devos from the hill

Monthly Archives: February 2014


by 1 Comment

The Certain End of the Great War

God will one day vanquish Satan, sin and death forever!
Lesson 15 from The HOPE Study Guide

Introduction

Our adversary, Satan, seeks to usurp God’s power and thwart God’s purposes in our lives. But the Bible is clear, Satan will not win his war against God. The last word belongs to God, and God alone. The HOPE says it like this:

Satan cannot defeat God, for God is all–powerful. And the day will come when Satan and all the demons will be thrown into the place of eternal torment God has prepared for them, a place called the lake of fire. But until then, Satan will do all he can to hurt God by attempting to destroy that which God loves.

– The HOPE, Chapter 2

Observe & Consider

The final book of the Bible tells us of a day when Satan will be cast into a lake of fire forever.1 In that same book we learn that after Satan is vanquished, God will “wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

What a day that will be! Do you long for it? Does a world without suffering, sorrow or death even seem possible to you? According to God, not only is it possible, it is certain. From your current vantage point, particularly if the place you’re in is filled with pain, it may be hard to even imagine such a day. But God sees what we cannot see. He has a different vantage point.

Consider this illustration. Tapestry is a form of textile art, where many threads are interlaced or woven on a loom. If you look at a finished tapestry from front side, it may depict a beautiful design or scene. But if you turn the canvas over to the backside, the yarns will often look completely chaotic. It may appear to have no resemblance at all to the image on the front side. The backside can be ugly. Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

Our Discontented Adversary

Satan was not content to fulfill God’s purpose. Are you?
Lesson 14 from The HOPE Study Guide

INTRODUCTION

Before Adam breathed his first breath, God had created a multitude of spirit beings called angels. These creatures were given great strength and intelligence to serve God, on earth and in a holy place called Heaven. One angel was given more power than the others. Known today as Satan, this angel was not content to fulfill the purpose for which he was created. He wanted to take God’s place. So Satan became God’s enemy, leading a great number of angels to rebel against God. And so it was that Satan was cast down from his position of privilege before God.

– The HOPE, Chapter 2

OBSERVE & CONSIDER

The Bible and The HOPE tell us that we have an adversary, a foe, an opponent in this life. He is known today as Satan. Not much Biblical narrative is given to the story of Satan’s creation and fall. However, enough passages do exist to piece together what God wants us to know about this fallen angel who challenged God.

Many Bible scholars draw upon Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-18 to learn of Satan’s fall. While these two passages are commonly understood as references to the kings of Babylon and Tyre, many believe they have a double meaning, referring also to Satan, the spiritual power behind those kings.1

These passages show that Satan was given much by God, yet he was not content to fulfill the purpose for which he was created. In his discontent, he rebelled – and when he did, he lost everything. In fact, Satan has become the most despised being in all of creation, and his end, as we shall soon see, is tragic and certain. He chose against God!

ASK & REFLECT

Do you understand the purpose for which you have been created? If so, are you content to fulfill it? Many people are not. Consider the following verses about your purposeful creation:

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:13-17).

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10). Continue reading →


by 1 Comment

Created to Love God and Be Loved by God

Where does your picture of God come from?
Lesson 13 from The HOPE Study Guide

INTRODUCTION

For man was created to love God and to be loved by God.

– The HOPE, Chapter 2

OBSERVE & CONSIDER

How we perceive a person inevitably influences the way we respond to that person. For instance, if you learned from a co-worker that your supervisor was very angry with you, how do you suppose you would feel to see him (or her) suddenly appear at the doorway of your office?

Or, if you were driving down the street and listening to some of your favorite music and you saw a police car approaching from behind with lights flashing, would you immediately look at your speedometer to make sure you were not breaking the law? If you’re like most people, you would.

In the same way, your perception of God will most likely determine your immediate response to Him. We saw the line above from The HOPE in an earlier lesson, but didn’t dwell on it then. But because this simple statement is so significant, let’s look at it again and delve more deeply into what it means to us. If this statement is true, then it becomes a foundation for every other truth we’ll consider in our study of God’s story through the HOPE. If it is not true, then you could hardly be blamed for abandoning this endeavor here and now. Continue reading →


by 1 Comment

Willing to Be Made Willing

Man’s role and God’s role.
Lesson 12 from The HOPE Study Guide

Introduction

Adam was given the freedom to choose, a freedom central to God’s purpose. For man was created to love God and to be loved by God. And love is not truly love without the freedom to choose love. So Adam had a choice, to taste the fruit, or not; a choice with a consequence, life or death.

– The HOPE, Chapter 2

Observe & Consider

From the moment God told Adam not to taste of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam was confronted with a choice. Much has been written on the seemingly great tension between the ideas of God’s sovereignty (or control) over this world and man’s responsibility (or freedom) to make choices.1

Some say that God determines the destiny of every person; others say that man is a free moral agent who by his own choices determines his destiny. The fact is that both ideas seem to be taught in the Bible. For example, in Joshua 24:15 Joshua exhorts the Hebrew people: “…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve …as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
And, in John 15:16, Jesus says to His closest friends and followers, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain…”

This study guide is not meant to exhaustively examine and resolve the tension between God’s control and man’s choice. That theological argument lies beyond our scope. However, it may be helpful for you to reflect upon the following thought from those who have prepared this material. Continue reading →