John MacArthur Publishing Group

Today’s Devotional: “Proper and Hope-Filled Conduct” Peter has laid out for us a powerful description of our living hope—it is a hope that has transformed our lives, that anticipates an incorruptible inheritance, and that provides joy in trials. Because of the nature of this hope, we are to fix our hope on the grace that comes at Christ’s return (1 Pet 1:13). But what does fixing our hope on future grace look like? Tracing this out through the word 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁, Peter declared that we are to be holy “in all [our] 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁” (1:15). Since our hope reminds us that there is more than this world, we ought to be holy as God is holy (1:16). Our lives should be characterized by utmost purity. Peter furthermore urged us to “𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 [ourselves] in fear during the time of [our] sojourn” (1:17). Holy 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 leads to worshiping God with a reverent fear of Him. But the foundation of our holy 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 is the fact that we were redeemed from our “futile 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁” with the precious blood of Christ (1:18–19). Because our old 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 was wicked, we were delivered from our former way of life. Since we have undergone this transformation, our everyday 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 must correspond to this spiritual reality. Our external 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 must reflect our transformed internal state.

Is the doctrine of election unfair? John MacArthur explains the biblical answer in his book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦.

Do you understand Daniel’s 70-weeks prophecy? “Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.” (Daniel 9:24) Learn every detail of this amazing prophecy about Christ—“Messiah the Prince” (Dan 9:25)—with John MacArthur’s book 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 (link below).

Today’s Devotional: “Who Really Is in Command?” After seventy years of Babylonian exile, God brought Israel back to their land. As they settled in Judah and strived to rebuild the temple, they faced fierce opposition. But despite their enemies’ attempts to thwart their progress, God continued to provide for them so that they could complete the temple. As Ezra recounted their work, he explained that the Israelites succeeded “according to the 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲 of the God of Israel and the 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲 of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia” (Ezra 6:14). From a human perspective, the rebuilding of the temple and the city of Jerusalem involved the authority of multiple kings and their legal edicts. However, in reality, the reason Israel succeeded was on account of the 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲 of the God of Israel. The 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 of these kings were subordinate to the sovereign 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲 of the one true God. Ezra revealed, in effect, that kings do not make 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 apart from God. God commands, and the kings follow suit (Prov 21:1). God is the ultimate decision maker and ruler. The reason anyone succeeds or fails in life is ultimately not due to worldly circumstances but due to the sovereign will of God. On account of this glorious truth, we need to worship God for every blessing we enjoy and appeal to Him for every trial we endure.

“There is no voice which has ever been heard, neither in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime than the prayer offered up by the Son of God Himself.” — Philipp Melanchthon

Now Available! Make much of Christ this coming Christmas season as you meditate on what Scripture reveals about Him. This new Christmas devotional from Abner Chou includes 25 daily readings for December that expound the wonder of messianic prophecies and the Gospel accounts of Christ’s birth. Each devotion closes with discussion questions to guide personal or family worship this coming Christmas season. Link and book description below.

“The main point [in Philippians 2:5–11] is not to identify Jesus in His saving work, but to identify Jesus as a model of humility—a model of self-denying, self-giving, humble love.” — John MacArthur

Today’s Devotional: “Recognize and Repent” God is always at work, and in orchestrating all of life, He ensures that our sin will find us out (Num 32:23). He ordains that what we sow, we will reap (Gal 6:7) so that we would confess our sin and draw near to Him. When Jacob’s sons deceived their father with Joseph’s bloodied garment, the brothers asked him whether he 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 his son’s coat (Gen 37:32). In deceiving their father, the brothers committed an act against their father Jacob which was similar to an act Jacob had committed earlier against his father Isaac. Jacob had worn hairy goat skins and Esau’s garments so that his father Isaac could not 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 him (27:23). In due time, God brought this sin back on Jacob’s head as his sons did to him what he had done to his father. But just as God disciplined Jacob, so He also disciplined Jacob’s sons. When Joseph’s brothers stood before Joseph in Egypt, in desperate need of food, they did not 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 Joseph, but he 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 them (42:8). Humbled by their helpless circumstances before the Egyptian ruler, they were ultimately reminded of their sin, so they exclaimed: “Surely we are guilty concerning our brother” (42:21–28). In His providence, God sometimes brings about situations to confront us of our sin and to call us to repentance. The story of Joseph demonstrates that God is sovereign and that He works all things out for good (50:20). In His grace, God executes His ultimate plan to refine us so that we repent of our sin and follow Him. That is the supremacy of God’s providence.