February 1
Isaiah 1:18-20
The proposition from the Lord to backslidden Judah was simple. First, it offered cleansing and forgiveness in Verse 18. If they would simply come to the Lord and reason with Him concerning their sinfulness, He would cleanse them and restore them to a place of blessing. From that. point, it would be their duty to do those things that were right and pleasing to God. In so doing they would be blessed to “eat the good of the land,” and to enjoy His favor in their lives. Refusing to do these things would result in Divine judgment.
God longs to bless His people, but His blessings require obedience on our part. There is an “If” that comes before the favors He longs to bestow. Here are just a few “Ifs” we should take special note of: Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:23; John 11:40; 12:26; 13:17, 35; 14:14-15. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land….” Are you hungry?
February 2
Luke 10:1-12
Next month we will be having our annual “Missions Month” here at Good News. There will be an emphasis made on Missions in every service as we seek to renew our burden for the spread of the Gospel around the world. Thank God for His blessings on our missions program, with last year being a banner year for missions offerings.
The emphasis in our passage today has to do with “labourers” going forth with the Gospel message to reach the lost for Christ. The Lord Jesus told the seventy-two He was sending forth to villages before Him, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” That charge and challenge is given to all of His people. Let’s pray for “labourers,” and let’s pray that He will enable us to be those “labourers” for His harvest in our area, for “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few….”
February 3
Ecclesiastes 10:10
A pastor and I were talking about Bible College when I first surrendered to preach. He said something that agrees with our verse today; “You will never lose time cutting wood by taking the time to sharpen your ax.” Many of you reading these words can associate with the message being conveyed. I know there have been many times that I have been using a chainsaw when the chain was dull. The cutting was much slower and required much more energy on my part. A few strokes with the chain file made the work much easier and quicker.
Now, apply this simple truth to your life spiritually. Everything that I endeavor to do for the Lord is much easier if I have been taking the time to sharpen my spiritual ax through prayer, Bible reading and faithfully endeavoring to do those things that please Him. Neglect dulls my ax and makes my spiritual life much more difficult and challenging. Let’s pull out our spiritual files and sharpen or axes today!
February 4
2 Timothy 3
“But continue….”
“…perilous times shall come.” Most agree that we are living in challenging days, perhaps the very days Paul spoke of in our reading today. Be that as it may, the challenge for every generation of believers is the same; “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned….” What is the believer to do in “last days” that are dangerous times, times that are hard to take? “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned….” What is the believer to do when the days of apostasy are upon us? “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned….” What to do when many, if not most professing Christians have forsaken the old paths? “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned….”
Believer, the Lord has never changed, and neither has His Word. His desire for His own has never changed, and His expectations are the same today as they were when He founded His Church two thousand years ago. For that reason, “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned….”
February 5
Philemon
There is an amazing truth that is pointed out in this book; that God can take someone who is considered unprofitable and turn that person into one that is most profitable for Him. Onesimus met Paul in prison, and the apostle won him to Christ. From one that had been considered “unprofitable,” the Lord used him to benefit Paul in prison, and to help him in his ministry for Christ. Undoubtedly, Onesimus delivered this letter to Philemon on behalf of Paul, and was most willing to return to Rome to be of service to the man that had won Him to the Savior.
This story has been repeated countless times over the centuries as the Lord Jesus has taken one soul after another and transformed them by His saving power, and then turned them into profitable servants for His kingdom. Many missionaries have returned to their supporting churches to tell of precious souls that were won out of darkness and now are serving with those missionaries in spreading the glorious light of the gospel. The Lord took Saul of Tarsus, who was determined to destroy the Church of the first century, and transformed him into the apostle to the Gentiles, using him to plant churches throughout the Roman Empire. Let’s pray that this transforming power be displayed in our Church, that the Lord would raise up more “profitable servants” to share His glorious gospel and to serve Him faithfully, as did Onesimus.
February 6
Proverbs 16:17
There are ways that seem right to men, ways that seem acceptable and appropriate, but many times those ways are the ways of disobedience and death. We see this truth lived out around us every day. Most are simply traveling on the wrong “highway.”
The “highway” that the upright travel will take them away from evil, avoiding the paths that lead to destruction. In Numbers 20, the children of Israel requested of Edom in their wilderness journey to pass through their land. They said, “…we will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.” (Numbers 20:17) This must be the path of the redeemed. We must travel by our “King’s high way,” and be sure to never “turn to the right hand nor to the left….” By doing so, by living lives that are endeavoring to be in line with the Word of God and His will for us, we are traveling on the “king’s high way,” and are assured spiritual victory. Which road are you traveling in life?
February 7
Genesis 9:1-16
The recent flood that devastated so much of Western North Carolina gave us just a tiny glimpse of what the horrors of the flood of Noah’s day must have been like. Of course, there is really no comparison with that local flood and that of Noah’s day that enveloped the entire planet. God did not promise that there would never be destructive floods again, but that there would never be another flood that would literally destroy “all flesh.” To mark that “covenant,” God created the rainbow which would serve as a constant reminder to both Himself and humanity of that promise. We see that “bow in the cloud” often, and praise the Lord for His promise of mercy and grace.
When John saw the throne in heaven, he saw a rainbow “round the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” (Revelation 4:1-3) We only see partial rainbows, but the one John saw completely encircled the throne of our God, meaning that in every direction God looks, He is reminded of mercy. Our Lord is a merciful God, and we should ever praise Him for that mercy. Think about that, child of God, the next time you see His “bow in the cloud.”
February 8
Nehemiah 1:1-11
“And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven….”
Nehemiah cared! He had his own life, his own challenges and hopes, but when he heard of the suffering of his kinsmen back in war torn Jerusalem, it bothered him. He was troubled to the point of tears, mourning, fasting and prayer. That time of caring resulted in something being done that greatly benefited the Jews living in Jerusalem.
I have to be honest. When I see things going on around us, disgusting acts that are so contrary to God’s plan for humanity as expressed in His Word, it makes me angry and frustrated. Rather than this feeling of disgust, I should view this situation the same way that Nehemiah saw the suffering Jews in Jerusalem. They were being tormented by their enemies, enemies they simply did not have the power to overcome. That is exactly what is happening with the majority of humanity today. They are no match for the adversary, so they are tormented at his will. There are no walls of protection about them, for they know not the Lord.
Rather than being disgusted, I should be burdened. Words of frustration should be replaced by words of prayer being uttered before the throne of grace. Nehemiah did not make a difference by being critical and judgmental, but by being concerned and acting on that concern. What a challenge to me!
February 9
Isaiah 5:1-7
My dad was a great gardener. I have many memories of working with him in his various gardens. He knew what was needed to produce great vegetables. I can’t imagine all of the work he put into gardening without his expecting good results that would end up on the table.
The Lord viewed Israel as His vineyard, a vineyard in which He had invested much. It certainly wasn’t unreasonable that He expected a return on all that had been done for His chosen people. He expected “fruit” from His vineyard, and rightly so. When that “fruit” was unacceptable, He had every right to do whatever He deemed necessary.
He feels that same way about His Church, and about individuals that make up that body. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8) He promised that if we would abide in Him, and His words were allowed to abide in us, we would be fruit bearers; and not just fruit bearers, but bearers of much fruit. (John 15:5,7) What a challenge for you and I to bear fruit that the Father might be glorified in us!
February 10
Lamentations 3
Jeremiah wrote the Book of Lamentations. He was a prophet of God in some of Judah’s darkest days, and lived during the time of the overthrow of Judah by Babylon. He suffered much. Yes, he was God’s prophet, God’s man, but he suffered along with all the inhabitants of Judah when God’s gavel of judgment fell. It rained Divine displeasure on the just and on the unjust. He suffered, but he was never utterly forsaken by the Lord. Some of the most precious words are found in Jeremiah’s writings in the third chapter of Lamentations. Please examine closely Verses 21-26. When meditating on the Lord in what could easily have been considered hopeless times, he said, “This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope.” He was contemplating the Lord’s mercies, his compassions and His great faithfulness.
Here we find ourselves over 2,500 years later, and the world around us is perilous, dark and under the sinful spell of our adversary. It looks somewhat hopeless. It is not! “This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope.” Our Lord is still merciful, He is still filled with compassion for needy souls and He is still faithful to His Word. Because He is our portion, we hope in Him. He is still in control, and all things will still yet work for His glory and for our ultimate good. Never lose hope, and never wallow in despair. Keep looking up and trusting Him. “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” Amen!
February 11
Ezra 3:11
When Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had overthrown Judah, his army destroyed the Temple. God had allowed this because of Judah’s idolatrous sins. The captivity ended and Cyrus issued a decree allowing Jews to return to their homeland. In Ezra 3, we read of the laying of the foundation walls for the reconstructed Temple, and when this happened there was much rejoicing. “And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.” They rejoiced because the Temple, as designed by God, was the center of religious Judaism. The laying of the foundation was an indicator that the Lord was once again smiling upon them, and this caused great rejoicing.
God’s favor and blessings are grounds for rejoicing, and God’s people should certainly rejoice for His goodness. His favor toward us, His Church, is beyond measure. There really isn’t as much emphasis in this dispensation on a place of worship, like the Temple, but rather on the people that make up the spiritual house, and that being His Church. Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Church, and souls that are saved make up the building stones of the Church. (See 1 Peter 2:5) Just as the Jews rejoiced to see the foundation of the Temple being laid, the Church should be filled with rejoicing any time we hear of “lively stones” being added to build up this “spiritual house.” May the Lord smile upon us with His favor in adding “to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47)
February 12
1 John 5
“…we know….”
Twenty-seven times in 1 John you will find the word “know.” It would be worth a trip through the book, picking out the “knows.” The first verse that contains “know” is Chapter 2, Verse 3; “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
Do you know “Him?” I have asked many that question; “Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?” Do you know Him as Lord? Do you know Him experientially? Do you know Him by spending time with Him? John said that the way that we “know” that we “know” Him is that we are concerned with keeping His commandments. We endeavor to do “those things that are pleasing in his sight.” (1 John 3:22) John goes on to say, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” (2:4-5)
That’s not to say that we never do things that are not pleasing to Him, or that every action in our lives are perfectly in line with His sovereign will. But it does mean that it is the desire of those that know Him to please Him. It does mean that they endeavor to do so, and when they realize they are not pleasing Him, there is confession and repentance. Let’s seek to please Him today!
February 13
Deuteronomy 8:1-17
Yesterday’s devotion reminded us of the importance of doing those things in our lives that please the Lord. It was referred to as “keeping His commandments.” Israel was charged with that very thing. They had the duty of doing the things that the Lord said to do, and laying aside those things that He told them not to do. He reminded them of the many blessings they had already enjoyed, and those that He had promised were coming, but they had to remember to live their lives for Him.
There was a danger Israel was facing, one that we all face. The danger was that they might possibly “forget” the goodness and grace of God in their lives. It was a danger of coming to conclusion that their own might and wisdom had brought them the good things that they would enjoy in the land of promise; that they somehow deserved all these favors. The danger, and the possibility of falling prey to that danger, was real or the Lord would not have warned them of its potential.
Part of the forgetting process for Israel would begin by failing to be obedient to God’s Word and His will for their lives. Think about that in conjunction with yesterday’s devotional thought out of 1 John. Assurance, the feeling of confidence in one’s relationship and walk with God, is one of the greatest of blessings for the child of God, and that assurance is bolstered by consistently endeavoring to walk in obedience to the Lord’s will. “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God….”
February 14
Malachi 3
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me….”
John the Baptist was an important character in Scripture. Several prophesies are found in the Old Testament of this forerunner of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. See Isaiah 40:1-5; Matthew 3:1-3; Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6. The Messiah was coming, and it was John’s duty to prepare them for that coming. He did that by proclaiming that coming, and by calling people to repentance and faith.
I am not John the Baptist. Neither are you. But, the Messiah is coming again, and it is our task to sound the warning and to issue the invitation for people to be prepared for that coming. John’s message was that Jesus was coming and they needed to be ready. Our message is that Jesus is coming; He is coming for His Church, and people need to be saved. He is coming to judge the nations and to set up His kingdom upon earth, and people need to be ready. He is coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and people need to be prepared. We need to be voices crying in the wilderness of confusion and sin in this world, that people might be saved and prepared for His Second Coming. Amen!
February 15
Daniel 3
“But if not….”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not know for sure that the Lord was going to miraculously deliver them from the fiery furnace. In fact, they were fairly sure that they were about to be devoured in the flames of that inferno, but they were not going to compromise their faith and disobey their God. The “But if not…” says much. It says that they weren’t dependent upon the Lord performing the miraculous in order to maintain their faith and obedience to the Lord. They were not going to become faithless if the Lord did not do those things that they thought He would, or hoped that He would. Their faith was not dependent upon God performing all things according to their expectations.
O, to have that kind of faith that declares, “But if not…” I will continue to trust and to serve my Lord. “I’m hoping that He will, but if not….” “I would like to think that He will, but if not….”
Let’s face it, He does not always do what we think He will do, or hope that He will do. Our vision and understanding is limited. His is not! He plans do not always take my wishes into consideration, but always takes into consideration His glory and my good. So, may He ever help me to affirm, “But if not, I am still going to faithfully serve Him.” Amen!
February 16
Romans 4:6-8
Paul’s quote is from Psalms 32. In this Psalm, David is not claiming at all that he has no sin in his life. On the contrary, see Verses 3-5. He fully acknowledged his sinfulness and his confession of sin before God. “I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord….” When that was done sincerely in repentance, David added, “…and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”
We are all sinners. None are righteous in themselves. See Romans 3:23. The Lord Jesus took our sins to Calvary, dying there in our place. See 1 Peter 2:24. By taking our sins to Himself as our sacrifice, they that have trusted Him as Savior have been declared “righteous.” See Romans 3:21-22 with Romans 3:24-26. What a blessed truth!
Because of this, with David we can rejoice in the fact that, “Blessed are thy whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Amen!
February 17
Galatians 3:14
“Cursed” is a strong word in Scripture. This is not speaking of someone using profanity against you, but rather it speaks of the pronouncement of Divine condemnation. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, they were “cursed” for their disobedience to God, thus bringing the “curse” for sin against all of their descendants. Humanity lives under the “curse” for sin, for as Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Here is where grace comes in. The Lord Jesus Christ, although completely without sin, took our sin upon Himself. He took our curse on Calvary, “for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” He took the “curse” of our sin and gave us His righteousness. Blessed truth!
There is coming a time in the future when there will “be no more curse” at all in this world. See Revelation 22:3. What a glorious day that will be, but that can be a reality now to all who place faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) This gracious truth was made possible by the Lord Jesus literally being “Cursed” for us so that we might be freed forever from that Divine pronouncement of condemnation. Amen!
February 18
Exodus 28
The High Priest carried the names and representations of each tribe of Israel on his breastplate during the times of his service in the Tabernacle. He was representing them in his ministry, and they were to ever be upon his heart. For those priests that were sincere in their service, these holy reminders kept before them the awesome task they were called upon to fulfill.
The Lord Jesus is the Great High Priest of the redeemed, representing them before the Father in heaven. Like those faithful High Priests in the Old Testament era, His redeemed are ever upon His heart. Know this, child of God, you are never out of His sight or out of His thoughts.
“Are not to sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31
February 19
Luke 10:1-12
All are not going to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ unto salvation. In fact, most are not. (Matthew 7:14) Jesus knew that when sending forth the “other seventy” to go into cities and various places where He would be coming. He knew that the seventy would be the objects of ridicule and opposition, and that they would easily become discouraged because of this animosity toward them and the One they were representing. This was not to stop them in their mission or in their effort to introduce souls to the Savior.
Most that you talk to about the Lord Jesus will not be interested in what you have to say. Some will be rude, hateful and resentful that you would imply that they are unfit for heaven or to stand before God. Others will be kind, even show an interest in what you are saying, but will be unwilling to make any commitment to the Lord, or even agree to come to church with you. Some will be saved! Praise God for that!
Jesus told the seventy to move on and keep presenting His truth to all. There are times rejection seems personal, even when you are burdened for someone you know and they simply are not interested. It is sort of the same as when God told Samuel that the Children of Israel were not rejecting the prophet, but they were rejecting God. Keep sharing your testimony and invitations with others. Don’t stop praying and hoping to see fruit abound to Christ’s glory. A gospel tract, a shared testimony and an earnest invitation never goes unnoticed by the One we are serving and representing. Rest assured, child of God, if none respond or show any appreciation, He sees and He knows and He rewards faithfulness. Amen!
February 20
Nahum 1
There is a truth expressed in this chapter that, although unpleasant to consider, it is yet unquestionably true. The wicked and ungodly will not go unpunished by our righteous God. They seem to prosper in this world despite their unbelief and rejection of God and His Word. Happiness and peace seem to be their lot, and they seem to be exempt from many of the difficulties and hardships that others face. But just at the Lord is not unrighteous to forget the labors of love performed by His own (Hebrews 6:10), neither is He unaware or forgetful of the ungodliness of the wicked.
How then can we understand the continued prosperity and happiness of the ungodly? Nahum explained it this way, “The Lord is slow to anger, and in great power….” And, he also reminds us that “The Lord is good….”
An old song speaks of this prospering of the ungodly; “Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder, why it should be thus all the day long; while there are others, living about us, never molested, though in the wrong.”
Pray for those who seem so oblivious of that future reckoning with God, for their heaven is here on earth, and their eternal future is unspeakably bleak. Paul wrote, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) Nahum knew that, writing, “The Lord is good, a strong old in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” And, He knows them that do not! Amen!
February 21
Genesis 15:1
Abraham had just returned from the battle with the confederacy of kings that had taken Lot hostage. He had won the battle, but undoubtedly was concerned that he had been forced to engage in a conflict with others in a land in which he was really considered a stranger. While it is not certain all that was on Abraham’s mind, the Lord knew well, and He came to Abraham with words of comfort and hope. “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and that exceeding great reward.”
Nothing would happen to Abraham outside the will of God. None would be permitted to harm him, for the Lord was his “shield.” The “friend of God” had nothing to fear, for the Lord was with him. He is also with you, child of God. He is your shield, your strong and mighty tower. (See Psalms 61:3) No one, or no thing, can harm you with the Lord as your shield.
Abraham was also told, “…I am…thy exceeding great reward.” The patriarch was not interested in the spoil he had taken in the battle, that was not the purpose of his entering the conflict. The Lord knew this, and assured His friend, “I am thy exceeding great reward.” Thank God for His blessings on our lives, but the greatest blessing the child of God has, or ever will receive, is the Lord Himself. He is our reward! Amen!
February 22
Joshua 2
Like all of the inhabitants of Jericho, Rahab had heard of the exploits of the nation of Israel and how the Lord had blessed, protected and avenged them of their enemies. And, like others, her heart had become fearful of what God could do to Jericho. Unlike others in Jericho, however, Rahab faced those fears differently; she determine to side with Israel and to plead for mercy from Israel’s God.
This past week, I read once again the story of Jonah and his prophetic ministry in the city of Nineveh. When he preached the coming judgment, the king and the inhabitants of that Gentile city believed and repented. From the king down, the people of Nineveh sought the mercies of God, and they were rewarded for their response to the prophet’s message and their seeking of the Lord.
Just as in the days of Joshua and in the days of Jonah, the message of a coming judgment is being heard from faithful followers of Christ. Some choose to reject the message and to ignore its plea. Others postpone any response, as though time is of no importance, but some believe, repent and seek the mercies of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Rahab was blessed, so are those who thus respond to the Gospel Message. She not only was spared the coming judgment of Jericho, but actually found herself in the family line of the Messiah. And, those who respond to the Gospel of Christ are not only spared eternal condemnation, they are made sons and daughters of God through the New Birth. Thank God for the Gospel of Christ, and for the mercies of God through our Blessed Savior!
February 23
Habakkuk 2:1-3
Habakkuk was a prophet of God in Judah just about 20 years before the Babylonian invasion and subsequent captivity of the southern tribes. Please note what the Lord said to His prophet in Verse 3; “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
Peter prophesied of a day when scoffers would ridicule the message of the Second Coming of Christ, saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 2:4) Like those in Habakkuk’s time, the “tarrying” of that judgment gave them a sense of ease and assurance that there would be no judgment at all. But his message was clear, “…it will surely come, it will not tarry.” The Lord is coming; He is coming for His Church, and then seven years later He will come to set up His kingdom on this earth. He will not tarry!
Child of God, live your life as though He will never come in your lifetime, but live as though He may come today. His coming is for an “appointed time,” that only He knows, but it is as certain as the time present in which you are reading these words. Some twenty years after Habakkuk prophesied the Babylonians came and Judah fell. It became a reality for that generation. Perhaps we are the generation that will experience the reality of the coming of our Lord. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
February 24
Revelation 1:1-8
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Jesus said, “I am…the Almighty.” He did not necessarily say, “I want you to accept that I am the Almighty,” or “I want the world to recognize me as the Almighty,” or even “I want the Church to acknowledge me as the Almighty.” He simply stated an undeniable truth, “I am…the Almighty.” And, He is!
The first time the word “Almighty” is found in Scripture is in Genesis 17:1 when God was speaking to Abraham, confirming His covenant. While the covenant almost seemed beyond comprehension to Abraham, the Lord assured Him that as the Almighty, He had the power to perform that which He had promised. Eight times in Revelation the term is used, the Lord assuring us that He has able to perform all that He has promised us. Never lose hope, child of God, for what He has promised He is able also to perform. (Romans 4:21) He is Almighty!
February 25
Numbers 17
Aaron’s rod was a staff, what you might think of as a walking stick or a shepherd’s staff. The Lord used this “budding” of Aaron’s rod to stop the murmuring of the children of Israel in their questioning of the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Not only did He make Aaron’s rod to “blossom,” it also brought forth almonds. This was impossible by natural means, the “rod” having been cut and dried and smoothed to make it a walking staff. It was the Lord manifesting Himself in a miraculous way to reveal His will, assuring the children of Israel of His choice of Moses and Aaron.
The greatest proof in Scripture that revealed God’s plan and purpose was that of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:4 tells us that Jesus Christ was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead….” Just as Aaron’s rod budded forth after having been cut down, the Lord Jesus, although fully crucified on Calvary’s cross, conquered death in glorious resurrection. An again, as Aaron’s rod, the Lord Jesus, after His resurrection, has been producing fruit for the past two thousand years. If you that are reading these words have been saved, you are part of the budding fruit of the Lord Jesus. Of all the would-be religious leaders of the world, only One was cut down, budded back to life and has produced fruit to the Father’s glory. It was forever settled that Aaron and Moses were God’s men to lead Israel, and it has forever been settled that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is the Messiah and the world’s only Savior. Amen!
February 26
1 Timothy 1
“…Jesus Christ, which is our hope.”
My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.
Read the following passages: Romans 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Colossians 1:27. The Lord Jesus is our hope. Through His death, burial and resurrection, He has offered His hope to all. He is the world’s only hope of salvation, of peace and of eternal life. His hope is an anchor to our souls, (Hebrews 6:19) giving us full assurance (Hebrews 6:11) and filling our hearts with rejoicing (Romans 12;12).
I once asked a man if he was going to heaven when he died. His answer was, “I hope.” That’s not the Christian hope! Our hope is a confident expectation of good guaranteed through the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our hope!
February 27
Colossians 2:1-3
Church is an essential organism established by the Lord Jesus. (Matthew 16:18) It is His Bride, His Body on earth made up of all born-again believers. The Church is His means of spreading the good news of the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20) that souls might be saved and added to His body of called-out ones. (Acts 2:47)
It is, however, more than that. It is that means whereby His chosen ones can have “their hearts…knit together in love” and where they might come to that place of “full assurance of understanding.” You and I need the Church. We live in a cold and sin-darkened world and the light and warmth available in the house of God is indispensable for our spiritual well-being. Read the rest of Chapter 2, and consider the challenges and charges of this chapter as meant personally for you. It was!
February 28
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Some reading these words did not have the benefit of Timothy whose mother and grandmother taught him God’s Word. (See 2 Timothy 1:5) But beginning with conversion, all have been taught basic truths from Scripture, else they would not have had the opportunity to trust Christ as Savior. Since conversion, most have been taught God’s Word, have studied it and are familiar with the basic doctrines found in the Bible. Some have been well-grounded in Scripture and have proven themselves to be avid students of Holy Writ. Whatever your situation, the charge to you and to us all is, “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of….”
“Continue!” Continue trusting Jesus Christ for all things. Continue living according to His principles found in Scripture, endeavoring to do those things that please Him. Keep on keeping on faithfully with and in His Church. Remain faithful to His cause on this earth. Support what He supports. Avoid what He avoided. Be part of what He is part of. Endeavor to make His will your own. If His Word says “Don’t do it,” then “Don’t do it.” If His Word says, “You do this,” then “You do this.” Just “Continue!”
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