ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 18, 2012)

Many Herods

1 Timothy 6:11-16

They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings - and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
(REVELATION 17:14)

By the world's standards, Herod the Great was impressive. Tourists traveled long distances to see the Second Temple he built in Jerusalem - one of the wonders of the ancient world. Herod's family also built temples dedicated to Roman gods, like the one to Pan in Caesarea Philippi near Mount Hermon and the Disneyland-style Caesarea on the Mediterranean. Yet, this mad king did whatever it took to hold onto power, including issuing a mass killing of male children just in case the king of the Jews - a threat to his reign - had been born among them.

Herod the Great's son, another of many Herods, built a splendid palace and city called Tiberius on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Sound carries across water there. Perhaps Jesus heard the noises of the parties from that palace. Jesus and this Herod finally met in Jerusalem where he mocked the King of kings and then dismissed Him as if He were nobody, sending Him, ultimately, to His crucifixion. Imagine! Herod was a part of God's salvation plan for the world.
INSIGHT
ONE DAY ALL PEOPLE WILL KNEEL BEFORE THE CHRIST AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE IS LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 10-11
Psalm 66
John 7

1 Timothy 6:11-16

New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul’s Final Instructions

¹¹ But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. ¹³ And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. ¹⁵ For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. ¹⁶ He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO YOURSELF [PART 4]
with Milton Vincent

The Apostle Paul tells us that the Christian life is all about joy. But how can we know this joy that Paul speaks of? When our souls are downcast, we put our hope in Christ - our savior and our God.