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Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

March 2024

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Sunday, March 31, 2024

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“Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death” (Isaiah 53:12).
As we have seen before (March 24) in our meditation about the poverty of the Lord Jesus, He suffered much in order to take away our sins, and to satisfy God about the whole matter of sin. He was humiliated in every possible way, and suffered the kind of death reserved for wicked men. However, God the Father is going to honor Him above everyone else in a coming day, and today’s verse refers to this. Because He suffered so much, and was “numbered with the transgressors,” God is going to “divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong. But what is the “spoil?” And who are “the great” and “the strong?”
Spoil is a word often used in the Old Testament, and it means the things that are taken from others in warfare. Quite often the Israelites acquired a great deal of “spoil” when they defeated their enemies, and took all their cattle, silver, gold, clothing, etc. for themselves. When the Lord Jesus defeats all His enemies, He is going to take this world, and indeed this whole universe, for Himself. It really belongs to Him, for He made it, but man has taken it over and used it for himself. In a coming day the Lord Jesus will reclaim this “spoil” for Himself. All this will be God’s answer to the shame and suffering the Lord Jesus went through. Tomorrow we will see who the “great” and the “strong” are!

Saturday, March 30, 2024

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“And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17).
The Pharisees and the Herodians had asked the Lord Jesus what seemed like an impossible question: you may read it in Mark 12:13-17. No matter what He answered, they would be able to accuse Him. But as always, the Lord Jesus gave a wise answer, and one which also reached their consciences. They had asked whether they should pay tribute (taxes) to Caesar or not. If Jesus said yes, then they could ask Him how He could be the Messiah, and yet tell them to pay taxes to a foreign power. If He said no, then they could accuse Him of undermining the legitimate government of the land.
But the Lord Jesus told them to pay Caesar what was due to Him, and also reminded them to give God what was due to Him. Why were the Jews under Roman rule? It was because they had not given God what was due to Him. They had continually worshiped idols in the past, and God had allowed them to be carried into captivity for this reason. We too should give the government what is due to them, but remember to give God what is due to Him too.

Friday, March 29, 2024

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High: to show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night” (Psalm 92:1-2).
Where I live, today is a bright sunny day, and one that encourages us to give thanks and praise the Lord. Of course, we should give thanks and praise Him even if the weather is not nice, but we can specially thank Him for a nice day. It is still cold up here in Canada (about 18 deg. F., or minus 8 deg. C.), but it is nice to see the sun. In our area the maple sap is running well, and that means that spring is on the way!
Also, we experience the Lord’s lovingkindness, and this is a wonderful word in Hebrew. I am not a Hebrew scholar, but anyone can look this up. The Hebrew word here in chesed, which means a lot of good things together, such as mercy, lovingkindness, goodness, love, favor, beauty, etc. The Lord shows us all these things, and does it from morning until night. In this way we see His faithfulness, for He shows all these things to us continuously. We can thank Him every night for His faithfulness before we go to bed. Let us not forget to do this. We thank the Lord for His great salvation, but it is good to thank Him for the mercies we enjoy every day.

Thursday, March 28, 2024

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“For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband” (John 4:18).
If you read the whole story about this woman in John 4, you will find that she came to a well to get water. She found the Lord Jesus sitting on the well, and they got into conversation. When the Lord Jesus asked her to call her husband, she said, “I have no husband.” As our verse says, she had had five husbands, and at that time she was living with a man to whom she was not married. That makes a total of six men in her life, and none of them had made her happy.
But now she meets the Lord Jesus; He was the seventh man, and of course He was not going to marry her, but He brought her what she really needed. She was trying to find happiness in a human relationship, but what she needed was peace with God about her sins. The Lord Jesus plainly exposed her sinful life, but at the same time she realized that He loved her in spite of her sins. She had a desire for something that no one in this world could satisfy but the Lord Jesus.
Seven is God’s perfect number in the Bible, and the seventh man to come into this woman’s life was the Lord Jesus. He can satisfy our hearts too!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

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“There came one running…and asked Him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).
“And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18).
It seems that this wealthy young man really wanted to please God, and was trying to keep the law. When he saw the perfection in the Lord Jesus, he probably thought, “This man has the secret; I will ask Him how to do it.” But the Lord Jesus had to make him realize that no one could be a “good man” in his natural state before God. As we saw yesterday, we all have sinful natures; we have all “gone astray.” We cannot please God unless we have a new life.
This ruler had to realize that he was not speaking to another ordinary man; he was speaking to God Himself in the person of His Son. Then Jesus put him to the test. Could he give up his many possessions and follow the Lord Jesus? No, he valued those things too much.
No man in his natural state will give up the pleasures in this world in order to have treasure in heaven. But when we have Christ, we can willingly sacrifice the things of this world for the One who died for us. Then the Lord promises we will have treasure in heaven.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

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“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
“The breaker is come up before them: they…have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it” (Micah 2:13).
There is a well-known story of a farm boy who was asked a math question in school. His teacher asked, “If there were twenty sheep in a field, and six of them jumped the fence, how many would be left?” His answer was, “None!” The teacher scolded him for his poor math, but he answered her respectfully, “Teacher, you don’t know sheep; if one escapes, the rest all follow.” The first one to go is the “breaker,” as we get in our second verse. As we sometimes say, the first one “makes a break for it.” Then all the rest follow.
That is the way it is with you and me, for when our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned, we all inherited sinful natures, and we all followed them in sin. Our first verse emphasizes this; ALL of us have gone astray.
However, the wonderful news is that if we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, all those sins can be forgiven. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?

Monday, March 25, 2024

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“And He [the Lord Jesus] came to Capernaum: and being in the house He asked them [the twelve disciples], What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And He…saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35).
An older brother, now with the Lord, used to say, “Self likes to be served, and thinks itself to be great; love serves, and is great.” Our natural hearts want to be somebody; we want to be recognized, respected, honored, and looked up to. But the Lord Jesus always took the low place, for He “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7). Rather, the Lord Jesus was constantly serving, and doing the will of His Father. He never defended Himself, unless the glory of God His Father was involved.
In this the Lord Jesus was a good example for us. As He said to His disciples, the one who wanted to be first was to be the last of all, and servant of all. That is not the way of this world, for the world tells us to take the highest place so that we will be honored. But for now, you and I are to take the low place. There will be plenty of time for honor and glory when the Lord takes us home.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

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“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
We all know that when the Lord Jesus was here on earth as a man, He was poor in material things. He could say that He had “nowhere to lay His head,” and He had to ask to see a penny when He wanted to use it as an illustration of something. He graciously accepted it when others helped Him with His everyday living expenses. However, the poverty in our verse today went much deeper than not having money.
Even though the Lord Jesus did not have much money, His being poor in this way would never have put away our sins or saved us from going to hell. No, the poverty spoken about in our verse was the awful judgment of God that the Lord Jesus suffered during the three hours of darkness. During that time He became poor in a way that we will never understand, for He was “made sin” for us. It was only through this poverty that we were made rich, for it was through His sufferings that our sins were put away, and that we were able to receive a new life in Christ. We can appreciate His material poverty, but let us never forget His deep poverty that put away our sins.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

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“And He [the Lord Jesus] began to teach them, that the Son of Man must suffer many things…and be killed, and after three days rise again…and Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him…but…He rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind Me, Satan” (Mark 8:31-33).
Only a short while before this, Peter had boldly confessed Jesus as the Christ—the Messiah. But now, when the Lord Jesus started to tell His disciples that He must suffer and die, Peter could not accept that, and actually began to rebuke the Lord Jesus! He was so sure that the Lord Jesus would set up His kingdom at that time that He tried to tell the Lord Jesus that He should not die on the cross.
Then the Lord Jesus had to rebuke Peter, saying, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” The Lord Jesus knew that Satan was behind what Peter was saying, for Satan is always trying to go against the will of God. If the Lord Jesus did not go to the cross and die, there could be no salvation for us. It was the only way that sin could be put away.
Because this world has rejected the Lord Jesus, the kingdom has been postponed, and will not be set up until after the Lord’s coming for us. Those who follow the Lord Jesus today must be prepared to follow a rejected Christ.

Friday, March 22, 2024

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“He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding is of a cool spirit” (Proverbs 17:27 JND).
The word “cool’ is quite common among young people today, and to do something right is considered to be the “cool” thing to do. It can also mean that we are not all worked up about something, but are at peace in ourselves, and can act in the right way.
In our verse today we find that someone who has real understanding is of a “cool” spirit. That means that a person who really is wise, and understands the situation, does not need to get angry or “lose their cool” over a difficulty. A Christian should always be of a cool spirit; we should be able to approach life’s difficulties in the fear of the Lord, yet trusting Him to lead and guide us.
Also, someone who has knowledge does not need to talk a lot. Everyone today seems to want to express their opinions, and everyone seems to feel the need to say what they think about a particular question. Here we find that those who really know what they are talking about do not need to use a lot of words. They can listen to others, and then express themselves in a few words. It is good advice for all of us to remember.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

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“The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing” (Psalm 34:10).
Normally we would think of lions, and especially young lions, as being strong enough to find their prey and get food without any problem, but there are times when they do lack, and are hungry. Here in our verse for today we have the Lord’s assurance that they who seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. What does this mean?
It means that when we look to the Lord, He is able to provide for us even when it is naturally difficult. It means that we can trust the Lord in any problem, even if there seems to be no way for the problem to be solved. However, we must remember that the Lord may test our faith; He may not give us what we need all at once. Also, He may not give us whatever we ask for, but we will not lack anything that is good for us. This is very reassuring.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

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“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him” (Psalm 25:14).
This is a very good verse to remember along with yesterday’s verse. Yesterday we pointed out that the Lord wants us to commit our way to Him, and that He is willing to show us the right path in our life. However, today’s verse shows us that it is those who are walking with the Lord who will be able to hear the Lord’s voice and to know His mind for them. We cannot walk in a careless, sinful or worldly way, and then suddenly go to the Lord and ask Him for His guidance in some difficulty. We are used to getting answers to almost any question very quickly on the internet, but we cannot “google” the Lord. We must know Him as Savior first, and then have a happy relationship with Him in order to have His guidance in our life.
I remember a woman who told me that when she asked the Lord for guidance, He did not answer her. She was a true Christian, but she was very angry at the Lord because of the difficulties she was in, and almost blamed Him for them. Until she submitted to what the Lord had allowed in her life, she would not get any guidance. She needed to get back to the Lord, confess her sin of being angry, and then ask Him what to do. The Lord wants our company, and a happy state of soul and guidance from the Lord go together.

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).
Here is one final verse from Psalm 37, and it reminds us to commit our way unto the Lord. Another good translation of the Bible says, “Roll your way upon the Lord, and rely upon Him.” Sometimes we are not sure of which way to go in our lives, and at other times, when perhaps we think that we have everything worked out nicely, something comes along to upset our plans. This can be very difficult for us, but then it is good to remember that the Lord wants us to roll the problem onto Him. In fact, sometimes He allows something to upset our plans so that we will have to trust Him. It is worthwhile having our plans upset so that we can see how He can help us, and work everything out. He wants to carry our burden for us, for He knows the right way for us to go, and if we ask Him, He will show it to us. We do not need to be anxious or worry about what to do; the Lord is with us, and we can rely on Him. As our verse says, “He shall bring it to pass.”

Monday, March 18, 2024

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“Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed” (Psalm 37:3).
Back in February we enjoyed two other verses from this psalm, but this one is particularly good to remember. At the time I am writing this, the war between Russia and the Ukraine is heating up, and just about everyone is worried about where it will end. It is a good time to be reminded to trust in the Lord!
The verse refers to the nation of Israel and their earthly blessings, but you and I can apply the verse to our spiritual blessings, and our enjoyment of them. No matter how difficult life may get in this world, nothing can touch the heavenly blessings we have in Christ. To “dwell in the land” pictures to us living in the enjoyment of all that Christ has given us, while being fed pictures to us the feeding of our souls from God’s Word.
However, we can also trust the Lord for our needs in this world. He knows that we need food, clothing, and shelter, and we can count on Him for these things too. He has promised to look after us all the way home.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

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“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10).
The world calls this day St. Patrick’s Day, and many people wear green to celebrate the day. But which is more important to you and me—the fact that today is St. Patrick’s Day, or the Lord’s Day? St. Patrick lived in Ireland, back in the 5th century A. D., and supposedly was the one who brought Christianity to Ireland. But how much better it is to remember our Lord Jesus Christ, and to use the Lord’s Day for Him!
The one who wrote the words in our verse for today was the Apostle John, and at the time he had been banished to the Greek island of Patmos because he was a Christian. He did not likely have any Christian fellowship there, but he valued the Lord’s Day, and was “in the Spirit” on that day. This means that he was enjoying the Lord on the Lord’s Day, and devoting his thoughts to the Lord’s things, rather than something else. Perhaps he was not able to remember the Lord with other Christians as he would have liked, but his thoughts were on his Lord and Savior.
The Lord appreciates it when we use the Lord’s Day for Him, and for His interests. It is the one day in the week that reminds of the Lordship of Christ over us.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

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“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered” (Proverbs 28:26).
“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
Naturally speaking, all of us like to direct our own way, and decide what we want to do. We think that we can look at situations and decide how to handle them. But the Bible says that we are not really capable of this, and that to trust in our own hearts is foolish. We do not know what may happen tomorrow, or even later today. Only the Lord knows the future and can show us the right way.
When we are young, there are many big decisions to be made, such as how much education to get, what kind of career we pursue, where we might live, whom we might marry, etc. It is most important to go to the Lord and ask Him what to do. If we really want to know His mind for our life, He will show us. But we must be walking with the Lord in order to be able to hear His voice, and to know His mind for us. He wants to lead and guide us, first of all for His glory, and then for our blessing too.

Friday, March 15, 2024

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“Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted…hath lifted up his heel against Me” (Psalm 41:9).
Have you ever heard the expression, “Beware the ides of March?” The word “ides” is Latin, and in Roman times, it referred to the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October. Away back in the year 44 B.C., Julius Caesar, who held supreme power in Rome, was assassinated by a group of senators on March 15. Supposedly someone who knew about the plot warned Caesar to “beware the ides of March.” It is doubtful whether anyone actually gave him this warning, but it found its way into legend because it was used in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar. One of those who aided in his assassination was Marcus Brutus, who was supposed to be Caesar’s friend.
About 74 years later, in 29 A.D., the Lord Jesus was betrayed by one of His followers—Judas Iscariot. But the Lord Jesus did not need any warning about Judas, for He knew well what Judas would do. Although his name is not mentioned, our verse for today describes him, and it was written about 1,000 years before Judas lived. Like the other disciples, Judas had spent several years with the Lord Jesus, and had worked with Him. Yet he was not a saved soul, and when the opportunity came, he sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

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“And he [Herod] sent, and beheaded John in the prison…And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus” (Matthew 14:10,12).
“And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught” (Mark 6:30).
Here we find two different groups of people who approached the Lord Jesus, probably about the same time. They brought two very different kinds of news to Him, too. The apostles (or disciples) had just returned from a very successful mission of preaching, healing, and casting out devils. No doubt they were happy to report to the Lord Jesus what they had done.
But the disciples of John the Baptist came to report that Herod had just beheaded the one they followed. They knew where to go for sympathy and comfort! John the Baptist had been a most faithful man, and had told the people that the Lord Jesus was coming. But now his work was done, and God allowed the wicked King Herod to behead him.
The Lord Jesus understood both His own disciples, when they were glad, and John’s disciples, when they were sad. He understands us too, whether we go to Him when we are happy, or whether we are sad. He can appreciate our happiness, or comfort us in any sadness in our life.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

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“No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
When I was growing up, there was an older brother who often used to impress this verse on us. Of course, we cannot really walk uprightly until we are truly saved and have a new life in Christ. But as Christians, we can walk uprightly before the Lord, or we can allow our old sinful nature to act, and walk in a wrong way.
The Lord wants to give us good things, and if we walk uprightly, He appreciates this. Our verse does not mean that the Lord will give us everything we want, but rather He will give us what is good for us. But just as parents like to give good things to an obedient child, so the Lord values those of His children who walk uprightly.
Parents love their children even when they are not good, and the Lord never stops loving His children either, even if they behave badly. However, when we walk to please Him, we enjoy His company, and He delights to give us good things. He wants a warm and happy relationship with us!

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

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“And when He [the Lord Jesus] was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mark 5:18-19).
“Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am” (John 17:24).
The man who had been possessed by many demons wanted to be with the Lord Jesus, after the demons were cast out of him. But the Lord Jesus had work for him to do, and instead of allowing the man to get into the ship with Him, He told him to go and tell his friends what the Lord had done for him. The Lord Jesus needed someone there who would tell others about Him. Happily, the man was obedient, and it tells us that “all men did marvel” (Mark 5:20).
The Lord Jesus does want us to be with Him, and He expresses that wish in His prayer to His Father in our second verse for today. He is coming soon, and then we will be with Him forever. But now is the time to serve Him, and to enjoy His presence by faith. He is always with us in this way, but soon we will see Him face to face.

Monday, March 11, 2024

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“These are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19).
The Lord Jesus explained things in parables to the people, and here we find a man sowing grain. It fell on different kinds of soil, and some fell on ground where thorns grew. The thorns are compared to the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches. But notice that the cares of this world are mentioned first. Why is this?
It is because the cares of this world are necessary, to some extent, in our lives. We need to go to school, we need to learn how to earn our living, and later, when we grow up, we need to work to support ourselves. All this is good, but we must be careful not to allow these necessary duties to overtake our lives to the point where no time is left for the Lord.
Often, Satan uses the cares of this world to keep people from coming to Christ to be saved, but he can use those same cares to make us unfruitful as Christians too. We need to be on guard for this.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

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“Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad” (Matthew 26:31).
The Lord Jesus was going to the cross, and that night Judas would bring a band of soldiers to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew that all His disciples would forsake Him, and would be offended. The word “offended” means that the situation would stumble them, or trap them, and perhaps be so hard for them that they would be tempted to sin by denying the Lord. We know that this actually happened, for all the disciples ran away when the Lord Jesus was arrested. Later John and Peter came back and went into the palace of the high priest, but then Peter ended up denying his Lord.
The disciples loved the Lord Jesus, but they did not want Him to go to the cross and die. They did not understand that this was the only way that sin could be put away, so that we could be saved. The Lord Jesus knew that He must go through it all alone; no one could follow Him to the cross, for only He could bear the punishment for sin.

Saturday, March 9, 2024

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“And again a crowd comes together, so that they cannot even eat bread. And His [the Lord Jesus’] relatives having heard of it went out to lay hold on Him, for they said, He is out of His mind” (Mark 3:20-21 JND).
This is a rather shocking verse to read about the Lord Jesus. The relatives of the Lord Jesus, quite possibly some of his brothers, decided that He was allowing too many people to approach Him, and actually said among themselves that He was “out of His mind.” This was very disrespectful and rude, but they did not yet realize who He was.
It is true that the Lord Jesus was “mobbed” by crowds of people who wanted healing, but the Lord Jesus was always in control of Himself. He knew how to avoid the crowds, if necessary, and to go away to be by Himself. But He had come to help the lost sheep of Israel, and He felt sorry for all those people who were in need. Yes, it was sometimes hard for the Lord Jesus and His disciples even to have a meal, but He loved all those people, and wanted them to feel welcome.

Friday, March 8, 2024

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“For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25).
We saw yesterday that unbelievers in this world will sometimes overcome any difficulties between themselves in order to reject and get rid of the Lord Jesus. This is very sad, but we see from today’s verse that God is going to see to it that the Lord Jesus eventually has the first place. After He has come back and taken all the true believers home to be with Himself, He will then judge this world. That will be a very awful time, as all those who have rejected Him will be considered to be His enemies and will be punished.
When the Lord Jesus came into this world as a man, He presented Himself as the rightful King. He was rejected, but in our verse today it says that “He must reign.” He will come back in power and glory and take the place that was not given to Him nearly 2,000 years ago. It will be an awful time for those who have rejected Him, but you and I will be happy to see Him given the honor of which He is worthy.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

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“And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him” (Mark 3:6).
“And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves” (Luke 23:12).
Normally the Pharisees did not like those who followed Herod, for the Pharisees were Jewish leaders. The Herod family were descendants of Esau, and had managed to gain the favor of the Romans, and had ended up being rulers over much of the land of Israel. Also, Pilate and Herod were not normally friends; they did not like one another. They were usually competing for influence and power.
However, when it came to the Lord Jesus, people who did not like one another joined together to reject the Lord Jesus. This world does not want the Lord Jesus, and the people of this world will overcome their differences in order to be against the Lord Jesus. This is very sad, but we must be prepared for it. The world will put up with almost anything rather than have the Lord Jesus given His rightful place.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

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“Then the same day at evening…came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you…Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-20).
The disciples had a very difficult time when the Lord Jesus was crucified. They had not expected this to happen, but it was all in God’s plan for their salvation. However, when He had risen from the dead, the Lord Jesus came right into the room where they were, and said to them, “Peace be unto you.” They knew who He was, and His presence meant peace to them.
As I write this in March 2022, the world is in serious turmoil because of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. So far there has been bloodshed on both sides, and many people are deeply concerned that it will end up in another World War. While we all may suffer somewhat from all this, you and I can listen to the Lord’s voice saying, “Peace be unto you.” Whatever happens in this world cannot touch our eternal security, nor the joy we have in Christ. Let us be happy like the disciples, when we can see the Lord. Of course, we cannot see Him with our eyes, but by faith we can trust Him, and see Him looking after us. All this is going to work out God’s purposes, and we can rest in that.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

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“And Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly” (Jonah 2:1).
Jonah had to be put in a very serious position before he felt the need to pray. When the storm was going on and the sailors were praying to their false gods, Jonah was sleeping. Even when the captain of the ship woke up Jonah and urged him to pray to his God, there is no record that he did so. No, Jonah was running away from the Lord, and was not in any spiritual condition to pray. Even when Jonah told the sailors to throw him into the sea, and he was expecting to be drowned, he did not pray.
But then, when he found himself in the fish’s belly, with no hope of rescue except from the Lord, he finally prayed. It would have been an awful place to be in, but at last Jonah was restored in his soul, and prayed.
Jonah was no different from you and me, for we too can get away from the Lord, and want our own way. The Lord may have to put us in a very hard situation, to bring us back to Him. But it is worth it, for Jonah not only learned his lesson, but wrote the book of Jonah so that we could learn the lesson from his experiences.

Monday, March 4, 2024

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“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).
In the gospel of Mark we see the Lord Jesus pictured to us as the perfect Servant. If you read Mark’s gospel, you will find that the Lord Jesus is always busy, doing the work His Father had given Him to do. Many people came to Him to be healed of their diseases, and even some of His own disciples came to Him and said, “All men seek for thee” (Mark 1:37).
But something was very important, and the Lord Jesus got up very early in the morning in order to do it. He felt the need of prayer, and He wanted to be alone to do it. He not only got up early, but went to “a solitary place” where He could be by Himself. His time of prayer prepared Him for the day ahead.
This is a good example for you and me. We need time to pray, and we need time alone with the Lord. We may have many things to do, but prayer time is not wasted time. It is most important. People made demands on the time of the Lord Jesus, but He would not allow anything to interfere with His time of prayer.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

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“But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh … Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him” (Genesis 40:14,23).
Joseph had been very kind to the Pharaoh’s chief butler when the butler was in prison. He had noticed that both he and the chief baker were sad, and had interpreted their dreams for them. But when Joseph asked for a simple favor from the chief butler, he forgot all about Joseph, and said nothing to Pharaoh.
The Lord Jesus has done much more for us than Joseph did for the chief butler, and He has asked us to remember Him. He gave everything for us, for He suffered under the judgment of God for sin, and then died in order to save us. Have we remembered His request to remember Him? Before He went to the cross, the Lord Jesus showed His disciples how He wanted them to remember Him, by partaking of a loaf of bread and a cup of wine. Joseph felt it when the chief butler forgot all about Him, and the Lord Jesus feels it if we forget about all He did for us.

Saturday, March 2, 2024

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“Jesus saith unto her [Martha], Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).
Lazarus had lived with his sisters Martha and Mary, but Lazarus had gotten very sick and died. He had been put into a tomb and had been there four days. His tomb was in a cave, with a stone over the entrance. But the Lord Jesus had come and was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. When Martha was still hesitant, the Lord Jesus reminded her that if she would believe, she would see the glory of God.
You and I might have said to her, If you can believe, you will see your brother rise from the dead. This was true, but the Lord Jesus always had before Him the glory of God. Yes, Lazarus would soon be alive again and his two sisters would be very happy. But more than that, God would be glorified, and many would follow the Lord Jesus because of this wonderful miracle.
God always has His glory and honor before Him, first of all. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, it made a way for you and me to be saved. However, even more important than that is the fact that God was glorified, because the Lord Jesus won the victory over Satan and over sin. It is important for us to look at God’s side of things, and not only at how they affect us.

Friday, March 1, 2024

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“And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:23-24).
“The devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
When the Lord Jesus was on earth, the Jewish leaders refused to believe that He was the Son of God. The crowds would admit that He was a great prophet, but  the leaders insisted that He was only a man. This was very serious, for the Lord Jesus gave every possible proof to them that He was the Son of God.
However, it is instructive for us to notice that the demons always knew who He was. They never had any doubt that He was the Son of God, and they feared Him. Also, they instantly obeyed Him when He commanded them to come out of someone. This was also a proof that the Lord Jesus was who He claimed to be, for surely Satan would not have honored Him as the Son of God if this were a false claim.
There is a solemn lesson for us in all this too. It is not enough to believe who the Lord Jesus is; we must be willing to repent of our sins, and to accept Him as our Savior. The demons know who He is, and they tremble before Him, but there is no repentance in their hearts. There are those today who know the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, but who are not saved. How sad!
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