Young Christians Calendar – September 2024

September 2024

“Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:23-24).

As human beings, it is easy for us to be asking questions about the salvation of others, without perhaps being sure of our own salvation. I knew a man (he is with the Lord now) who began to pray that his brother would be saved. But then the Lord spoke to him by His Spirit, and showed him clearly that he was not saved himself. He knew the gospel, and knew that he needed to be saved, but he had never really accepted Christ as his Savior. Shortly afterward he did accept Christ as his Savior, and then it was appropriate for him to pray for his brother.

Perhaps you have encountered unbelievers who wanted to ask all kinds of questions about people who have never heard the gospel, about the way some Christians do not live good lives, why God does not punish bad people right away, etc. But they do not want to talk about their own salvation.

It is so important to realize our own sinful condition, and to come to Christ ourselves. Only then can we really be concerned about others. It is not enough to know how to be saved; we must accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior.

Sunday, September 29, 2024

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“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” (Luke 13:34).

The Lord Jesus had to pronounce judgment on the nation of Israel, for they rejected Him as the Son of God. When they rejected Him, there was no other way for them to be saved. However, the love of the Lord Jesus went out to them just the same, and He mourned over them.

When a mother hen has her small chicks around her, they run to her as soon as any danger approaches. Then she spreads her wings over them to protect them. The Lord Jesus wanted to do the same thing for the Jews. He loved them, and had come to save them. If they had been willing to come to Him, He would have saved them, and protected them from coming judgment. But even when they refused to come, His love still went out to them, and He felt their rejection very keenly.

Even though many in this world reject Him today, yet His love goes out to the whole world, and He is longing for more to come and be saved. He died on the cross so that all who come to Him can be saved.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

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“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you…let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

It is a wonderful thing to have peace in this world, for the world today is in a lot of turmoil. Here in this verse the Lord Jesus speaks about two kinds of peace. First of all, He leaves peace with us, and this is the peace we have about our sins. If we are truly saved, then we have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). We never need to be concerned about our sins again, for they are all under the shelter of the blood of Christ.

But there is another kind of peace, and the Lord Jesus calls it “My peace.” This is not peace about our sins, but rather the peace in which the Lord Jesus walked while He was here on earth. He accepted every problem from His Father, and prayed to His Father about all the difficulties in His pathway down here. Our lives in this world are often complicated too, but we can have the same peace that the Lord Jesus had, for He has given it to us. We do not need to be anxious or upset about things that happen to us. We can accept them from the Lord, and then take them to Him in prayer. He does not always take away the problem, but He gives us peace about it.

Friday, September 27, 2024

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“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

The Lord Jesus had told His disciples that He had to go away from them, but He had also told them that they knew where He was going, and they knew the way to get there. Thomas was puzzled, for he said, “We don’t know where you are going, and how can we know the way”?

The Lord Jesus gave a wonderful reply, which is the verse we have today. HE was the way, the truth, and the life. When He went to the cross, He suffered and died for us, so that we could go to be with Him for all eternity. For this reason, He is the way, but He is also the truth. That means that He is the only way to be saved. Many people have their own ideas about how to be saved, but God says there is only one way—through the Lord Jesus Christ. No one can come to God the Father, except through the Lord Jesus.

Also He is the life. When we come to the Lord Jesus, He gives us a new life in Him—a life that is fit for heaven, the place where He was going. So He is the way, the truth, and the life. In Him we have everything we need for salvation.

Thursday, September 26, 2024

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“I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17).

Yesterday we mentioned that when the Lord Jesus went back to heaven, He would send the Holy Spirit down to this world, to indwell every true believer. This is a wonderful thing, for it had never been true before. The Holy Spirit had come upon believers for short periods of time in the Old Testament, but it had never indwelt them permanently before.

The KJV translation of the Bible uses the word “Comforter” to describe the work of the Holy Spirit, but this word does not give the complete thought. The word in Greek really means “someone who takes charge of and looks after all of your affairs.” This is an amazing thing, for we now have the Lord Jesus in heaven who looks after us, and the Holy Spirit down here to look after us. We are very well “looked after”!

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

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“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1).

In our lives here in this world, we can find many things about which to be troubled. The disciples were troubled because the Lord Jesus had told them that He had to go away. He told them that He had to suffer, die, and then go away from them for a while. They would not see Him, for He would go back to heaven to be with His Father. But all this was necessary to settle the matter of sin, and to prepare a place for them in heaven.

Also, He reminds them that they believed in God, whom they could not see. However, they could see all the effects of His power, and feel the effect of His presence in their lives. It would be the same with the Lord Jesus. Even though they would not be able to see Him for a while, He would be up there in heaven, looking after them. Also He would send the Holy Spirit down to comfort them, and to guide them in this world.

The Lord Jesus is the same today for us. We cannot see Him now, but He is up there in heaven, looking after us in every way. There is no reason to be troubled!

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

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“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

This verse covers a lot of ground, whether things to do with serving the Lord, or things simply to do with everyday life. If I am living my life before the Lord, then everything I do can be done for His glory. We had this verse back in July, but now let us look at it in a slightly different way. What does it mean to eat and drink for the Lord’s glory?

It means that even routine things like eating and drinking can be done with the Lord before me, as the One whom I wish to please. For example, I can eat and drink far more than I need, just because I love food, but this is not to the glory of God. I can waste food, but this is not to the glory of God. I can eat things that I know are harmful to me, but this is not to the glory of God.

I can do my work in a sloppy way, but this is not to the glory of God. Everything in my life should be with the desire to be like Christ. This is quite a challenge, but if we ask the Lord for help, He is always there with us, and we can do everything for His glory, and in His strength.

Monday, September 23, 2024

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“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

The believers in the assembly in Corinth were generally rather proud, and had a lot of confidence in themselves. The Apostle Paul had to remind them that they needed to live their Christian lives in dependence on the Lord, and not to try and live in their own strength. Paul reminds them of some of the Israelites back in the time of Moses who were proud and self-confident, and who got into trouble as a result.

We need to remember the same thing in our own lives. You and I have perhaps known someone who was proud and overconfident, only to see them suddenly fail at something, and look rather foolish. We are to walk in dependence on the Lord and rely on His strength, which will never fail. Then He gets the glory and the praise, and not we ourselves.

Sunday, September 22, 2024

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“The Spirit of Christ…when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Peter 1:11).

We all like to consider the future glories of our Lord Jesus Christ, and what it will be like to spend eternity with Him. In that day, we will reign with Him over this earth for 1000 years. The Old Testament scriptures, inspired by the Spirit of God, prophesied all this long before the Lord Jesus came into this world.

The Old Testament scriptures also prophesied the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, but the Jews were so dazzled by the thought of a glorious coming kingdom that they failed to see that the sufferings had to come first. They did not realize that they could not inherit the kingdom in their sinful state; they had to be “redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.” When the Lord Jesus clearly showed them that He had to go to the cross and suffer, John records that “many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him” (John 6:66).

You and I face a similar challenge in our lives. As natural people, we do not like to follow a rejected Christ, yet that is what we are called to do in this world. Surely the day of glory is ahead for us, but for now, we are called to follow the One who is still despised and rejected in this world.

Saturday, September 21, 2024

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“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father…and one Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 8:5-6).

In the Roman world they worshiped heathen gods, and there were many of them. Authorities tell us that there were about 30,000 different gods among the pagan Greeks and Romans. Today, some false religions have even more than the Greeks and Romans. According to some authorities, there are 330 million gods and goddesses in Hinduism, with some being more important than others. The Greeks and Romans had both “heavenly” and “earthly” gods, and this is why Paul talks about those “that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth.”

It is a wonderful thing to know the one true God, and that He has revealed Himself through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There need be no confusion now about who God is, for He has fully made Himself known. Also, He has made Himself known in His full character—as a God of holiness, but also a God of love. Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior?

Friday, September 20, 2024

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“They that use the world, as not disposing of it as their own; for the fashion of this world passes” (1 Corinthians 7:31 JND).

You and I are left in this world for a short time, until the Lord takes us home to be with Him. While we are here, we need to get a certain amount of education, to work to earn a living, and to manage our affairs in an orderly way. In that sense, we are entitled to use the things in this world. However, we are also to recognize that those things do not belong to us. We are to use them for God’s glory, and not simply to indulge ourselves.

However, there is another reason why we should not use the things of this world as if they were ours. The “fashion of this world passes.” Nothing here is permanent, and we must leave it all behind someday. The Lord would have us to use the things of this world to further His interests, but to hold them lightly. He wants us to focus on those things which are eternal—things that will never pass away!

Thursday, September 19, 2024

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“And, behold, there was a man named Joseph…this man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid” (Luke 23:50,52-53).

As I write this on September 19, 2022, much of the world is taken up with the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. She was buried today, with all the pomp and ceremony that Britain could muster. Well over 2000 family members, friends, and world leaders were present to honor the queen who had reigned longer than any other British monarch.

But our verse today talks about the grandest funeral that ever took place in this world, although it was attended by only a handful of people. It seems that only Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus, together with a few faithful women, were present at it. Yet God saw to it that His beloved Son was honored with a rich man’s burial, in a new tomb.

But there was something different about that funeral that made it grander than any other. The One who was buried that day would rise again from among the dead, by His own power. He is no longer in the grave; He is risen and seated at God’s right hand. Because He is risen, all who are dead in Christ will also rise, when He comes back for them.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

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“Know ye not that…ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

As human beings, we like to think that we are masters of ourselves, and that we are entitled to use our minds and our bodies in any way we wish. Recently in the U.S.A. there has been a lot of discussion in the news about the repeal of certain laws governing abortions, and the outcry from some women has been, “Hands off our bodies!” As you may imagine, there is never any reference to right and wrong in God’s eyes, and whether having an abortion is contrary to the Word of God.

For you and me as Christians, we ought to recognize that we are not our own; we have been bought with the precious blood of Christ. Paul speaks of the same thing in the next chapter, when he uses the same words—“Ye are bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 7:23). In Roman times slaves were bought and sold, and thus belonged to the master who had paid for them. But you and I belong to Christ; now we have the privilege of glorifying God. We are left here in this world to do the will of God.

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

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“We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

It is a wonderful thing to think of the Lord’s coming for us, to take us home to be with Himself! It could happen at any time, and it is the proper hope of every Christian to expect the Lord to come. But what a change it will be for us, and how quickly!

Some have tried to define how long the twinkling of an eye is, and a close estimate is 1/10th of a second. Think of being here in this world, perhaps engaging in one of the various everyday activities that we usually do—schoolwork, housework, earning money at a job, shopping, traveling, walking, etc., and then suddenly being with the Lord!

Also, it says that “we shall all be changed.” This means that we will have changed bodies—bodies of glory that are suited to that heavenly place. The Lord wants us to expect Him at any moment, and not to get bogged down with what is happening in our lives down here. We belong to heaven, and are to be waiting and watching for our Lord to come.

Monday, September 16, 2024

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“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

It is a great privilege to work for the Lord, and often God uses different believers to take part in the same work. Paul had been the one who began the work of the Lord in Corinth, and he stayed there a year and a half, preaching and teaching. But Apollos was involved too, and later he followed up on Paul’s work in Corinth. Later Titus went to Corinth as well, and was used of the Lord there.

As we see in this verse, the important thing to remember is not the servant that the Lord might use in any given place, but rather that it is the Lord who gives the blessing. Paul uses the analogy of planting and watering. One person might plant and another might add water, but ultimately it is only the Lord that can make something grow. So it is with the Lord’s work; we may plant and water, but it is the Lord that makes the Word grow. He must have all the glory.

Sunday, September 15, 2024

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“The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11).

We see the wickedness of man’s heart, when we read of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. They did everything possible to humiliate and ill-treat Him. (Let us remember that our hearts were no better before we were saved.) Some of His disciples were indignant at this, and Peter used his sword on one of the servants of the high priest, cutting off his ear. We know that the Lord Jesus healed that ear—a wonderful display of grace.

But then, in our verse for today, the Lord Jesus accepts the suffering from His Father, and not from man. Yes, man scourged Him, put the crown of thorns on His head, mocked Him, and nailed Him to the cross. But the cup of suffering, including the three hours of darkness, He took from His Father, and was fully obedient to His Father’s will.

While we are not called upon to suffer in the same way as the Lord Jesus, yet we must recognize that whatever comes in our lives is allowed of God, and we are to accept it from Him. It is easy to look at those who directly cause that suffering, but again, the Lord has allowed it. If we accept it from Him, we can learn what He has in it for us.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

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“We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

“I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Why did the Apostle Paul lay such emphasis on the fact that Christ was crucified? Yes, it is true that while He was on the cross, the Lord Jesus bore our sins and settled the matter of sin once and for all. But here the meaning goes deeper than this, for the Corinthians were a proud people who did not want to be despised and rejected in this world. They wanted to be saved, but they wanted to be respected and to have a place in this world.

Paul has to remind them that the Lord Jesus died on a cross—a shameful and disgraceful way to die. The world did not want the Lord Jesus, and it does not want us either, if we follow Him. For this reason, when Paul preached to those in Corinth, he did not use any of the natural advantages he possessed. Paul had had a good education and spoke several languages, but all his efforts in Corinth were to show them that they must give up their worldliness and pride. They must be ready to follow One who had been cast out of this world in a dishonorable way, and who was treated as a common criminal.

Friday, September 13, 2024

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“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20).

Satan is very active in the world today, wanting to keep people from being saved. But he also wants to deprive God’s people, those who are saved, from enjoying all that they have in Christ. Satan uses those who are clever to “deceive the hearts of the simple” by “good words and fair speeches” (Romans 16:18). While this can be done by unbelievers, it is sad that Satan can use even believers to carry on this bad work.

It is an encouragement to us to realize that shortly God will “bruise Satan” under our feet. How will this happen? We do not have power to bruise Satan, but the Lord Jesus will do so, and since we are united to Him, Satan will be under our feet too. The word translated “bruise” actually means to crush completely, or to shatter in pieces. This is what will eventually happen when Satan is consigned to hell forever. Despite all of Satan’s activities now, the Lord Jesus will have the victory in the end—a victory in which we will share.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

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“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6).

We know that God has told us that we will not have an easy path through this world. We are following a rejected Christ, and the current of this world is against us. The Thessalonians were suffering tribulation (much trouble and suffering), but in our verse for today Paul tells them that in a coming day, God will remember all that unbelievers have done to the Christians in this world.

If you and I are suffering tribulation today, God will recompense (pay back) those who have done it, unless they repent and turn to Christ. It is a solemn thing to think that those who treat us badly in this world will suffer for it in a coming day. Not that we want them to suffer, but God is a righteous God, and those who harm His people will be made to realize that He took notice, and will not simply forget about it.

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

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“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

“I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4).

The verses for today show us the difference between one of the greatest servants the Lord ever had, and the Lord Jesus Himself. At the end of his life, when Paul knew that he would not be released again, but was going to be taken home to be with the Lord, he could say to Timothy the words in our first verse today. He had indeed fought a good fight, he had finished his course, and had kept the faith. He had steadily walked in all the precious truth that the Lord had committed to him. In that sense, he had nothing to regret, nor was there anything between him and the Lord that would hinder his fellowship with the Lord.

However, there was only One who, at the end of His earthly ministry, could confidently say, “I have finished the work Thou hast given Me to do.” Surely there was much that remained to be done, and the apostles and others in the early church did many of those things. But whatever the Father had given the Lord Jesus to do, He had done.

More than this, He could speak of the greatest work He was to do—His work on Calvary’s cross, as if it were already completed. Only a divine Person could do this. When He prayed the prayer in John 17, His work on the cross was ahead of Him. Yet He could speak as if it were finished.

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

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“When therefore I have performed this…I will come by you into Spain” (Romans 15:28).

The Apostle Paul was heading up to Jerusalem, for some assemblies in Macedonia and Achaia had heard that the brethren in Judea were going through a hard time, and had collected some money to send to them. In those days they could not simply write a check and mail it, or send the money on the internet. No, someone had to carry the money in a bag, and take it to the people to whom it was to go. Paul and others were going to do this.

But then, after that, Paul wanted to visit the brethren in Rome, and then go on into Spain. However, we know that Paul got to Rome only after several years, and then as a prisoner. There is no record in the Bible that he ever made it to Spain. However, it is nice that he had these desires, and wanted to go to new places to preach the gospel. Paul was always looking for a chance to bring the gospel to those who had never heard it before.

The Lord does not call all of us to travel to foreign lands, but we can all look for opportunities to give the gospel to people who perhaps have not heard it before.

Monday, September 9, 2024

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“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were responsible to keep the law the Lord had given them. They had voluntarily placed themselves under that law, not realizing that they could not keep it. Even today, every false religion places people in fear, and asks them to do something in order to be saved. But those false religions promise nothing; you can only hope that maybe you will be all right.

The Lord Jesus has now brought every true Christian into peace and blessing, and given us a relationship of real intimacy with God His Father. The word “Abba” in Hebrew is a term of endearment, comparable with the word “daddy” in English. Other languages have similar words for a father. We have been adopted into God’s family, and now can call God our Father.

Sunday, September 8, 2024

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“I praised and honoured Him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:34).

Two years ago on this day Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of Great Britain, and recognized as the head of state of many other countries belonging to the British Commonwealth, died at the age of 96. She had ruled for more than 70 years, longer than any other British monarch. I live in Canada, which is one of the countries that recognizes the monarch of Great Britain as the head of state. I remember when she became queen in February, 1952, consequent upon the sudden death of her father, King George VI. (We sang “God save the King” every day at school, and suddenly we had to start singing “God save the Queen.”) Her reign was a long one, but it eventually came to an end, for death overtakes all of us, unless the Lord comes first.

In our verse today, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was brought to realize that while he was indeed a mighty king, the Lord Himself was over all the affairs of men, and would eventually set up a kingdom that was “from generation to generation.” The Most High, which is the millennial title of the Lord Jesus, will live forever, and no one will ever be called upon to replace Him. How wonderful it is to know the One who will never die, and who today wants to be our Savior. If we know Him as Savior, you and I will be associated with Him in that day!

Saturday, September 7, 2024

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“For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8).

Today’s verse immediately follows yesterday’s verse, and adds another dimension to it. Not only does our behavior have an effect on others, whether for good or bad; we also belong to the Lord, and we are to accept and submit to His lordship over us. When we consider any kind of behavior in our lives, we are not only to look at how it may affect others; we are also to ask ourselves, Is this pleasing to the Lord? Our behavior may not always affect others in a bad way, yet it may still be displeasing to the Lord.

On the other hand, how comforting it is to remember that we are the Lord’s, whether in life or in death. He has bought us with His blood, and now we belong to Him. He has guaranteed to bring us safely home. He will keep us in life, and then take us home, either in death, or better still, at His coming for us. We are reminded in Psalm 73:24, “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

Friday, September 6, 2024

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“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Romans 14:7).

This is a serious verse which we all need to remember. How we live our lives does not only affect us. We all have an effect on others, whether for good or for bad. We may think that what we are doing is all right, but it may be having a wrong effect on others, and we need to consider this. Are we being an encouragement or a hindrance to other Christians? Are we being a good testimony for Christ to this world of unbelievers, or are we a bad testimony?

I knew a man once who was a true Christian, and he has long since passed away. If you and I know Christ as our Savior, we will see him in heaven. But he behaved so badly as a Christian that an unbeliever once said, “If that man is a Christian, I don’t want to be one.” What an awful thing for a man of this world to say about a Christian! Let us be careful about our behavior as Christians, not only for ourselves, but because of the effect we have on others. Tomorrow we will see another reason to be careful about our behavior as Christians.

Thursday, September 5, 2024

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“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute [taxes] to whom tribute is due; custom [duties or taxes on imports] whom custom; fear [respect] to whom fear; honour to whom honour” (Romans 13:7).

Away back after the flood in Noah’s time, God established government in this world, and we still have government today. We can be thankful for those in government who maintain law and order for us. In order to keep the country going, these governments often impose taxes on us, so that they can pay for various services in the country. God has also established those who are in positions that demand respect, and we are told to give respect and honor to those in positions of authority.

Unhappily, in much of the western world today, the respect and honor that ought to be given to those in positions of authority is often not present. Some people feel that they can insult and defy the government over us, and also can be rude and abusive to those who should be respected.

It is true that sometimes those in these positions do not act uprightly, but we as Christians are told to give them honor and respect because it is the Lord who has put them there.

Yes, they will be held accountable by the Lord for how they use their authority, but it honors the Lord when we submit to them.

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

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“For I say…to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3).

It is common today for people to think very highly of themselves. When men and women write resumes in order to obtain a job, they often exaggerate greatly their abilities, using words such as “awesome,” “great,” and “fantastic.” It is doubtful whether their abilities always match their own opinions of themselves.

Unhappily, we can do the same thing spiritually. God has placed each one of us in the body of Christ, and we each have an ability given to us of the Lord. It is good to recognize what the Lord has given us, and not to go beyond it. But sometimes we can get a high opinion of ourselves, and want to do what the Lord has given to someone else. Let us be content to do what the Lord has given us, and what He has fitted us for.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

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“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The words “conformed” and “transformed” are quite different, and all because the prefixes at the beginning of the words are different. To be conformed means to become like something, or like someone else. It means to behave according to the same customs or expectations of a certain group of people. If we, as Christians, are conformed to this world, it means that we behave like worldly people.

However, if we are transformed, it means that we change completely, either in appearance or in the way we act. This is what we are to do as Christians. Before we were saved, we were like the people in this world, but now that we know the Lord Jesus, He wants us to be changed, and to act like those who have a new life in Him.

It is possible to be a true Christian, and yet still to be conformed to this world. But the Lord wants us to be different, and to display Christ in our lives. When we do this, we are able to know and to do the will of God.

Monday, September 2, 2024

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“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

In the Old Testament, any sacrifice that was brought to the Lord was a dead sacrifice, for it was an animal that had been killed. The blood of these animals did not take away sin, but those sacrifices spoke of the death and blood-shedding of Christ, and God accepted them for the time, to cover the peoples’ sins in His sight.

Now that the Lord Jesus has died and put away our sins once and for all, there’s no longer a need for dead sacrifices. However, we are called upon to offer our bodies as “living sacrifices,” which are acceptable unto God. We express ourselves through our bodies, and there is plenty that we can do for the Lord through those bodies, not to get saved, but because we are saved. It is a great privilege to serve the Lord, and to use our energy for Him as living sacrifices.

Sunday, September 1, 2024

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“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

As we read the Word of God, we continually find things that are beyond our understanding. This is not surprising, for if we could understand everything about God, we would be gods ourselves. But we are not God, and never will be. We are creatures—that is, we are created beings—and will always be so, even when we are in heaven with our glorified bodies.

Today we have a verse that is what we call a “doxology”—a special outburst of praise to God, in view of who He is, and sometimes what He has done. In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul has been going over some things that are hard to understand, and are actually impossible for us, as creatures, to understand completely. Yet we can believe them and enjoy them, even if we do not understand them totally. Rather than being puzzled or frustrated by this, Paul bursts into praise, that an infinite God has made His ways known to us, as finite creatures. We could not know God unless He chose to reveal Himself to us, but He has done so, and all for our good.