Daily Devotional For Thursday, May 15, 2025
Good morning Southside. It is Thursday and it’s an awesome day to be in the Lord. We live in some strange times. It is almost as if we are back in the 1940s with Hitler and the Nazis with all the anti-semetism today on college campuses. This is what happens with a generation that is not raised in church and is brainwashed with false ideologies from liberal professors on our college campuses. The Jews were chosen by God; they did not choose Him. He chose them. This is the point of Deuteronomy 7:6, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (NASB).
I don’t believe we can properly understand the Bible and its implications if we don’t understand the role of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. Without that knowledge, large sections will remain a mystery or be misinterpreted. I think the first step is to recognize that the Jewish people were chosen by God for His purposes. And our understanding of God’s character is derived from how He interacted with them in the Bible.
Through them, He showed us His glory, His ways, and His instructions for a holy life. There is no one else like them in history. To be clear, the Jewish people aren’t perfect. Any expression of ungodliness you can find in the United States, you can find in Israel. But the Bible says this in Genesis 12:3, “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (NASB). God established a law of retribution against anyone who harms or curses His chosen people. The Canaanites who persecuted and warred against God’s chosen people no longer exist today, but Israel does.
Israel was to be a blessing to the world, but sadly due to her own disobedience she never rose to that occasion. God said through the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that the world would be blessed. In some way that did happen. It was in that “seed” the Messiah Jesus came. It is He who is titled the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). Without the Jewish people, there would be no salvation. Every spiritual blessing—our entire spiritual inheritance—we owe to Jewish people.
Paul talks about this in Galatians 3:8-9, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the nations will be blessed in you.’ (9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer” (NASB). This means that 4,000 years ago the Gospel was shared with Abraham. That Gospel presented to Abraham is now the church’s responsibility to share. It’s every believer, every follower and every disciple of Christ's responsibility.
Psalm 117 says this: Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! (2) For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!” (NASB). Israel never rose to be God’s witness to the world, will you? God called Abram from Ur of the Chaldees. This was a very pagan, polytheistic and sexually immoral culture. Abram did not have to accept God’s call, but he did and we are the beneficiaries today of that choice. Who in the future is going to be the beneficiary of the choices you make to obey the Lord and heed His call on your life?With Israel so frequently in the news, it’s important to have a biblical perspective. Understanding why Israel matters and why the Jewish people have a unique place in God’s agenda and purposes enables us to pray in cooperation with Him to see those purposes emerge in the earth. This is why we must help others see and understand this.
Assignment: Today, what is God calling you to do? Do it for His glory and the blessing of others. Do not put it off. Do not procrastinate any longer. Do it today. Begin today. If you say you do not know, then it is possible you do not know the Lord. If you do have a personal and intimate relationship with Him, ask Him. He will tell you just like He told Abraham.
Scripture To Meditate On: Acts 3:25-26, “You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ (26) When God raised up His servant, Jesus, He sent Him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to us and for the legacy of the Jewish people. Thank You for showing us who You are. Help me to better understand the role of the Jewish people in Your purposes in the Earth. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and wisdom for those who are leading the nation of Israel. In Jesus' name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly