MORNING JANUARY 1
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This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Father, I will that they ... whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me. — I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. — He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. — Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus.
Php. 3:13,14. John 17:24. -II Tim. 1:12. -Php. 1:6. I Cor. 9:24,25. - Heb. 12:1,2.
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EVENING JANUARY 1
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The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee.
If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. — O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord uphold-eth him with his hand.
I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. — I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
DEUT. 31:8. Exo. 33:15. -Jer. 10:23. Psa. 37:23,24. Psa. 73:23,24. - Rom. 8:38,39.
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MORNING JANUARY 2
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Sing unto the Lord a new song.
Sing aloud unto God our strength; make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. — He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. — The joy of the Lord is your strength. — Paul ... thanked God, and took courage.
Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
ISA. 42:10. Psa. 81:1,2. -Psa. 40:3. Josh. 1:9. -Neh. 8:10. -Acts 28:15. Rom. 13:11-14.
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EVENING JANUARY 2
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Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: ... and thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: ... and when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.
[Jesus] is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. — The smoke of the in-cense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Pray without ceasing.
PSA. 141:2. Exo. 30:1,6-8. Heb. 7:25. -Rev. 8:4. I Pet. 2:5. I Thes. 5:17.
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MORNING JANUARY 3
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He led them forth by the right way.
He found [Jacob] in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him. — Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. — For this GOD is our GOD for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Who teacheth like him?
PSA. 107:7. Deut. 32:10-12. -Isa. 46:4. Psa. 23:3,4. Isa. 58:11. -Psa. 48:14. Job 36:22.
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EVENING JANUARY 3
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What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee ... Lord, that I may receive my sight.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scrip-tures. — The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, ... shall teach you all things. — Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, ... give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, accord-ng to the working of his mighty power.
LUKE 18:41. Psa. 119:18. Luke 24:45. -John 14:26. -John 1:17. Eph. 1:17-19.
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MORNING JANUARY 4
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Ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you.
This is not your rest. — There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. — Within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. — With Christ; which is far better.
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. — There the wicked cease from troubling: and there the weary be at rest.
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. — Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
DEUT. 12:9. -Mic. 2:10. -Heb. 4:9. -Heb. 6:19,20. John 14:2,3. -Php. 1:23. Rev. 21:4. -Job 3:17. Matt. 6:20,21. -Col. 3:2.
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EVENING JANUARY 4
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O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin. — But now once in the end of the world hath he ap-peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: hence-forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.
I COR. 15:55. I Cor. 15:56. -Heb. 9:26-28. Heb. 2:14,15. II Tim. 4:6-8.
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MORNING JANUARY 5
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We which have believed do enter into rest.
They weary themselves to commit iniquity. — I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. — Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works. — Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. — This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing.
HEB. 4:3. Jer. 9:5. -Rom. 7:23,24. Matt. 11:28. -Rom. 5:1,2. Heb. 4:10. -Php. 3:9. -Isa. 28:12.
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EVENING JANUARY 5
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Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? — They provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
A whisperer separateth chief friends. — There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. — The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Put off ... anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds. — This is the will of God, even your sanctiflcation. — In their mouth was found no guile.
PSA. 141:3. Psa. 130:3. -Psa. 106:33. Matt. 15.11. Prov. 16:28. -Prov. 12:18,19. -Jas. 3:8,10. Col. 3:8,9. -I Thes. 4:3. -Rev. 14:5.
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MORNING JANUARY 6
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Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands..
Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. — We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. — The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon us.
Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. — Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. — Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
PSA. 90:17. Ezek. 16:14. -II Cor.3:18. -I Pet. 4:14. Psa. 128:1,2. -Prov. 16:3. Php. 2:12,13. -II Thes. 2:16,17.
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EVENING JANUARY 6
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The apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things they had done.
There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. — The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. — Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.
Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have re-ceived the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. — The prayer of the upright is his delight.
MARK 6:30. Prov. 18:24. -Exo. 33:11. -John 15:14,15. Luke 17:10. Rom. 8:15. Php. 4:6. -Prov. 15:8.
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MORNING JANUARY 7
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Think upon me, my God, for good.
Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness. — I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. — I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you. — For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. — I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number. — Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbered.
NEH. 5:19. Jer. 2:2. -Ezek. 16:60. -Jer. 29:10. -Jer. 29:11. Isa. 55:9. -Job. 5:8,9. -Psa. 40:5.
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EVENING JANUARY 7
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I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. — God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
The Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him. — He will ever be mindful of his covenant.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
JOSH. 1:5. Josh. 21:45. -Num. 23:19. Deut. 7:9. -Psa. 1l1:5. Isa. 49:15,16. Zeph. 3:17.
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MORNING JANUARY 8
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They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. — I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. — For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints, they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. — The Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. — Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.
Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
PSA. 9:10. Prov. 18:10. -Isa. 12:2. Psa. 37:25. -Psa. 37:28. -I Sam. 12:22. -II Cor. 1:10. Heb. 13:5,6.
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EVENING JANUARY 8
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They are without fault before the throne of God..
The iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve. — Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
He hath made us accepted in the beloved. — To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
REV. 14:5. Jer. 50:20. -Mic. 7:18,19. Eph. 1:6. -Col. 1:22. Jude 24,25.
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MORNING JANUARY 9
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Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.
Jehovah Nissi (The Lord my banner). — When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. — The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. — We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. — Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. — The captain of our salvation.
My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. — Valiant for the truth. — Fight the Lord's battles. — Be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: fear ye not. — Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. — Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
PSA. 60:4. Exo. 17:15. -Isa. 59:19. Psa. 20:5. -Jer. 51:10. -Rom. 8:37. - I Cor. 15:57. -Heb. 2:10. Eph. 6:10. -Jer. 9:3. -I Sam. 18:17. -Hag. 2:4,5. -John 4:35. -Heb. 10:37.
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EVENING JANUARY 9
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One thing is needful.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. — O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.
I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Lord, evermore give us this bread. — Mary ... sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. — One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
LUKE 10:42. Psa. 4:6,7. Psa. 42:1,2. -Psa. 63:1. John 6:35,34. -Luke 10:39. -Psa. 27:4.
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MORNING JANUARY 10
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I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that be might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. — Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
The peace of God ... passeth all understanding. — Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body.
Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. — Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I THES. 5:23. Eph. 5:25,27. -Col. 1:28. Php. 4:7. -Col. 3:15. II Thes. 2:16,17. -I Cor. 1:8.
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EVENING JANUARY 10
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Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?
Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. — I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. — Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you. — Ye ... are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
The heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
2 Chr 6:18. Exo. 25:8. -Exo. 29:43,45. Psa. 68:18. II Cor. 6:16. -I Cor. 6:19. -Eph. 2:22. Ezek. 37:28.
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MORNING JANUARY 11
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Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion.
To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. — All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. — By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. — Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
PSA. 65:1. I Cor. 8:6. -John 5:23. -Heb. 13:15. -Psa. 50:23. Rev. 7:9,10,12.
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EVENING JANUARY 11
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Who redeemeth thy life from destruction.
Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. — I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.
As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. — When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.
PSA. 103:4. Jer. 50:34. -Hos. 13:14. Heb. 2:14,15. John 3:36. Col. 3:3,4. -II Thes. 1:10.
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MORNING JANUARY 12
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The only wise God our Saviour.
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. — Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory. — The mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known, by the church, the manifold wisdom of God.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. — The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
JUDE 25. I Cor. 1:30. -Job 11:7,8. I Cor. 2:7. -Eph. 3:9,10. Jas. 1:5. -Jas. 3:17.
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EVENING JANUARY 12
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When shall I arise, and the night be gone?
Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh.
Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. — He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds.
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you.
Let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. — Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
There shall be no night there.
JOB 7:4. Isa. 21:11,12. Heb. 10:37. -II Sam. 23:4. John 14:2,3,27,28. Judg. 5:31. -I Thes. 5:5. Rev. 21:25.
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MORNING JANUARY 13
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Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. — I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? — Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. — In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.
The effect of righteousness [shall be] quietness and assurance for ever. — Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. — Peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come.
ISA. 26:3. Psa. 55:22. -Isa. 12:2. Matt. 8:26. -Php. 4:6,7. -Isa. 30:15. Isa. 32:17. -John 14:27. -Rev. 1:4.
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EVENING JANUARY 13
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Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.
If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother ... Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. — When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. — Be ye kind one to another, ten-derhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
The apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
EPH. 4:26. Matt. 18:15,21,22. -Mark 11:25. Col. 3:12,13. -Eph. 4:32. Luke 17:5.
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MORNING JANUARY 14
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My Father is greater than I.
When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven. — My Father, and your Father; ... my God and your God. As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. — The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. — Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? — I and my Father are one. — As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's cornmandments, and abide in his love.
JOHN 14:28. Luke 11:2. -John 20:17. John 14:31. -John 14:10. John 3:35. -John 17:2. John 14:8-10. -John 10:30. -John 15:9,10.
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EVENING JANUARY 14
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[The woman's seed] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. — He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
This is your hour, and the power of darkness. — Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.
The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. — He cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. — In my name shall they cast out devils.
The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.
GEN. 3:15. Isa. 52:14. -Isa. 53:5. Luke 22:53. -John 19:11. I John 3:8. -Mark 1:34. Matt. 28:18. -Mark 16:17. Rom. 16:20.
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MORNING JANUARY 15
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My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
If ye ... be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For your life is hid with Christ in God. — Our conver-sation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. — Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. — Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
PSA. 119:25. Col. 3:1-3. -Php. 3:20,21. Gal. 5:17. -Rom. 8:12,13. -I Pet. 2:11.
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EVENING JANUARY 15
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The measure of faith.
Him that is weak in the faith. — Strong in faith, giving glory to God.
O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? — Great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.
Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord ... According to your faith be it unto you.
Lord, increase our faith. — Building up yourselves on your most holy faith. — Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith. — He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, ... is God. — The God of all grace ... after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
We ... that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. — Let us not ... judge one another ... but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
ROM. 12:3. Rom. 14:1. -Rom. 4:20. Matt. 14:31. -Matt. 15:28. Matt. 9:28,29. Luke 17:5. -Jude 20. -Col. 2:7. -II Cor. 1:21. -I Pet. 5:10. Rom. 15:1. -Rom. 14:13.
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MORNING JANUARY 16
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It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. — God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. — By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.
Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. — And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. — Of his fulness have all we received.
COL. 1:19. John 3:35. -Php. 2:9-11. -Eph. 1:21. -Col. 1:16. Rom. 14:9. -Col. 2:10. -Rom. 1:16.
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EVENING JANUARY 16
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Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. — That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. — He that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. — That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
REV. 1:19. II Pet. 1:21. -I John 1:3. Luke 24:39,40. -John 19:35. II Pet. 1:16. -I Cor. 2:5.
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MORNING JANUARY 17
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Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption.
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have com-passion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. — O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. — When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. — I waited patiently for the Lord. He brought me up ... out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.
ISA. 38:17. I John 4:9,10. Mic. 7:18,19. -Psa. 30:2,3. -Jon. 2:7. -Psa. 40:1,2.
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EVENING JANUARY 17
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The things which are.
Now we see through a glass, darkly. — Now we see not yet all things put under him.
We have ... a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. — Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. — The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
Little children, it is the last time. — The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
REV. 1:19. I Cor. 13:12. -Heb. 2:8. II Pet. 1:19. -Psa. 119:105. Jude 17,18. -I Tim. 4:1. I John 2:18. -Rom. 13:12.
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MORNING JANUARY 18
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Him that was to come.
Jesus ... made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, ... that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. — One died for all. — As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spint. — That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. — God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. — God ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person. — Thou hast given him power over all flesh.
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
ROM. 5:14. Heb. 2:9. -II Cor. 5:14. -Rom. 5:19. I Cor. 15:45. -I Cor. 15:46. -Gen. 1:26,27. -Heb. 1:1-3. -John 17:2. I Cor. 15:47,48.
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EVENING JANUARY 18
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Things which shall be hereafter.
As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. — The Spirit of truth ... will shew you things to come.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
REV. 1:19. I Cor. 2:9,10. -John 16:13. Rev. 1:7. I Thes. 4:13,14,16,17.
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MORNING JANUARY 19
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Serving the Lord with all humility of mind.
Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoso-ever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. — I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man, ... not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. — When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Our rejoicing is this, ... that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. — We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
ACTS 20:19. Matt. 20:26-28. Gal. 6:3. -Rom. 12:3. -Luke 17:10. II Cor. 1:12. -II Cor. 4:7.
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EVENING JANUARY 19
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We have turned every one to his own way.
Noah ... planted a vineyard: and he drank of the wine, and was drunken. — Abram ... said unto Sara his wife, ... Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake. — Isaac said unto Jacob, ... Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. — Moses ... spake unadvisedly with his lips. — The men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them. — David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
These all ... obtained a good report through faith. — Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. — The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways.
ISA. 53:6. Gen. 9:20,21. -Gen. 12:11,13. -Gen. 27:21,24. -Psa. 106:32,33. -Josh. 9:14,15. -I Kgs. 15:5. Heb. 11:39. - Rom. 3:24. -Isa. 53:8. Ezek. 36:32.
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MORNING JANUARY 20
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His name shall be called Wonderful.
The Word was made 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. — Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. — JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. — God ... hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. — Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet. — He had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself ... KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out. — What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
ISA. 9:6. John 1:14. -Psa. 138:2. Matt. 1:23. -Matt. 1:21. John 5:23. -Php. 2.9. -Eph. 1:21,22. -Rev. 19:12,16. Job 37:23. -Prov. 30:4.
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EVENING JANUARY 20
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The Lord's portion is his people.
Ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. — I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. — I am his. — The Son of God ... loved me, and gave himself for me.
Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. — The Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. — Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. — A spiritual house, an holy priesthood.
They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels. — All mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. — The glory of his inheritance in the saints.
DEUT. 32:9. I Cor. 3:23. -Song 7:10. -Song 2:16. -Gal. 2:20. I Cor. 6:19,20. -Deut. 4:20. I Cor. 3:9. -Heb. 3:6. -I Pet. 2:5. Mal. 3:17. -John 17:10. -Eph. 1:18.
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MORNING JANUARY 21
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Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it.
He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in right-eousness.
We glory in tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. — If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.
JOHN 15:2. Mal. 3:2,3. Rom. 5:3-5. -Heb. 12:7,8,11,12.
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EVENING JANUARY 21
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Now we call the proud happy.
Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. — Blessed are the poor in spirit for their's is the kingdom of heaven.
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, ... . — Every one that is proud of heart is an abomination to the Lord.
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. — Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
MAL. 3:15. Isa. 57:15. Prov. 16:19. -Matt. 5:3. Prov. 6:16,17. -Prov. 16:5. Psa. 139:23,24. Php. 1:2,3. -Matt. 5:5.
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MORNING JANUARY 22
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This God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. — The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. — Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. — Our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. — The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
PSA. 48:14. Isa. 25:1. -Psa. 16:5. Psa. 23:3,4. -Psa. 73:23-26. -Psa. 33:21. -Psa. 138:8.
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EVENING JANUARY 22
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In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me. — Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.
I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. — If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, ... and it shall be given him.
Who is sufficient for these things? — I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing. — My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee ... Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; ... when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
PSA. 94:19. Psa. 61:2. Isa. 38:14. -Psa. 55:22. I Kgs. 3:7. -Jas. 1:5. II Cor. 2:16. -Rom. 7:18. -II Cor. 12:9. Matt. 9:2,22. Psa. 63:5,6.
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MORNING JANUARY 23
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Hope maketh not ashamed.
I am the Lord: ... they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. — Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. — Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. — My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved. — I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed.
God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.
ROM. 5:5. Isa. 49:23. -Jer. 17:7. -Isa. 26:3,4. -Psa. 62:5,6. -II Tim. 1:12. Heb. 6:17-20.
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EVENING JANUARY 23
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The offence of the cross.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. — We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Whosoever believ-eth on him shall not be ashamed. — Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. — I am crucified with Christ. — They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affec-tions and lusts.
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.
GAL. 5:11. Matt. 16:24. Jas. 4:4. -Acts. 14:22. Rom. 9:33. -I Pet. 2:7,8. Gal. 6:1. -Gal. 2:20. -Gal. 5:24. II Tim 2:12.
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MORNING JANUARY 24
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The Lord is at hand.
The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. — He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly; Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. — Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Php. 4:5. I Thes. 4:16-18. -Rev. 22:20. II Pet. 3:14. -I Thes. 5:22-24. Jas. 5:8.
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EVENING JANUARY 24
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The choice vine.
My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, ... and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. — Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me.
The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, ... envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: ... but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, good-ness, faith, meekness, temperance.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purg-eth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you ... Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
GEN. 49:11. Isa. 5:1,2. -Jer. 2:21. Gal. 5:19,21-23. John 15:1,2,4,8.
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MORNING JANUARY 25
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The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.
He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. — Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. — Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. — Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
ROM. 3:22. II Cor. 5:21. -Gal. 3:13. -I Cor. 1:30. -Tit. 3:5,6. Php. 3:8,9.
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EVENING JANUARY 25
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The spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Jesus ... lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, ... Holy Father, ... O righteous Father. — He said, Abba, Father. — Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. — For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God.
Doubtless thou art our father, ... thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.
ROM. 8:15. John 17:1,11,25. -Mark. 14:36. -Gal. 4:6. -Eph. 2:18,19. Isa. 63:16. Luke 15:18-20. Eph. 5:1.
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MORNING JANUARY 26
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Let us go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. — As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. — Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
HEB. 13:13,14. I Pet. 4:12,13. -II Cor. 1:7. I Pet. 4:14. Acts 5:41. -Heb. 11:25,26.
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EVENING JANUARY 26
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The Lord Jesus Christ ... shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.
Upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. — It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. — They sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
Php. 3:20,21. Ezek. 1:26-28. II Cor. 3:18. -I John 3:2. Rev. 7:16. -Rev. 15:3.
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MORNING JANUARY 27
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Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: and in him is no sin.
God, ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. — He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold; ... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. — The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
I JOHN 3:5. Heb. 1:13. -II Cor. 5:21. I Pet. 1:17-20. -II Cor. 5:14,15.
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EVENING JANUARY 27
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I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin.
That servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. — He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him. — Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
DEUT. 30:19. Ezek. 18:32. John 15:22. Luke 12:47. Rom. 6:23. -John 3:36. -Rom.6:16. John 12:26.
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MORNING JANUARY 28
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As thy days, so shall thy strength be.
When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. — Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God. — He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. — I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. — O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
DEUT. 33:25. Matt. 13:11. -Matt. 6:34. Psa. 68:35. -Isa. 40:29. II Cor. 12:9,10. -Php. 4:13. -Judg. 5:21.
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EVENING JANUARY 28
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Awake, O north wind, and ... blow upon my garden, that the the spices thereof may flow out.
No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: never-theless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. — The fruit of the Spirit.
He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.
Though [Jesus] were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the the things which he suffered. — In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
SONG 4:16. Heb. 12:11. -Gal 5:22. Isa. 27:8. Psa. 103:13. II Cor. 4:16‑18. Heb. 5:8. ‑Heb. 4:15.
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MORNING JANUARY 29
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Thou God seest me.
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether ... Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. — The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. — God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. — The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
Jesus ... knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man. — Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.
GEN. 16:13. Psa. 139:1-4,6. Prov. 15:3. -Prov. 5:21. -Luke 16:15. -2 Chr 16:9. John 2:24,25. John 21:17.
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EVENING JANUARY 29
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I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me. — It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.
I beseech you, ... brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. — Jesus ... that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. — Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
PSA. 86:12. Psa. 50:23. -Psa. 92:1,2. Psa. 150:6. Rom. 12:1. -Heb. 13:12,15. -Eph. 5:20. Rev. 5:12.
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MORNING JANUARY 30
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Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. — Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. — Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness.
Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. — Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. — Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.
HEB. 12:1,2. Luke 9:23. -Luke 14:33. -Rom. 13:12. I Cor. 9:25,27. -Php. 3:13,14. -Hos. 6:3.
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EVENING JANUARY 30
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It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
We have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us; and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. — Humble yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
LAM. 3:27. Prov. 22:6. Heb. 12:9,10. Psa. 119:67,71. Jer. 29:11. -I Pet. 5:6.
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MORNING JANUARY 31
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If ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; ... those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
Fight the good fight of faith. — The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, ... and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. — I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. — We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
NUM. 33:55. I Tim. 6:12. -II Cor. 10:4,5. Rom. 8:12,13. Gal. 5:17. -Rom. 7:23. -Rom. 8:37.
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EVENING JANUARY 31
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If a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him?
If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world. — Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
I SAM. 2:25. I John 2:1,2. -Rom. 3:25,26. Job 33:24. Rom. 8:31,33,34.
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Comment on Morning January 01
Certainty of the final destination of our life is very important for Christian growth while on his pilgrim journey.
Concerning this important certainty, one common problem among Christians is when they fall into the horrible pit of sin and succumbed to the devil's lie that they are now no more worthy to be saved. They become uncertain of their destination, of their election in the Beloved. They become depressed as they behold their sins and unworthiness and wonder how they could ever become worthy again of the Lord's salvation. They have no confidence in themselves as they have fallen ever so often.
The Apostle Paul was not a perfect man and so he had learnt to walk aright before God with this axiom: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phi. 3:13-14) A Christian should faithfully deal with sins as they come along in life, confessing and forsaking them again and again, all in the Name of Jesus Christ. As for what they should be doing currently, they must never have a dialogue with the devil, but keep to God's precious promise that He has chosen him before the foundation of the world to be united with Christ, his righteousness. He should focus on "the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Then, having this focus, he should press towards that mark in humble of obedience to and trust in God.
Believers are people given to Christ Jesus by God to be saved. They are not people who have made themselves worthy of salvation by their faith. They are people chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and as such given their faith which was purchased on the Cross of Calvary. They are sure of their destination because of this union with Christ.
The Lord Himself also encourage us to look to Him and not to our own weaknesses. He prayed, "Father, I will that they ... whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." (Joh. 17:24) "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phi. 1:6)
Are we like the Apostle Paul who wrote: "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" ? (1Co. 9:26-27)
Comment on Evening January 01
A man living in the backward, wilderness desert all his life would simply be as lost when placed immediately here is Singapore as we would in his natural habitat. With so many roads and ways in Singapore, he could find no way for his feet. We scratch our head no knowing where to go when place immediately in the midst of the desert land where there are simply no road round. To us living in a modern city, such a place simply has no way to get around. To God this universe is full of His roads and ways, but we are simply lost in the midst of all these. We find no way around - lost in the maze - yet refusing to admit and turn to Him for guidance. This is the darkness of sin, which gives us no hope.
In this world, the Almighty Creator and Governor of all things alone, is the way. We find no way, but He is the way. Blessed are you, if "The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee." (Deu. 31:8) He is better than the map and the compass, even though He wants us to be familiar with the use of them as He journey with us to heaven.
Are you becoming so good with the use of the map and compass that you are beginning to go astray on your own without Christ? Be like the meek and humbled Moses who said, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." (Exo. 33:15) He is our life and we cannot go without Him.
God is the only good. A person is only good, when his steps "are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." (Psa. 37:23, 24)
Do you have any confidence living in this world? If so wherein lies your confidence and thankfulness?
Comment on Morning January 02
To sing is to express thoughts and ideas emotionally in a certain, appropriate, musical form. God wants us to sing. Isaiah, the prophet, exhorts us to "sing unto the Lord a new song." (Isa. 42:10) He wants us to be aware of and be engaged in His words and work emotionally. This does not mean that He wants us to be emotional in our decision making, but rather to express ourselves towards others with emotions. Emotions, like fire, is good as "servants", but bad as "masters." To decide is to act as "master". To be engaged and used is to be of "service".
We sing as we are much touched by the grace and goodness of God displayed to us, His people. These are clearly and infallibly seen in the sacred history of His people are recorded for us in Holy Scriptures. Christian historians and biographers have also recorded many stories of God's children in ages past. And, even currently in local churches all over the world we hear of testimonies of God's grace and goodness shown to His people. All these including the many untold wonders of God's Grace in our own personal lives, cause our heart to sing a new song to Jehovah, to praise Him.
We should sing and praise so that others may come to know and trust in our God. "He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." (Psa. 40:3) When we are truly thankful to the Lord, it shall be seen in one way or another by those around us. Thankful people will somehow attract people to take note, consider and desire after the same. Only those who receive the grace of God would be brought to faith and trust in God.
If we are truly thankful to God, we would never want to do those things that displease Him, especially when we see that the time is getting shorter for us by the day. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Rom. 13:11-14)
What are we doing with the breath He entrusts us?
Comment on Evening January 02
If you were one of the children of Israel, wandering with Moses in the wilderness, would not the Tabernacle, the largest tent among all the thousands smaller ones, be of greatest impression to you? Not only was its size impressive, but the many activities related to it showed that the very being and well-being of the Camp is dependent upon it. One typical example is the movement of the whole Camp from place to place in the wilderness. All tents were to be placed exactly in their same positions relative to the Tabernacle Which, in turn, was to pitch with its entrance facing the rising Sun. When the whole Camp moved, the Tabernacle moved first and all other tents followed according to a stated order!
In all the activities related to the Tabernacle, God's people knew that God communicated with them through It. That sinful men can speak to the perfect God is indeed a great wonder. The Tabernacles activities all point to this great wonder which is the work of God's own hand to redeem for Himself a people out of the fallen race of Adam through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Among the many things made possible through Christ's life and work is the possibility of prayers. In the Tabernacle's (and later the Temple's) worship, there is the burning of the incense upon the Altar of incense. This produced smoke which rises slowly and surely upwards, symbolizing the prayers of God's people rising to the throne of God. The sweet smell of the incense permeating the whole Tabernacle also suggests the delight of God with the prayers of His beloved people.
The first High Priest, Aaron, was to "burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations." (Exo. 30:8) Our Lord Jesus Christ is our High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. He too brings our prayers before God. "[Jesus] is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:25) As lively stones, we "are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1Pe. 2:5) Since our prayers are "acceptable to God by Jesus Christ", let us "pray without ceasing." (1Th. 5:17)
Shouldn't we be praying more in this year?
Comment on Morning January 03
To be able to move from place to place show that we are still alive. But life is not just about moving, but also about where, in which direction, we are moving toward. So, one can be moving, but in the wrong way.
To move in the wrong way not only can cause harm to oneself, but also harm to people around us and to the environment. The wrong way is a way against nature, against what God intent everything to be according to their respective, original, created natures. God allows things to go wrong in the course of their development for the glory and praise of His own Name. Then, He reveals that He has chosen a people to lead "them forth by the right way." (Psa. 107:7)
If you and I are of such people, we are indeed blessed. No matter what we may have previously imagined ourselves to be blessed, when He first found us in the wrong way, we were "in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness." (Deu. 32:10) Such a place has no way, yet we have our mirages of utopia. We were like Jacob, "led .. about, .. instructed .., kept .. as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him." (Deu. 32:11-12)
The right way is not a way without restoration. We often go astray and bring much grieves to our own souls. "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psa. 23:3) Our own name is not worthy of anything, but the Name of God is worth everything. If for His own Name's sake, He would preserve us, then indeed we will be preserved and are, indeed, blessed beyond words. Then what is death for us. We should not fear. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psa. 23:4)
It must be the wrong way, if a man design a garden where no water can ever reach. You whom God teaches and leads "shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." (Isa. 58:11)
Are you being led in the right way?
Comment on Evening January 03
God is indeed leading His people in the good and right way. But, alas, there are those immature among His people, who rather sleep all the way to Heaven! What a pity! To sleep is like being blind and unaware of things around them. Maybe worse than the blind who at least can perceive things around them, if not by sight.
Our Lord once asked a man, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" To that he replied, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." (Luk. 18:41) To those who have seen, they know that there is nothing like seeing in perceiving this wonderful creation of God. Part of our problems is to become so engrossed with seeing that we neglect the wonders of hearing, smelling, touching and tasting. They are all the wonderful creation of God. If we are blind and have no desire to see, how shall we appreciate the perception of things around us with other lesser means? The desire of sight speaks of a desire for a quick and immediate perception of things. Do we long for such ability in the spiritual things of God? The Lord asks you personally this day, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?"
When they were ready for the right thing, then "opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." (Luk. 24:45) This is the work of the Spirit of Truth, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, ...[He] shall teach you all things." (Joh. 14:26)
When we can see, we shall "know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." (Eph. 1:19)
Are we still sleeping like the blind in a dark world?
Comment on Morning January 04
We, who are believers, do not live in this world without the Lord our God as our Guide all through life. He often reminds us: "Ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you." (Deu. 12:9) To the children of Israel God had promised the land of Canaan to become their inheritance. The way there was very difficult and often God's people would rather settle down somewhere or just simply return to Egypt. The promised land would be a land that flows with milk and honey - paradise! That would be a place of perfect rest. The occasional rests along the way were meant to point to this perfect rest and to encourage the pilgrims to press on in their journey. The best is yet to be.
In our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is now on the right hand of God, we see, ".. within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered." (Heb. 6:19, 20) A forerunner is one who goes ahead to prepare the way. Jesus is our forerunner and has arrived already at the perfect place of rest. He told His disciples, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (Joh. 14:2,3)
Here we experience much tears, sufferings and death, but there "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." (Rev. 21:4)
Here is not where we want to put our treasures, but there is the place for us. Therefore, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Col. 3:2)
Where is your treasure? And where is your heart?
Comment on Evening January 04
Death is our last enemy. In life we have many enemies to content with. Enemies are all those who wage wars against us to destroy us. So they torture us in body and soul to cause pains and sufferings in one way or another. But when finally death comes upon us, all other enemies finds no reason to attack us any more. So, men often console themselves that where there is life there is always hope. So, all hope is gone when death struck finally. So, men fear death naturally as without hope life is meaningless.
The fear of death brings one into the bondage of those who have the power of death. Our Saviour "through death ... destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Heb. 2:14, 15) God wants us to be freed from the bondage of the devil. He wants us not to fear death.
Death is fearsome. It has sting. Its grave has victory. But to those delivered by God from the power of the devil: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1Co. 15:55) "The sting of death is sin." (1Co. 15:56). But "thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Mat. 1:21) "... so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb. 9:26-28)
If we are truly not afraid of our last enemy, we can say with the Apostle Paul: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: hence-forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." (2Ti. 4:6-8)
What are all the sufferings in life to you who fear not death?
Comment on Morning January 05
In the matter of salvation, it is only work, work, work, when we try to establish our own righteousness before God, even the righteousness which is of the law. This is because all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags before the tribunal of God. Our conscience cannot find true rest in such a view of salvation. For "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom. 3:20)
But "We which have believed do enter into rest." (Heb. 4:3) We do not believe in becoming righteous by the deeds of the law. We believe in "being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ". (Rom. 5:1, 2) This means that we believe that we stand before God, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Phi. 3:9)
Christians are people who have the true rest before God. Christ Jesus command them: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Mat. 11:28), and they obeyed to the comfort and rest of their souls. The old man in us would often return to such vomit by which we are ashamed. We must put off the old man and put on the new man in Christ. We must learn to rest in Him more and more completely. "This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing." (Isa. 28:12)
Are you refreshed in your Christian experience?
Comment on Evening January 05
"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." (Jam 3:2)
The human body is fearfully and wonderfully created. But the control of it to do what it can in the manner it should is not so easy. In fact, it is impossible for any of us (except our Lord Jesus Christ) in this present evil world. We are not able because we are not perfect. We are not perfect as we still continue to offend in word.
So, we who want to have a better control over our body should pray more often: "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." (Psa. 141:3) Practically this means "let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." (Jam. 1:19, 20) We will speak less when we spend more time with God in prayer and meditation of His Word. To those who know, the less we speak the better. They only speak because they know God wants them so to do. But, few are these people in the world, and far in between them.
When we hear a person say one thing at one time and another opposite thing the next moment according to his own whims and fancies, we know that he is not a sincere and upright person. One moment he curses and the next he blesses the same. "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." (Jas. 3:10) They belong to a fool and Christians are not called to be fools but to be wise.
Therefore, "Put off ... anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." (Col. 3:8, 9)
What is that coming out of your and my mouths? So let your light shine!
Comment on Morning January 06
All through life we do perform much works. And we are fully aware that not all our works are of equal significance. We observe that some of our works are very fruitful while others are simply in vain and a waste of our time, efforts and money. Of course, we are not always right in our observation of such things for their real and everlasting value. However, we all agree that it would be good that all our works be established, be made firm and stedfast to last forever.
Only God can establish the works of our hands, since He is the One Who alone has absolute control over all things. When God is pleased to establish our works then none can cast them down. When the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, then the works of our hands shall be established. God is the ultimate of all beauty. All works that serve to exalt that beauty shall surely be established for they are indeed the very work of God. It is the work of the Spirit of God to change us from glory to glory (2Co. 3:18) to the image of His Son. This takes place when we are given to behold ourselves "as in a glass the glory of the Lord." (2Co. 3:18) We look into the mirror to tidy up ourselves after the image which we do wish to have of ourselves. What image are we after?
For us who, in the first place, were created after God's image and likeness, to fear and walk in the way of God constitute our blessedness and beauty. What role does God play in our lives? "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." (Pro. 16:3)
In a fallen world, there is nothing more beautiful then to behold the Salvation of God. This Salvation is in His Son. He who has the Son has life. We know we have life when we see the beauty of His Son in us.
Who do you resemble?
Comment on Evening January 06
There are different kind of servitude in this world. At the lowest we have slaves who are forced to do work by their taskmasters. Such people serve not for rewards, but to avoid punishment. There is no right and no say for such people. Their calling is just to pay attention to what their master wants and desires and to do his pleasure at all times and to avoid his displeasure with them at all cost. Higher up, we have people who serve for rewards. These are no slave, but people who have minds of their own. They freely enter into servitude to get the reward promised by the master. Yet, there are others who serve after an extensive bargain with the master on the terms and conditions of service. All such relationships need not necessarily include the idea of friendship - a relationship of affectionate mutual love.
Christians serve God as friend-servants to their Friend-Master. We are therefore willing slaves of God. His wish is our command. And His command is our delight to obey. He commands us not just for His own pleasure, but also for our own good. He is our Friend Who cares for us enough to give up His very own life for us. We are friends who delight to sit down and talk things over with joy and delight, not doubting each other's commitment to the other. We are His willing servants, but He said of us, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." (Joh. 15:14, 15) Such is our relationship of love with our Master.
There is no fear in love. We share with Him freely whatever we are doing knowing that He would never despise us of our many foolish and childish thinking. The 12 Apostles were comfortable to share with Him. We read in Mark 6:30 thus: "The apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things they had done."
Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus! Often we forfeit our peace, and bear needlessly our pain, just because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. "In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. — The prayer of the upright is his delight." (Phi. 4:6; Pro. 15:8)
What kind of a master are you serving? And what kind of a servant are you?
Comment on Morning January 07
The difference between thoughts, on the one hand, and speeches or deeds, on the other, is that the former take place within a person while the latter take place outside of him. Both are very important and profoundly related to each other in human behaviour. To a person who act first before thinking through a matter, we advise him "to look before you leap." To one who is all words, but no deeds, we say, "action speaks louder than words." In any case, we do expect rational, moral creatures to do some thinking first before speaking or acting. It is a profound gift from God that a creature should be able to think rationally.
In revealing Himself to us, God speaks about His own thoughts. He said, "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jer. 29:11) We need not be troubled nor even be bothered by the thoughts of insignificant people around us. They make no difference as they are not able to bring their thoughts into reality affecting the world around them. But the thoughts of influential people ought to interest us. So we read their writings, watch their behaviour closely to guess what and how they are thinking. Now, there is none greater than God; and His thoughts, especially about us personally, ought to interest us the most.
We pray: "Think upon me, my God, for good." (Neh. 5:19) God, being perfect, will always act consistently with His thinking. If His thoughts towards us is one of good, we can rest assured that all is well with us. The works of God cannot fail as they are done with His profound wisdom and omnipotent power.
There is no need for any of His children to know all the details of His plan towards us. All we need to know is that His thoughts towards us are peaceful and favourable. That is good enough for us. He tells us not to be inquisitive, but to learn to trust Him because as "the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:9)
Are you not much comforted to know that God, in His inner being, is full of grace towards you?
Comment on Evening January 07
Has the Lord ever spoken to you in His Word? God inspired the Holy Bible and gets His representatives to preach It in this world. Have you ever hear that Word and sense that God was speaking to you? Did God ever promise you in that way of His favour in Jesus Christ? If so, you can rest assured that He "will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Josh. 1:5)
"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num. 23:19) We often do not treat our own words seriously, but this is not the case with God. He never speaks carelessly, least when He makes promises. "The Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him. — He will ever be mindful of his covenant." (Deu. 7:9 - Psa. 111:5)
If God the Almighty cannot be trusted, then there is no one else that we can trust and count on in this universe. Then, there is no hope in this world for all the evils which we are beholding every day. But that is not what God reveals of Himself to us. As Christians, we must walk according to God's Word faithfully and trustingly. We walk confidently in this world testifying that our God is still in control and that Christ is coming back again to judge all things according to His own plan and timing. We do not waver in such things as found in God's Word.
The Gospel we have is a true comfort to us and we should be thankful for having faith in the Gospel promise of God. We should proclaim the Gospel loud and clear and live lives consistent with our faith. In this way, God is pleased to gathered His own out of darkness into His marvelous light. We are not surprised when there are those who reject the Gospel and consider us foolish, who believe. They may even persecute us in one form or another. We should remain steadfast in the faith.
If God will not fail us, should we not be set in our hearts not to fail Him, but be faithful unto Him all the way?
Comment on Morning January 08
The problem with human is that he does not know God, himself, his root problem, God's promise and his calling. That's what sweet Psalmist in Psa. 9:10 wrote: "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."
There are many people who do not know the Name of God. What's God's Name we may ask. God calls Himself by various names to reveal Himself to us for all these names have meaning appropriate to His characters, life and works. To know God's names is not merely to be able to spell out those names. It means to believe and appreciate that He is such a being as He describe Himself to be. For example, Scriptures call Him Almighty. This means that He is the Only Mighty One against whom all other mights are dependent and obliged to serve.
The true knowledge of God leads to the true knowledge of one's own being. From knowing God, man knows that he was created after the image of God. From knowing how God governs the universe, one knows that he belongs to a fallen race of mankind.
Having known himself he begin to know his real, root problem - the problem of sin. In that knowledge he knows he is totally dead in trespasses and sins. He is a miserable and wretched creature alienated from God and all His blessedness.
In the Word of God, where He first learn of God, he also discover the precious promise of God. God promises to save a people for Himself out of the fallen race of man in His Son, Jesus Christ. There is hope for mankind and therefore for him.
Knowing all the above is not sufficient to solve his problem. He must come to know his own calling in all of the knowledge of all of the above. His calling from the Word of God, is to repent of all his sins, and to flee to Jesus Christ alone for salvation. He must believe all the above and humbly come to God in reality and plea for His mercy. He must believe in Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world. He must trust in Him and follow Him. There is no other way.
A true believer and doer of the above can "Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Heb. 13:5,6)
Are you a true believer whose problem in life is solved?
Comment on Evening January 08
The usefulness of a substance lies in the knowledge of its properties in the pure state. The pure state is one unmixed with anything else - purely by itself with no other "impurities". By "impurities" we mean any other substances. We may regard impure substances as being at "fault." To be without fault is to be pure.
Who but God, the Mighty Creator, is qualified to find fault in any substance? Who knows the pure state of a substance better than God?
About the people of God, Revelation 14:5 reveals that "They are without fault before the throne of God." Are God's people really that pure before the throne of God when He sits in judgment? When God's children claim that they have not sinned, God's Word rebukes that they are deceiving themselves an the truth is not in them. (1Jo. 1:8) So, how can sinful people ever be regarded as pure? Only God can make the impure pure again because He alone is their Creator and knows what it is all about!
"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." (Mic. 7:18, 19) "He hath made us accepted in the beloved. — To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." (Eph. 1:6; Col. 1:22)
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8) Who is solely responsible for our pure state one day? To Him be all the glory and praise. (Jude 24, 25)
Comment on Morning January 09
Are you a Christian who fears the Lord? If so He will give you something special. "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth." (Psa. 60:4) What is a banner? A banner is some sign displayed clearly for all to see and understand what is happening around there. So, it can be a standard held high by a soldier to tell others what band of soldiers is presently on the march. During election time, a banner could be an indication of which political party is speaking to the citizens to persuade the people to vote for it.
God gives a banner to those who fear Him. This means that God wants those who fear Him to be unashamed of their fear of Jehovah, their God. God acknowledge them and gives them something to display in thankfulness to show that He is worthy to be feared and adored. Through godly prayer and consideration, a person who fear God would soon discover the banner God designs for him.
He displays the banner "because of the truth." Christian believers are not ashamed of the truth which God teaches them through the trials and temptations in their lives. They set up the banner for all to see, read and give God the glory that is due to His Name. "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isa. 59:19)
The banner set up is not in praise of any man, but to speak of God's great salvation in Jesus Christ, about the Cross. "We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners." (Psa. 20:5)
You who fear the Lord, where is your banner? Let your light so shine.
Comment on Evening January 09
Whatever and however much we do, we must never neglect the needful things in life. For our physical life, it is needful to eat, drink and breathe. Stop any of these and soon we will find ourselves weaken and even die. These are needful things.
Mary sitting at Jesus' feet to hear His nourishing words was something needful which shall not be taken away from her. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Mat. 4:4)
When you are hungry do you not naturally long for food? When you are thirsty do you not naturally long for drink? For our spiritual life, God is our food and drink. "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." (Psa. 63:1) Jesus the Son of God said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Lord, evermore give us this bread." (Joh. 6:35, 34)
What is the one thing that you desire of the Lord and will seek after? (Psa. 27:4)
Comment on Morning January 10
We believe that God is faithful and sinless, though we are often found unbelieving. He is such for His own Name's sake. He cannot deny Himself. He is not such because we are faithful on our part. All these do not imply that we, Christians, may live carelessly in our pilgrimage. In fact, our longing before God, always, for ourselves and other believers around us, is that our "whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Th 5:23)
It is unbecoming of any Christians who are members of the Bride of Christ, to live lives worthy of blame. This is because Christ, her Bridegroom, "loved the church, and gave himself for it; that be might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:25, 27) Preaching Christ is the business of His servants. Such preaching involves "warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." (Col. 1:28) The idea that our faith in the doctrine of grace would lead to careless Christian living is not from God's Word but the devil who would rob us of the comfort of Scriptures. In fact, our faith in God's immutability in His faithfulness and love gives us much hope and thankfulness to press on in holy living. It is not possible that believers, who are people renewed by the Holy Spirit, should take for granted the grace of God.
So, we have no doubt that God "shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Co. 1:8)
"... as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." (1Pe. 1:15, 16)
Comment on Evening January 10
It is indeed a great wonder that the perfect God should choose to dwell with fallen men on the earth.
Men have shown themselves to be totally unworthy of the least of God's blessings. This was first seen in the Garden of Eden when our first parents were created perfectly after the image and likeness of God. They should have known better and yet they believe the devil's lie to sin against God's most high majesty. Since then, men continue in their own actual sins in all their lustful imaginations. "Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?" (2Chr. 6:18)
God indeed commanded the children of Israel: "Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." (Exo. 25:8) Thus was the tabernacle (the portable temple) constructed that God's people might be assured that God was in their midst to lead them out of the kingdom of darkness into His own Kingdom of light.
God's presence in the midst of His people is the presence of their God. The term "God" in contrast with "king", "president", etc., speaks of Someone Who dominates absolutely over all aspects of life and existence, Someone to be worshipped and adored.
In the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, God is seen for what He is. Jesus is God, the Word, Who became flesh and tabernacled among us. (Joh. 1:14) His name is "Immanuel", God with us. He who has seen Christ has seen the Father also.
How are you experiencing the very presence of God?
Comment on Morning January 11
How good it is that the LORD God should pay a visit to our church. If He should come this Lord's Day, with what do you think we should welcome Him? "Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion." (Psa. 65:1) Zion is the O. T. type of the Church. Is our Church always ready to praise our God? For what do we praise our God?
We praise God for all things we are experiencing come from Him. He designed them all in their many basic natures. He governs them, animate and inanimate objects, in so sovereign a manner that all things fall out according to His own counsel and good pleasure. Thus by His own Word, even our Lord Jesus Christ, He brings everything into existence in it own good time. He makes no mistakes and so to those who can see they would be always praising Him.
The Church, which is the "Pillar and the Ground of the Truth", help its members to appreciate the word and works of God. Thus, it is a place where "praise waits for" God.
God takes great delight to visit such a place where He is appreciated whole-heartedly. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." (Psa. 50:23) In this depressing and sinful world, the most wonderful thing is to be able to see the Salvation of God. No one is more qualified to show us such a salvation than God Himself. When we walk uprightly before Him and His people, we can rest assured that He will show us more and more His Great Salvation to the delight of our soul.
When all things are over what will we see? "I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 7:9, 10, 12) Will you and I join this company of people one day?
Comment on Evening January 11
The Lord Jesus redeems us from destruction by His death on the Cross. The Hebrew word for "redeem" has the idea of acting as a "kinsman to restore what is lost." A good O. T. example is the story of Boaz redeeming the property of Naomi, which was wasting away because of neglect. As we know, the story of Naomi was a sad one, when she left with her husband and two sons, the Promised Land of Canaan for Moab, a heathen land. She returned to the Promised Land with none but a Moabitess, Ruth, her husband and two sons having passed away. Soon she would leave her husband's property to this helpless Moabitess, when she died. A part ot the Promised Land falling into utter uselessness was unacceptable. So, the Law of Moses allowed, in such situation, a next of kin to redeem such a land by buying it over and raising a rightful descendent of the deceased to continue the inheritance. Boaz would have loved to do something like that: by buying the land over, marrying the widow Ruth to raise a descendent for Mahlon, the husband of Ruth, and revive this portion of the Promised Land. But Boaz was not the nearest next of kin. There was another man who stood in between. So, Boaz challenged that man to perform the role of a "kinsman-redeemer". When that man refused and gave up his right, Boaz took up that responsibility gladly. What a beautiful story to give us some idea of Christ's work as our "kinsman-redeemer".
From the above story, which illustrate the use of the term "redeem", we learn that a ransom price had to be paid whenever a redemption is made. Christ's death on the cross was such a price paid to redeem us from utter ruin. Christ's death was not the setting of a good example for us to follow in order to be saved. It was a price paid to repossess and re-inhabit in order to restore. The redemption of Christ was to bring God's eternal counsel concerning His elect people to reality. According to God's decree, all God's elect do rightly belong to God, but the fall of man had put them in the wrong hand of the devil. Christ, who is the Elect, was the kinsman of the elect people of God. He alone can perform this redemption. And He was only too glad to do so when He died on the Cross of Calvary.
Like Ruth and all her possession, we, God's elect, are doomed to utter ruin, if none of our "kinsmen" is willing to show us mercy to redeem our "life from destruction." (Psa. 103:4) Thanks be to God, Christ did that for us. Now there is hope of glory. "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Col. 3:3, 4)
Who do you think shall be glorified and admired on that great and glorious day? (2Th. 1:10)
Comment on Morning January 12
God is wise and as such He is the Saviour of the world.
God's knowledge and wisdom can be perceived in the works and government of His hands. What can be perceived may not be perceived simply by being incapable of perceiving it for one reason or another. Fallen human beings not only cannot perceive rightly the knowledge and wisdom of God, they even have developed the wrong perception of His knowledge and wisdom.
Only God can fully perceive His own knowledge and wisdom. We who receive His revelation and are given the limited ability to perceive them must be contented to live with them out of trust in His love and mercy towards us.
He reveals that "Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1Co. 1:30) In this fallen world, not to see that God is the Saviour is to miss the true knowledge and wisdom of God. When in eternity, we look at time, we can only say, "The only wise God our Saviour." (Jude 25)
Here in time, God's people "speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory." (1Co. 2:7) What is this "hidden wisdom" ordained "unto our glory"? "Our glory" speaks of heaven, our eternal inheritance. Knowing this "hidden wisdom" is to know how God saves a people for Himself. "The mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known, by the church, the manifold wisdom of God." (Eph. 3:9-10)
This "wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (Jas. 3:17) Is not this speaking about our salvation experiences? Not to know God as Saviour is a sure sign of the lack of the wisdom that is from above. By nature, fallen man does not know such spiritual things which are spiritually discerned. If you cannot follow what I am writing, you should "ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (Jas. 1:5)
God must be wise. In what sense is He wise to you?
Comment on Evening January 12
It is difficult when fighting a losing battle to imagine how one can still win at the end. So the instinct to survive let man to wishful thinking to keep hope alive.
God's Word never deceive us into thinking that our faith in God means that we would ever be in good health and proper in our wealth. That is the lie of the devil. In fact, God's Word teaches us that though our outward man perishes our inward man is renewed day by day. The fight for this physical life is a fighting of a losing battle until, all of a sudden, we are clothed with our glorified bodies at Christ's Second Coming. So, we pine and die, everyone of us as we live physically in this world. You can organise all you want all kinds of activities to keep yourselves alive as long as possible, you still deteriorate and die when the time comes.
So while on the one hand we die, on the other we are made more alive until we reach the perfection of life in Heaven. "When shall I arise, and the night be gone?" (Job 7:4) Sleeping is indeed a picture of death. When a person dies, he becomes uninvolved with the surrounding, so is a sleeping man. For a dying man, sleeping can become difficult because of many malfunctions of the body. But the fear of falling into unconsciousness and never to wake up again, may also prevent sleeping. Such a person longs for the morning where people awake into lively activities. Help can be readily given at such a time, and living activities can be therapeutic. "Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh." (Isa. 21:11, 12)
Our morning is when our Lord Jesus comes for us. He comes for us when it is time for us to die. He comes for the world at the Final Judgment. "Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. — He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds." (Heb. 10:37; 2Sa. 23:4)
When we shall be received into the land of light and of the morning, we shall "be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." Meanwhile, though not "in his might", we are called to "be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ," (Phi. 2:15, 16)
Seeing that there shall be "no night there" (Rev. 21:25), how shall we, who are "the children of light, and the children of the day: .. not of the night, nor of darkness" (1Th. 5:5), live in this present world?
Soshine.
Comment on Morning January 13
At the different stages of one's life, there are different experiences sought after. A new born babe desire only the milk that he may grow by it. A young man desire advanture that he may be thrilled by it. An old man may want things to be slower than he may be able to manage and enjoy them. Whatever, all of them would like the outcome to be one of peace and safety.
The sense of peace is not merely related to the circumstances of one's life. It is also related to the state of one's mind. We must have come across people who are easily troubled in their soul even by things very normal because of their evil imaginations. While we cannot always change the situations of our life no matter how we work at them, yet we are called to seek that inner peace of soul at all times. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." (Isa. 26:3)
To stay on Jehovah God means to meditate and believe in Him even as we get to know Him better through His Word. It means to trust and obey. It means to commit one's way to Him in prayer, believing that He will take care of all things for him for His own Name's sake. It means "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psa. 55:22)
Believers must be very careful not to be deceived by the false kind of peace which is also in this world, intruding into the Christian community as well. This is a peace offered by the world through world means and techniques. They are the different forms of self-deceptions which give temporary relief, but great damage to the soul as one falls into the grips of the devil. Believers must constantly seek the peace that comes from Jesus. He said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (Joh. 14:27) Jesus is the Word become flesh and the peace He gives is Word related. His peace comes through trusting in the Word and promises of God. God's Word is completely reliable. Though heavens and earth may pass away, His Word will not pass away. By that Word all things shall be judged finally.
Do you know what can truly bring you peace of mind?
Comment on Evening January 13
As sinful people, we are quick to take offense, but slow to realize that we are offending people around us by our thoughts, words and deeds. Thus we are slow to ask for forgiveness but quick to blame and complain. But, there are times when we are right to be angry because something wrong is done us by those around us.
The judgment of God against sin, even to hell, is an expression of God's wrath. God is holy and He cannot sin. If to be wrathful is sin, God would never have wrath in His very being. Yes, there may be times when we show our wrath, our anger in judgment. But, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." (Eph. 4:26)
Our sense of justice does bring wrath to us when we face injustices. But as we are not the Final Judge, we may not "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." God is our sun and to let Him go down means to let Him turn His face away from us and not to shine upon us. So, our wrath when not properly handled can cause God's face to be turned away from us, causing great pain to us. God wants us to be forgiving.
"If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother ... Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." (Mat. 18:15, 21-22) To be forgiving one is also learning to put on "bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; .." (Col. 3:12, 13) You find strength to forgive even as you think of how "God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Eph. 4:32)
We can always smile and let God be the Final Judge of all things. I believe. Don't you?
Comment on Morning January 14
God, the Triune God, is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is also our God whom we are taught to call "Father." (Luk. 11:2) This God is greater than His Son, that man Jesus, our Elder Brother, and thus greater than us also. The Lord Jesus obey His commandments, so do we. In that way He dwells in us and does the works in us. (Joh. 20:17)
Our adoption to become the children of God is the work of God, the Father, for the sake of God the Son by the power of God the Holy Spirit when He justifies us in Christ. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ becomes our Father when we receive the Spirit of adoption whereby we call Him, Abba, Father. In our Lord Jesus Christ we see our Father. In Him also we experience the love of God. "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's cornmandments, and abide in his love." (Joh. 15:9, 10) No man can come to the Father but by our Lord Jesus Christ. (Joh. 14:6)
If we would live with God for ever in Heaven we must go to His Son, Jesus Christ. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. — Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." (Joh. 3:35; Joh. 17:2) "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1Jo. 5:12)
What kind of a life is yours, if it is without Christ?
Comment on Evening January 14
That there is such a thing as war among intelligent human beings in this world there can be no doubt. Wars are most painful for everyone involved and yet these intelligent creatures go ahead with them. So, they find it necessary to justify their going into wars with each other. Each has his own reason to go into war to fight and kill and destroy. Is there really such a thing as holy wars or are all these wars the result of misunderstanding and the lack of proper and true negotiations?
God, Who knows the hearts of all being, cannot make such a mistake as entering any unholy war. He declared an holy war in Genesis 3:15 which reads: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This is the warfare between "the seed of the woman" and the "seed of serpent". It was the result of God's grace upon Eve who was deceived by serpent into eating the forbidden fruit. God's grace causes Eve to hate serpent and to want a fight with it - an enmity called forth by God. By doing so, God also revealed the fundamental issue in the history of redemption - the enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of serpent. In this holy war, the woman's seed "shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
The seed of the woman is none other than Jesus Christ. He was wounded by serpent not for his own transgressions for He has none, but "for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isa. 52:14) This power of darkness against the Lord was given the devil from above. Jesus said, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above." (Joh. 19:11) God was in control of this holy war.
God planned that "The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1Jo. 3:8) This was seen in Christ's earthly ministry when "He cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him." (Mar. 1:34) After His resurrection, when "[a]ll power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Mat. 28:18), His disciples continued in destroying the works of the devils. "In my name shall they cast out devils." (Mar. 16:17) Finally, the "God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." (Rom. 16:20) What a glorious ending in this Holy War.
On which side of this Holy War are you fighting? Or, are you still hoping to have a peace talk with the enemy? Be not deceived by the Deceiver.
Comment on Morning January 15
While in this present life, the body of a believer is not yet perfected, like that of our glorified Lord Jesus'. We know that every time we feel tired and weary physically, and even fall sick at times. Then, of course, we all die should the Lord's coming be after our appointed time. This frail and weakened body also implies that, often it cannot carry out what our renewed spirit would have loved to accomplish in this life. ".. the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mat. 26:41) At this time our soul has no where else to go to express itself and has an influence upon the physical surrounding, but its weakened body, the dust. "My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word." (Psa. 119:25)
So we may become discouraged by this limitation and become careless about spiritual things. But we are called to walk by faith - the faith that we are "risen with Christ", destined to possess our glorified body like that of our Lord Jesus. If we walk by faith we should "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. 3:1-3)
Such a struggle is an ongoing experience for believers in this present life - "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (Gal. 5:17) We must not be discouraged by it, but instead thank God for such eveidence of life that is in us, for if we are dead there would be simply no such spiritual struggle within us. The important thing when facing such struggles is to put off the old man and put on the new man in Christ. This is our experience of conversion - an ongoing experience of a child of God so long as we are in this present life. Each conversion sees us "changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Co. 3:18)
Are you a "dearly beloved" of the Lord? If so, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." (1Pe. 2:11)
Comment on Evening January 15
It is good for all believers to take note that there is such a thing as different measures of faith which they possess among thmeselves. Not all have the same measure of faith at all time. In fact, even as an individual, his faith is not always of the same measure at all times. The Scriptures speaks of "Him that is weak in the faith" (Rom. 14:1) and of the "Strong in faith, giving glory to God" (Rom. 4:20). It was the Lord Who chided the Apostle Peter, "O thou of little faith." (Mat. 14:31) Then to an ordinary womand He observed, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." (Mat. 15:28)
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world which is opposing to them. So, individually some of us overcome the world better than others because of this differences in the measure of faith. So, we are exhorted to pray: "Lord, increase our faith." (Luk. 17:5), to be "Building up yourselves on your most holy faith." (Jude 20) and be "Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith." (Col. 2:7)
Never try to be established in the holy faith without God because "He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, ... is God." (2Co. 1:21) and "The God of all grace ... after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (1Pe. 5:10) We must be humble and prayerful in such pursuit to grow and be established in the faith.
As we are not isolated, lonely individuals in this world, but members one of another in the Body of Christ, we can grow in the holy faith together. This, of course, does not mean that at any one time, all members must be of the same measure of faith. The wonder is that we can be at different levels of the measure of our faith and yet be growing together in the faith. "We ... that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." (Rom. 15:1) The weak give the strong many opportunities to exercise their faith in helping the weak. The main goal in the communion of the saints is to be stepping stone of success (not a stumblingblock) to each other. "Let us not ... judge one another ... but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." (Rom. 14:13)
In all that you do, do you do so with the interest of your brethren (and all theirs) in mind? Do you know what is truly good for God's people in this world?
Comment on Morning January 16
Have you heard of the "finishing touch"? Well, "finishing touch" ought to be the final touch which ends a job done. Nothing should be added to a finishing touch since it finishes something. If there is something yet to do in order to finish the job, then that something should be the "finishing touch" and not the one before. "Finishing touch", therefore, makes that job full and complete. It is the fulness of that job.
Many works and jobs are started, but never complete properly. These are effort not well done and wasted. Men are full of such things, but we may not say that of God Who is the Only Perfect and Wise One. All His works are wonderfully complete finally. There are "finishing touches" to all His works. All His works have their appointed fulness when the time comes. "It pleased the Father, that in him [in Christ] should all fulness dwell." (Col. 1:19) "By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him." (Col. 1:16)
All things are beautiful and complete when they are related to Christ in one way or another. All find their wholesomeness in Christ. All things tie together neatly in Christ. And we the people of God, the work of His merciful hand, are also "complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." (Col. 2:10) Can you imagine that it is the Head of the Church, Who is the fulness of all things created and divinely governed? Now, the life of the Church in this present world is not much appreciated as she ought to be. We are those "of whom the world is not worthy" (Heb. 11:38), especially when we consider the good that we have done and abuses we are receiving from the world! In well doing let us never be discouraged. All our perseverance in the cause of the Son of God will serve the soon return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the fullness of all things.
Are you looking for meaning in this world - for something which will make all things fit neatly? Consider Christ, the Son of God.
Comment on Evening January 16
Holy Scriptures are records of past, present and future events which are true. It therefore declares with the authority from above, and seeks not to prove anything to anyone. About past events they are declared as God sees them and not as men's interpretations of these events. For the present, God's Word is meant to guide us in our day to day living. As for the future events, they are prophecies and not merely predictions of coming events as if God makes guesses as to what His creatures would do.
Scriptures are the wonder works of the Holy Spirit. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2Pe. 1:21) Scriptures are given to us that we "may have fellowship with us [with the Apostle and team]: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1Jo. 1:3) All reading and studying of Holy Scriptures that do not enhance this fellowship miss the main purpose of Scriptures.
Scriptures reveal that the life of God's people finds it source in the glorified Christ at the right hand of God. He was brought so low and exalted so highly that He might fill all in all. There is not place in this universe where we cannot find our Glorious Saviour. He will come again at the end of time to reveal His Majesty as the Lord of lords and King of kings. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2Pe. 1:16) Our Christian faith "should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1Co. 2:5)
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Rom. 1:16) Is the power of God seen in your saved life?
Comment on Morning January 17
By our fallen nature we love and enjoy our sins and imagine that anyone who truly loves us should bear with our sins and allow us to enjoy them. Otherwise we question the genuineness of their love. God truly loves His people, but finds it impossible to bear with their sins and let them enjoy them because do so would be to deny Himself Who is the Sinless Perfect One. Sin is what God is not. Sin leads to destruction and death. God would not be loving us if He let us enjoy our sins, which is to enjoy destruction and death. "Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption." (Isa. 38:17)
It wasn't easy for God to deliver us from the corruption of our sins and make us live. "God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1Jo. 4:9, 10) So, the Son of God suffered the deadly pain that we might be delivered from our sins. In that way He showed us "compassion ... and cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." (Mic. 7:19)
Being forgiven for Christ's sake and given the divine nature, we learn more and more to hate our sins as God does. Like the Psalmist, we cry often: "O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." (Psa. 30:2, 3) We learn not to deceive ourselves, but to acknowledge, confess and forsake all our sins. We ask for forgiveness with much sorrow in our hearts that we have offended our Holy Father. (1Jo. 1:7-9) More and more we grow in appreciation of our God as the God Who pardons our sins. "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." (Mic. 7:18)
While on this side of the grave, what do you think should be our main prayer request?
Comment on Evening January 17
Here in life we must indeed live by faith and not by sight. This is because "Now we see through a glass, darkly. — Now we see not yet all things put under him." (1Co. 13:12; Heb. 2:8) By faith in God's Word, we believe that all things shall be put under Christ. But, we must also honestly say that what we do not suggest that all things are about to be put under Him. There are the many unbelievers who still have their own philosophies in life, their own religions, their own lusts; and they are not about to admit that they are mistaken in what they aspire after.
In the midst of all these alternatives, we Christians must continue to live with the hope of Christ's Return to rule over and judge all things. Ours is "a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." (2Pe. 1:19) When we are exposed to darkness for too long, we might become uncomfortable when light suddenly shines upon us. As Christians, we should meditate upon God's Word, the light, day and night. In that way, light is not strange to us, but darkness is easily discerned.
As we shine for Christ, we can expect that there "should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." (Jude 18) These people will make fun of our faith to try and discourage us from walking in It's light. Some of them are people who "shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1Ti. 4:1) As those who would be faithful, we must resist such temptation and be steadfast in the faith, which was once delivered to us.
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." (Rom. 13:12) The light that God gives us in His Word is meant to be an armour, to protect us from all the attacks of the enemies. How shall we put on an amour which we have no confidence in or uncertain as to where and how it should be put on? We must take time to familiarize ourselves with the armour of light, if we are ever going to make good use of It.
When was the last time you tried the armour on?
Comment on Morning January 18
God's Word reveals that the whole human race was started with just the first couple, Adam and Eve. In fact, Eve was even created out of rib of Adam. So, physically, all human beings find their final connection to Adam, the first man. So all the present variations of genetic make up of all human beings find their basic structure in Adam's DNA. These mutations of genes were and are being affected by the fall of Adam's nature into corruption of sin. So, physically, all human bodies are subject to death and corruption - in Adam all die.
Adam "is the figure of him that was to come." (Rom. 5:14) He was a figure in the sense that Adam was the federal Head of the whole human race. This means that in Adam's "disobedience many were made sinners." (Rom. 5:19) Adam was a type of Christ. Adam, the "first man is of the earth, earthy", Christ, "the second man is the Lord from heaven." (1Co. 15:47) ".. so, by the obedience of one [Christ] shall may be made righteous." (Rom. 5:19) Blessed, indeed, are all those who are represented by both Adam and Christ. In Christ, all the penalty of our sins are fully paid for on the Cross of Calvary. In Him, also we have fulfilled all righteousnesses as demanded by the Law. He did it all for us in His earthly ministry, some 2000 years ago.
For the saints in the Old Testament era, they looked forward to the First Advent of Christ. For us in the New, we look forward to His Second Advent. In the First, He came to remove all that cause offense against God. In the Second, He came to reward His servants. The Old Testament people of God labour to set forth Christ's saving work on the Cross. That was their emphasis. Today, our emphasis is the ingathering of God's people out of every nation, tongue and tribe - a declaration of His victory over sin and death to become the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Adam's calling to have dominion over all the earth was to be fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. The type failed, but the Antitype, the reality, reveals God's sovereign plan and purpose from all eternity.
What hope is there for this world without the second man, our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you in Him Who is to come?
Comment on Evening January 18
It was slightly less than 3000 years ago that we first heard these words: "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Eccl. 1:14) So, someone at that time, so long ago, did consider "all the works that are done under the sun" to find out their meaningfulness. You and I might have one time or another consider such an important matter as well, especially when we do have sometimes to relax and reflect upon our daily activities. But life, especially our modern life, is so busy that we hardly have such time to think through. So, we postpone again and again the consideration of such an important matter, the conclusion of which may completely alter the whole course of our lives!
We wish, sometimes, that what has been considered thoroughly before be retained in every human mind automatically thereafter without having to go through them again. But there is no memories of such things in human tissues. Every human mind would have to learn how to decipher what is recorded in time past and consider for itself what ought to be before it can use these sayings of old.
So, who was that man who concluded that ".. all is vanity and vexation of spirit"? He wrote: "I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith." (Eccl. 1:12, 13) This was none other than King Solomon, whose fame of wisdom was well known in his days and even till this very day. He had all the wealth, power, money, time and wisdom, to consider and pen down such an important matter, which very few other human being have since he beginning. He mused: "All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." (Eccl. 1:7, 8) Was he right to suggest that there is nothing really new in this world? The many cycles continue to be such since the beginning of time. Every human being is excited about this world and think that he is learning a lot of new things. Indeed, to every human being this is so, but in reality they are not new as they have been of old by the wonder of Creation. Every new discovery of the same principles at work in different creatures and situations. So, for centuries already, men come and go, placed in this world "to be therewith." For what purpose is there such a repeated labour all these years?
The Holy Scriptures reveals that there shall be things "hereafter." (Rev. 1:19) These are things which "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." (1Co. 2:9, 10)
This present world order shall come to an end at the Second Coming of Christ in the cloud of glory. Then all things shall be judged and brought to a conclusion; and He shall usher in the New Heavens and the New Earth, wherein dwells righteousness. The old things shall then pass away; and the true purpose of all things revealed.
Blessed are all who believe is such things and labour with such hope. Are you one of such people living in this world?
Comment on Morning January 19
We are not sober when we are proud and arrogant in the presence of God. And Christians ought to live at all times as in the presence of God. Christians ought to be humble people at all time.
In the presence of One Who created, governs and brings to pass all things, we puny creatures ought to be most humble and attentive to what He has to say. When Satan was proud in Heaven, he had no place there, but to be cast out. Let none in the human race think that he is an exception before God. It is simply unbecoming of any creature to be proud and boastful before its mighty Creator. Before Him we must learn to serve "with all humility of mind." (Act 20:19)
The great among creatures, are those who serve others in serving God. Creatures are served when they are brought into the right relationships with God and with each others. Those who serve God try to reconcile all things to God. According to Jesus, these are the great ones in His Kingdom. He said, "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mat. 20:26-28)
As humble people we ought to be ready to serve God anywhere He may be pleased to use us. The Apostle Paul wrote in Rom. 12:3 thus: "I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man, ... not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." When we think too highly of ourselves we may be tempted only to serve in those high places. Such people can become so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly use. If we are discerning of the measure of faith He has given us, we can always be useful anywhere and to anyone.
When we serve God with true humility of heart and mind, we confess that the treasure we have is "in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2Co. 4:7)
What do we say of ourselves after having obeyed our Master? (Luk. 17:10)
Comment on Evening January 19
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Gal. 2:16 ) It is a shame that any Christians (least of all, any theologians) should think that their works contribute something to their justification. Before the perfectly just and holy God, any requirement of good works from us for justification, renders us hopelessly condemned. Only the pure work of our Lord Jesus Christ alone is acceptable and demanded by God for the justification of any sinner. This is the true Gospel, by which the true Christ is preached and believed on in the world.
All the saints in the Old Testament (some of whom were listed in Heb. 11) "obtained a good report through faith." (Heb. 11:39) They were "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 3:24) But, upon close examination, they were not unlike David who "did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite." (1Ki. 15:5) They were not perfect in themselves, "not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth". (Gen. 32:10)
May the Lord Himself rebuke those who would set forth their own righteousnesses with these words: "Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways." (Eze. 36:32)
How do you think you are justified before God?
Comment on Morning January 20
The Prophet Isaiah was told that the Messiah's name shall be called, "Wonderful". (Isa. 9:6) There is no human being more wonderful than our Lord Jesus Christ. Who in this world is a man born of a virgin girl? It would be a great modern wonder when a human clone is produced without the normal process of procreation. But can a male be cloned out of a female?
Jesus is also wonderful as He is "God with us" - Emmanuel. (Mat. 1:23) The wonder of the Tabernacle of the Exodus is but a shadow of the wonder of Christ! God in the midst of His people to guide them safely to the promised land of Heaven.
It was a great wonder how He "save his people from their sins." (Mat. 1:21) ".. he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2Co. 5:21) The sinless One "bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1Pe. 2:24)
Isn't it wonderful that the high and lofty One should condescend so low to the accused death of the Cross, only to be exalted far "above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet" ? (Phi. 2:9) "He had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself ... KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." (Rev. 19:12, 16)
Isn't that a beautiful name - Wonderful.
Comment on Evening January 20
A group of children were playing and enjoying themselves very much when the father of one of them called his son home for dinner. Then the mother of another did the same to another child. These children complained as they dragged their feet home. Soon there was a lonely child left with tears in his eyes. There was no one to call him home for dinner for he was an orphan, an unwanted child that belongs nowhere. He would have gladly traded his position with that of any of the other complaining children who got called home. It is always good to know that we belong somewhere.
As a people, we Christians are the "Lord's portion." (Deu. 32:9) We belong to Him. We do not simply belong somewhere. There is no better home than the Lord's home; and we belong there!
We do not naturally belong there for we are by nature children of wrath, worthy of eternal condemnation in Hell. We belong to Heaven only because "The Son of God ... loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20) "Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price." (1Co. 6:19)
As the Lord's property, He treasures us as a king would his jewels. "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." (Mal. 3:17)
Do you ever complain like the children in the above story? Why?
Comment on Morning January 21
Are you, and am I, branches that bear fruits? No, I am not referring to any kind of fruit, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I am essentially asking if we are people born again of the Holy Spirit. If so, as born-agains, should we not expect the Lord to purge us that we may bear froth more fruit? "Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it." (Joh. 15:2)
To be purged is to be cleansed of all unnecessary wastage of resources so that there be an optimum production of fruit, the main goal of any vineyard. Thus we are called to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." (Heb. 12:1) The Holy Spirit dealing with our sins is to make us fit and trim for maximum out-put of fruit. This purging is a process of discipline, of chastisement.
Therefore, "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons" (Heb.12:5-7) If you endure chastening from the Lord, you may be assured that God is dealing "with you, as with sons, for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?" (Heb. 12:7) Isn't it good to know that we belong to Him and His Family?
So, God's design in the "grievous" chastening is that it may yield "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." When such chastening comes, it is time for our hands and feet to exercise in it, not to "hang down" in despair and discouragement. (Heb. 12:11, 12)
Is your God like "a refiners's fire" to you? (Mal. 3:2, 3)
Comment on Evening January 21
Do you know where a person of a contrite and humble spirit lives? Prophet Isaiah revealed that such an one lives in "in the high and holy place." (57:15) But you say, this is the dwelling place of "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy." You are right, indeed! They both stay in the same place with each other!
There is a purpose for the high and lofty One to choose such an abode with the humble and lowly ones. He would "revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." The proud world tends to dismiss those with the humble and contrite spirit as being too negative and lifeless. But God wants to find such spirit in the midst of His people. Fallen men are basically useless until God makes them useful. They must be first made to realize this before God's "strength is made perfect in their weakness." (2Co. 12:9)
In this world, there are the proud who dare to oppose God's Word, but appear humble in their compromising attitude with unbelief. Here, there are also the truly humble who fear the Lord, but appear as proud because they would not compromise in the defence of the truth. "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psa. 139:23, 24) Here, we are confused without the light of God's Word, Which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. To those who put aside the Word of God, they remain in darkness. To those who walk in the light and "draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: .." (Isa. 58:10) Let us serve Him humbly, with a lowly and contrite heart.
How else can we serve with Someone so great?
Comment on Morning January 22
God does not come to any of his creatures to engage any of their services like commercial companies often do when they out-source these days. These companies find that their own home services are getting too expensive and that those of other countries are much cheaper and, these days of internet and fast travel, possible. So, for profitability, such companies go elsewhere to get those services. God does not need any of His creatures' services because He is absolutely self-sufficient and stand in need of no one. In fact, none can do a better job than He Himself, and being perfect He governs and controls all things He had created and bring into existence.
So, though God wants us to serve Him, He does not allow us to serve Him with the attitude that He stands in need of us and that without us He is quite helpless. He wants us to serve Him by waiting upon Him, like a good waiter by the side of his customer ready to do his bidding.
This God comes to us, His chosen people, to bring us to His heavenly home. ".. he will be our guide even unto death." (Psa. 48:14) As we serve Him with Him as our Guide, we find ourselves being used of Him for the propagation of His Word, without Which none would be born again, nor any backsliders restored. We serve Him in His true Church, the Pillar and the Ground of the Truth. (1Ti. 3:15)
There He leads us "in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake." (Psa. 23:3) There we worship: "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." (Isa. 25:1) There we testify: "Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." (Psa. 73:23-26)
Then we know that "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." (Psa. 138:8)
Is He guiding you this way even unto death?
Comment on Evening January 22
The body is comforted when it rests in a place where all its muscles can relax without unnecessary strain. But how is the soul comforted? "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul." (Psa. 94:19) When our soul delights in some soothing thoughts and become at ease and relax, we experience the comfort of the soul. In the multitude of our thoughts, are there any from the LORD, our God? Does He speaks to us His Words of comfort? Those Words are His comforts to us. Do we delight in them?
It is a serious mistakes for Christians not to be filled with the knowledge of God's Word. God's Word addresses different issues in life, both doctrinal as well as practical matters. They are related to one another, affecting each other. It is good for us to know them all, even though we cannot immediately relate to them in our current situation. When we understand where all the instructions of God's Word belong in our human experiences, the Holy Spirit can bring to our remembrance what the Lord has taught us for our use from time to time. When in trouble we can pray: "When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psa. 61:2) The Word of God is our solid rock that is higher than our own words. Upon It we find security and confidence from all the troubles in this world.
God is the only wise God and His Word is full of wisdom. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, ... and it shall be given him." (Jas. 1:5) We need wisdom to know how to handle difficult situations so that all things may work out smoothly according to their nature and to the glory and praise of God and our good. We are not "sufficient for these things." (2Co. 2:16) But His "grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2Co. 12:9)
For the sins that trouble us, we have the "blood of Jesus Christ that cleanseth us from all sins." (1Jo. 1:7) Such precious promises of God's Word should never be taken for granted, but that our faith should constantly bring us to the throne of grace to claim them in the Name of Christ.
Do you know where to find Jehovah's comforts in your life?
Comment on Morning January 23
We are ashamed when we are let down. Here we were full of zeal and hope for something, and suddenly everything turns out wrong and against what we are hoping for. We are let down! We become ashamed and quiet! Disappointed!
According to God's Word, there is a hope "that maketh not ashamed." (Rom. 5:5) It is the hope in Jehovah God. "I am the Lord: ... they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (Isa. 49:23) To wait for Jehovah means to count on Him, to believe whatever He has spoken and to simply follow Him. He, in His own good timing, will bring to pass whatever He has said to us. "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved." (Psa. 62:3-4)
Are you in some kind of troubles and need to be protected from all harm and danger? Do you have the Word of Jehovah, His precious promises, made known to you? If so, simply trust in Him and claim them by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. His Word cannot fail us. He shall make It good for the honour and praise of His own Name. God cannot change in His favour towards us. If He has chosen us in Christ from all eternity to blessed in Him, He will never in time cast us out and forsake us. We musst have patience to wait upon Him.
To assist us "God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus." (Heb. 6:17-20) God's plan or counsel is made with thorough consideration of all things in His infinite wisdom, and therefore can never change as it is the best. That is one indication that His Word to us shall stand. The second thing is the oath He made to us to confirm what He has said to us. To make an oath in His own Name is something which none can ask of Him without sinning. But, voluntarily, He made such an oath to us to give us that assurance that His Word shall stand. We sinful, unworthy creatures, often make oaths and promises only to break them carelessly. But, this can never be said of God. If God is such than He is indeed unreliable and therefore unworthy to govern the world. His Word is the Truth and absolutely reliable. Know the truth and the truth shall make us free.
What kind of a hope are we having?
Comment on Evening January 23
It is no accident that the Cross is the symbol of Christianity. At the heart of Christianity is the crucifixion of Christ - His execution of capital punishment. Since then many faithful Christians continued to be executed for capital crimes. Is Christianity really such a bad religion in this world - a religion for criminals? The opposite is true! What would this world be really like without Christians since the beginning? Christians are those for whom the world is not worthy, considering how they had been treated.
But Christians are not ashamed of their religion despite the many crosses which they have been bearing. Many continue to respond to Jesus' call: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Mat. 16:24) The cross speaks of sufferings, but it also speaks of glory. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Gal. 6:1) This world is a sinful world because of the fall of man right from the very beginning of his race. From among the fallen race, God, in His mercy, decides to save for Himself a people. For them He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross of Calvary to pay for the penalty of their sins. Repentance towards God and faith towards Jesus Christ, is the only hope for mankind. Under the leadership of Christ, God's people testifies to the world what every human being ought to do to get right with God. But the world would not listen. "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed [his Christ], saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." (Psa. 2:2, 3) So, "the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (Jas. 4:4) The sufferring of the Cross is the result of this enmity. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (Act 14:22; Rom. 9:33)
Jesus is precious to Christian believers, "but unto them which be disobedient, the stone [Jesus] which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence." (1Pe. 2:7, 8) There is offence in the Cross of Christ.
Are you offended by the Cross of Christ? Or is it your glory?
Comment on Morning January 24
An immature child waiting with his parents at a bus stop may become impatient and wanted to move around and play. But for the mature parents, they are ever alert watching carefully every bus that comes by to make sure that they do not miss the bus that can take them to their desired destination. In preparation to board the bus at anytime, they would not allow the child to wander too far from them. Like these people waiting for the bus to come for them, we Christians are waiting for the Lord Jesus to come for us.
Jesus said to us, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (Joh. 14:2f) In our death, He comes for our souls. At His Second Coming, He comes for our bodies.
When we die our souls leave our bodies. To be absent from one place is to be present somewhere else. When we die, we are brought by Christ to the presence of God. The Apostle Paul spoke of "to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" in 2Co. 5:8.
When Christ shall come again in the cloud of glory, in "a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1Co. 15:52-53) Then we shall be given our glorified bodies to be united with our souls and immediately brought home to Heaven by our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." (2Pe. 3:14)
How will your "bus" find you when He arrives for you - an adult or a child?
Comment on Evening January 24
Have you ever walk through a beautiful garden? It is very pleasant because all things there are well chosen and arranged in an orderly fashion and purposeful way. One's garden is not as nice an another only because of the limitation of its owner. The perfect garden is the Garden of the Lord our God, where there is no limitation found in Its Owner.
We as God's people are His "choice vine". (Gen. 49:11) Lest we become vain in our imagination, I must remind us that the goodness of the "choice" is not to be found in us, but in our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom God is well-pleased. In Christ, He makes us good and well fitted in His perfect garden.
So, it is unbecoming that His "choice vine" should bring forth "wild grapes". (Isa. 5:1-2) "Wild grapes" are the works of the flesh "which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, ... envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: .." (Gal. 5:19) Choice vine under the care of the Holy Spirit, brings forth the fruit of the Spirit which "is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, good-ness, faith, meekness, temperance." (Gal. 5:21-23)
As a branch of the "choice vine", how is your Gardener-God glorified by you? (Joh. 15:8)
Comment on Morning January 25
The Apostle Paul spoke of two kinds of righteousness in Rom. 3:20-22, which read: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: .." The first kind comes "by the deeds of the law" while the second kind, "by faith of Jesus Christ."
By the first kind of righteousness, "no flesh be justified in his [God's] sight: .." Why talk about righteousness if it is not a matter of getting right with before the Judge? To be justified in the sight of a person means to be declared as being right in that person's judgment. And the Final Judge of all, beyond which there is no further appeal is the none other than God Himself. If He cannot justify us in whatever we are doing, then we are indeed living in vain awaiting His severe judgment and condemnation. This first kind of righteousness is of no positive use to us. But negatively, it is the means by which one comes to know of one's many sins "for by the law is the knowledge of sin." That is the work of God's grace in applying the law to our hearts to bring us to Christ, in whom we discover the second kind of righteousness.
Though not "of the law", this kind of righteousness is being witnessed by "the law and the prophets". "The law and the prophets" speaks of the Word of God. So, according to God Who lies not, there is such kind of righteousness which is not of the law. By this righteousness a man can be justified by the Just God. What is this kind of righteousness?
It is based upon God's eternal good pleasure to save a people under the headship of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. By this is meant that a group of people is linked to the Son of God, just like Adam, the first man, had connection with the rest of the human race as their federal head. This implies that whatever the Son of God did, He did it for this group of people as well. The Son of God has faith in this eternal counsel of God, and so became a man in the Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago, to save this group of people who were entrusted to Him. ".. thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." (Joh.17:2) To give them eternal life, He paid the penalty of their sins on the Cross of Calvary, rose from the dead the third day, ascended to Heaven, sit on the right hand of God and shall come again to judge all things. Meanwhile by the power of His Holy Spirit, He governs them, by His Word and Spirit, to spread this word and work of His faith.
People who join this group are those who, by the grace of God, are given to repent of their sins (their failed "righteousness of the law"), and who flee to Jesus Christ for salvation by the God-given faith. This call of the Gospel of commanded all men, without distinction, as they are all under obligation to get right with God and accept His ways in all things. The promise of the Gospel is to all who are touched by the sovereign mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul is one of such people. Listen to his testimony in Phil. 3:8, 9: "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."
Are you clothed with the righteousness of Christ - that "wedding garment"? (Mat. 22:11)
Comment on Evening January 25
By creation we are related to God as His creature. Many may not acknowledge that to the confusion of their souls, but it makes no difference as God still govern them as His creatures.
By God's sovereign grace we are related to Him as His children. Christians are made aware of that because they are given the Spirit of His Son. "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Gal. 4:6) Thus the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Our Father Which art in heaven, ..." (Mat. 6:9)
Some mistakenly think that the concept that God is "Father" is found only in the New Testament. Isaiah of old declared, "Doubtless thou art our father, ... thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." (Isa. 63:16) No human being gets saved without this adoption into the family of God. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Rom. 8:9)
The prodigal son may feel unworthy to be called "son" and only thankful, if allowed to serve as servant, but he cannot enter and remain in His Father's house as anyone else except as His son. The wayward son has no argument against his brother who was unhappy with his return and the reception into Father's house. Only the Father can declare a man "this thy brother" and maintain the welcome home. (Luk. 15:32)
He is not ashamed to call you, "my child", are you Him, "my Father"?
Comment on Morning January 26
A sojourner is a person on a journey, even though he may for a time for one reason or another stay around for awhile. A pilgrim is a sojourner, except that he is on a journey to a holy destination. Such people have their mind set on going as soon as they are able. They are very focus, resisting all temptations and distractions to settle down comfortably while on their journey. They thus behave like strangers wherever they go. They have "no continuing city, but .. seek one to come." (Heb. 13:14)
Inhabitants are naturally suspicious of strangers who come into their midst. Who are these people? What are they up to? Do they come in peace or to spy our land? All these are some legitimate questions to ask, and meanwhile to be careful with strangers. In our modern context, some of these sojourners are foreign workers who are here to work for a few years and then to move on somewhere else or return home with their savings. There are bad sojourners who would commit some crimes before they disappear from the land of their sojourning. Because of some black sheep, sojourners are sometimes misunderstood and suffer unjustly, especially in places of bad and wicked inhabitants.
Christian pilgrims in this world should not be surprised when they suffer. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1Pe. 4:12-13) Christ suffered when He was on earth because the wicked, blind people did not recognize and honour Him as they should. Are we as Christians willing to be partakers of similar sufferings?
"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." (1Pe. 4:14) When we are like Christ and suffered for it, we know that Christ is being reproached not just we ourselves. Christ is being "evil spoken of" by those who persecute us. But us who believe in Him, He is glorified. We glorify Him when we suffer for His Name's sake - being "defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day"! We can always be happy when our Saviour's Name is glorified. Our glory is always in His Cross.
Like Moses, all God's people are called to choose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward." (Heb. 11:25, 26)
Are we choosing like good Calvinists should?
Comment on Evening January 26
Why does a person look into a mirror? Sometimes, in order to look at someone whom we do not want to see obviously, but secretly, stealthily. But, most of the time, we look into a morror to see ourselves. Are we really so vain? And how many times and for how long do we spend in front of a mirror?
The Holy Bible, God's Word, speaks of looking into a mirror: "We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. 3:18) God is not encouraging us to be vain in the way we live. Looking into a mirror to behold "the glory of the Lord" is not a vain exercise. No, here we are not taking a stealthy look. But here we are called to look at ourselves in the mirror with "the glory of the Lord" in mind. When a person look into a mirror he looks at himself with a certain image in mind - what he wants to look like in the eyes of those around him. He is vain when he does that to promote himself. The more we look the more we are changed into that image we have in our mind. To be Christ-like is the work of "the Spirit of the Lord". He would lead us to see the Lord of the Bible and not of our own imagination. He is the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of His Word.
Finally, we shall see Him in His glorified body in Heaven. Then, we also long to "hunger no more, neither thirst any more." (Rev. 7:16)
When was the last time you look into your spiritual mirror?
Comment on Morning January 27
God, ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. — He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold; ... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. — The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Christians are people whose sins are taken away. This is because they believe in One Who "was manifested to take away our sins." (1Joh. 3:5) Christians are not people who say that they have not sinned. But, on the contrary, they acknowledge the truth that they have sinned against God and are in need of cleansing. They believe God's Word that Jesus Christ is God Who came to take away their sins. As God Christ has no sin of His own, and therefore able to bear our sins upon Himself. In other words, Christians do believe that sins have to be removed if one is to approach and have fellowship with God.
The age of types and shadows of the Old Testament had passed, and the New Testament age of Christ has come. This present age is the age of the "last days". "God, ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:13) There can be no fellowship with God without communion with Christ. God speaks to us by His Son and we speak to Him through His Son. Only in His Son is the barrier of sins removed to allow communication between God and man.
It is the holy lives that we Christians are called to live. Holy not in the sense that we live without sinning against God, but in the sense that we are reconciled to God and live our lives to please and serve Him in thankfulness, without fear of condemnation, in awe of His wondrous grace. "The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." (2 Co. 5:14,15)
How should cleansed people live in this world?
Comment on Evening January 27
Do reformed people believe that true believers must make choices in life? Or do they only believe that God decides all things completely and in all the details for them and they simply act out their parts like puppets do? If the latter alone be the case, how can believers be ever held responsible for their actions? Certainly it is just a show when a puppet is punished or rewarded.
Does the above then implies that all actions of responsible beings are free and non-determined except by themselves alone, unknowable before hand? That may be true when observed among the creatures in this created world. But the revelation of God shows that God, the alone Almighty Creator, can know all these free actions of responsible creatures and hold these creatures responsible, because He determines them all. "The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Pro. 16:4 )
So we continue to teach the Sovereignty of God over all things, even to their finest details. And we also believe and teach that "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life." (Deu. 30:19) Believers are exhorted again and again in Scriptures to choose life and the way of truth. They shall reap whatever they sow. Like any other human beings, they must will and do and be responsible for their actions, even though their salvation is not a matter of their willing and doing, but of God Who shows mercy. "That servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:47) "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." (Joh. 12:26)
Are you bringing your free-will offerings to the Lord?
Comment on Morning January 28
We should not try to live tomorrow today as we do not have tomorrow's sunshine nor fresh air to help us live that day. "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." (Deu. 33:25) This is not to say that we should not have any plan for tomorrow. To have some kind of plan as to what we want to do tomorrow is unavoidable for rational being like us. But, the expression certainly means that we should not worry about tomorrow. "Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Mat. 6:34)
Christians were often persecuted for their faith, like the Apostles in Acts. This made their days uncertain as they go about witnessing for Christ. To day they might be free and tomorrow they would be in prison. in such situation, they were often tempted to worry. In their worries, they often premeditate what they are going to say and do to ensure that all things work out smoothly. "When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost." (Mat. 13:11) Walking close to God is His calling to all of us Christians. As such we can rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide us to speak the truth always in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, in that way, we let our yea be yea and or nay, nay. (Mat. 5:37)
Often we feel weak and unequal to the task the Lord calls us to perform, just like Elijah was and wish to die and be with the Lord. But, if our time is not yet, He will say to us, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2Cor. 12:9,10.) In that way, too, we who labour know that what is done is by the strength of the Lord. And to Him alone be all the glory and praise. We are just instrument in His mighty hands.
Are we glad for every day given to us to serve Him Who is life, our all in all, in all thankfulness?
Comment on Evening January 28
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (Joh. 3:8 ) The Spirit of God was compared to the wind by our Lord Jesus Christ. Incidentally, in the Hebrew language, the word translated as "wind" may also be translated as "spirit, breath or mind" according to the context. So, in the mind of God's ancient people, there are some common characteristics between "wind" and "spirit".
For one, both are invisible to the naked eyes. But they are real in that they can be felt, seen in the effects they have on things they act on, and they are unpredictable in where they will go next.
Wind can be used for cleansing like when we use it to blow away dirt or to such them away with a vacuum. So, is the Spirit of God, Who can operated to sanctify the people of God. "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: never-theless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. — The fruit of the Spirit." (Heb. 12:11; Gal. 5:22)
Wind can carry smells of spices to distant places. "Awake, O north wind, and ... blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out." (Song 4:16) So, is the work of the Holy Spirit upon a child of God to bring forth his sweet aroma (the fruit of the Spiit in his life) to other around him. "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." (2Co. 4:16-18) God disciplines His children because of His love for them. He discipline them to sanctify them, but such discipline is painful and causes the outward man to perish. Yet the inward man (the divine nature within) is renewed day by day. Then at the right time "He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind." (Isa. 27:8) There is a time for the plesant "east wind" and another for the "rough wind". But they are all from the Lord.
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." (Mat. 4:1) "In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Heb.5:8) Jesus "grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." (Luke 2:40) "Though [Jesus] were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the the things which he suffered." (Heb. 5:8)
How about us?
Comment on Morning January 29
It is good for a believer to know the God Whom they worship and serve is omniscience, - all knowing. "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot attain unto it." (Psa. 139:1-4, 6) Good because he lives in a world of sinful and imperfect people who do not know for sure and yet would judge and condemned according to their imperfect judgment and assessments. Moreover, he himself is imperfect in his communication and often causes misunderstanding by his imperfect ways, even though he does not have any evil intention in his heart. If there is not such a God who knows all perfectly and Who has promised to come in the Final Judgment to settle everything in perfect justice, how would any one want to live uprightly according to truth and justice?
There is no place where God is not there to see and hear what is happening - no place too good or too evil that God would not be there to witness everything in order to judge righteously one day. "The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings." (Pro. 5:21) Men's confusions is their failure to appreciate the judgments of God or of His Word Which is His Judgement. They often seek the approval of men rather than of God. The result is their craving to be "highly esteemed among men" not realizing that such is "abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15) This is a fallen world and God and His people are in the minority as far as number counts, but right and truth are not determined by numbers. "Thy Word is truth". (Joh. 17:17)
Such perfect eyes of our Lord are used to scan throughout the whole earth, not just to know and witness all things, but also to speak and support "them whose heart is perfect toward him." (2Ch. 16:9) Though this is an imperfect world, there are those who are placed in different places in this earth by God to bear witness of the truth. There one will find His Word proclaimed faithfully and upheld by His people in word and practice. "Jesus ... knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man. — Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." (Joh. 2:24-25; 21:17)
Do you know?
Comment on Evening January 29
Our Lord Jesus Christ is one Man Who praises and glorifies the Name of His God with all His heart evermore, whether in "good" or "bad" times, to use men's imperfect judgement of times and seasons. Actually, all God's times are good that is the reason for thanksgiving and praises for His glory. And Jesus knows that right well.
We may not always realize this, but it is really good for ourselves and everything else that those who have breath should "praise the Lord." (Psa. 150:6) "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night." (Psa. 92:1-2) When we do such things, Jehovah God is made known in this world. There is nothing better than that His Name should be made known. Nothing is worth talking about if it is not related to His Great Name. Immediately we can understand why this world is full of confusion. It is because this world is so full of words and ideas not worthy to be uttered and repeated. And for Words and ideas that should be uttered and repeated often, this world would quickly tries to shut it down by one way or another instead of promoting It by helping It along.
By ourselves we are actually not allowed to offer anything to God. Our unclean lips are not worthy to take God's Name into our mouth to praise Him. He would not allow that as that would be compromising His Holy Name. Only by Christ our perfect sacrifice of sin, "therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Heb. 13:12, 15) With being sanctified how dare we try to praise His Holy Name? Yet, there are many non-sanctified people singing the praises of Jehovah with the approval of those who should know better. Consider that it is our privilege Lord's Day by Lord's Day to be allowed into His Sanctuary to sing His praises - a foretaste of Heaven indeed.
Are we part of that Body which is given to praise and glorify God evermore?
Comment on Morning January 30
There is such a thing as a perfect obedience to the Law of God, but, in this life, the best among us (apart from Christ), has only but "a small beginning of this obedience." (Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 114) So, all men apart from Christ continue to sin even when they try to obey God. That is how hopeless and helpless we are by ourselves. "If a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him?" (1Sa. 2:25)
One can only "intreat" for another if he can legally represent him before the tribunal of God. Jesus Christ, like Adam, was made the "second man", the last Adam" (1Co. 15:20-21, 45, 47, ), that He might represent others (the chosen ones of God). So, only Christ can intreat for these others who were given to Him. (Joh. 17:9) "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Heb. 12:1, 2) In the eternal counsel of redemption such an arrangement for Christ's headship of the elect people must have been made before Christ can intreat on our behalf.
Christ Himself tells us who are those for whom He represents and intreats. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. — Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. — Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness." (Luke 9:23. -Luke 14:33. -Rom. 13:12)
The Apostle Paul wrote about these people: "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. — Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (I Co. 9:25,27. -Phi. 3:13,14)
Are you smiling at the storm with Christ intreating for you? (Hos. 6:3)
Comment on Evening January 30
"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." (Pro. 22:15) Such foolishness continues all through life, and they constitute the many occasions for "the yoke in his youth" to be applied. A yoke is that instrument of labour to harness and control that which, otherwise, would be aimless and useless. Thus, an animal is yoked in order to get it to plow the field, for example. "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." (Lam. 3:27) "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Pro. 22:6)
We who belong to God, our Heavenly Father, are indeed most blessed, for He loves us and would chasten us for our profit. He is not like many a useless father among men, who fails to do that to their children. Even among those who do, there is none who does so as perfectly as our Heavenly Father. "We have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us; and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." (Heb. 12:9, 10)
When you are afflicted by the Lord and you got angry and go astray, then, indeed, you are quite unlike the Psalmist who wrote: "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." (Psa. 119:67, 71) Never get angry with God's Word no matter how It makes you feel uncomfortable. They are the making of the yoke of Christ for you to bear humbly and thankfully.
The Lord knows what He is doing. We can certainly trust Him. He said, "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jer. 29:11)
What is our expected end? And how does it come to us? (1Pe. 5:6)
Comment on Morning January 31
We are called to be ruthless in the matter of dealing with sins and evil in our lives. In the Chinese proverbs, there is a saying that when a man would get rid of a patch of grass, he has to be ruthless - not only to cut off the leaves of it, but also all its roots. Of course, when this principle is applied in a revenge scenario among men, it is very sad and evil, as a man would completely wipe out his enemy without leaving a seed behind to take revenge later. It is right never to apply such a principle in dealings with human beings. But, when we treat sins and evil like human, we are in for perpetual troubles. Problems are not really solved when we do not go to the root of the problem. The keep surfacing and we make no progress as a result.
Thus the Lord instructed Moses: "If ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; ... those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell." (Num. 33:55) And so it was that where Joshua and the children of Israel failed to drive out the enemies, these came back as thorns to God's people in the generations to come. The battles fought in the Old Testaments era were all types and symbols of the spiritual battes we are presently fight. Now, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph 6:12)
That is how we must fight the "good fight of faith." (1Ti. 6:12) We deal with principles, thoughts and ideologies. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, ... and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2Co. 10:4-5) That is the reason for having the Word of God to be "a lamp to our feet and a light ot our path." In His light we see light for our journey to Heaven. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD." (Psa. 1:1, 2)
The physical doing of two persons may be exactly the same, but the spiritual and ethical values of those actions may be totally different. One is full of lusts and the flesh while the other of love and the Spirit. As Christian believers, "we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom. 8:12-13) "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (Gal. 5:17) If you are aware of such a battle going on within your soul, then you ought to "mortify the deeds of the body" so that "ye shall live."
What kind of conquerors are we? (Rom. 8:37)
Comment on Evening January 31
To sin against the Lord is a very wrong and foolish thing to do. He is so good to us and He is the only good and right. To go contrary to Him is to walk in darkness and to be in greaat danger as it brings disunity and disharmony to His created world. God is then warthful towards those who rebel against His rule. So Adam and the whole human race fell into sin and incurred the judgment and wrath of God.
Now that we have sinned, what should we do, but to try and appease Him and seek His forgiveness? But how do we do that considering our total unworthiness and lack of right even to appear before Him for a moment? There is only one who can represent us. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1Jo. 2:1, 2) A propitiation is a thing offered to appease someone. Jesus is that offering given to God to appease His wrath against the sin of His people. This is God's own demand so that we might have hope of reconciliation. This was the demand Christ met on the Cross of Calvary when He died for us.
To those of us who are experiencing this grace of God in Christ, we can be much comforted. It speaks of God's favour towards us - the favour of the immutable God! "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?" (Rom. 8:31, 33) Anyone condemning us is going contrary to the God Who has forgiven us for Christ's sake. It is an awesome thing to know that one is forgiven by God. What is His intention in forgiving us? What can we expect? His thought towards us is one of good.
With the continual intercession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Heaven, we can expect great sanctification to take place in our lives. This is the work of the Mighty Spirit of our Glorified Christ. We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
What's God purpose in allowing sins in our lives?
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