Young Christians Calendar

October 2024

“See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1 JND).

Yesterday we saw how important it was for us to have a new life in Christ, so that we could do what it right. But today, right in the very next verse, we have something quite different, and very encouraging. If we are truly saved, we have the ability to do what is right before God. However, we are also now part of the family of God, because He loves us so much. A ruler of a country might tell his subjects that because they are citizens of that country, they should act in a way to bring honor to the country. But it would be quite different if that ruler could bring them into his own home, make them his children, and give them his nature. Of course, in natural things we know that would be impossible, but God has now given us the very nature of His beloved Son, and made us part of His family. It is His love that has done this for us! Now all true believers have a desire to please God, not only because they have His nature, but because He loves them.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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“If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29).

The word “righteous” simply means to do the right thing, and it means not merely to do the right thing in the sight of other people, but rather to do the right thing before God. There are many things done in the world today that people think are all right, but in the sight of God they may be very wrong. For example, in many countries today it is quite legal for two people of the same sex to get married, but this is totally against the Word of God.

Those who really want to do what is right before God are those who are “born of Him.” That means that we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and thus have a new life in Christ. Then we have a nature that wants to do what is right, for we have the same nature as the Lord Jesus. Just think of it; if you are truly saved, you have the same life as the Lord Jesus! It is a new life that wants to please God.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

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“There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up” (Proverbs 30:13).

“But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word” (Isaiah 66:2).

In our first verse for today, Solomon talks about a generation whose eyes are lofty. That means that they are proud, and that they think very highly of themselves. We all know that we are living today with that kind of generation. Almost everyone in this world is very proud, and the result is often bad manners, uncontrolled anger, and other examples of incivility. Have you noticed that very few people ever apologize anymore, even if they have done something very wrong? We are warned in 2nd Timothy 3 that the world will be like that in the last days.

However, we cannot approach God in that way, for pride is one of the worst sins in the sight of God. As created beings, we are to be humble, and also contrite. To be contrite means to be repentant, and to realize that we are all naturally guilty before a holy God. If we realize that we are sinners, and come to God in that attitude, He is ready to receive us, and to forgive our sins through the blood of Christ. But God will not receive those who come in pride. We have no right to be proud, for every form of pride is wrong.

Monday, October 28, 2024

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“In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

When I was a boy, I liked to talk, but often I spoke too much, and sometimes it got me into trouble. What we say can often do that, for people that talk a lot sometimes say things that they should not say. It is much better to think carefully before we speak, and to say less rather than too much. Also, as Christians, if we think carefully about what we are going to say, and ask the Lord to help us, we will likely say things that please the Lord too. When we talk too much, we not only irritate other people, but as our verse says, we may also say sinful things.

As I got older, I learned to be more careful when I spoke up, and to consider carefully before the Lord what I was going to say. That is what it means when it says, “He that refraineth his lips is wise.” We do not use the word “refrain” much today in everyday speech, but it means to “hold back,” or to stop doing something. It is a good thing for all of us to remember when we want to speak.

Sunday, October 27, 2024

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“But God, who is rich in mercy…even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Mercy is not receiving the punishment that we deserve, and as we see in our verse today, God is rich in mercy. He reached down to us even when we were dead in sins, and gave us new life in Christ. This is a wonderful privilege, but how much it cost God to do this! In natural things, we can show mercy to others without incurring much cost, but in order to show mercy to you and me, God had to give His only Son to die on Calvary’s cross.

On this the Lord’s Day, it is now our privilege to remember our Lord Jesus in His death, and to be reminded of the price that was paid, in order that we might be saved.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

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“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

Although baptism does not have anything to do with our eternal salvation, yet it is very important for us as Christians. In our verse for today, we see that those who have been baptized have “put on Christ.” What does this mean?

It means that before this world, you take the place of belonging to Christ. When I was young, people sometimes wore what were called “sandwich boards.” They would have two large pieces of wood, or sometimes thick cardboard, hung over their shoulders by straps or pieces of rope. Then there was usually something written on the sandwich boards, which now hung down on the person’s chest and back. Often it was advertising, but sometimes Christians would put gospel verses on the sandwich board, and then walk down the street.

Being baptized is like that. You are telling the world that you belong to Christ. This puts a big responsibility on us, for then we need to act like Christ, and honor Him in our life.

Friday, October 25, 2024

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“Keep by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted” (2 Timothy 1:14 JND).

Yesterday we spoke about a deposit that we can make with the Lord, but today we see that there is a deposit He gives us to keep. If the Lord has revealed precious truth from His Word to us, He expects us to keep it, to guard it carefully, and to live it out in our lives. He tells those in the assembly in Philadelphia in Revelation 3:11 to “hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

The truth of God, given to us in the Word of God, is precious to God because it exalts Christ, and He expects that same truth to be precious to us too. Many are giving it up today, but that makes it all the more valuable. Are you one of those who wishes to honor the Lord by keeping that good deposit for Him?

Thursday, October 24, 2024

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“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep for that day the deposit I have entrusted to Him” (2 Timothy 1:12 JND).

In this chapter of 2nd Timothy we have two deposits mentioned—one that we give the Lord to keep for us, and one that He gives us to keep. Today we are considering the deposit we give Him. What is it?

We are all familiar with depositing money in a bank, and normally we expect the bank to keep it safely for us. When we live for the Lord in this world, and serve Him, we are making a deposit in heaven, for which the Lord will reward us. “That day” is the day when the Lord will hand out rewards, and when He will recognize what we have done for Him. The Apostle Paul had faithfully preached the gospel and also the whole truth of God. Even though some had opposed him, he was confident in the deposit he had entrusted to the Lord.

In this world, banks sometimes fail, and the people who have deposited their money in them may lose that money. But this will never happen with the Lord; we can trust Him to keep what we have deposited with Him.

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

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“My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness…for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

It happens at any age, but especially when we are young, that we like to think we can handle the situations in our own lives. Our bodies are strong, our minds are at their best, and we want to deal with our own lives in the way that we think best. However, there are times in our life when the Lord makes us feel our weakness. Maybe you have already experienced this sometimes in your life.

Have you ever felt as if the problem you were having was too big for you to solve? Have you ever felt that what you were being asked to do was just too much? If so, you are in good company, for the Apostle Paul sometimes felt the same way. But then he had to realize that when his strength was not enough, he could rely on the Lord’s strength. That is what he means when he says, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” When he trusted in his own strength, he found out that he was weak, but when he gave up on his own strength, and trusted in the Lord’s strength, he found out that the Lord’s strength made him strong. Also, then the Lord got the credit for it, and not Paul. You and I need to do this too. If the going gets too hard for us, He wants us to ask for His strength.

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

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“I will very gladly spend and be spent for you” (2 Corinthians 12:15).

It is a great thing to be willing to spend our money for the Lord, and also our other resources—our time, our energy, our abilities, etc. It is a privilege to use whatever we have for Him and His interests in this world. But what does it mean to “be spent?”

To “be spent” means that sometimes others take advantage of us and expect us to do things for them that perhaps they should be able to do for themselves. It means that we are not only doing what we feel the Lord has called us to do, but in addition are being asked to do things by other people. Sometimes this is hard, as we may feel that we are doing more than our share.

Yet the Apostle Paul would gladly “spend and be spent” for those in Corinth, even though he did not get much real thanks for it. But if we serve the Lord, we can trust Him for the reward. We may not get it in this world, but will definitely be rewarded by the Lord in a coming day.

Monday, October 21, 2024

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“To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you” (2 Corinthians 10:16).

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2).

The Apostle Paul felt the urgency of preaching the gospel. For him, he had before him regions that had never heard the gospel before. In his day, most of the world worshiped idols, and he wanted them all to hear about Christ and His great salvation. He preached the gospel in Asia, and then carried it to Europe.

For you and me today, we need to remember to use every available opportunity, as our verse in 2nd Timothy tells us. We may be called to go to some foreign land for there is still a need for that kind of preaching today. But it may also be simply to look for another chance to tell someone about Christ. The time is short, and the Lord’s coming is near.

Sunday, October 20, 2024

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“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

In our verse for today, we have another encouragement to help others, and this time it concerns our money. The Apostle Paul had been encouraging the believers in Corinthians to give something to help out those in Judea, who were experiencing a shortage of food.

After giving them some instruction in this kind of giving, he ends up by reminding them of God’s gift—a gift that he calls “unspeakable.” This word means something that is indescribable, and it is the only time this word is used in the New Testament.

Truly, the gift of the Lord Jesus is indescribable; it is a gift that we cannot measure, for God gave the most precious thing He could give—His only Son. When we think of God’s gift, how little our gifts seem in comparison! Yet the Lord appreciates the response of our hearts, and it is not the amount that we give, but the love of our hearts that really counts.

Saturday, October 19, 2024

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“For which cause we faint not…while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16,18).

Here is one final reason not to faint, and again, it is the same word in Greek as we had on October 18th. It is true that sometimes the problems we have in this life seem to be so big that we think we cannot handle them. However, the Lord wants us to go to Him, for He will give us the strength to handle those problems. He has allowed them in our life, and He knows just what He is doing.

As we see in our second verse today, the Lord wants to direct our eyes to the things which we can see only by faith. Everything in this world is temporal; it will eventually come to an end, even our problems. But there are things that are eternal, and the Lord wants us to look at them. We can get so taken up with things in this world, and forget that what really matters are those eternal things. When we think about those things, the problems in this world seem quite small.

Friday, October 18, 2024

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“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9).

It is a real privilege to help other people, and particularly other Christians, when they are in trouble. However, there are times when others may seem to need a lot of help, and perhaps we sometimes feel that they could do a little more to help themselves. Even when we are young, we may find that there are those who always seem to be in difficulty, and needing help. It is easy to become weary of helping them.

The word used here for “weary” is the same word in Greek as we had yesterday for “faint.” It means to lose heart, to become discouraged. But the Lord tells us not to become weary in well doing, for He will reward us in a coming day. There will always be those in this world who seem unable to manage their own lives properly, and who need more help. But the Lord loves them, and if He has given us the strength to help them, let us be thankful, and not faint.

Thursday, October 17, 2024

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“And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).

The word that is translated “faint” in this verse has the thought of becoming discouraged, or losing heart. It is used several other times in the New Testament, and in each case we are told not to faint, or not to become weary in doing what is right.

All of us can encounter real difficulties in our Christian pathway, and especially because we are following our Lord Jesus, who was rejected by this world. When we are having problems, Satan may whisper to us that we should just quit, and not carry on faithfully for the Lord. But our verse today, from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Himself, tells us always to pray, and not to faint.

When we pray, we acknowledge our dependence on the Lord, and we ask for His help. He will give us the strength for whatever He sends into our lives, and enable us to live for His glory in this world.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

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“If any one be in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 JND).

I was born during the latter part of World War II, and I can remember that many people came to Canada from Europe right after the war. Most of them had known only war and bloodshed for a number of years, and some came from countries where the governments had been very harsh and oppressive. They were glad to come to a land where there was freedom and an easier life.

After living here for some years, many became Canadian citizens, and then they were no longer citizens of the country where they had been born. They called themselves Canadians after that, and often did not want to refer to their original citizenship.

You and I are like that as Christians. We now have a new life and are a new creation. We do not belong to this world anymore; we belong to Christ. We are heavenly citizens, and as we saw yesterday, we are now fitted to go back into this world as ambassadors. Only those who have new life in Christ can do this.

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

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“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

It is a great honor to be an ambassador, but also a big responsibility. What are ambassadors? They are people who are sent out to represent one country in another country. It involves living in that foreign country, and acting in the home country’s interests over there. An ambassador is expected to take a real interest in the affairs of the country to which he is sent, and especially as those affairs affect relations between the two countries. He is also expected to act in a sober, proper, and respectful way, so as to represent his home country in a good light.

As Christians, we are also ambassadors in this world. We belong to heaven, but God has sent us back into this world to bring the gospel to those who are not saved, as we see in our verse for today. But to be able to do this, we must take an interest in the people in this world, and we must also act in a proper way, so that we represent Christ to them. Are you and I willing to take on this responsibility?

Monday, October 14, 2024

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“All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field…the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:6,8).

God has given us beauty in His creation for us to enjoy, but from our verse today, we see that it is all temporary. Even trees, which sometimes live for hundreds of years, eventually get old and die. I remember the sad feeling I had when a large elm tree on the farm where I lived, probably over 100 years old, got so-called Dutch elm disease and died. Whether it is big trees, or just the grass and flowers in the field, all of them wither and die.

You and I are like that too, in our human bodies. Those bodies get old and die. We know, of course, that our soul and spirit will live forever, for man was made for eternity, not for time. But here in our verse we are reminded that something else will stand forever—the Word of God. We can rest on His Word, for it will never fail, nor does it ever need to be changed or replaced.

Sunday, October 13, 2024

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“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?… But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:1,3).

The Lord Jesus was forsaken by God on Calvary’s cross, and at the end of the three hours of darkness, He cried out to God what is written in our first verse today—“Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” He felt it very much that God had forsaken Him, although He knew that it was necessary.

But why did God forsake Him? We get the answer in verse 3—“But Thou are holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” God is a holy God, and He cannot look upon sin. When our blessed Lord Jesus was “made sin” for us, God had to turn His face away from His beloved Son.

You and I cannot imagine what this meant to the Lord Jesus, for He had known only happy fellowship with God from a past eternity. Yet He endured it all, not only for our sakes, but to settle the matter of sin for all eternity. How grateful we should be for all this!

Saturday, October 12, 2024

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“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

At this time of year, where I live in Canada, the leaves of deciduous trees change color before they fall off. We have a large number of maple and oak trees, as well as many others, and the mixture of reds, browns, and yellows are quite impressive. Some people make a special trip at this time, just to see the fall colors.

I have sometimes thought of how many of those beautiful trees are in remote areas seldom seen by human eyes, yet there they are in all their beauty. Is that beauty wasted? No, for the Lord Himself enjoys the beauty of His creation. Even if no one else sees the beauty He has created, the Lord Himself takes pleasure in it.

Friday, October 11, 2024

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“See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

Today we see a lot of what is called “road rage” here in North America. If someone else makes a move while driving that seems offensive to some other driver, the driver who feels disrespected sometimes reacts very strongly. They may simply blow their horn loudly, but at other times accidents have happened, and sometimes guns are pulled out. People have even been killed because of road rage. Our old sinful nature tells us that if someone does something wrong to us, we should do something wrong to them.

However, this is not the way of our new life in Christ. Paul tells the Thessalonians that they were never to return evil for evil to any man. No, God’s way is to return good for evil, for that is what God has done for us. Those who are not saved will never be won for Christ by evil; rather, it is the display of the heart of God that will show them the true character of God. It was “while we were yet sinners” that “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Thursday, October 10, 2024

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“The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth” (Psalm 37:21).

Have you ever lent something to someone, and never gotten it back again? I remember when I was in my first year of high school (that was about 65 years ago!), another boy borrowed some money from me, and never paid it back. You will probably laugh about it, because he borrowed only ten cents! But I did not have much money back then, and it really bothered me. The other boy thought it was a big joke, as he never intended to pay it back. He bought a piece of pie with that money in our high school cafeteria.

If we borrow something from someone, it is important to bring it back, or pay it back. But then the last part of the verse tells us that the righteous shows mercy, and gives. Does that mean that we are always to give something to someone who asks for it? No, we need wisdom from the Lord in order to use His money wisely, but it is a wonderful thing to give when someone is in real need.

I know a Christian man who was approached by another Christian brother who was poor, who asked for a loan of money. The brother who was asked to give the loan said, “No, I will not loan you the money, but I will give it to you.” He could afford to give the money, and he was glad to help the other brother who needed some help. Needless to say, the poor brother was very thankful for the help. God is a giving God, and we are called to be like Him.

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

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“Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

This verse might not seem to be connected with a pear pie, but let me explain. Yesterday my wife bought two baskets of pears at the grocery store, and later I saw her sorting them on the kitchen counter. Some were too hard, and some were so ripe that they were too soft and juicy. But she managed to get a bowl full that were just right—not too hard and not too soft. They will make the best pie!

As Christians, we need balance in our Christian life. When the Lord Jesus came into this world, He came preaching grace and truth. Grace is the goodness of God that we do not deserve, but truth brings in the fact that we are sinners, and need a Savior. We cannot have true grace without truth, and we cannot have truth without grace. They balance each other.

We need this balance in our lives too. We are to show grace to others, but we are also to show truth from God’s Word. The Lord will help us to maintain a proper balance, if we ask Him.

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

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“Be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15).

Today’s verse is short, but has a great deal of meaning. On Monday, October 10, it will be Thanksgiving Day here in Canada. While thanksgiving was practiced in Canada for many years, Thanksgiving Day was officially declared by the Canadian Parliament back in 1957 to be on the second Monday of October. Thanksgiving in the United States began long before this, having been celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in Plymouth, Massachusetts as far back as 1621. Since 1941 it has been held on the fourth Thursday of November.

It is important to be thankful for everything the Lord gives us, but particularly for good food, shelter, and clothing. In preparation for the day, my wife wants to make a special dessert—a pear streusel pie. (She happens to be very fond of pears.) We will speak a little more about this pie tomorrow.

Monday, October 7, 2024

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“God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

The farm on which I grew up was a fruit farm; we did not raise cattle. In some areas of Canada and the United States, people raise cattle, and sometimes they are allowed to roam freely over wide areas, looking for good pasture. Frequently those cattle are branded; a characteristic mark is placed upon them, clearly identifying to whom they belong. Then no one can steal them, for the mark will always tell who the rightful owner is.

The Spirit of God in a believer is like that brand. When we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, it is clear that we belong to the Lord. Satan cannot steal us away, for the Holy Spirit identifies us as belonging to Christ. What a wonderful security that is!

Sunday, October 6, 2024

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“Then said I [the Lord Jesus], Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7).

This verse is repeated from Psalm 40, and prophetically the Lord Jesus is speaking to God His Father. The Lord Jesus became a man, and came into this world to do the Father’s will. Perhaps you have readily agreed to do the will of someone else, even when it meant you had to make a personal sacrifice. But the Lord Jesus knew that the will of God His Father meant that He would have to go to Calvary’s cross, and suffer for sin. Yet He continued on, whatever the cost, and accomplished the work His Father had given Him to do.

Now, on this the Lord’s Day, He wants us to remember what He has done for us, and all that He suffered in doing the Father’s will. It is a privilege for us to do this for Him.

Saturday, October 5, 2024

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“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

It is easy to boast of what we plan to do tomorrow, or at some time in the future. When things are going well for us in this world, we are more likely to become overconfident, and perhaps boast of what we are going to do.

Many years ago, two successful businessmen in England were chatting together. One of them asked the other one if he had heard of the death of another businessman, whom both of them knew well. “No,” the other one said, “I had not heard.” Then he remarked, “I am so busy that I guess I do not have time even to die!” He then knelt down to tie up his boots, and immediately suffered a fatal heart attack.

None of us knows when we may suddenly be called to die, and it is important to be ready. Those who know Christ as Savior can be at peace, knowing that if they are suddenly called to die, they will be instantly with Christ.

Friday, October 4, 2024

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“Those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4-5).

Yesterday we spoke about a beautiful day which we enjoyed in our area of Canada. However, over the weekend many people in Canada’s Maritime provinces had experienced a severe storm that came off the Atlantic Ocean, and caused widespread damage. Hurricane-force winds and heavy rains tore roofs off houses, caused flooding, and brought down many trees. Some houses were washed away into the sea, while many roads were impassable because of trees strewn across them. A few people were killed, while others are now homeless, and many are without power.

Were these people worse than anyone else, that the Lord allowed such things to happen in their area? Not according to our verse for today. No, God has the right to allow a serious problem in one area, in order to warn everyone else. God is speaking to this world through these events, just as He spoke when the tower of Siloam fell nearly 2,000 years ago. When God speaks like this, it is important for all of us to pay attention.

Thursday, October 3, 2024

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“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

As I write this on October 3, 2022, it is a beautiful day here in eastern Ontario, Canada. The sun is shining, and it is about 18 deg. C. (about 65 deg. F.). It is a perfect day for a walk outdoors. The maple and oak trees are beginning to exhibit their fall colors, and around the area farmers are harvesting things like corn, soybeans, pumpkins, and apples. Some friends from another country are visiting us, and they are very much enjoying the weather and the various sights that are different from their home country.

How good the Lord is to give us all these things! In spite of the fall of man, and the fact that sin has spoiled God’s creation, we can still enjoy much of the goodness of God. His goodness to man has not ceased because of sin, and He wants us to enjoy each day which He has made.

Of course, we cannot really enjoy God’s creation unless we know the Creator, and the only way to know Him is through the Lord Jesus, who came into this world as a man to reveal God’s heart of love. When we know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we can enjoy creation even more.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

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“There came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto Him [the Lord Jesus], Get Thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill Thee. And He said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and do cures today and tomorrow” (Luke 13:31-32).

The fox is known as a very clever and cunning animal, and here the Lord Jesus compares Herod to a fox. The Herod family were politically clever, and knew how to manipulate people and events so as to prosper and gain power in the Roman Empire. But sadly, Herod had no interest in the things of God, and did not want to believe on the Lord Jesus. But he had respect for both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus, and it is doubtful whether he really planned to kill the Lord Jesus. The Pharisees probably made up this accusation just to see what the Lord Jesus’ reaction would be.

Herod’s cleverness did not always work, and a few years later he lost his position in the land of Israel. He was then banished to a place in Gaul, which is modern-day France. There is no record that he ever believed on the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus was not afraid of Herod, and His answer to the Pharisees was that He would continue His work of doing the Father’s will. The threats of men like Herod (even if those threats were true) could not stop the Lord Jesus from going about His work.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

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“There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out” (Luke 13:28).

When the Lord Jesus was on earth, many of the Jews felt that because they were part of the nation of Israel, they would automatically be saved. But there is only one way to be saved, and when most of the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus, they rejected God’s way of salvation. The Lord Jesus warned them that in a coming day, they would be “thrust out,” when godly men like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be in heaven.

This is true today as well. Many people in western countries (and in other countries as well) go to church and profess to be Christians, but have never truly accepted Christ as their Savior. They are trusting in their own good works, not realizing that those good works will never save them. It will be an awful thing for them to find themselves in hell, when others who believed on the Lord Jesus are in heaven. Are you truly saved?