Bible Truth Publishers

Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

August 2023

All months

Thursday, August 31, 2023

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“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).
This verse shows us that it is a serious thing for men to be wicked, and all our hearts are wicked by nature. However, this verse is also written to those who know who God is, but who forget Him. The first part of the verse is written mostly to those who are involved with false religions, but the second part is even more serious, for it is written to those who have given up the truth of God, after they have known it.
When we have the Bible, and know who God is, it is a serious thing to give it up. Then we become worse than those who have never known the truth of God. This is happening today in many Western countries — countries that have known the truth of salvation, and that were once known as Christian countries. But now many are giving up what they have known, and they will eventually fall under the judgment of God. How important it is for us as individuals to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior!

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

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“So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets” (Mark 8:8).
The Lord Jesus was the Creator of all things, yet we find in this verse that He was careful not to waste anything. He had just worked a miracle by multiplying seven loaves and a few small fishes into enough food to feed thousands of people, yet He and His disciples carefully picked up what was left over.
This is a good lesson for us. Some of us live in countries where there is plenty of food available to us, and sometimes it is tempting to waste it. We should not do that, for it is the Lord who has provided it for us. Of course, we realize that occasionally we cannot avoid wasting some food, such as when it may spoil in the refrigerator, or when someone serves us far more than we can eat. But at other times we may take more than we can eat, and then throw some of it out. It is good not to get into the habit of wasting food, even if we have plenty of it.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

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“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” (Mark 8:36).
It is a serious thing to think of eternity, for we spend only a short time in this world, and we will spend all eternity in one of two places. How many people there are who are using their time and energy to get things in this world, and yet are not paying any attention to their salvation?
Here in our verse today the Lord Jesus calls attention to this neglect. No matter how much money we may have, or how much fame, how much power in this world, we must leave it all behind someday. It will not mean much in eternity. There are many who have lived in this world, and whose names are now famous in history. Yet the question continues to haunt the memory of them — where is their soul?
To lose my wealth is much; to lose my health is more:
To lose my soul is such a loss, that no man can restore.

Monday, August 28, 2023

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“If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love…These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:10-11).
The Lord Jesus wants our joy to be full. He tells us how this can happen; we need to live in the enjoyment of His love. But how can we do this? It is very simple; we must obey His commandments. This does not mean commandments like the law in the Old Testament, where they had a set of rules, and were told to do this, and not to do that. Rather, the New Testament commandments are simply what pleases the Lord. He tells us what will please Him, and now we have a new life that wants to do those things. More than this, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit that gives us the energy to do these things.
When we do what pleases the Lord, we live in the enjoyment of His love, and we have full joy in our hearts. A life that is lived to please the Lord is a happy life, even if He asks us to do some hard things!

Sunday, August 27, 2023

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“As the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do” (John 14:31).
The Lord Jesus came into this world to do the Father’s will. But where did that will take Him? All the way to Calvary’s cross. Sometimes we are willing to do what others ask us to do, but then perhaps they ask us to do something very difficult, and we say, “No, I cannot go that far. I cannot do that for you.” But the Lord Jesus was willing to do the Father’s will, whatever it cost Him.
It was a most difficult thing for Him to go to the cross, yet He went willingly, and although it was very hard for Him, yet in another sense it was a happy path. We too will be happy, and enjoy God’s love, if we keep His commandments. We will say a little more about this tomorrow.

Saturday, August 26, 2023

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“My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
We saw yesterday that the Lord Jesus gives us perfect peace about our sins being washed away through faith in Him. But in the same verse He talks about another kind of peace, which He calls “my peace.” What does He mean?
The Lord Jesus never committed any sin, so that He did not need forgiveness, as we do. Rather, in today’s verse, He is speaking about peace in all the difficulties and problems of our everyday life. When the Lord Jesus walked through this world, He faced all the same situations that we face in our lives. Yet He accepted them from His Father, and then went to His Father in prayer about them. Many times during His life down here, we read of the Lord Jesus being in prayer. As a result He lived in peace about all these things.
Now, He gives us His peace. We can accept whatever God sends into our lives, and then go to God our Father about them. When we have done this, the difficulty may not go away, but we can have peace about it — the same peace in which the Lord Jesus walked through this world. This is truly something wonderful He has left to us!

Friday, August 25, 2023

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“Peace I leave with you” (John 14:27).
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
When the Lord Jesus went to Calvary’s cross, He completed the work so that all our sins could be washed away. According to our second verse today, we now have peace with God through the Lord Jesus, and we are justified by putting our faith in Him.
This is what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, “Peace I leave with you.” He was going away: He was going to ascend back to heaven after He rose from the dead. But He was going to leave them with peace as to their salvation, for He would finish the work on the cross. There is nothing more to be done, and you and I can have total peace about all our sins being forgiven.

Thursday, August 24, 2023

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“In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).
After the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, He went back to heaven as a man. Here in our verse He tells the disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them. What did He mean?
When I was young, I thought that the Lord had to make everything ready in heaven, just as we would get our home in proper order if we were expecting guests. But could anything possibly be out of place in heaven? Could anything need to be straightened out there? No, for everything is perfect in the place where God lives.
The Lord Jesus makes the place ready for us by being there as a man. He became a man when He came into this world, and He will remain a man for all eternity so that He can enjoy our company. When we get there, we will not feel strange or out of place, for He will be there as a risen man, with a glorified body. We too will have glorified bodies, suited to heaven.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

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“Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound” (Acts 24:27).
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you” (Ephesians 4:1).
When the Apostle Paul was in Jerusalem, and later in Caesarea, he was a prisoner of the Romans. They knew very well that he was innocent of any crime, but Felix, the Roman governor, wanted to please the Jews, and left Paul in prison. As long as he could “keep the peace” with the Jews, he did not care much about Paul.
But later, when Paul was in Rome and wrote the epistle to the Ephesians, he calls himself “the prisoner of the Lord,” not the “prisoner of the Romans.” He recognized that nothing could happen to him unless the Lord allowed it, and that the Lord was over all his circumstances.
So it is with us too. We can look at others and the things they do to us, and we can look at how situations develop in our lives, but all of this is ordered of the Lord. We are to accept them from Him, and learn what He has for us in it all.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

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“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28).
Right at the beginning, when Paul (then he was called Saul) was first saved, the Lord told Ananias that Paul would “bear my name before the Gentiles, and before kings” (Acts 9:15), and in this chapter Paul speaks before a lot of Roman dignitaries, including king Agrippa. Agrippa probably said these words in our verse in mockery, but they are a solemn warning to all who hear the gospel and do not believe it.
Agrippa was an important man, and likely did not think he needed the gospel. Sad to say, there is no record in the Bible that he ever got saved. Agrippa was one of the Herod family, and his father had been struck down by the Lord and was “eaten of worms” because he pretended to be a god. (See if you can find this story in the book of Acts.) He was actually Agrippa I, so this man in our verse was his son — Agrippa II, and this was his second warning from God. To be “almost persuaded” is still to be lost!

Monday, August 21, 2023

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“Be of good cheer, Paul” (Acts 23:11).
“And now I (Paul) exhort you to be of good cheer” (Acts 27:22).
It is a very encouraging word that the Lord gives Paul in our first verse today. Paul had gone up to Jerusalem against the wishes of his brethren, who had warned him that he would get into trouble there. But when he landed in prison, the Lord did not rebuke him, but rather encouraged him. Paul knew he had missed the mind of the Lord, and he learned from the experience.
Later, on the voyage to Rome, Paul is then able to be above all his circumstances, and in the middle of a bad storm he is able to encourage everyone on board the ship. He knows exactly what is going to happen, and is confident that all of them will make it to land. The Lord had told him how everything would turn out.
In our lives the Lord loves to encourage us, and then we can be an encouragement to others, for we know from the Word of God what is ahead for this world. Even in the middle of real difficulties, we know that our salvation is sure, and that we can never be lost.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

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“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
This is a wonderful verse for us to remember, and it is not recorded in any of the gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. But Paul had learned that the Lord Jesus said this, and he records it here for us. The Lord Jesus was always giving — healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, feeding the hungry, preaching the Word of God, and many other things. Yes, He also graciously accepted gifts from time to time, such as aid from women who followed Him, hospitality from people like Martha and Mary, meals at different homes, etc. But He told people that it was better to give than to receive.
We all like to receive things, but there is a special joy in giving, and this is especially true of Christians, for then we are acting like our blessed Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Saturday, August 19, 2023

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“By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).
“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).
In our verses today we have two kinds of sacrifices mentioned. The first one is praise and thanksgiving to God, and this always comes first. What is due to the Lord is always the most important, and comes before what is due to other people. We should be ready to praise and thank the Lord at all times, but especially when we come together on Lord’s day to remember our Lord Jesus Christ in death.
However, God also values our sacrifice on behalf of others, and the Word of God has put the two verses right next to one another. That is why it is appropriate to take a collection when we come together to remember the Lord, for then we are giving in a practical way for the help and care of others. According to 1 Corinthians 16:2, we are to put aside money every week, according to how much God has given us, in order to be a help to others. This is also a sacrifice that is pleasing to God.

Friday, August 18, 2023

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“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Hebrews 13:7).
We are to follow the Lord Jesus first of all, for He always sets before us a perfect example. But God has also given us leaders and guides — those who are older than we, and who have spoken the Word of God to us. We are to respect them, listen to them, and to follow their faith.
Of course, if we look at their lives, we can usually see some failure in them too, for they are only men and women like ourselves. Once a young man mentioned to his father some wrongdoing he had noticed in an older brother in Christ. His father’s answer was good. He said, “Son, it says ‘Whose faith follow,’ not ‘Whose failures follow.’”
We may see failure in other Christians, but we will also see Christ in them. We are to follow what we see of Christ, and not what we see of the old sinful nature.

Thursday, August 17, 2023

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“The liberal soul shall be made fat” (Proverbs 11:25).
“The soul of the diligent shall be made fat” (Proverbs 13:4).
In natural things, both of the statements in the above verses are true. If someone is liberal in his dealings, he usually does well, for he thinks of other people, and is generous when he deals with them.
Also, someone who is diligent (a hard worker) usually does well; his hard work pays off, and he is rewarded for it.
However, the same thing is true in spiritual things. If we learn the things of Christ, and share them with others, we too will become “fat” spiritually. Also, if we are diligent, we will enjoy more of Christ, for it takes effort to read the Bible, to think about what we have read, and to spend time in prayer. Those who do these things will become strong Christians, and will be rewarded for their diligence.

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

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“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light” (Luke 8:16).
Before electricity was discovered, people often used candles at night in order to light their houses. Naturally, when they had lighted a candle, they put it in a prominent place, so that all could see the light. They would never put that candle under the bed, or under some kind of a pot or bowl. Then no one could see it.
Putting it under the bed would speak of laziness, while putting it under a vessel would speak of our being too busy with other things, to let our light shine. But as we saw yesterday, the Lord wants us to let our light shine in this world. We should not allow ourselves to get too busy to let our light shine, nor should we be too lazy to do so. When we live our daily lives, we should clearly show others that we belong to Christ.

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

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“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
“Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
“Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He was the light of the world. Morally and spiritually, He gave light to this world, if people would receive it. But now the Lord Jesus is up in heaven, seated at God’s right hand; the world can no longer see Him. Now you and I, as Christians, are the light of this world. Those who do not know the Lord may not read the Bible, but they should be able to see the light in our walk through this world. They should see Christ reflected in how we live.
That is why it is important to let our light shine, and to walk as children of light. We can easily hide our light, and then no one can see it. God wants our light to be easily seen!

Monday, August 14, 2023

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“The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness” (Luke 11:34).
This verse might seem to be a bit complicated to us, but it means that when we really want to look at something closely, we give it our full attention. If we look only at one thing, our whole person is taken up with it. Suppose we are looking at a pretty bird outside, and wanting to know what kind it is. We look very closely at it, perhaps even with some binoculars, to see it as well as possible.
It is the same in spiritual things. If we are really interested in following the Lord Jesus, we give Him our whole attention, and our whole body is filled with real light from God. But if we do not want the things of the Lord, our eye is evil, and we look at evil things. Then our whole being is full of darkness. Even as Christians our whole body can be full of darkness, if we get away from the Lord, and set our minds on sinful things instead of good things. Do we want our bodies to be full of light, or full of darkness?

Sunday, August 13, 2023

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“Except a corn [grain] of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24).
Most of us understand what happens when we sow a seed in the ground. With warmth and moisture, it germinates and a new plant grows from it. But we never recover the original seed; it dies, so that it can grow a new plant that produces many more than the original one. With wheat, an average crop will produce about sixty grains on a stalk, while a good crop will have one hundred or more grains of wheat on the head of the stalk. But if we do not plant that grain of wheat, it will never produce more; it will remain alone.
It was the same way with the Lord Jesus. If He had never gone to the cross and died, He would have remained alone in heaven. But when He died, many were able to be saved. There will be millions in heaven because the Lord Jesus died!
Of course, not only did the Lord Jesus die, like a grain of wheat, but unlike the grain of wheat, He also rose from the dead. He is now alive and seated at God’s right hand, as we saw a few days ago. We will spend all eternity with Him!

Saturday, August 12, 2023

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“And from thence they [Paul and Barnabas] sailed to Cyprus…and when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found…a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus: which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus…who…desired to hear the Word of God” (Acts 13:4,6-7).
Here we find a Jew who was actually a sorcerer — someone who casts spells and works miracles by the power of Satan. But one of the rulers of the area really wanted to hear the Word of God, and this man Bar-Jesus, the sorcerer, kept trying to persuade this ruler not to listen to Paul and Barnabas. We find later that Paul used the Lord’s power to blind this sorcerer for a while, in order to show him that God’s power was greater than Satan’s power. As a result, Sergius Paulus got saved.
Several years ago, my wife and I were privileged to spend a few days in Cyprus, and went to Paphos. It was interesting to see that no one mentioned this sorcerer, but there was a large plaque there, telling people that this was where Christianity first came to that area. We were thankful that people remembered this, and we too were able to hand out some gospel tracts, and speak a little about the Lord. You may read about this visit by Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13.

Friday, August 11, 2023

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“Peter seeing him [John] saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me” (John 21:21-22).
It seems that Peter and John were close friends, and when the Lord had told Peter in some previous verses what He wanted him to do, probably Peter was very happy. But then he saw John sitting there, and he wanted to know what John was to do. The Lord Jesus did not tell Peter this, but rather said, in so many words, “Even if I allow him to live until I come back, that is not your business. You follow Me.”
It is good advice for us too. Sometimes we get so busy trying to find out what others are doing for the Lord that we forget what He has given us to do. This does not mean that we do not take an interest in what others do, but always to be curious about what the Lord has given others is not good. The Lord wants us to mind our own business, and to be content to follow Him.

Thursday, August 10, 2023

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“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12).
In Israel in the Old Testament the worship of God was connected first with the tabernacle, and then later with the temple that Solomon built. Perhaps you have never thought of it before, but neither in the tabernacle nor in the temple was there any chair on which the priests could sit down. Whatever they did there, whether offering incense to the Lord, replacing the shewbread on the table, lighting the candlestick, or even going into the “holy of holies” once a year, they were always standing up. Why was this?
It was because the work of putting away sin was never finished. The animal sacrifices were a picture of the Lord Jesus and His work on the cross, but they had to be repeated time after time. But when the Lord Jesus had suffered for sin in the three hours of darkness, He could cry out triumphantly, “It is finished!” Now that His work is done, the Lord Jesus can sit down at God’s right hand. The work is complete, and nothing more can be added to it.

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

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“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
It is a very serious thought that after death there will be judgment. Some people today would like to believe that after death, there is nothing. They would like to believe that men and women die like animals, and that they do not live forever. But the Word of God tells us clearly that we are made for eternity, and not just for time. We will live forever in one of two places — either heaven or hell.
In our verse for today, we are reminded of the judgment that follows death, for some of the Jewish people at that time had identified themselves with Christianity just as an outward thing, without a real relationship with the Lord Jesus. They were not truly saved, and needed to be reminded of how serious the judgment would be. Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

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“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
It is a wonderful thing to know someone who loves and cares for us, and who will never change in his attitude towards us. I well remember about 20 years ago, I needed a computer expert to help me whenever I had problems with my computer. He was a young man, just starting his business, and he was very knowledgeable and helpful. Although I did not need to call him very often, he was glad to have my business. But then his business grew, as he got more customers. Eventually he did not want to bother with my business, as he had small businesses and even larger companies who used his services. I had only one computer, while these other companies had many computers. So he just stopped answering the phone when I called, and never returned calls if I left messages.
I was rather disappointed, as I had to find someone else to help me with my computer problems. But the Lord Jesus is always the same. He never gets tired of hearing from us, and His love never changes. He always has time for us!

Monday, August 7, 2023

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“By faith he [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27).
As we mentioned two days ago, Moses had many advantages in this world as he grew up, for he was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Yet when the time came for him to be used of the Lord, he willingly forsook Egypt, and did not fear the anger of the king. You may remember that Moses had seen an Egyptian abusing an Israelite, and when he thought no one was looking, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. But others found out about it, and eventually Pharaoh found out too. Pharaoh was very angry and would have killed Moses, but Moses left Egypt, and went to live for forty years in the “backside of the desert.” (If you do not know this story, you can read it in Exodus 2.)
During those forty years he learned important lessons as he spent his time keeping sheep. But as our verse says, “he endured,” for by faith his eye was on the Lord, even though he could not actually see Him. We too can forsake this world, and can endure, for by faith we can see the Lord who is directing us.

Sunday, August 6, 2023

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“I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47).
Perhaps you have heard people ask the question, If God is all-powerful, why does He not stop all the suffering in this world? Why does He allow bad people to do wrong things, and very often things that are harmful to others?
I believe we find the answer in this verse. God sent His Son into this world to save it, not to judge it. And if the Lord Jesus were to judge this world, He would have to judge everyone, not just certain very bad people. All of us are sinners, and God would have to judge all of us. But now God is calling everyone to come to Him and be saved, through faith in the Lord Jesus.
There is a time coming when the Lord Jesus will judge this world, and all who do not know Him as Savior will come under His judgment. But today is the day of His grace, and God is showing Himself to this world as a Savior God.

Saturday, August 5, 2023

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“By faith Moses…refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:24-25).
The Lord allowed Moses to grow up in an unusually good position in this world. He was born into a family of slaves in Egypt, but then adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He had every advantage, was well educated, and might possibly have become the next king of Egypt. But Moses knew that all this was temporary. There is pleasure in sin, but it does not last. He knew that to suffer with the people of God would bring God’s approval, and would bring blessing to him and to others for all eternity.
You and I have a choice to make, like Moses. We too can decide to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and many in this world are making this choice. But it will not last, and will never satisfy our hearts. Only Christ can fill your heart and mine. How much better it is to follow Him, even if it means some suffering and reproach down here. It will mean pleasing the Lord, and a reward that will last for all eternity!

Friday, August 4, 2023

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“By faith Abraham, when he was called…went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8).
Faith is a wonderful thing, for it believes God, and takes Him at His word, trusting that He will do what He has said He will do. Abraham lived in a place called Ur, and there he worshiped idols. But God called him, and told him to go out, intending to take him to the land of Canaan. Abraham believed God, and went out, although he was not even sure where he was going. But he trusted God, and He did not fail him. In natural things, we like to know exactly how the whole journey will go, but God wanted Abraham to be dependent on Him, and to look to Him for every step. God did not show him the whole way, but led him day by day.
So it ought to be with us. God will always show us the next step in our Christian pathway, and if He has not shown us anything for the moment, we should wait for Him. When it is time for us to make a move, if we are really wanting to do His will, He will make it very clear to us.

Thursday, August 3, 2023

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“The fear of man bringeth a snare [a trap]: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).
It is very common for people to do things in this world because of the fear of man. This may mean that we are afraid of being physically hurt, but it may also mean that we are afraid of public opinion. We all want to be accepted and respected in this world, and this may lead us to be “conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). When we are afraid of what people in this world may think, we may do wrong things, or neglect doing the right thing.
Here in our verse today we are told to put our trust in the Lord. This means that we do the right thing before the Lord, and then trust Him to look after us. Of course, we may suffer consequences for doing the right thing, as the Lord Jesus did. But it is worth it, for then we have a sense in our soul that we have pleased the Lord. His joy in our hearts is worth the disapproval of this world! Public opinion should not be what dictates our conduct!

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

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“Do all things without murmurings and disputings” (Philippians 2:14).
As I mentioned in our meditation yesterday, the Lord Jesus learned obedience when He became a man, and came into this world. He did His Father’s will in every way, no matter what the cost was.
You and I may do what we are asked to do, but perhaps with murmurings and disputings (arguing about it). If we are given a distasteful job to do, we might say, “Oh, do I have to? Can’t someone else do it?” We can think of a number of reasons why we should not have to do this job. Or perhaps we agree to do the job, but complain and murmur about it. Murmuring in this verse means complaining in a quiet way, and perhaps not saying anything very loudly, but loud enough that the person who gave us the job to do knows very well that we are not happy to be doing this.
If there is something that we are given to do, we are to do it without complaining and arguing. This gives joy to the person who gave us the job, and gives joy to the Lord as well!

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

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“Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).
We might think that as God, the Lord Jesus did not need to learn anything. Yet when He became a man, He experienced something He had never experienced before; He learned what it was to be obedient to His Father’s will. He became the perfect dependent Man, and He had never done this before. We speak reverently; this was an entirely new thing for Him to go through.
Also, there was a heavy cost involved, and the Lord Jesus learned what that obedience would cost. It meant going all the way to Calvary’s cross, and dying for you and me. When you and I obey our parents or a schoolteacher, we might occasionally have to do something that we really do not want to do. But the Lord Jesus was “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).