional

Seen By Angels, Part 4

Faith

‘And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.’
I Timothy 3:16

Angels have an attentive role in the ministry of Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:16 stresses the fact that the ministry of Jesus was seen by angels and here are some of the ways.

  • They predicted the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:30-33),
  • They were present at His birth (Luke 2:13-14),
  • They warned of king Herod’s plot to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:19-20),
  • They ministered to Jesus after the temptation of the Devil (Matthew 4:11),
  • They ministered to Him in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43),
  • They rolled the stone away from His tomb (Matthew 28:2),
  • They announced His resurrection (Matthew 28:5-6),
  • They were present at His ascension (Acts 1:10),
  • They will be with Him at His Second Coming (Matthew 24:31),
  • They will separate the evil from righteous (Matthew 13:41,49).

The fact that angels have an important role in the ministry of Jesus is another testimony of His Deity. Just as they surround the throne of God and fill the presence of heaven, they also were around Jesus in His earthly ministry.

Today, angels surround us! They are ministering spirits sent to assist us in our life. Just as they were important to the ministry of Jesus so are they important to our life today. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (NLT)

Pray

Lord, I praise You in the presence of angels and in the presence of others. I make known to others Your great salvation. Help me to always know that I am protected by You.

Justified In The Spirit, Part 3

Faith, Salvation

‘And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.’
I Timothy 3:16

Did you ever think that 1 Timothy 3:16 could be so deep? Great is the mystery of godliness. These truths unpack such a powerful meaning into our lives.

Just as God was manifested in the flesh through the person of Jesus Christ, He was also justified in the Spirit. Not because He was sinful and then made righteous, but that He was declared to be justified by the Holy Spirit. There are two passages of Scripture that shed light upon this truth.

At Jesus’ baptism, Matthew tells us, ‘When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”’ Matthew 3:16-17

At the resurrection of Jesus, Luke records, ‘This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.’ Acts 2:32-33

Jesus was declared to be righteous and holy by the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity. He always was justified before the Father. He didn’t have to prove Himself righteous; He always was righteous. Therefore He rightly took our place on the cross and provided salvation to all who believe.

Pray

Lord, thank You for revealing the truth of the gospel to me and opening my eyes to Your great salvation plan. You alone are God and able to save. I pray that I may show the love of Christ in all that I say and do.

God In The Flesh, Part 2

Faith

‘And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.’
I Timothy 3:16

As we continue in our study of 1 Timothy 3:16, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten our souls of the importance of Jesus’ humanity; God was manifested in the flesh.

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And verse 14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

A firm essence of Christianity is believing that God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, came to earth in human flesh. He was fully God while simultaneously fully man. He is the God-Man.

Jesus laid aside His glory in heaven and took upon Himself mortal flesh so that He could become sin for us. Christ was perfect in every sense of the meaning. Perfect in completion and perfect in excellency.

Only those who believe that Christ was God manifested in the flesh can receive and fully understand the mystery of godliness in their life. The life of Christ is made manifest in the life of believers at the moment of salvation.

God wants to be with you and in every part of your life. Will you open the door to let Him in? Can you open your heart to receive His grace and mercy? Will you allow Him to come in to every area of your life?

Pray

Lord, I invite you into my life. I want You to be in every part of my life. Help me to lean on You for wisdom and understanding. Thank You for coming down from heaven to meet me right where I am.