January February March April May June July August September October November December Pathways of Life Devotionals
The passage in parenthesis is where the lesson is taken from and will give you an overview of the entire Bible in a year, but you will not read through the Bible in a year. I pray that this is a blessing to you throughout the year.Each day has several scriptures listed in order to completely read the Bible through in a year.
September
SEPTEMBER l
Jeremiah 37 - 39 Proverbs 31 (Jer. 38:1-13)
". . . and they were judged every man according to their works."
Revelation 20:13
Chapters 37 and 38 of Jeremiah take place before the fall of Jerusalem, which is recorded in Jeremiah 39. Jeremiah had been thrown into a dungeon by the princes of Judah; they wanted him to die of hunger. However, when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian heard what they had done to Jeremiah, he went straight to King Zedekiah and fearlessly pled for Jeremiah's life. He was given permission to take thirty body guards and to rescue Jeremiah from the dungeon. Jeremiah was then put back under the provision of the king's court till Jerusalem was taken.
Ebedmelech demonstrated great faith and ability to stand up for righteousness. Because of his mercy towards Jeremiah, God had mercy upon Ebedmelech. For in chapter 39:15-18, God promised that when evil came upon Jerusalem, and it was destroyed that Ebedmelech would be delivered because he had trusted in the Lord.
God wants us to believe that He is a God who delights to reward those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). Let us not fear national calamity or economic chaos, but let us seek and trust the Lord. We will then experience the Lord as our rewarder, even as Ebedmelech was rewarded for his faith and deeds. May our faith be coupled with fearless deeds of faith that our reward may be great.
SEPTEMBER 2
Jeremiah 40, 41 Lamentations 1 (Jer. 40:7 - 41:2)
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad. . . ."
1 Kings 3:9
After the Chaldeans conquered Jerusalem, they set up Gedaliah as governor over the cities of Judah. He was to govern the poor that were left in the land. When word got around that Gedaliah had been appointed governor of Judah, the captains of the armies and their men came to him. Likewise, all the Jews returned from the places to which they had been driven (40:12), and they began to till the ground to try to once again live a normal life. They began to gather the grapes and the summer fruits. It seemed as if life was going to be bearable under Gedaliah's leadership, for he had a good heart towards the people and a submissive spirit to Babylon.
Just when life began to get liveable again, some leadership flaws surfaced in Gedaliah that caused pandemonium once more. All the captains of the forces came to Gedaliah and warned him that Ishmael was plotting to kill him. Gedaliah ignored their warning. He failed to check signs of danger. When Johanan came secretly to him (40:15), Gedaliah showed no discernment and again refused to believe that Ishmael wanted to harm him.
To be an effective leader, we must learn to take counsel and to watch closely for warning signs. It not only cost Gedaliah his life, but also since he was in leadership, it affected all of Judah. May we not blindly go ahead with things we do if we sense a warning signal in our spirits. To plunge ahead will bring death, and if we are in any type of leadership, it will affect others as well.
SEPTEMBER 3
Jeremiah 42, 43 Lamentations 2 (Jer. 42)
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
James 1:22
After Gedaliah had been murdered and Ishmael had been run out of the country, all the people came to Jeremiah. Things had gone from bad to worse. Since Jeremiah's prophecies had all turned out to be correct, they came to ask for prayer. They wanted the Lord to show them the way that they were to walk and to show them what they were to do. They made a covenant to do whatever God wanted them to do, whether it seemed good to them or not, for they said that they recognized that those who obey the Lord have things go well with them (42:6).
As Jeremiah waited on the Lord, He spoke that the people were not to go down to Egypt, but they were to stay in the land. They were not to be afraid of the Chaldeans, for God was with them to save and deliver them. When the leaders of Israel heard these words, they called Jeremiah a liar (43:2), and they did not obey the voice of the Lord. Instead, they all headed for Egypt, the exact place God said not to go.
When people get in desperate situations, they often see the need to have God's blessing on their lives, so they come and ask what God wants them to do. They want to obey God like they have never done before. They want God's blessing and peace in their lives. Yet, when they hear what God requires, they refuse to obey.
One time a rich young man came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to have eternal life. But when he heard the level of obedience and surrender it required, he left sorrowful (Mt. 19:22). Do you have itching ears? Do you like to hear God's Word preached, but are you not too keen on obedience? Then you need to repent and to ask God to give you a heart that delights to do His will (Ps. 40:8). May we be doers, not just hearers of His Word.
SEPTEMBER 4
Jeremiah 44, 45 Lamentations 3 (Jer. 44:1-28)
"For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods. . . ."
1 Kings 11:4
Chapter 44 takes place years after the destruction of Jerusalem. The people were assembling out of various parts of Egypt where they had settled. Their purpose was to burn incense to the queen of heaven, not to worship Jehovah. Jeremiah showed up at their meeting and began to remind them of how Jerusalem and Judah had been destroyed because they had served other gods. Likewise, if God's people persisted in offering incense to the queen of heaven, they too would be punished so that no one would escape.
The reply to Jeremiah was that the men would continue to follow their wives in burning incense to the queen of heaven. The women stated that they did not offer cakes and pour out drink offerings alone. Their husbands had joined them. Notice that the women had tremendous influence on the spiritual atmosphere of the home. Jeremiah 7:18 refers to the fact that before Jerusalem was destroyed, the women burned cakes to the queen of heaven. First Kings 11:4 tells us when Solomon was old that his wives turned his heart away from the Lord to other gods.
If you are not married, remember the importance of having a wife or husband that will urge you to press on with the Lord. Women, be the kind of woman that stirs up her husband to seek God. Don't be a hinderance by placing other gods before him. It has been said that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. May all God's women set an atmosphere of praise and worship in their homes.
SEPTEMBER 5
Jeremiah 46 - 48 (Jer. 48)
"For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken. . . ."
Jeremiah 48:7
Jeremiah 46 begins a series of prophecies against other nations. Chapter 48 deals with the judgment of Moab. Since we've been reading Jeremiah, we know why Israel was judged by God, but why was Moab to be judged as well? Let us observe some reasons judgment comes on people and make sure we don't have the same vices:
1. Trusting in riches
(v.7) Moab thought that her bank balance could protect her in her day of trouble. Because of her riches, she did not look to or trust in God. Without a trust and faith in God, we cannot please Him.
2. Doing the work of the Lord deceitfully
(v.10) What are your motives for doing God's work? Is it to please Him and glorify Him, or are you doing it for personal recognition?
3. Not using His sword
(v.10) God wants us to use the sword (Word of God) to cut out areas of our lives and to warn others as well. Let us not shrink back from the cutting away of our own ways, ideas, and traditions by God's Word.
4. Not changing
(v.11) Let us not be at ease as Moab was. The dregs of the old life stayed in Moab, and she never changed. May we let situation by situation form us into the character of Jesus Christ.
5. Many more.
Search them out.
May we learn to avoid the mistakes of Moab. Let us come to the Lord, trust only in Him, and apply His Word to our lives that we may be changed. If we do this, we will begin to qualify for His protection in times of judgment.
SEPTEMBER 6
Jeremiah 49 - 5l (Jer. 51)
" . . . For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."
1 John 3:8
Jeremiah 51 deals with the overthrow of Babylon. Babylon represents the false and ungodly religious system throughout Scripture. In every age, Satan has counterfeited the true with the false. Against the godly line of Seth was Cain. Against Abraham was Chedorlaomer; against Israel, Nineveh; against Jerusalem, Babylon; against the church, Rome; against the New Jerusalem, Babylon the Great; against the Bride of the Lamb, the woman in scarlet. Where God has moved, Satan has always tried to counterfeit it by some other work.
In Revelation, we read of the anti-Christian power under the guise of religion setting itself against all that is of God and persecuting the saints of God. Students of Biblical prophecy have always identified this great persecuting power as Rome, the city of the seven hills. If this interpretation is correct, then no doubt in the millennium, Rome will be as desolate as Babylon has been the past two thousand years or more.
Yet, there is a greater scope to this prophecy. For every form of anti-Christian power will be broken. Whether it be drug trade, alcoholism, false philosophy, superstitions, gigantic wrongs or "smaller" ills, they all will be destroyed. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and He must reign till all His enemies are put under His feet. Hallelujah! May we be filled with a confidence that all God's enemies shall perish, and those who love the Lord will reign victorious forever.
Are you on the Lord's side? Are you seeing the works of the devil destroyed out of your own life? Be assured that He is able to deliver you from your own personal Babylon. Put sin out of your life, renounce it, be willing to be set free, then trust God to drive out the foul things in your own heart. Do not say "I will try," but "I will trust." Look to Him to do the work and to keep you, and reckon He's done the work no matter how you feel. He is able and willing to deliver you from your "Babylon" today.
SEPTEMBER 7
Jeremiah 52 Lamentations 4, 5 (Jer. 52:12-23)
"How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street."
Lamentations 4:1
When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, they looted the temple, burned the houses, killed some people, and carried away others into captivity. Lamentations 4:1 refers to their confiscating the gold, silver, and brass out of the house of the Lord. When Solomon had built the temple, millions of dollars of gold were used. He had overlaid the inside walls as well as the furniture with gold. He made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle and overlaid it with gold (1 K. 6:20-22).
First Kings 10:27 says that during Solomon's life silver became as valueless as stones, so great was the wealth of the kingdom at its zenith. However, through the years as the nation left God, we find the enemies of God's people gradually stripping away their wealth and power. In Jeremiah, we find the nation dying of starvation, and all the remaining precious stones being taken away.
We've probably all heard that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, and He does! Yet, Satan also has a plan to destroy us physically, spiritually, economically, emotionally, mentally, and any other way he can. Jesus said that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but He came to give abundant life (Jn. 10:10). There is no virtue in being poor! None at all! To evangelize the world it takes money. Just as the enemy stripped Israel of their financial resources, likewise Satan has stripped many Christians of their financial well-being.
May we begin to realize that it is not God's plan for us to be in poverty all our lives. He has those in the kingdom who are to exercise the gift of giving (Rom. 12:8). May we begin to do spiritual warfare to break the power of poverty and begin to renew our minds so Jerusalem's fate does not become the church's fate.
SEPTEMBER 8
Ezekiel 1 - 3 (Eze. 2; 3:15-21)
"Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me."
Ezekiel 3:17
When the Lord asks us to tell others about Him, there often comes a fear of what their response will be. Will they laugh at me, mock me, or ridicule me? Inside of us a battle rages. Will we obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit, or will we choose to be afraid of what others will think or say about us?
Ezekiel must have had the same battle when God spoke to him, for the Lord told it to him straight. Israel was rebellious and impudent and would talk against Ezekiel, jeer at him, and not listen to him. Yet, Ezekiel was to share the Word of the Lord just the same.
In chapter 3, God replaced Ezekiel's fear of man with a healthy fear of the Lord. Ezekiel was told that if God said the wicked was going to die and he did not warn him, then the wicked one would die in his iniquity. Also, the Lord would hold Ezekiel responsible for that person's life. If Ezekiel warned the man, and he did not turn from his wickedness, then he would die in his iniquity, but Ezekiel would not be held accountable by God. If Ezekiel warned a man and the man repented, then both of their souls were spared. As one can see, God did not give Ezekiel much room to not share, for he was responsible for the lives of those that he came in contact with. God had made him a watchman.
God wants us to know that we have a responsibility to share Jesus with others, whether they listen or not. May we not fear others' looks or reactions to what the Holy Spirit prompts us to say, but may we fear what God would say if we do not warn those with whom we come in contact.
SEPTEMBER 9
Ezekiel 4 - 6 (Eze. 6)
"And they shall know that I am the Lord. . . ."
Ezekiel 6:10
There is a theme that runs throughout the book of Ezekiel: God wants all people to know Him as their Lord. Over fifty times in Ezekiel, God uses the phrase, "then ye shall know that I am the Lord" or a variation of the phrase. The message keeps coming back to us, for God longs for us to know that He is the Lord. God's heart is a heart of love that wants the best for us.
In chapter 6, we begin to see another theme emerge as well: God will surely judge sin. Through the rest of the book, we see God as an uncompromising judge releasing judgments on a people that refused to walk in His ways. Why is God so firm about destroying their cities, vineyards, and nation? The answer comes back to us again and again: that they might know that He is the Lord.
The Lord in all His patience had tried to get His people to come to Him and to know Him. He sent the prophets to warn them. He gave them mighty deliverances; He had given them His Word; He had showered them with blessings. Yet, they still refused to draw near and to learn to know Him. As a last resort, God released terrible judgment on the evil house of Israel. He knew that that was the only thing that would cause them to turn to Him. When they were judged, they knew that He was Lord.
Friend, are you hearkening to the drawing of the Lord? Are you seeking to know Him through His Word, prayer, and fellowship? May we make Him Lord in every area of our life that He will not have to chastise us to get us to recognize His Lordship.
SEPTEMBER 10
Ezekiel 7 - 9 (Eze. 8:1 - 9:7)
"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
1 Peter 4:17
While Ezekiel was in Babylon, the Spirit of God took him to Jerusalem and showed him all the abominations that the elders, women, and men were committing. He saw demonic creatures within the house of God (8:10), as well as idols, sun worship, secret sins of the leaders, and worship of Asherah. Because of these abominations in the house of God, Jerusalem experienced Divine judgment without pity.
Before the city was destroyed, however, the Lord told six angels to go throughout the city and to put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sighed and cried for all the abominations in the midst of the city. Those that were marked by God were spared, but all the others were slain. Judgment began at the sanctuary (9:6). The angels went forth and slew the unmarked in the city.
In times of judgment, God always begins at His house. Judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Pe. 4:17), and then the others will be judged. God will judge and cleanse His church first. In Ezekiel, we saw those who were spared in judgment: those who sighed and cried for the abominations done in the house of God.
How much do you weep over the condition of God's church today? There are many abominations going on in the church: immorality, covetousness, strife, divorce and remarriage, abortion, homosexuality, apathy, luke-warmness, heresy, and many others. May we have such a love for righteousness that we hate wickedness and sigh and cry for the abominations done in the church.
SEPTEMBER 11
Ezekiel 10 - 12 (Eze. 11:1-13)
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Matthew 5:44
In Ezekiel's vision, the Spirit of the Lord lifted him up and took him from Babylon to Jerusalem. There he saw twenty-five men that gave wicked counsel opposing the messages of Jeremiah and himself. Jeremiah had told the people to build houses in captivity (Jer. 29:5) for the captivity would last seventy years. These men, however, sneered at the prophecy and replied that those far off in exile could build if they pleased, but that was too remote for them to worry about (Eze. 12:27).
They scorned Jeremiah 1:13 and said that the walls of their city would protect them as the pot exists for the safety of its flesh. God replied that judgment would come quickly, and they would know that He is the Lord. When Ezekiel prophesied certain death, the probable ringleader, Pelatiah, fell down dead as an earnest of the destruction of the others.
Did Pelatiah deserve death? Most assuredly so! He had openly denounced the Word of God spoken by the prophets. Ezekiel responded by falling on his face and asking if the Lord would make a full end of the remnant of Israel.
I am impressed with Ezekiel's reaction. It wasn't one of satisfaction at the death of opposition, but a heart cry for God to spare the remnant left. He was not on a campaign to show his power, but he had a heart of love for God's people. May we not desire to see our opposition destroyed, but may we desire God to have mercy on those who revile us. May we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute and slander us.
SEPTEMBER 12
Ezekiel 13 - 15 Psalm 119:1-32 (Eze. 14:1-11)
"My son, let not them [God's laws] depart from thine eyes. . . . Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble."
Proverbs 3:21, 23
In Ezekiel 14, some of the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel after they had been taken to Babylon. They sat before Ezekiel with the pretense of consulting God, but they had idols set up in their hearts and had even gone to the point of outwardly practicing idolatry. Yet, they thought they could come and get a word from
God through Ezekiel. God replied that He was going to let them be deceived. They were hypocrites yet feigning to be true worshippers of Jehovah. God said He would answer them according to their own idolatrous hearts (14:4).
In Romans 1:18-32, the Lord says that He will let those who refuse to walk in His way go their own way. He will give them over to vile lusts, uncleanness, and a reprobate mind. A reprobate mind is one which is so deceived that it becomes a victim of a wrong spirit. A man or woman who yields to sin and rebellion opens himself up to great deception. In First Kings 22:19-23, we see the Lord allowing a lying spirit to deceive wicked, idolatrous King Ahab.
May we realize how important it is to live uprightly. He who does the will of God shall know whether a doctrine is of God or not (Jn. 7:17). Note that the key is obedience and living in the light of the Word of God; they will keep us from stumbling, whereas, sin will cause us to stumble and fall into error (Eze. 14:3, 4, 7). Those who live clean, see clear.
SEPTEMBER 13
Ezekiel 16 - 18 Psalm 119:33-64 (Eze. 18)
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die ."
Ezekiel 18:20
During Ezekiel's time there was a common proverb: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." This proverb expressed the idea that the fathers were responsible for the sins of their children. The children were saying that they could not help but be sinners because of their fathers. It was an excuse to sin and an attempt to cast off personal accountability to God for their actions.
But in 18:3-18, the Lord explained that if a man was just in walking in God's ways, then he would surely live. But, if this upright man had a wicked son, the son would die for his own sins. However, if the son of a wicked man saw his father's sins and refused to be a part of that kind of life, he would not die for the sins of his father, but he would live.
We are all accountable to God for our own lives.
In 18:20-28, the Lord shows that He has mercy on those who repent and turn from their wickedness. They will surely live. But, if a righteous man rebels against God and goes out and sins, he will surely die for all his sins if he doesn't repent.
God has no pleasure in the fate of the wicked (Eze. 23, 32), which is hell. But, He calls for all to repent, to cast away their transgressions, and to come to Him for a new heart and spirit. The choice is up to us. Will we choose to live or choose to die? If you are living in sin, remember that Jesus is waiting with open arms to receive you, to forgive you of all your sins, and to make you a new man with a new heart and spirit.
SEPTEMBER 14
Ezekiel 19 - 21 Psalm 119:65-88 (Eze. 20:1-22, 44)
"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings ."
Ezekiel 20:44
Three times in Ezekiel 20 we find the Lord giving instances in the history of the nation of Israel where they deserved the wrath of God for their idolatry, disobedience, and rebellion (v. 9, 14, 22). But, instead of pouring out His wrath and judgment, God was merciful to them. While Israel was in Egypt, they turned from the Lord to idols and deserved the anger of God. But, the Lord took them out of Egypt for His name's sake. He delivered them that all would know that Jehovah was God. In the wilderness, Israel did not walk in the Lord's statutes and deserved the Lord's fury. God did not make an end of them in the wilderness but spared them for His name's sake. We see the Lord being merciful, not because of their holiness, faithfulness, or uprightness, but because of His faithfulness and desire to show to all nations that He is the King of kings.
God still desires to glorify His name through His people. Many times we feel like God cannot answer our prayers because we have sinned, have forgotten to read the Bible, or haven't prayed. Yet, God wants to do things because of Who He is, not because of what we do. He moves because of His name, not because of our success or holiness. May we ask in Jesus' name, not trusting in our righteousness, but in the character, power, and name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
SEPTEMBER 15
Ezekiel 22 - 24 Psalm 119:89-104 (Eze. 23:28-44)
"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."
Ezekiel 22:30
Ezekiel 23 describes the sins of Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of Judah and Israel. God's people committed spiritual adultery by sacrificing to and looking to other gods and other nations for help, instead of looking to the Lord. As a result of their sins, judgment was due. In 23:36, God told Ezekiel to declare their abominations unto them. So he began to list their abominations: adultery, bloodshed, idolatry, and causing their sons to pass through fire.
What does it mean to cause their sons to pass through fire? What seems to have happened was that the worshippers of Molech would gather around their idol which was half man and half bull and had a hollow abdomen. Under the bull part of the image, a fire burned until the hollow abdomen glowed with heat. The ancient worshippers danced and committed various sexual sins before the idol until a small child, a child of one of the orgy participants, was thrown alive into the red hot abdominal cavity. The child was burned to death.
Although God had forbade this (Deut. 18:10-12), children's lives were still destroyed supposedly to satisfy the Molech demon (Ps. 106:37-41). In principle, however, our nation is doing the same thing. Unrestrained sex has produced a large number of unwanted children that are killed in the abdomens of modern "worshippers" by abortion. In many cases the children are actually burned by the abortion solutions.
In Ezekiel's time, God was looking for someone who would stand in the gap, one who would pray, one who would seek God for the nation so that God would not have to destroy it. He found none, consequently Judah was destroyed. Will our nation be destroyed because God can find no one to stand in the gap?Are you willing to stand in the gap
for the abominations of the land?
SEPTEMBER 16
Ezekiel 25 - 27 Psalm 119:105-120 (Eze. 25)
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Galatians 6:7
In Ezekiel 25, we see God's vengeance on the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines. In each case we see that the nation judged had done certain things that brought about judgment. The Ammonites rejoiced, clapped their hands, and stomped their feet when they heard about Judah going into captivity. They said " Aha, against my [the Lord's] sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity ." (Eze. 25:3) Therefore, God said that He would deliver the Ammonites to the enemy as well. Matthew 5:7 tells us that the merciful are blessed, for they shall obtain mercy. Here in Ezekiel we see the unmerciful reaction of the Ammonites disqualified them to receive mercy, so they were dealt with unmercifully.
In Psalm 18:25, 26 we read, "With the merciful thou [God] wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward." In other words, we reap what we sow. Each nation in Ezekiel 25 had been froward, and now God was being froward towards them.
How do you treat other people? God will treat you accordingly! He said that if we will not forgive others, then He will not forgive us. In the Lord's prayer we pray, "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Yes, we will reap from God what we sow to others. If we are merciful, generous, forgiving, and kind, we will find that God will deal with us in the same way.
SEPTEMBER 17
Ezekiel 28 - 30 (Eze. 29:17-21)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Galatians 6:9
As Nebuchadnezzar continued his conquest of ancient kingdoms, God sent him to punish Tyre for her wickedness and pride (28:1-19). Scripture says that every head was made bald and every shoulder was peeled, yet Nebuchadnezzar got no wages for his service performed against Tyre.
Tyre was a seaport that was protected by water and rocky crags. It was almost impossible to defeat. Nebuchadnezzar's men carried baskets full of earth and stones on their heads and shoulders for the siege-works. It took thirteen years till Nebuchadnezzar succeeded, and by that time so much of the resources of Tyre had been depleted or transported to another colony that little was left to compensate for the long siege. Consequently, the Lord said He would give Egypt to Babylon as wages for Nebuchadnezzar's army. God paid Babylon for services rendered.
Our God is not a stingy God. He rewards us for the things He has called us to do. It may seem like what you are doing has no reward to it, but God is just and will make sure that you are amply rewarded. Let us not be weary in doing good, for in due season we will be rewarded if we don't give up. He will reward every man according to his works (Mt. 16:27).
SEPTEMBER 18
Ezekiel 31 - 33 Psalm 119:121-136 (Eze. 33:30-33)
"Blessed are they that do his commandments. . . ."
Revelation 22:14
While Ezekiel was prophesying, the Lord told him what the people were doing. They were at each others' houses encouraging each other to go hear what the word was that was coming from the Lord. So they would come and sit before Ezekiel, hear the words of the Lord, but they would not do them. They acted like they loved God, for they assembled in a most reverent way, but their hearts were not willing to give up anything. They talked a lot about love, but their hearts were full of covetousness.
The Lord told Ezekiel that he was to them as a good form of entertainment. He was like a song or musician to them, for they heard the words, but they would not obey. Going to hear the prophet was enjoyable, but it was not life-changing. They went to Ezekiel as a social function, not as a matter of life and death.
Doesn't this sound similar to the way many attend church in our age? There are many who enjoy hearing a good message, but they do not apply the word of the Lord to their lives. They even invite others to go hear their eloquent or dynamic preacher. Yet, their hearts are not going with the attitude, "What can I change to be more pleasing to you, Lord?" May we go to church expecting to hear a message from God's Word and determined to make it a part of our lifestyle by His grace and ability.
SEPTEMBER 19
Ezekiel 34 - 36 Psalm 119:137-152 (Eze. 34:1-24)
"The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away. . . ."
Ezekiel 34:4
We see a problem among God's people in chapter 34. The rulers or shepherds of the people were living off the flocks and making themselves comfortable instead of pouring out their lives for the people. Those that were hurting, weak, broken, and lost were not sought after and helped. Because the rulers were selfish and wicked, God promised to judge the shepherds and take their flock away from them. But, not only were the rulers harsh and unsympathetic towards those in need, but also even among the flock of people those who were strong pushed aside the skinny and diseased, until they had caused the weak to scatter.
In 34:31, the Lord tells us that the flock He is referring to are men. These are problems among men, even among God's people who know His law. Of course, we would never be like these people! Or would we? There is a tendency in the church to look with disdain at those who have a lot of problems or at those who are weak and always seem to struggle in their walk with God. We who are strong (or think we are) sometimes shy away from asking them over to supper, calling them up to encourage them, or taking a special interest in them.
May we not cast off the diseased, wounded, broken, weak Christians, but let us give them the extra care they need and watch over them as those that shall give account for their souls (Heb. 13:17). Today, let us reach out to someone who is in need or to someone that others tend to ignore and look at with disdain.
SEPTEMBER 20
Ezekiel 37 - 39 Psalm 119:153-176 (Eze. 37:1-14)
"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."
Mark 11:23
Ezekiel was taken by the Lord to a valley that was full of dry bones. While standing there, the Lord asked him if these old bones could ever live again. Ezekiel looked over the situation. He saw that there was no hope naturally for those old skeletons to become alive again, so he said, "O Lord God, thou knowest." He was not sure if the situation had gone beyond hope. The Lord just told Ezekiel to prophesy upon the bones and to tell them they shall live. As he prophesied, the bones came together, flesh formed on them, skin covered them, and the breath of life returned into them.
Sometimes we get into situations where we really do not know if the situation has gone beyond hope. Don't say it is beyond hope, but look to God, for He can even make dead bones come to life. In 37:14 it says that when this would happen, they would know the Lord had done it. Why? Because there was no other way possible. God enjoys moving in impossible situations, for then we know that God did it and not another.
Do you have a situation that looks like the dry bones did to Ezekiel? Begin to pray and to speak out that your "dry bones" will live! It was after Ezekiel said it that something happened. May we learn to speak to situations under the anointing of God so that we can see God move in our valley of dry bones.
SEPTEMBER 21
Ezekiel 40 - 42 Psalm 98 (Ps. 98)
"Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."
Psalm 150:6
Psalm 98 is where all the creation is exhorted to praise and worship the Lord. Verses 1-3 tell us why we should sing unto the Lord:
1. for the marvelous things He's done;
2. for the victory He has gotten;
3. for His salvation that He has made known; and,
4. for His mercy and truth that He has remembered.
Just as the Psalmist wrote down things to praise the Lord for, why don't you begin to make a list of all the things God has done for you so that you can praise Him for them? Just list them and thank the Lord for them.
The psalm goes beyond a list of what to thank the Lord for and tells us scriptural ways how to thank and praise Him:
1. singing a new song (v. 1, 4, 5) Why not take a hymn and sing it to the Lord, thanking Him with your own words of praise for the things you have listed?
2. making a joyful noise (v. 4)
3. making a loud noise (v. 4)
4. rejoicing (v. 4) This literally means to jump and leap for joy, to dance before the Lord.
5. playing musical instruments (v. 5, 6). Are you using your musical abilities in the church orchestra?
6. clapping (v. 8).
May we be like David, the sweet psalmist of Israel. God called David the man after His own heart, and one of the hallmarks of David's life was his praise and worship. If daily worship and praise are a spiritual thermometer, how hot are you?
SEPTEMBER 22
Ezekiel 43 - 45 (Eze. 44:9-28)
"But the priests . . . that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me. . . ."
Ezekiel 44:15
Today we read of two different kinds of Levites that ministered in the Lord's house. The first group was made up of those that went astray when Israel went astray. The Levites were those who were to teach the Scriptures, to help in the temple worship, and to maintain a holy standard. But, when the people grew apostate, most of the Levites went astray with all the people. They tried to maintain good public relations so that their source of income (the people's offerings) was not cut off. They catered to the people and caused Israel to fall into iniquity.
But, there was another group called the sons of Zadok. They kept the charge of the Lord's sanctuary when Israel went astray from God. These maintained a holy standard even when everyone else was following idols. They did not compromise, but they went against the trends of the day in order to be loyal to God and the Holy Scriptures. As a reward, they were allowed to come near to the Lord in a way the other Levites were not permitted. The other Levites could minister to the people, but those who refused to compromise God's standards were allowed to minister to the Lord Himself. They were allowed to teach the difference between the holy and the profane. They stood in judgment to judge according to the law, and best of all, they received the Lord as their inheritance.
May we not go with just any trend in the Body of Christ, but let us learn to discern the difference between the holy and the profane. God wants those who will not compromise His standards of holiness and righteousness. Do you live to please the people, or do you live to please God? Have you ever compromised an ethical stand in order to keep peace? May the fear of God grip our hearts so that we will be like the sons of Zadok.
SEPTEMBER 23
Ezekiel 46 - 48 (Eze. 47:1-14)
" . . . Joseph shall have two portions."
Ezekiel 47:13
In the kingdom of God, we find that rewards differ (Mt. 5:19; Rev. 2, 3) according to how one obeys and responds to the Lord. First Corinthians 3:13 tells us that we shall be judged according to our works. There will be different degrees in heaven, and God wants everyone to live such a life that each one will attain to all that He has planned for him.
In the Old Testament, we find several saints who received a double portion above their brethren; likewise, there were others who lost their birthright and double portion. Esau lost his birthright because he lived to gratify his appetites. Reuben lost his birthright to the double portion because of immorality. It is possible to lose our inheritance in God by living to please ourselves and not the Lord. We need to have a vision of eternity so that we lay up treasures in heaven and not just live for today.
Job, Joseph, and Elisha were a few of the men that obtained a double portion inheritance. However, it cost each one of them something to secure it. Job went through a tremendous trial that lasted for many months. He lost all he had, yet he came out of it without any bitterness, and God gave him twice as much as he had had before (Job 42:10).
Joseph was cast into a pit, hated by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused of immorality, and shut up in a dungeon. Yet, in all this Joseph never got bitter or hard towards the Lord and others. In time, God made him second in the land and gave him a double portion of land in Canaan (Eze. 47:13).
Elisha left a good job, security, and family ties to become a servant of Elijah's for ten years. For ten years he had no public ministry till God rewarded his perseverance and servant attitude with a double portion of the Spirit of God that had been upon Elijah (2 K. 2:1-15).
God is looking for those who will go through hardships without losing the victory or getting a bad attitude. He wants to give double portions. Will you pay the price, or will you disqualify yourself? It is worth the small price here and now to obtain an inheritance that will last for eternity.
SEPTEMBER 24
Daniel 1 - 4 (Dan. 1)
" . . . Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained."
1 Samuel 2:30 (NIV)
When Daniel was a teenager, he was taken captive into Babylon. When he arrived there, he was chosen, along with three of his friends, to be trained for three years to be princes. Part of this program was eating the king's meat and drinking his wine. But, Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the royal food and drink.
Because he resolved not to defile himself, God made a way for Daniel and his friends to eat vegetables and to drink water. There were probably others that felt uncomfortable about defiling themselves with the king's food, but they compromised and went along with the crowd. Daniel stuck his neck out, and God made a way for him to keep himself pure. In the end, God honored this quartet by giving them knowledge, wisdom, and understanding above all the others. Since they had honored God in their lives, God had honored them. Those that had compromised were given inferior positions.
Throughout our lives, Satan often tries to get us to compromise. At times it looks like the only sensible solution is to let down our moral values. But, if we resolve not to defile ourselves, God will make a way for us that we did not see before. If we honor God, He will honor us.
SEPTEMBER 25
Daniel 5 - 8 (Dan. 6)
"Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God."
Ezekiel 14:14
Ezekiel 14:14, 20 lists three men who were outstanding for their righteousness: Noah, Daniel, and Job. At the time of Ezekiel, Noah and Job had died generations earlier, but Daniel was a young man of about thirty. What made these three stand out for their righteousness? As you look at their lives, you see that each one was put in a position where they had to stand alone.
In Noah's time, he built an ark while the world watched on in scorn. Second Peter 2:5 tells us that in the midst of that sinful world, Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He stood against any compromise in obeying the Lord.
Job also had to stand in the midst of trial, even his wife encouraged him to curse God and die. Job was a man that feared God (Job 1:1), not other people. Because he lived to please God and not others, he could stand alone when others forsook him and when others encouraged him to forsake the Lord.
Daniel was a young man who also had a greater fear of God and a greater love for God than a fear of man. He did not even close his shutters when he knew it could cost him his life to pray in public view. Because he would not compromise, God worked a great miracle of deliverance in the lions' den.
Do you compromise in your obedience to the Lord, or do you stand strong no matter what others may think, say, or do? God is looking for more Daniels in the world. Will you dare to be a Daniel?Will you dare to stand alone?
SEPTEMBER 26
Daniel 9 - 12 (Dan. 10)
" . . . [Anna] served God with fastings and prayers night and day."
Luke 2:37
Many people cringe when fasting is mentioned. We often look at fasting as something for people more spiritual than we or for someone with greater discipline. Yet, Jesus said in Matthew 9:15 that when he had bodily left the earth that His children would fast. In Joel 2:15 we are called to sanctify or set apart a fast. Later in the same chapter the Lord says what will happen (v. 18-29). God will pity His people, send abundant provision, and pour out the Holy Spirit upon all flesh. Although this was partially fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, it still needs a complete fulfillment in the church.
Fasting does something for us. It makes us able to move in God. It makes us new wineskins, flexible enough to move in what God is doing at the present time (Mk. 2:18-22). It also is a way of ministering unto the Lord (Acts 13:2) and a way of becoming sensitive to His direction and leading.
Here in Daniel 10, we see that after twenty-one days of a partial fast, Daniel received a visitation from heaven. Although the angel had been detained, yet in another sense, Daniel needed those three weeks to prepare himself spiritually to receive from God. Michael could have come any time to help him, but Daniel's heart needed the preparation.
We need to fast just like we need to pray, read the Bible, witness, and do other spiritual exercises. It opens us up to the realm of the Spirit and frees God to do what He wants to do in our lives. May we incorporate fasting into our lives that we might be new wineskins as well.
SEPTEMBER 27
Hosea 1 - 3 Psalm 57 (Ho. 2)
"Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths."
Hosea 2:6
Hosea was the prophet to the backsliders. He prophesied to Israel who at this point had left her trust in the Lord for the ways of the nations around her. God used the harlot-wife of Hosea to depict His people and used Hosea to show how He deals with the backslider.
Hosea 2:6 tells us that the Lord was going to hedge her way with thorns. She would no longer be able to find her lovers, and she would get so desperate that she would return to her husband. The Lord was going to take away all her joy, her food, and her clothing. In her desperate state, the Lord would draw her back to Himself (2:14) and restore her to her previous position. She would no longer be unfaithful (2:20).
Almost all of us know someone that has left their first love and has turned away from wholeheartedly following the Lord. How should we pray for such a one? Hosea 2:6-13 gives us the answer. Begin to pray that God would hedge up the person's way with thorns and make it so uncomfortable to go against His ways that the person would surely say that it was much better to follow the Lord. Pray that those things that enticed him to turn from the Lord would no longer give any joy or satisfaction and that the Lord Himself would begin to draw him to Himself.
Israel was to be given the valley of Achor (trouble) for a door of hope. So also, when the backslider finds himself in despair and troubled, God can come to him and as he responds to the Lord, he can be restored to a fruitful relationship with the Lord.
SEPTEMBER 28
Hosea 4 - 6 (Ho. 4)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
Hosea 4:6
Hosea was prophesying to the backslidden nation of Israel. In 4:1 the Lord states that He has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land because there was no mercy, no truth, nor knowledge of God in the land. Because they did not know the Lord and had rejected knowledge of the Lord, God would also reject them. Since they had forgotten the law of God, He would forget their children.
In Jeremiah's time, the same problem existed. Jeremiah 4:22 says that the people were foolish and senseless, for though they knew all about evil, they did not know the Lord, and they had no understanding of good. Jeremiah 9:23, 24 tells us that the Israelites were boasting in their might, riches, and wisdom; yet, God said that what really counts is to know and understand Him. Israel was a people who failed to know the Lord although they knew a great amount of other things. Because they did not understand God and His ways, they fell as a nation (Ho. 4:14).
How well do you know God? As well as you want to! Yes, God desires for us to know Him intimately, yet so many of us spend more time watching TV or reading the paper than we do in prayer and in study of the Word. There may be areas of your life that are a disaster since you have rejected the knowledge of God and His law and have sought knowledge in other areas. May we as Hosea said in 6:1-3 return to the Lord and press on to know Him that He might come bind us up and heal our lives.
SEPTEMBER 29
Hosea 7 - 9 (Ho. 7:1 - 8:9)
"When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria. . . ."
Hosea 7:1
Today's passage comes from a dark period of Israel's history. They were worshipping other gods, going to the heathen for help, and living in drunkenness and sin. Their leaders and judges were not encouraging justice and righteousness, but they were living for themselves. Hosea described the nation by a series of metaphors and similes. Some are commented on below:
1. Oven
(7:4-7) As an oven stays heated while the baker kneads the dough till it rises: their burning lust and passion for adultery is so great.
2. Cake not turned
(7:8) Ephraim is described as a cake burned on one side and not done on the other. Therefore she is worthless and fit to be discarded.
3. Silly dove
(7:11-13) A dove has a built-in homing device that always returns home. But, the silly dove of Israel was going to other places instead of to the Lord for her help. Consequently, she would be caught and chastised. May we keep our eyes on the Lord and go to Him for help instead of others.
4. Deceitful bow
(7:16) A faulty bow looks good, but it misses the mark every time. It is possible to look like a good Christian but be missing the real purpose God has for your life. The result is continual frustration (Ps. 78:57).
5. Useless vessel
(8:8) Because her heart was not after God, she was useless to others. God has called us to be vessels to be used, but if we turn away from Him, we are useless and cast away (Jer. 48:38; Mt. 5:13-16).
6. Wild ass
(8:9) Israel, like a headstrong wild donkey, would not be guided by God, but she did her own thing. There is always judgment for doing our own thing instead of letting God guide us in the way we are to go.
The Lord wanted to heal Israel in every way, but because of her iniquity He could not. May we make sure we are not like those six illustrations so that the Lord can heal and deliver us in our situations.
SEPTEMBER 30
Hosea 10 - 12 (Ho. 10:1 - 11:9)
" . . . for I am God, and not man. . . ."
Hosea 11:9
Yesterday we saw different metaphors and similes that depicted Israel's gross backsliding. In 10:1, Israel was compared to a vine that brings forth fruit for itself. This, of course, was completely contrary to what Israel knew about vineyards: grapes were to be harvested for the vinedresser to live on. Yet, Israel was like a wild vine that lived for itself. Israel was not living to please the Lord, but she used what God had blessed her with for her own desires.
In 11:1, God said that when Israel was a young nation, He loved him as a son. Yet, Israel worshipped other gods. The Lord took off the yoke of Egyptian slavery, gave them food, and healed them. Still they didn't turn to God. Hosea 11:7 says Israel was bent toward backsliding. In all fairness, Israel should have been completely destroyed. She should have been wiped off the map as other nations were. Israel deserved utter destruction for turning away from the Lord.
The Lord said in 11:8, 9 that deep within His heart, He could not give up Israel. He wouldn't destroy her as He had destroyed other nations even though she deserved it. Why would God show mercy? In 11:9, He said because He is God and not man. There was no reason on Israel's part to spare any of them, yet God said that because He is not a man, but God, He would not destroy her.
Oh, the mercy of God! When we deserve death, He still loves us and gives us a call to seek the Lord till He comes and rains righteousness upon us (10:12). If you are not walking as close to the Lord as you were at one time, NOW is the time to return to the Lord.
October OCTOBER 1
Hosea 13, 14 (Ho. 14)
"O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God. . . ."
Hosea 14:1
The whole book of Hosea shows us God's dealings with those that are backslidden. In 13:7, 8, we are told how God will respond to those who turn from Him: He will be as a lion, as a leopard, and as a bear robbed of her cubs. In other words, God will begin to bring destruction into their lives. Why? So that they will realize that it is better to serve the Lord than to walk away from Him.
Just as the prodigal son realized that it was better to be his father's servant than to live in sin, likewise God wants those who backslide to realize that Satan wants to kill, to destroy, and to ruin their lives (Jn. 10:10). Jesus, however, came that we might have abundant life.
In Hosea 14, the Lord outlines the path towards restoration so that all may clearly know how to return to Him:
1. Return to the Lord (v. 1)
We need to once again set our desires and our love upon the Lord instead of on other things. We must recognize that we have sinned.
2. Ask for forgiveness (v. 2)
With our lips we need to ask God to remove our sins and our bent towards sinning. But acknowledgement is not enough, we must ask that it be removed.
3. Acknowledge God as our only hope (v. 3)
We must realize that the other things we have looked to in the past cannot save us or help us in trouble, but the Lord is merciful.
After this, the way is open to restoration. Oh, backslider, won't you return to the Lord that it may be well with your soul?
OCTOBER 2
Joel 1 - 3 (Joel 2:12-32)
" . . . Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed."
Acts 19:2
In Joel 2:28, 29, we have the Old Testament promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament age the Lord came again and again and filled people for special tasks or assignments. The infilling was for a chosen few. But, here we have the promise of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, regardless of race, social class, job, age, or gender.
The results of the outpouring are also given: your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. This means to speak words inspired by the Holy Spirit. Whether on a farm, in a factory, or in the pulpit, the Holy Ghost will enable those who have received Him to speak with an unction and an authority as He wills. Old men shall be given prophetic dreams, and young men shall have visions by the Spirit of God.
When was this to take place? Is it available to us? By looking at Acts 2, we see that the fulfillment of this prophecy was on the day of Pentecost when those in the upper room were baptized in the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues. Then, Peter, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, spoke the Word of God with boldness. In John 20:22, the disciples had received the Holy Spirit as a breath of life, but now they were endued with power for the purpose of propagating the gospel.
Have you received an anointing to witness with power and to speak under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? If not, ask God to baptize you in the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:5) and yield your thoughts and words to the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?
OCTOBER 3
Amos 1 - 3 (Amos 3)
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
Amos 3:7
Have you ever felt that God was unjustly withholding information from you and that after you had prayed you still didn't know what to do or how to act? Let us not accuse God of being unfair, for in Amos 3:7, we see that God delights in revealing His will. In Isaiah 45:19, the Lord reminds us that He has not spoken in a dark, obscure place of the earth so that no one would hear. He does not say "seek me in vain," but He promises that when we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him (Jer. 29:13).
We can rest assured that if we seek to know the Lord's will concerning a situation, He will let us know all that we need to know in the proper time. At times we get worried wondering what God wants us to do. We get nervous when actually we don't need to know yet. But, He promises to let us know what we need to know if we seek Him with all our heart.
May we not lose peace, rest, and confidence during the time we are in the "dark," but let us get the "treasures of darkness" (Isa. 45:3) and know that God will not leave us in the dark when we need to know His mind about a situation. He delights in making His will known! Praise the Lord!
OCTOBER 4
Amos 4 - 6 (Amos 4:6 - 5:20)
"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."
Hebrews 12:11
Amos 4 and 5 give us a picture of God's compassion for His people and His desire to have them walk with Him. God looked at Israel and saw that they were headed for utter destruction andjudgment because of the way they were living. Since He did not want to have to take them out of the land, He tried to get their attention with lesser measures. He chastened them in hope that they would return to Him. Chapter 4 gives six ways the Lord tried to draw them unto Himself:
1. Famine
(v. 6) God gave them "cleanness of teeth" and "want of bread."
2. Distinctions
(v. 7, 8) He caused rain to fall on one city, while drought was on another. This was so that they would seek the One who controls the rain.
3. Pestilence
(v. 9) Blasting and mildew.
4. Destruction of crops
(v. 9) By disease and palmerworm.
5. Death of young men
(v. 10) They were slain in battle instead of having victory that comes from God fighting for them.
6. Destruction of some
(v. 11) As Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed.
Despite all these attempts to cause them to return to the Lord and to seek God, they went their own way. Because they rejected God's many merciful attempts to arrest their behavior, the day of the Lord's visitation was not be pleasant for them (5:18). If we continue to reject Jesus Christ, the day of the Lord will come to us as judgment, not as blessing. May we not refuse the chastening of the Lord, but may we respond to His chastening and seek Him that His visitation will indeed be a blessing to us.
OCTOBER 5
Amos 7 - 9 Obadiah (Amos 7)
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."
Matthew 10:8
God has called every child of His to be an active part of His Body. He gives different gifts and abilities to each one of us. Ephesians 4:11 lists giftings of apostle, prophet, pastor, evangelist, and teacher. Further, First Corinthians 12 shows us different manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit, and Romans 12 lists other gifts and abilities given by God for the good of the church. These are gifts that are freely given by God. They cannot be bought as Simon tried to do in Acts 8:14-24, but every good and perfect gift is from God (Ja. 1:17). God distributes spiritual gifts as He wills, not as we decide or choose (1 Cor. 12:11).
One problem that has developed in the church is related to the gifts. Someone who is gifted by God in music, preaching, miracles, etc. may become so accustomed to those gifts that he feels it is his ability. When this happens, one will often not use his gift for the benefit of others without charging money. Another problem is that these people tend to go where it is easiest and not where God wants them.
Amos is an example to us all. He prophesied amid opposition. When told to go prophesy in Judah where he could make a living prophesying, Amos answered that he was called by God to minister in Israel, not Judah. He did not go where the money was best nor where he would be warmly received. He went where the Spirit of the Lord directed him. He was aware that the gift was God's. God had called him and had given him the anointing for prophesying, therefore, he would freely give out what God had freely given him.
Let us learn that we should not demand pay for all our services. Serve God, and God will make sure you get your reward.
OCTOBER 6
Jonah 1 - 4 (Jonah 4)
"We are fools for Christ's sake. . . ."
1 Corinthians 4:10
We all know the story of Jonah and the "whale." As we read today, Jonah fled from the presence of God (an impossible thing to do), because he did not want to obey what God had told him to do. The question must be raised, "What was in Jonah's heart that caused him to disobey and to turn his back on God?" If we find what caused him to rebel, we can ask God to take that problem out of our own heart so that we don't rebel against the Lord's direction.
In Jonah 4:2, we find Jonah complaining to the Lord about Nineveh not being destroyed. He was greatly displeased when he saw the people of Nineveh repent in sackcloth and ashes before God. He told the Lord that he had fled to Tarshish, because he knew that God was a gracious God, merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness, and he knew that God would love to show mercy instead of judgment on Nineveh. So we see the reason Jonah rebelled against God.
Jonah knew he was to go to Nineveh to cry out that in forty days God would overthrow the city. Yet, inwardly he knew that God was full of mercy, and he feared that Nineveh would repent and that God would not destroy them. Thus, he would look like a fool for obeying God. What would they think of him as a prophet? We are not much use in the Lord's service until we are more concerned about what God thinks than what others think.
Nineveh also was Israel's enemy, and Jonah was afraid God would not punish them. Deep inside he knew that his preaching could actually avert judgment on his enemies. Jonah did not display a love for his enemies.
May we be willing to love our enemies and pray God's best for them, and may we be willing to be fools for Christ. If we are not a fool for Christ, then we are just plain fools. Whose fool are you?
OCTOBER 7
Micah 1 - 4 (Mic. 3)
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matthew 6:33
In Micah 3, Micah spoke out against the sins of the government leaders, the prophets, and the priests. He began by speaking to the judges. They had been placed in their position to make sure justice was done, but they hated good and loved evil, and they destroyed the people they were to defend.
The prophets of that day made God's people err rather than leading them in the ways of God. They prophesied peace, the message the people wanted to hear, only to those who fed them. Those who didn't give the prophets what they wanted had war prepared against them. Micah, however, spoke by the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit and showed to the people their sin. He did not base his ministry on what the people did, but on what God said.
Because of their actions, judgment came on the nation and on Jerusalem. What motivated the leaders to act so corruptly? Why did the judges pervert judgment, and why did the prophets try to say what sounded good to the people? We find the answer in 3:11--money. The justices would take bribes and not give their decisions according to God's law. The priests and prophets were teaching and divining for money. They loved money more than they loved God or His Word.
How about you? Do you ever adjust your values to earn more money, keep a job, or close a deal? A good name is better than riches (Pro. 22:1), or in other words, it is better to do what is right than to compromise God's standard to gain material wealth. The end of compromise is always death as in Micah 3. The path of righteousness has abundant life.
OCTOBER 8
Micah 5 - 7 (Mic. 7)
"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me."
Micah 7:8
In the time that Micah wrote, the country was in serious moral decay. The good men had perished, and there was no one that was upright (7:2). The best of them was as a brier, which would prick you (7:4). The influences around were terrible. You could not even trust your friend or your family. Things were a mess.
In this environment, God raised up the prophets Micah, Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos. Yes, in a decadent land, God found a group that did not compare themselves with others and believe they were all right. These men of God became what they were, because they looked to the Lord (7:7) to be their salvation and deliverer in a land where it would have been easy to fall. There were many lures and temptations, just as there are today.
Consequently, how did Micah respond when he did fall? When Satan would get him down and depressed, when Micah felt like a failure, and when it looked like all his labor had come to nothing, what did he do? Micah got right back up! He said, "O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall arise!" He did not stay in an attitude of defeat, condemnation, or failure, but he rose up and went on with God.
At times, we may slip and fall doing what we know is not right. May we not wallow in it, but may we tell the enemy not to rejoice for we will get up, confess our sin, be cleansed, and keep on fighting the fight of faith. When you fall, get back up quickly, lest Satan get an advantage over you. Remember, the blood of Jesus will cleanse any sin we commit.
OCTOBER 9
Nahum 1 - 3 (Nah. 1:1-8)
" . . . Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
Romans 12:19
The first thing Nahum wrote concerning the burden and vision that God gave him was that God is jealous and that He revenges. This set the tone for the rest of the book, for Nahum spoke of God's judgment on Nineveh.
Nahum prophesied about 150 years after Jonah prophesied to the same city of Nineveh. When Jonah prophesied of impending doom, the whole city humbled themselves before God. As a result God showed mercy and spared judgment. Then Nahum was called upon to speak a word of judgment again. In 1:3, we are told that God is slow to anger, yet when His wrath is unleashed against sin and wickedness, He does not hold back.
God is a God of mercy, but also He is a God of judgment. If we constantly refuse God and His ways, judgment will be manifested towards us. We need to maintain a healthy fear of the Lord in order to help us walk in a way that is pleasing to Him. May we never forget that although God is loving and kind, He also hates sin and destroys wickedness. He is a God of judgment and of wrath towards sin.
May we let every area of our lives be cleansed that the judgment and wrath of God may not rest upon us. God is a jealous God, not for His self-gratification, but He is jealous (literally zealous) that we might have all the benefits and privileges of being His sons. When we are jealous, it usually revolves around self-interest. But, when God is jealous, it revolves around His best interest for His people.
OCTOBER 10
Habakkuk 1 - 3 (Hab. 1:1 - 2:4)
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Romans 10:17
Faith is an important aspect of our spiritual lives. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. So, to please God we must be men and women of faith. In our reading today, we see how faith is developed.
In chapter 1, we see the prophet agonizing over the situation he saw around him. He saw the wicked compassing about the righteous so that wrong judgment proceeded. He was in agony of soul. This is the place where faith is born--in a difficult situation that creates a travail of soul unto the Lord. Faith is born in adversity; it comes out of distress. Are you in a difficult situation? Then you are in a place where faith can be born.
In chapter 2, the prophet watched and waited to see what the Lord would say. He waited for God to speak to him about the situation, for faith comes when we hear a word from God. Romans 10:17 says it comes when we hear a "rhema" or quickened word from God. Without the quickening of God, we only act out of presumption. With the quickened word, we act out of faith and can see mountains be moved.
Habakkuk 2:4 says that the just shall live by his faith. In other words, after the "rhema" comes from God, we live and act according to what God has spoken to our hearts. We don't live by what we see, but we live by what God has spoken.
What are you living by? Do you live according to your circumstances, or do you wait to see what God has to say and then live by that? May we learn not to live by what we feel or see, but may we learn to live by faith. For, without faith it is impossible to please God.
OCTOBER 11
Zephaniah 1 - 3 (Zeph. 1:12 - 2:3)
"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, . . . seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."
Zephaniah 2:3
Zephaniah wrote during the reign of Josiah when God's people were outwardly experiencing a revival of religion, but inwardly their hearts were not changed. There was renewed interest in worshipping the Lord and in religious activity, but yet the people were not really willing to be changed.
In 1:12, the Lord said that He would search with candles, or in other words, He would carefully inspect everyone. Those that He found "settled on their lees," He would punish. What does it mean to be settled on one's lees? In Jeremiah 48:11, we find that Moab also was settled on his lees. Here, it tells about the process of getting the dregs (lees) separated from the wine. The lees were the bitter grape dregs on the bottom of the vessel. The owner would let them settle and then pour the good wine off the top leaving the bitter lees on the bottom. After repeating this several times, the wine would be clean, and the scent would be changed.
The problem with Israel was that they were not allowing God to change their real motives and desires. Outwardly, they looked good, but in their hearts, they still had the dregs of pride, greed, and idolatry.
Judgment was coming, and those who had settled back in their walk with God would be judged and spoiled. Their silver and gold would not spare them when God judged them (1:18), but only the righteousness and meekness they had allowed God to work into their hearts could spare them. In 2:3, we are encouraged to seek the Lord, to seek righteousness, and to seek meekness. If they were seeking, then they might be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. But, if they were settled back in their spiritual life, they would be judged.
Are you being religious, or are you really seeking God and asking Him to change your heart? Those who are seeking may be hid in the day of the Lord's anger, but those who have not sought the Lord (1:6) will be cut off.
OCTOBER 12
Haggai 1, 2 Zechariah 1, 2 (Hag. 1)
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matthew 6:33
In Ezra 5, 6, we find the setting for the books of Haggai and Zechariah. The people of God had stopped building the temple because of the opposition against it. But when Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy, " . . . they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel . . ." (Ezra 6:14).
As we read these two books, we can discover what the prophets' messages were to Israel. The messages they gave also apply to us, for we are building a spiritual building made with people, not stones. Just as the temple needed to be finished in Ezra's time, so also we see clues in Haggai and Zechariah of how to cause the church to be built up and perfected.
In Haggai 1, we see that the people were more concerned about fixing up their own homes and spending their money there, then they were about building God's house. The result of wrong priorities was economic barrenness, and the heavens withheld their rain. We need to make sure we aren't living for ourselves, but that we are seeking the kingdom of God first. The church suffers because God's people are often more concerned about their houses, lands, cars, boats, etc., than in investing time, money, and labor in spiritual things. When Israel obeyed, God assured them that He would help them (Hag. 1:13; 2:4) and was with them.
Where are your priorities? Are you suffering as God's people did? May the Spirit of God stir us up to put the kingdom of God before our earthly pleasures and pursuits. We want God to be able to add to us (Mt. 6:33) instead of blowing away what we gain (Hag. 1:9).
OCTOBER 13
Zechariah 3 - 6 (Zech. 3:1 - 4:10)
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made . . . for all that are in authority. . . ."
1 Timothy 2:1, 2
In Haggai 1:1, God told Haggai to prophesy to the governor Zerubbabel and to Joshua the high priest. In Zechariah 3, 4, we also see the two leaders mentioned, for God wanted the leaders to lead the people to obey what He wanted for them. In chapter 3, we find Satan resisting Joshua the high priest. Joshua was dressed in filthy garments, which speaks of sin. As Joshua met with the Lord, the Lord rebuked Satan and caused Joshua's iniquity to pass away from him. Then, the Lord placed a fair mitre on his head and clothed him with a new garment. It was an absolute necessity that Joshua had this meeting with God, for it released him to serve the Lord in a new way.
Satan still resists leaders today. That is why First Timothy 2:1, 2 exhorts us to pray for those in authority. Satan will bring extra pressures, discouragements, and temptations to those called to lead God's people. Pray that your leaders will constantly have fresh meetings with the Lord.
Further, in Zechariah 4, we find that a new revelation of the anointing was revealed and realized in Zerubbabel's life. He was given power by the Holy Spirit to do what God wanted, for the only way to accomplish what God desires is by the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that your leaders and pastors will have an encounter with the Holy Ghost of the magnitude that Zerubbabel experienced. This is vital if God's church is to be what it has been designed to be. Pray for your leaders!
OCTOBER 14
Zechariah 7 - 10 (Zech. 7)
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
Matthew 23:23
Two years after the building of the temple had been resumed and two years before its completion, a delegation came from Bethel to inquire of the Lord. They wanted to know whether the day on which Jerusalem and the temple had been reduced to ashes by Babylon (Jer. 52:12, 13) was still to be kept as a day of mourning and fasting. The building of the temple was coming along well, and they wanted to know what the Lord thought about their day of mourning and fasting.
Jehovah spoke to them through Zechariah the prophet and addressed a situation they were not expecting. The thought of 7:6, 7 was this: it didn't matter to God whether they fasted or not. What God really wanted was not a form of religion or a lot of "spiritual" acts, but He wanted men to observe the Word of God and to live thereby as the prophets had already told the people. God was saying that they were not going to get His favor simply by fasting and mourning. If they wanted God's blessing, they needed to do the following:
1. obey God's Word (v. 7)
2. be truthful and honest (v. 9)
3. show love and compassion to one another (v. 9)
We need to make sure that we don't lose sight of the basics in our Christian walk. Fasting is good and proper, but it is only in place when we are doing the basics. A spiritual person loves to study, hear, and obey God's Word. He loves the truth, is honest, and shows mercy, love, and compassion to others. May we not focus on the trimmings without the necessary. May we not do things to appear spiritual, but may we truly be what God wants us to be.
OCTOBER 15
Zechariah 11 - 14 (Zech. 12:1 - 14:4)
" . . . when He shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
1 John 3:2, 3
In Zechariah 12 - 14, we see the events of the second coming of Christ. As we study these chapters, we can see what will be going on around Jerusalem during this time period. Let us note the following events in these chapters:
1. (12:1-2) Jerusalem is being attacked by other nations.
2. (12:3-5) All who burden themselves with Jerusalem will be cut in pieces.
3. (12:6-9) All that come against Jerusalem will be destroyed.
4. (12:10-12) The Jews will look on Christ whom they had pierced and will be heartbroken and repent.
5. (13:1) Their sin will be cleansed.
6. (13:2-5) False prophets and idols will be cut off from the land.
7. (13:6-9) They shall see the wounds in Jesus' hands.
8. (14:1-9) When the Lord comes, Jerusalem will be split in two. Half the city will have fallen when the Lord comes and stands on the Mt. of Olives and fights for Jerusalem. Then He begins to reign on the earth with a rod of iron. Everyone will be required to serve the Lord or else be punished.
Yes, the Lord is coming back! Acts 1:11 tells us that He will return as He was taken up into heaven. He will physically appear to all. We shall see Him as He is. We will no longer have a warped concept of Christ. All of our own ideas about God, many of them false or inferior, will have to change. When we see Him, we will be like Him. This refers to the second coming, but also this applies to our daily meetings with the Lord. When God opens our eyes, and we get to know Jesus Christ more correctly through the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit, we will be changed from glory to glory.
May we seek to see Jesus more clearly and to know Him more fully that we may be more like Him.
OCTOBER 16
Malachi 1 - 4 (Mal.1; 2:11-17; 3:7-14)
"Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. . . ."
Malachi 2:17
Twelve times in the four chapters of Malachi, we find the words, "ye say," "ye said," or a similar expression. The prophet would declare the word of the Lord to the people, and they would argue against what God was saying. They tried to defend themselves when God put His finger upon specific areas of their lives. God would declare something to them, and they acted like they were innocent and God was harassing them. Read the following passages and note how the people argued with God:
1. (1:2) God says He loves them.
2. (1:6) They despised His name.
3. (1:7) They polluted the altar.
4. (1:12, 13) They profaned the Lord's name.
5. (2:12-14) God must judge Israel.
6. (2:17) They have wearied the Lord with their words.
7. (3:7) They need to return to the Lord.
8. (3:8) They have robbed God.
9. (3:13, 14) Their words have been harsh against God.
In all these verses, we see that Israel was grieving the Lord with their words. By our words, we will be justified or condemned, and every idle word that we speak we shall give account for in the day of judgment (Mt. 12:36, 37).
Do you say words that bring defeat and hinder faith in Christ? We must put a watch on our lips so that we speak only words that are pleasing to the Lord. We must learn to agree with God. When He convicts us, say "Yes, Lord." When He promises something, by faith agree with His Word. When He says that He loves us, thank Him. Don't argue with God! We must learn to speak what God says about a situation, not what we feel or think about it. How can two walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)?
Let us learn to agree with Jesus Christ and walk in harmony with Him.
OCTOBER 17
Matthew 1 - 4 (Mt. 3:11 - 4:1, 23-25)
"Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men."
Philippians 2:5-7 (NAS)
When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, an experience with the Holy Spirit took place. Jesus was thirty years old at the time. During His first thirty years, He never performed a miracle (Jn. 2:ll). It was after He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. Why did Jesus do no miracle before? Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus laid aside His power as the son of God and took on the likeness of man.
Although Jesus had power as the son of God, He never used any of His power as God to perform any miracle. He did all His miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that of Himself He could do nothing. Not because He had no power as part of the Godhead, but because He limited Himself to the limitations every man and woman living today has.
Jesus limited Himself to human limitations so that He could truly be our example. If He had lived on earth in the power He had as God, that would have been no pattern for us to follow. But since He humbled Himself, we have available to us all the power that Jesus had when He walked on the earth. The same Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus' ministry will also empower and equip us as we learn to obey and to flow with the Holy Ghost.
John the Baptist said Jesus would baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. The church experienced this in Acts 2. Have you experienced the same? Remember, the same power that Jesus ministered in is available to you. Let us receive from God all that He has for us.
OCTOBER 18
Matthew 5 - 8 (Mt. 5:17 - 6:18)
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
Proverbs 4:23
Matthew 5 - 7 is often called the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus sets forth the basic principles of the kingdom of God. We know that Jesus was teaching, preaching, and healing people (4:23), and now we find out what He was teaching and how to have God's power in our lives.
Contrary to what many might have expected, Jesus did not give a new list of rules. Instead, He showed that what God was desirous of was not outward observance alone, but a change of heart that brought obedience to the law because of the heart attitude. Jesus raised a higher standard than that of the Old Testament. In 5:21-26, Jesus shows that it is not enough to obey the law: "Do not kill." What God really wants is a loving, honest relationship between brothers. Then, the law is not hard to keep.
In 5:27-30, Jesus said it was no longer enough to outwardly keep the law: "Do not commit adultery." It had to be kept in the heart, for to lust in the heart was a problem. In 5:31-32, 5:33-37, 5:38-42, 5:43-48, Jesus continues to show that He wants inward change and not just a list of laws obeyed. One can obey laws without a change of heart. But, if you have a change in heart, you will have no problem obeying the laws.
In chapter 6, Jesus deals with hypocrisy in religious activity. He is more concerned with their heart attitude and motive than in them doing something "religious." The hypocrites outwardly appear religious, but inside their heart is not right. In chapter 7, Jesus continues to emphasize our heart attitude not our outward show.
True Christianity begins with a change of heart, not obeying a list of rules (written or unwritten). Once we are born again, we can keep God's laws because of a relationship with Jesus. But, the basis of Christian living is our heart. May we concentrate on what is important to God. Then, we will find that we truly are blessed.
OCTOBER 19
Matthew 9 - 12 (Mt. 9:10-13; 12:1-21)
"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Matthew 9:13
Twice in today's reading, we find Jesus quoting from Hosea 6:6, which says, "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." It is also repeated in Micah 6:6-8, where the Lord says He would rather have someone love mercy, walk humbly with God, and do right then to do a lot of religious acts.
This was exactly what Jesus was trying to teach the Pharisees in Matthew. The Pharisees were experts at doing a lot of religious acts. They had a list of rules that took great sacrifice, dedication, and effort to keep. They separated themselves from the world of sinners and only befriended other "religious" people so that they would not contaminate themselves.
Jesus, however, had a heart of love and compassion for sinners. He loved and showed mercy to them so that they could hear the call to repentance. Jesus cut through all the religious tradition to get down to what God really wanted--love for others coming from a love relationship with God. In chapter 12, we again see the Pharisees condemning Jesus for not performing according to their religious tradition. But, Jesus said they should have their eyes upon Him, for He is greater than the temple and the Sabbath.
At times it is easy to let good and proper rules or traditions get in the way of our relationship with Jesus or our love for others. May we learn to keep the greatest commandment: to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. All that we do must hang on these two. Let us not let religious things or religious activity crowd out the important things. Don't let urgent things crowd out the necessary.
OCTOBER 20
Matthew 13 - 16 (Mt. 15:1-20; 16:1-19)
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Romans 10:10
In chapter 15, the scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus with a complaint. The disciples were not following the tradition of the elders; notably, the tradition of ceremonial washing of hands before eating. Jesus replied to them with a question, for He asked them why they transgress the commandment of God by their tradition. They had their eyes on their religious tradition, but Jesus tried to show them that what God wanted was not someone who could keep religious tradition, but one who obeyed God.
Tradition is not necessarily a bad thing. But, when we begin to place our trust and faith in our denomination's traditions, our culture's traditions, or our family's traditions, we can lose contact with the living God. Jesus said (15:8, 9) that their tradition caused their hearts to be far from Him. Their worship was in vain, for they were looking to the commandments of men for their teaching. As they looked to man's traditions, they were looking away from what was important--a heart relationship with God.
In chapter 16, Jesus tells us what He will build His church on. There was some debate as to whom Jesus was. When Peter was asked whom he said Jesus was, he replied, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." How did Peter know? It was by a revelation from God. God spoke to Peter in a personal way. Jesus replied to Peter that His church would be built on this principle: faith springing forth from a heart that has heard from heaven. This is the rock that Jesus continues to build His church on--a personal relationship, whereby we hear God speak and faith surges forth to cause us to confess what God has said.
God is not building His church on man's traditions no matter how right they may seem. He is building His church on those who have a personal relationship with Him. May we never trust in our going to church, our order of worship, our church programs, etc. But, let us each seek to hear His voice, and then speak forth what He has revealed to our hearts.
OCTOBER 21
Matthew 17 - 20 (Mt. 17:14-21; 18:21-35)
" . . . The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
Galatians 5:6 (NIV)
In these days, we hear a great deal about the power of faith. And indeed, there is no power so great as that which is released by faith. Matthew 17:20 tells us that if we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, we can move a mountain, and nothing shall be impossible for us. Yet, for many, it just doesn't seem to work in their lives. As much as they want true faith, it just has never seemingly moved anything. What causes faith to work? What stops us from receiving from God?
In Mark 11:22-26, we find that Jesus links faith and receiving from God with our willingness to forgive others. He goes so far as to say that if we don't forgive others, our Father will not forgive us. Galatians 5:6 tells us that faith works by love. In other words, if we harbor unforgiveness, bitterness, hurt, envy, and strife, faith cannot work. Faith works in an atmosphere of love for God and love for others.
In Matthew 20:34, we see that Jesus healed the blind man out of a heart of compassion. Jesus' prayers were unhindered, and He had an open relationship with the Father that would have been impossible if He would have had unforgiveness and lack of love towards others (see 1 Pe. 3:7). Jesus also gave the parable of the unmerciful servant who was forgiven a debt he could not pay, and yet he would not forgive a $.25 debt that someone owed him. He is a picture of us. Jesus forgave all of our sins and paid the debt we could never pay.
May we beware that we don't hold any 25 grudges. If we fail to forgive, not only is faith stopped up, but we are delivered over to the tormenters. Indeed, someone who has unforgiveness, grudges, or bitterness, is turned over to tormenting demonic oppression. May we learn the importance of love, faith, and forgiveness in our lives on a daily basis.
OCTOBER 22
Matthew 21 - 24 (Mt. 23)
"Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
Matthew 23:28
While Jesus walked on earth's soil, we find that He always had a heart of compassion for those that knew they were needy. The tax collectors, harlots, and sick would come to Him and find mercy, for they knew that they needed help. Those that should have openly embraced the Lord--the religious leaders of the day--rejected Him because they felt they were doing quite all right without Jesus. As a result, Jesus openly denounced them for their hypocrisy. They obeyed man's requirements to be religious, but they failed to have the heart attitude God wanted. They did outward religious acts which were not wrong in themselves, but their motives and heart attitudes were wrong. Instead of doing things out of a heart of love for God and others, they did things so that others would think they were quite spiritual. On the outside, they seemed to have their act together, but they were full of hypocrisy.
God hates hypocrisy! He hates when we put on a mask to appear good and when we are full of iniquity. The very foundation of our Christian walk is honesty, not hiding from the truth. Yet, many Christians are not honest. Words they say and things they do are designed to hide how they really are.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes those with hearts that bring forth fruit as "honest and good" hearts (Lk. 8:15). Until we are honest with God, recognizing we are a sinner, we can never enter the kingdom. Until we are honest with others, we will never grow and be fruitful. May we learn the importance of honesty and the danger of hypocrisy. As we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse us from all iniquity.
OCTOBER 23
Matthew 25 - 28 (Mt. 26:6-16)
" . . . You cannot serve both God and Money."
Luke 16:13 (NIV)
While Jesus was in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him and poured very precious ointment upon His head. It was worth three hundred pence, approximately a year's wages during this time. Women in those days would save for the time that they got married. This woman (John 12 refers to her as Mary) was willing to sacrifice all she had saved on the One she loved. There was nothing too great to give to the One that she loved. Indeed, that is how a heart in love with Jesus responds, for in the economics of love, there must be sacrifice that supersedes common sense.
At this time, we find the disciples indignant that Jesus had allowed this "waste" to take place. But, John 12 reveals a fuller picture. Here, we see that Judas was the one who began to murmur this complaint and incited the others to complain. Why did he do this? Because he was a thief and stole money out of their treasury. As a result, Judas went out and betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. He was upset that Jesus did not clutch money the way that he did. He thought he knew better than the Lord, and in a moment of anger and disgust, he sold Jesus.
What kind of heart do you have? Do you get a little upset that God asks for ten percent of your income, or do you out of love desire to sacrificially give unto the Lord? Let our love be for Jesus, not for money. Our love is shown in our attitudes, just as Judas' attitude was shown when so much was spent on Jesus that he thought he should have had.
"Lord, give us a love for you that is willing to sacrificially give unto you."
OCTOBER 24
Mark 1-4 (Mk. 1:29 - 2:12; 3:1-6, 10-15)
" . . . Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."
Mark 1:17
When one begins to read the gospel of Mark, a certain thing stands out above all else: wherever Jesus went He was meeting people's needs. If they had leprosy, He cleansed them. If they had sins, He forgave them. If they were demon-possessed, He cast the devils out. If they were diseased, He healed them. Whatever the need was, He met that need through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Not only did Jesus heal people, but He commissioned twelve others to go heal sicknesses, to preach the gospel, and to cast out devils. He showed them how to do it, then He told them to let God do the same through them. Not only the twelve did this, but also Jesus sent out seventy at a later date. And, there were others that also met people's needs in the name of Jesus at that time as well.
What released such power in their lives? In Mark 1:41, we see that compassion was a key to the power of God being released. In Mark 1:35, we see that prayer and time alone in the presence of the Father was a key as well. Also, in Mark 1:10, we see that before any miracle was performed, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, for Jesus did not operate in His power as God, but He operated in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today there is a great need for men and women to preach the gospel and to demonstrate the power of God. In India alone, there are 2.5 million lepers! They need to know that Jesus came and died that they can be saved, healed, and delivered.
May we be filled with compassion as we see needs around us. May we spend time with the Lord that we may be vessels that can be used to release the saving, healing, and delivering power of God. May we truly be fishers of men and take the power and truth of God to a lost, sick, and oppressed world.
OCTOBER 25
Mark 5 - 8 (Mk. 6:30-44)
" . . . Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."
Zechariah 4:6
Since Jesus knew the importance of prayer and compassion in being able to meet the needs of others, He desired to teach His disciples about these two things. In 6:31, we see Jesus showing them that even though they had cast out many devils, had healed many sick, and had preached repentance, they still dare not neglect the times alone with the Lord. For it is out of our personal life and walk with the Lord that we receive from God what we need to meet the needs of others. Jesus says to come apart and rest awhile. May we never minimize our need to get alone with Jesus and rest.
While they were going across the sea (about four miles), however, the people saw where they were going and ran ten miles along the shore so that they could meet with Him. Here Jesus emphasizes another important key for ministry: compassion. In 6:34, we see that Jesus was moved with pity or compassion for them. For they had no one to feed them spiritually, and no one to look after them and care for them. So Jesus began to teach them. When the day was coming to an end, the disciples wanted to send them away so they could get bread to eat. They saw a need, but they wanted someone else to worry about it. Jesus looks at them and tells them to do something about it.
There are people who are quite aware that others are in trouble, but they wish to push the responsibility for doing something about it on someone else. But, Jesus was teaching His disciples that when they saw someone in need, they were to take responsibility themselves to do something about it. The result, of course, was the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
How well have you learned these two lessons that Jesus was trying to teach? When we learn and practice them, then we will begin to see the supernatural in our own lives, and we'll see God use us to meet other's needs.
OCTOBER 26
Mark 9 - 12 (Mk. 9:14-29; 11:20-26)
"'If you can?'" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Mark 9:23(NIV)
Throughout the gospel of Mark, we can sense a purpose for the writing of this book. We have already begun to see it in the first eight chapters, and now we continue to see it. For in Mark's gospel narrative, God wants us to get a vision of the power of God. Not only just what was done nearly two thousand years ago, but also what He wants to do through each one of us today.
Just look at the references to the power of God through today's chapters. In chapter 9, we have the transfiguration and the deliverance from a dumb and deaf spirit. In chapter 10, blind Bartimaeus is healed. In chapter 11, the fig tree withers up when cursed. In chapter 12, Jesus tells the Sadducees that they err because they don't know the Scriptures nor the power of God. In 9:23, Jesus shows that the power of God is not just available to Him, but if anyone will just believe, all things are possible. In 11:22-24, Jesus again emphasizes the importance of believing God for our own situation. He knew that He would soon go to be with the Father, and He wanted them to realize that He desired to release His power through them! As they believed, they would receive.
It is important that we know the power of God (12:24), not just what He did ages ago, but we must know experientially the power of God in our own lives. May we not err because our hearts don't really believe God will release His power as we pray and believe Him. Remember that when we pray, we are to believe that we have received, and we shall have what we ask.
"Lord, we believe, help our unbelief in the way you helped the father's unbelief in the Scripture--You showed him Your power" (9:24).
OCTOBER 27
Mark 13 - 16 (Mk. 16)
" Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel cast out devils; speak with new tongues...lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Mark 16:15, 17, 18
Throughout this entire gospel we have seen an emphasis on the power of God which He wants operating in our lives. Today, our reading ends up with a charge to go to all the ends of the world and preach the good news of Jesus Christ. The Lord promised that if we would believe, He would have signs of His power accompany us. These signs will follow us if we believe God for them:
1. Demons will be cast out.
2. People will speak in new tongues.
3. You will experience divine protection.
4. You will lay hands on the sick, and they shall
recover.
As one looks at these signs, one can see that Jesus wants to impart His own ministry to us. These are not just for an exclusive few, but for anyone who would dare believe God! After Jesus ascended into heaven, it says that He continued to work with them confirming the work with signs following.
My friend, are you letting Jesus work with you like they did? Will you dare to believe God for the impossible? Of great encouragement to us who are slow to believe is the weakness of the disciples. In 16:11, 13, we see that they were slow to believe. Doesn't that sound like us when we are up against a seemingly impossible situation? Jesus, Himself, rebuked the eleven for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Yet, God gave them believing hearts, and He confirmed the gospel with signs following!
Do you have trouble believing God for miracles? Take courage, the disciples did too. But, when they met with Jesus in their time of need, they could go forth with a heart of faith.
OCTOBER 28
Luke 1 - 3 (Lk. 3:1-18)
" . . . but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."
Isaiah 66:2
In Luke 3:1, 2, we find a list of very important men. First is Tiberius, the Roman Emperor. He was a man with imperial power; he was the sole emperor of the nation that ruled the earth. After Tiberius, we find Luke listing the Roman governors over Israel: Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, Herod Philip, and Lysanias. All these men were rulers in the political world, yet Luke lists two more influential men at the time: Annas and Caiaphas. They were the religious heads of the country of Israel.
After this list of important men both politically and religiously, it says that the word of the Lord came to John in the wilderness. Who was John? Just a man in the wilderness. God bypassed the high priests, governors, and Caesar to speak to a man who was seemingly separated from what God was doing in the nation.
Throughout Scripture, we find that the Lord doesn't take note of our position, power, or purse. His attention is caught by our heart attitude. David was just a shepherd off in the hills worshipping God and faithfully watching the sheep. Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. Amos was a shepherd and a gatherer of figs, yet God saw their hearts and found them people that He could use.
Let us remember what impresses God. It is a humble spirit and an open heart of love towards Him and others. Don't trust in your position, but draw near to the Lord, and He will draw near to you. God looks at the heart. What kind do you have?
OCTOBER 29
Luke 4 - 6 (Lk. 4:1-14)
"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
Psalm 119:11
In the beginning of Luke 4, we see two keys to living a victorious Christian life and not submitting to temptation. In 4:1, we see that Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. We must allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives and let His gentle nudgings lead us along the path that we should take. Daily we need to be full of the Holy Ghost, and daily we need to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit of the living God.
Let us note that when Jesus was walking in the Spirit, it did not mean He was without temptation. Just the opposite seems true, for the more we walk with God, the greater a threat we are to the kingdom of darkness. Therefore, Satan seeks to lure us into sin.
We need not fear when tempted, for there is no temptation that comes that God will not provide a way to overcome it! In Luke 4, we see the second key to living in victory. Whenever Jesus was tempted, He did not argue with the devil or try to reason with him. He just quoted the Scriptures as God brought back to Him that which He had meditated on in the past. Ephesians 6:17 tells us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that it is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Yes, the Word of God is an effective weapon in temptation, but we cannot always stop and hunt up a Scripture that applies to our situation. Rather, we must hide the Word in our heart. What we meditate upon, the Lord can bring back to us in our hour of temptation. We then can use it as a powerful weapon. How much artillery do you have hid? May we commit God's Word to memory, mediate on it often, and walk in the Spirit that we may overcome in every situation of life.
OCTOBER 30
Luke 7 - 9 (Lk. 7:1-10)
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Hebrews 11:6
In Luke 7:1-10, we find the story of the healing of the centurion's servant. As Jesus entered into Capernaum, a delegation of elders came and asked him to come and heal the centurion's servant. To try to convince Jesus to come, they said that the centurion was a man who deserved such a favor for he loved Israel and had even built a synagogue. He was obviously a man of wealth, reputation, influence, and character. Contrary to the typical Roman attitude towards slaves (they were thought of as tools to be thrown away when no longer useful), this man had a love for his slave.
When Jesus had started towards the centurion's house, the centurion came to meet Him. He did not try to impress Jesus with his position, wealth, or character. Instead, he mentioned that he was not worthy for Jesus to enter his house. He must have been aware that there is none righteous, no not one. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The centurion goes on to say something that impressed our Lord so much that He marvelled. The centurion said that if his authority produced the results it did when he spoke, how much more must Jesus' authority be manifested when He speaks. At this Jesus marvelled, not at the elders proclamation of his goodness and not at his confession of humility, but at his confession of faith. This pleased the Lord, and the servant was made whole that very hour (Mt. 8:13). In Matthew 8:13, Jesus told the centurion that as he had believed, he had received.
Do you have the kind of faith that causes even Jesus to marvel? The only other time in Scripture we find Jesus marvelling is at unbelief. Does He marvel at your unbelief? We won't receive from God because we are good enough or humble enough, but because we have come to know Him in such a way that we can trust and believe Him.
OCTOBER 31
Luke 10 - 13 (Lk. 11:1-13)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Galatians 6:9
In today's reading, we find the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray as John the Baptist taught his disciples. They had been watching Jesus pray and realized that prayer was a real key to the effectiveness and power of His ministry. John the Baptist, whom some of Jesus' disciples had followed, had had one of the most powerful anointings of any prophet that ever was born. He also knew the importance of prayer and spent much time alone with God. The disciples saw that there is a direct relationship to one's success in the kingdom of God and one's prayer life; therefore, they wanted to learn to pray effectively.
Jesus first taught them various things that should be in their prayer: worship, asking for the kingdom, asking for personal needs, forgiveness, and deliverance. But, after giving them the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus goes on to give a very important lesson concerning prayer--the need for importunity (persistence in requesting or demanding).
At times we all get to a point where we have asked for something and have not received. We know we are to ask for it, yet we have not obtained our petition. Jesus encourages us not to lose heart but to continue in prayer. In 11:9, He tells us to ask, to seek, and to knock. The Greek words have the thought of asking and continuing to ask, seeking and continuing to seek, and knocking and continuing to knock.
Let us be those who don't give up; therefore, keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. For EVERYONE who asks, receives (11:10). Praise the Lord that includes you and me! Are you praying for a special anointing of the Holy Spirit (11:13)? Don't give up! You will receive if you don't quit seeking.