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A daily meditation for young Christians

May 2024

Friday, May 31, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living” (Luke 15:11-13).

Here we have a lost son, and again, this is different from both the lost sheep and the lost coin. The son was not stupid like a sheep, nor was he lost because of someone else’s carelessness. No, the son was willful, and wanted his own way. Many of us are like that by nature. The son took his father’s money, and thought he could have a better time living away from home. But he soon spent all his money, and then he was in trouble. No one helped him, and he was reduced to feeding pigs for a living. A very sad situation!

But the Lord was working in his heart, and he realized his sinful condition. He repented, and went home, ready to tell his father that he was sorry, and wanted only to be a servant. But we know the rest of the story. The father did not go and look for him, but he was watching for him. As soon as the son came in sight, the father ran and hugged him, and kissed him. He brought the son home, cleaned him up, and made a feast for him.

This is what the Lord has done for us. He has brought us back to Himself, and forgiven us through His Son the Lord Jesus. Once there is real repentance in a sinner’s heart, God is ready to forgive him, and bless him.

Thursday, May 30, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?” (Luke 15:8).

A lost piece of silver is something different, for a coin cannot lose itself. A coin does not fall on the floor by itself, and then get hidden in a corner. No, someone must lose it by dropping it, or carrying it away.

That is like children, who perhaps are too young to understand their actions, but who are lost because they are born as part of a sinful race. When Adam and Eve sinned, they brought upon themselves all the consequences of sin, and each child born into this world is lost by nature.

Although they did not lose themselves, all those children are lost, and need to be found. The woman needed to light a candle and sweep the floor carefully, in order to find that lost silver piece. But when she found it, she was happy, and she told her neighbors about it too.

The Lord reminds us that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents. Even the angels are happy when someone gets saved!

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4).

In this fifteenth chapter of Luke, we have three things that are lost—a sheep, a coin, and a son. Each of these three things brings some important truths before us. First of all, we have a lost sheep.

Sheep are hardy animals and can survive in harsh climates, but unfortunately they are somewhat stupid animals. They wander off easily, and then cannot find their way home again. They are also quite unable to defend themselves against predators such as wolves, coyotes, cougars, etc.

That sheep is like the natural man who is lost in sin. Often he does not realize he is lost until some trouble comes along. Like a sheep, he needs someone to go out and find him.

The Lord Jesus is like the shepherd who is not content to have only the other ninety-nine sheep. He wants the one that is lost, and He does not rest until He finds it. Then He carries it home on His shoulders, and is happy that He found that lost sheep.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Take heed therefore that the light that is in thee be not darkness” (Luke 11:35).

When the Lord Jesus came into the world, He could say, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Later He could say to His disciples and His followers, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). For nearly 2,000 years since then, the world has had the light of the gospel through the followers of the Lord Jesus. This is especially true of Europe, and North and South America.

However, if this light is refused, then the darkness is greater than among those who never had the light. If we reject the light God has given us, then the light that is in us becomes darkness. Then we find out the truth of God’s Word—“If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). We need to watch, so that Satan does not take away the light that God gives us, and we end up in darkness. Sadly, this is happening in much of the western world today, and moral darkness is the result.

Monday, May 27, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews?…When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:1-3).

“In Rama there was a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not” (Matthew 2:18).

Yesterday in the town of Uvalde, TX, U.S.A., there was a mass shooting in an elementary school, in which nineteen children and two teachers were killed. Eventually the shooter himself was killed by law enforcement officers. Today many parents, relatives, and friends are mourning the tragedy, while many others wonder what can be done to stop such awful things from happening.

As we see in our verses today, a similar thing happened over 2,000 years ago, when Herod ordered all the young boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding area to be killed. By doing this he hoped to kill the Lord Jesus, who was also a young child then. Many cried and mourned at that time too.

However, in neither situation did people deal with the real problem. In Israel, as we see in our first verse, all Jerusalem was troubled when they heard the news that the Lord Jesus was born. They were not ready for Him. Likewise today, as nations in North America we have rejected the Word of God, engaged in open sin, and ridiculed any who hold firmly to the principles of God’s Word. Is it any wonder that we are reaping the fruits of all this?

Sunday, May 26, 2024

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Person and Work of Christ

“But His citizens hated Him, and sent a message after Him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14).

When the Lord Jesus came to this earth as a man, as we have commented before, He presented Himself to the Jews as their rightful King. He gave all the evidence needed to show them who He was, yet they refused to believe on Him.

After the Lord Jesus had been crucified, had died, and was risen and ascended back to heaven, the disciples and others again preached forgiveness through the name of the Lord Jesus. But once again the Jewish nation rejected that preaching, and stoned Stephen to death. You can read about this in Acts 7. This was the messenger whom they sent after the Lord Jesus, effectively saying that they would not have the Lord Jesus to reign over them.

In a coming day some of them will recognize Him as having been the true Messiah, and in that day they will own Him as their rightful King, when He comes in power and glory. How good it is for you and me to own Him now as the Son of God, and the rightful Lord of all!

Saturday, May 25, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection…they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).

Yesterday we commented that when the Lord Jesus comes back to this world to take His rightful place, He will come as King, and reign for a thousand years. Here in our verse today we see the proof that we will reign with Him. All those who have died in Christ, and those who are alive when He comes, will be taken up and be part of the first resurrection.

While it is true that we shall reign over this world with Christ, it is important to realize that our place will be in heaven. We will not live on earth, but rather will reign over the earth, with Christ. But all this will be done from heaven, for that is our home. God will bring the nation of Israel, and other nations, into blessing on earth. However, as the church—the bride of Christ, our home is heavenly.

The first resurrection consists only of believers. The resurrection of unbelievers will not take place until the end of the thousand years of the millennium, and it will be very sad, for they will be raised only for judgment.

Friday, May 24, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants” (Genesis 40:20).

Kings and queens have traditionally made a celebration on their birthdays, even as far back as the Pharaohs of Egypt, who lived thousands of years ago. Today’s date happens to be the anniversary of the birthday of the late Queen Victoria of England, who was born on May 24, 1819. This date is still celebrated in Britain and some of the countries belonging to the British Commonwealth. She reigned more than sixty-three years, from 1837 to 1901—longer than any previous British monarch.

However, the present Queen of England, Elizabeth II, has already reigned more than seventy years, and as I write this in May, 2022, she is still alive. The only other monarch in modern times to have reigned longer was King Louis XIV of France. He was only five years old when he became king, and he reigned more than seventy-two years, from 1643 to 1715.

But when the Lord Jesus comes to reign as the rightful King, He will reign over this world for 1,000 years. No human king can compare to Him, or His kingdom. When He comes to reign, you and I who are saved will reign with Him. What a wonderful time that will be!

Thursday, May 23, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Then said the Jews unto Him [the Lord Jesus], Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at Him” (John 8:57-59).

Yesterday we noticed that the Lord Jesus took the title I AM, just as Jehovah had done when He spoke to Moses out of the burning bush. Jesus was the Jehovah of the Old Testament.

Here, in our verses today, He uses that title again with reference to Abraham. By faith Abraham had looked on to the time when Christ would come, and then the Jews questioned how someone who was not even fifty years old could have seen Abraham.

The Lord’s answer is instructive for us. He did not say, “Before Abraham was, I was.” No, as the ever-existing One, He said, “Before Abraham was, I am.” If someone like Noah or Methuselah had been speaking, they could have said, “Before Abraham was, I was,” for they were men like Abraham. But the Lord Jesus, who existed from eternity, did not move in time before He came into this world. Living and moving in eternity, He could say, “I am.”

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Unless ye shall believe that I am, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24 JND).

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel…and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM…I AM hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:13-14).

We see in the Old Testament that God identified Himself to Moses and the children of Israel with the title I AM—the ever-existent One. Then in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus takes this same name, showing clearly to the Jews that He was the Jehovah of the Old Testament. God in Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, was not revealed before the Lord Jesus came into the world, although there were hints given in the Old Testament. But when the Lord Jesus came, He identified Himself as the One who had spoken to Moses in the Old Testament.

More than this, it was most important to recognize who the Lord Jesus was. Those who refused to accept His Person would die in their sins, for to reject the deity of the Son of God is to reject the One who wants to be our Savior. If the Lord Jesus is not the Son of God, then we have no Savior. Sadly, many of the Jews rejected Him as the Son of God, and refused to believe.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name…Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17,20).

The Lord Jesus had sent seventy of His disciples out to preach, and when they came back, they were overjoyed that even the demons were subject to them, because of the name of the Lord Jesus. However, while the Lord Jesus shared their joy, He reminded them not to be so much taken up with what they had done, but rather with what He had done.

Whenever we do something for the Lord, even if it is with His guidance, approval, and strength, there is always the danger of our getting a little proud of what we have been able to do for Him. But when we think of our names being written in heaven, it makes us hang our heads. Did we have anything to do with that? No, for all we contributed was our sins. All the work was done by our Lord Jesus on the cross; we cannot have any pride about that. While we can be pleased if the Lord uses us in any way to serve Him, let us not be occupied with what we have done. What He has done is much more, and He is the only One worthy of glory.

Monday, May 20, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray them which despitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28).

When the Lord Jesus spoke to the people, His words went beyond the law of Moses. Under the law of Moses, if someone did wrong to you, you were entitled to seek justice, and to demand “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24; Matthew 5:38). However, the instructions of the Lord Jesus were totally different, and totally against our natural hearts. He instructed the people to love their enemies, and to do good to them. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that we cannot do this in our own strength; we need a new life in Christ, in order to demonstrate divine love like this. But it is possible for us to do so if we know the Lord Jesus, and are truly saved.

The world today has a saying, “Don’t get mad; get even!” This is the way of the world, whether as individuals or as groups. But the Lord Jesus Himself showed us how to show divine love, and we are called to follow in His steps. The world cannot understand divine love that does good to its enemies, but it has won hearts for Christ, when people see the love that can pray even for those who treat us badly.

Sunday, May 19, 2024

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Person and Work of Christ

“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22).

When the Lord Jesus first began His earthly ministry, He presented Himself as the Messiah—the rightful King of Israel. There were many signs that ought to have convinced the people that He was the Messiah, for He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophesies concerning Himself. In the Old Testament it was foretold where He would be born, how He would be born, when He would be born, and many other details about His life. More than this, He did many miracles that had never been done before, as proof of who He was.

Sadly, the nation of Israel did not recognize Him, and would admit only that He was a great prophet. There came a point when the Lord Jesus stopped presenting Himself as the rightful King, and told His followers that He must die, yet rise the third day. This too had been prophesied in the Old Testament, yet many of His followers were very upset, as they were looking for a glorious kingdom to be set up. But Israel could not have the kingdom in their sinful condition, and neither could we. The Lord Jesus needed to suffer and die so that our sins could be put away. Only in this way could there be real blessing for us.

Saturday, May 18, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him [the Lord Jesus]: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead…and Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see Him” (Luke 9:7,9).

The Herod family, started by Herod the Great, were really not Jews at all. They were Edomites, descended from the family of Esau. However, they managed to gain favor with the authorities in Rome, and thus had political power over certain parts of the land of Israel.

Sadly, while Herod had built a magnificent temple for the Jews, it does not seem that any of the family had real faith. The Herod mentioned in our verses today was the son of Herod the Great, and his desire to see the Lord Jesus was only because of curiosity. Later, the Lord Jesus referred to him as “that fox” (Luke 13:32), and when Pilate sent the Lord Jesus to him, Herod mocked and humiliated Him, and as part of the shame, put on Him a gorgeous robe.

How sad it is to have only a natural curiosity about the Lord Jesus, and not to have any real interest in being saved!

Friday, May 17, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him” (1 Samuel 18:14).

In reading this chapter in 1 Samuel, I think you will find that four times, we are told that David behaved himself wisely. Stop and think where he was. He was living in Saul’s court, where King Saul’s moods were swinging back and forth. One day he would enjoy and be calmed by David’s playing on his harp, and the next day he would throw a javelin at him, trying to pin him to the wall. Yet here we find a young man of whom it is recorded that he was wise in his behavior. You may be in hard circumstances, or have a difficult boss, or teacher. But you can, with the Lord’s help, behave wisely.

Many years later, Solomon wrote these words, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Solomon was David’s son, and I like to think that he learned some of what he wrote in the Proverbs from the example set by his father. The Lord Jesus is the perfect example in this for us, and we can also learn from other Christians who have been along the road ahead of us.

Thursday, May 16, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And some…fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold” (Luke 8:7-8).

Spring is arriving in our little corner of the world right now. It has been a long and cold winter, with an unusually late spring, but there is a fuzz of green bursting out on the trees, and the early flowers such as daffodils are in bloom. We live in a wooded area and don’t have much sunshine in our yard. But we have a tiny garden in a sunny spot, and we are always checking it for those first shoots of green that show us there is life. How eagerly we wait for those signs!

The Lord looks for signs of life in us as well. And we older ones who care a lot about you young people, look for those life-signs in you. Sometimes, even though we may truly belong to the Lord, we don’t “bloom” much. Do others around us know that there is divine life in us? They should be able to see it!

Our small garden wouldn’t grow us anything if it didn’t get any sunshine! We need to keep in the sunshine of His love to produce fruit. How do we do that? Reading God’s Word and talking with Him in prayer. You too can “bring forth an hundredfold”!

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Them that honor Me, I will honor” (1 Samuel 2:30).

This verse was part of a message given to Eli the priest. He was being rebuked for the terrible state that the tabernacle was in, and the offerings to the Lord. Eli himself was a godly man, and most of this disorder was because of his wicked sons. Sadly, Eli had not tried to discipline his sons, or restrain them from acting this way. He spoke to them but did nothing more. But this encouraging part is also inserted—a positive side to it all. There is always a way back; a way to correct things. Keep this in mind daily.

Often there are difficult decisions to make. Perhaps you are being offered a job that would have you working on the Lord’s Day. Is there a way around that? Ask your boss. You may be delighted with what the Lord can do. But perhaps He has a different path or job in view for you.

Sometimes it means giving up something we want in order to honor our Lord. Then the last clause of the verse, “I will honor” may not be seen until a coming day when He hands out His rewards for faithfulness. Nothing you ever do to honor Him will go unnoticed, or unrewarded.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And Samuel cried unto the Lord…and the Lord heard him” (1 Samuel 7:9).

Many years had passed since Samuel, as a boy, first heard the Lord’s voice. But we see in reading these intervening chapters that he had learned to listen to the Lord, and also to talk to Him. And the Lord heard! Prayer is a two-way street! The privilege is not there just so I can press “prayer” as an emergency button whenever I am in trouble. The Lord wants us to have a relationship with Him. He loves to hear from us. He is always listening. A little “Good morning, Lord, please help me to please You today.” Or a “Thank you, Lord, for helping me to get home safely on the slippery roads.” Sometimes we may think that the Lord does not want to be bothered with the little problems in our lives, but this is not true. If we have lost something, or need help with a test, or are frightened of something, He wants us to come to Him and ask Him for help.

A little talk with Jesus–
How it smooths the rugged road,
How it seems to help me onward,
when I faint beneath my load:
When my heart is crushed with sorrow,
and my eyes with tears are dim,
There is naught can yield me comfort,
like a little talk with Him.

R. L. Allan

Monday, May 13, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“If He [the Lord] call thee…thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:9).

We may all know the story of the little boy Samuel who was taken to the temple to live with Eli the priest. His mother had prayed for a child, and when her prayer was answered, she dedicated him to the Lord. Here he is now, a young boy, having the Lord speak to him in a very direct way. Eli gave Samuel good advice as to how to answer the voice that called him in the night.

We will not likely have such a direct encounter with the Lord, but He still does speak to us through reading His Word, and sometimes through circumstances. How wonderful if we, too, can answer as Samuel did. Let the Lord know we are listening! The Lord also speaks to us by His Spirit, and if you are a true believer in the Lord Jesus, then the Spirit of God lives in you. He is able to show you what to do when you have a question as to which way to go in your life.

This became a wonderful pattern in Samuel’s life. Verse 21 of this same chapter tells us, “The Lord appeared again…for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel…in the word of the Lord.”

Sunday, May 12, 2024

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Person and Work of Christ

“What shall I do? I will send My beloved Son” (Luke 20:13).

This question is asked in the form of a parable, which the Lord Jesus told to the Jewish people. (You may read it in Luke 20:9-18). It talks about a man who owned a vineyard, and who arranged for men to look after it in his absence. But when the owner sent servants to get some of the grapes of the vineyard, the men who looked after it treated them all badly. Finally the owner said, “What shall I do? I will send My beloved Son.” You know who that Son was—the Lord Jesus. The owner is a picture of God the Father.

But what did the men do with the Lord Jesus? It says in the 15th verse that “they cast Him out of the vineyard and killed Him.” That is what men did with the Lord Jesus, and God has not forgotten it. But all who come to the Lord Jesus, admitting that they are sinners, can be saved through what He suffered on the cross.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Just last month, the world’s oldest living person died. Her name was Kane Tanaka, and she was born in January, 1903. She lived to be 119 years old! What a great many changes she saw in this world during her lifetime!

You will remember that last month we talked about how the Lord kept Moses strong and able to lead His people right up to the age of 120. Kane Tanaka was a very frail old lady. Our verse today instructs us to “number our days.” We do not know how much time we have left in our lives, so how can we number those days? I believe that the verse is telling us to make each day count. If this were the last day of your life, what would you do with it?

There is good advice for us in this quotation, as Christians—“Plan your life as though you were going to live it out, but live your life as though every day were the last.”

The Lord does not expect us to sit with our hands folded, waiting for His return. We need to earn a living and study at school. Most important, we must bear in mind that the Lord has given “to every man his work” (Mark 13:34). But all the time we should be thinking, “maybe today!” Let’s use our time wisely, for our Lord’s honor, and in learning more of Him.

Friday, May 10, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).

This might seem to be a strange verse, for should we not want people to like us, and to speak well of us? Yes, in one sense, for a Christian should always be courteous, loving, and helpful. However, if everyone out there in the world really likes us, and wants to be around us, then this verse tells us that something is wrong.

When the Lord Jesus was in this world, they liked His gracious words, and the fact that He healed people, and fed them with good food. However, they did not like it when He told them that they were guilty sinners before God, and needed a Savior. They eventually crucified Him for this, and for claiming to be the Son of God.

It will be the same for us, if we speak about Christ in our interaction with others. The false prophets in the Old Testament told the people what they wanted to hear, and they were popular. However, a faithful prophet (like Micaiah) was put in prison. (See if you can find where he is mentioned in the Old Testament.) Today you and I will not be popular, if we honor the Lord Jesus and speak about Him to others.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12).

Have you ever heard of an animal called a sloth? They live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America, and are very interesting animals. They sleep a good deal of the time, hanging upside down in trees, and their metabolism is so slow that if they swallow a leaf, they can take a whole month to digest it! When they were first discovered they were thought to be very lazy, and thus were called sloths. However, they are strong animals for their size, and can hang on to a branch for hours. They can easily survive a fall of 100 feet (about 30 meters) from a tree.

The Lord does not want us to be like a sloth. It is easy to become a lazy Christian, and not use our time and energy for the Lord. If we really appreciate what the Lord Jesus has done for us, we will want to spend our time for Him in this world, and use our energy to walk in what He has given us in His Word. We are not left in this world merely to lead good, morally upright lives, and then to go to heaven at the end. Yes, we should be doing all that, but we are also to be living witnesses of the grace that brought us to Christ.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6).

We saw yesterday that our joy in the Lord ought to enable us to be cheerful even on a dull day, or when things were not going smoothly for us. Our joy in Christ should show people that we belong to Him. However, there is something else that is needed when we speak to people who are not saved, and we find it in our verse today—salt. What is salt, in a spiritual sense?

Salt does many things for us naturally: it preserves food, it prevents infection, and it seasons food. But we all know that the right amount of salt in food is most important. Too little makes it bland and tasteless, and too much makes it impossible to eat, as the salt overwhelms the food. Perhaps you have seen your mother taste food which she is preparing, and then add a little more salt. She knows by tasting just the right amount of salt to use.

Spiritually, salt could be said to be “holy grace.” Grace is a wonderful thing, but salt brings in God’s holy claims. We should show the grace and love of God to unbelievers, but also remind them that they are sinners, and need to be saved. The Lord can show, by His Spirit, just how much “salt” to bring into every conversation.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” (Proverbs 15:13).

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

If you look at most people you meet today, and especially if they are not interacting with someone else at the time, often they do not appear very happy. I am writing this in April, 2022, and here in Canada it has been a very late spring, at least where we live. Some people are suffering from what is called “seasonal affective disorder,” which simply means that they get depressed and sad when it is cloudy and cold for a long time. (Notice the letters at the beginning of those three words: what do they spell?) Those people do not have the “merry heart” that makes a “cheerful countenance.”

For those of us who know the Lord, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, and He wants to give us continual joy from within. Yes, we all like a warm, sunny day, but we can be happy in the Lord even on a dull day. It is this kind of joy that makes others realize that our joy does not come from our circumstances or the weather, but rather from the enjoyment of Christ in our hearts. There are many out there who need the encouragement that you and I can give them. Philippians 4:4 is given more as a command than a suggestion, for God has given us everything to enable us to rejoice.

Monday, May 6, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“Now when He [the Lord Jesus] had left speaking, He said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net. And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake” (Luke 5:4-6).

The Lord Jesus had asked for the loan of Simon Peter’s boat to use as a small platform from which to speak, and now the Lord is going to reward him. Notice that the Lord Jesus told Peter to let down his nets to catch some fish. However, Peter was a bit skeptical; he was probably a good fisherman, and having worked all night, had not caught anything. Was something suddenly going to change now? So Peter said, “I will let down the net.”

What was the result? The net was so full of fish that it broke, and they had to get help from their partners in another boat. If he had let down all his nets, they would not have broken. I believe Peter learned a good lesson that day. He learned who the Lord Jesus was, and that He could command even the fish in the sea to obey Him. The result was that Peter realized that he was a sinner in God’s sight, but that God loved him just the same. That very day Peter gave up fishing, and followed the Lord Jesus.

Sunday, May 5, 2024

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Person and Work of Christ

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).

The cross shows what this world thought of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only did they want to get rid of Him, but they put Him to the most cruel death they could think of. It is true that it was the Jews who insisted on His being crucified, when the Roman governor Pilate wanted to release Him. But then the Roman soldiers mocked Him, put a crown of thorns on His head, and heaped upon Him every indignity they could.

You and I, as Christians, can glory in that cross. Why? Because it separates us from the world, and because we are privileged to follow a rejected Christ. The One who hung on that cross is now our Savior, and we should be honored to bear His name, and to follow Him in being separate from this world.

Saturday, May 4, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“He hath chosen us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself” (Ephesians 1:5).

“He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

“We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7).

Yesterday we spoke about our being “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places,” and perhaps you are asking yourself, What are these blessings of which the Apostle Paul speaks? We do not have an exact list of them, but some of them are found throughout the first two chapters of Ephesians. However, some of them are found in the verses I have quoted above.

All our blessings are connected with heaven; none are earthly. All of them are connected with Christ, and our union with Him. All of them are so rich that even God Himself could not go beyond what He has done for us. Finally, all of them can be enjoyed now by faith.

Why does God give us these blessings? It is because His heart so overflows with love to His beloved Son, and with love to us, that He wants us to enjoy everything He has given to His Son. God has purposed that the Lord Jesus must inherit all created things, and have the highest place, yet God wants you and me to share all that with Him. Such blessings overwhelm us, if we realize what they really are.

Friday, May 3, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan … . and Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan … . and they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff” (Numbers 13:2,17,23).

The time had come for the children of Israel to enter the land of Canaan, and the Lord directed Moses to send twelve men to spy out the land. They went out and looked at the land for forty days. Finally they came back with one bunch of grapes that was so big that two men had to carry it on a pole between them. Have you ever seen a bunch of grapes that big?

On the farm where I grew up we used to grow grapes, and so did a lot of other farmers in the area. Yet I never saw a bunch of grapes like that! How wonderful and productive that land was in those days!

That bunch of grapes is a picture of the heavenly blessings the Lord has for us. In one sense we look forward to them when the Lord comes and takes us home. Yet, in another sense, the Lord wants us to enjoy those blessings now, for they are already ours. According to Ephesians 1:3, we are already “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Just as that bunch of grapes was far bigger than anything the Israelites had seen before, so our heavenly blessings are far better than anything this world has to offer. Are we enjoying them?

Thursday, May 2, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“There was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice…I know Thee who Thou art; the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:33-34).

“And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God … . for they knew that He was Christ” (Luke 4:41).

The nation of Israel rejected the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, and would admit only that He was a great prophet. To this day most orthodox Jews say that while Jesus was a prophet, He was not the Son of God, or the Messiah.

However, it is most significant that every time the Lord Jesus came into contact with devils (demons), they always knew instantly who He was. They were not slow to confess Him as the Holy One of God, and the Son of God. They not only knew who He was, but they knew that they had to obey Him too. Yet the Jews of that day were amazed when He cast out demons with authority and power.

God never provided redemption for Satan and his demons; there is no opportunity for them to come and be saved. However, they readily admit who He is, and recognize His power. Yet mankind—the ones the Lord Jesus came to seek and save—refuses to recognize Him for who He is. How sad this is!

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

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Daily Meditation

“And the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses…there is no bread…and our soul loatheth this light bread” (Numbers 21:4-5).

Here is one last meditation on manna. Towards the end of their wilderness journey the children of Israel actually got tired of the manna, and complained about it. They called it “light bread,” and they wanted something else. As a result, the Lord allowed fiery serpents to come among the people, and many died. You can read about this in the first nine verses of Numbers 21.

It can be the same way with us. If our hearts get away from the Lord, we can actually become tired of feeding on Christ, and our old sinful nature takes over, wanting something different. Then we become unhappy Christians, and the Lord may have to allow difficulties in our lives. It is a serious thing when this happens, for there is enough in Christ for us to enjoy forever. It is only Satan that gets us discouraged like this, and complaining about Christ as our spiritual food.

When the people repented of complaining, the Lord had Moses make a serpent of brass, and anyone who had been bitten by a serpent, if he looked on the brazen serpent, could be healed. The Lord was gracious, just as He is to us, and provided a remedy, as soon as they repented. He will restore our souls too, if we get away from Him, as soon as we confess our sin to Him.