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Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

September 2025

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Tuesday, September 30, 2025

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“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed [hated] evil…this man was the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:1,3).
Many people have not paid much attention to the book of Job, but it is a very interesting book. We have talked about Job before, back in January, but let us look a bit more closely at the book. Although it is placed between the books of Esther and Psalms, it is much older than both of them. Job probably lived about the time of Abraham, and in the land of Uz, which was likely southeast of the land of Palestine.
Although he was not connected with Abraham or any others that we read about in Abraham’s time, yet he was a God-fearing man who lived an upright life before the Lord. He was also a very wealthy man, and had ten children. We do not know for sure who wrote the book of Job, but many think that it might have been Moses.
Just think, what a wonderful thing it is that you and I can read today about a man who lived nearly 4,000 years ago, and read all about what happened to him, what he thought and said, and what his wife and his friends said to him! There are some very good lessons we can learn from the book of Job. We will not go into a lot of detail about the book, but we will mention some things in the next few days to teach us something, and perhaps to encourage you to read the book of Job, if you have not read it.

Monday, September 29, 2025

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“I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine” (John 10:14).
On a farm not too far from our home, there is a large flock of sheep grazing in a pasture. However, there are also two donkeys grazing in the same field as the sheep. As far as I know, those donkeys are not used for work on the farm, nor have I ever seen anyone riding them. Why would the farmer put them in the pasture with the sheep?
Even though they do not know it, those donkeys are there to protect the sheep. As in many areas where we live, the pasture is surrounded by trees and woods. It would be easy for coyotes or even wolves to come out and harm or kill the sheep. But when they see those donkeys, the coyotes and wolves stay away.
However, those donkeys are not like a shepherd. They do not care for the sheep, and if a sheep were killed by a coyote, the donkeys would not care. But a true shepherd knows his sheep, and tenderly cares for them. He also defends them, not just by being there, but by going after any animal or person who would harm the sheep.
The Lord Jesus is our Shepherd, and He is a true Shepherd. He knows us, and we know Him. When we are with Him, we are safe.

Sunday, September 28, 2025

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“For dogs have compassed Me…they pierced My hands and My feet” (Psalm 22:16).
“The inhabitants of Jerusalem…shall look upon Me whom they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10).
In Psalm 22, David prophesied that the “dogs” would pierce the hands and feet of the Lord Jesus. All through the Word of God the Gentiles are portrayed as dogs, compared to the nation of Israel, for God had chosen Israel to be His special people. When the Lord Jesus was crucified, it was the Romans who actually carried out the sentence and put the nails in His hands and feet.
However, in Zechariah, it clearly says that in a coming day the people of Jerusalem (that is, the Jews) will look upon the Lord Jesus as the One whom “they have pierced.” Why is this? It is because both the Jews and Gentiles are guilty of the death of the Lord Jesus. The Jewish nation demanded that Pilate crucify Him, because they hated Him. But Pilate did not have to give in to them. He knew the Lord Jesus was innocent of any crime, but in order to satisfy the Jews and avoid a riot, he condemned an innocent man to be crucified. Surely all the world is guilty before God.
How wonderful it is that on that cross, the Lord Jesus died so that all could be saved, both Jews and Gentiles!

Saturday, September 27, 2025

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“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10).
Recently some believers were standing on a busy corner in a large city in the U.S.A., holding up signs with Bible verses on them with large print. Many cars passed by that street corner at rush hour, so that many people read those Bible verses. On one of the signs was today’s verse, reminding us that someday everyone will be compelled to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus.
Suddenly the man in one car slammed on his brakes and came to a stop right in front of the believer holding up that sign. He rolled down his window and shouted, “Never! Never!” Then he rolled up his window and went on his way.
Sadly, this is the defiant response to God’s claims by many in this world. They do not want to come to the Lord Jesus and be saved, and they think that they can defy Him. But someday they will be compelled to bow the knee and confess that He is Lord. How much better it is to come to Him now, and own Him as Lord in the time of His grace!

Friday, September 26, 2025

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“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips” (Proverbs 27:2).
We live in a time when it is rather common for people to praise themselves. Employers are aware that those who write their own resumes, hoping to be hired, often greatly exaggerate their own abilities and talents. This tendency has been recognized in worldly circles for a long time, and has even been given a name—the Dunning-Kruger effect. This refers to people with limited knowledge or competence in a certain area who greatly overestimate their own understanding and ability in that area.
The Word of God wisely tells us not to praise ourselves, but rather to let someone else do it. This does not mean that we should avoid saying on a resume that we have training in a particular area, but we must be careful not to compliment ourselves. Let others do that, for they will be much more honest than we will.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

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“But love ye your enemies, and do good…and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:35).
It is not easy to love those who do not treat us well, nor is it easy to be kind to those who are not thankful, and who are “bad people.” We tend to be attracted to “nice” people—people who are easy to get along with, and whose company we enjoy.
However, when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, then we have a divine life—the life of Christ. That life is capable of divine love—a love that goes on loving, even if the object of that love does not respond in the right way. That is what the Lord Jesus did when He came into this world. The world rejected Him, and His own nation condemned Him to die. But the Lord’s love for us took Him all the way to Calvary’s cross, where He died for those who hated Him. We are called to show the same love to others.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

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“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Yesterday I talked about two deer who were very watchful as they ate acorns in our backyard. After a few minutes, my wife ventured to open the door to our deck just a crack, and in a moment the deer bounded away into the woods. They ran away from us, thinking that danger could be near.
We also need to be on guard for the devil, but the Lord’s instruction is to resist him. How do we do this? It is by following the Word of God. If we do this, we will not have to flee from the devil; rather, he will flee from us, for he knows that he is a defeated enemy. The Lord Jesus defeated him at the cross, and if we meet him in the power of God’s Word, and in the name of the Lord Jesus, he will flee. We should certainly respect Satan and his power, for he is stronger than we are. However, if we resist him with the power of the Lord Jesus and God’s Word, he cannot stand up to that. He will flee from us.

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

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“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
When we first got up this morning, we observed a couple of deer in our backyard—a doe and her half-grown fawn. They were eating acorns, as we live in the country, and our large oak tree produced an abundance of them this year. I could not help but notice how wary and watchful they were. About every thirty seconds they would lift their heads, cock their ears, and also sniff the air. They well knew that danger could be near. We do not, of course, have lions here in North America, but predators such as wolves and coyotes are around, and the deer are on guard, watching for them.
This is the way we should be as Christians, for we live in a hostile world. We may not be in danger of being attacked physically, but Satan is like a roaring lion, watching for an opportunity to discourage us, or to tempt us to sin. We need to be on guard for this, and be ready to resist right away.

Monday, September 22, 2025

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“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…at Thy word I will let down the net” (Luke 5:4-5).
If you read the account of what happened here, you will find that the Lord Jesus was going to repay Simon Peter for the loan of his boat. Notice carefully what the Lord Jesus said; He said, “Let down your nets.” But Peter trusted his own expertise as a fisherman more than he trusted the Lord, and since they had already fished all night and caught nothing, he let down only one net. As a result, the net was so full of fishes that it broke.
However, Peter learned something through this experience. He learned who the Lord really was, and that He had absolute power over His creation. Peter learned to trust the Lord, and we need to learn this too. Sometimes we trust our own wisdom instead of realizing what the Lord can do, but He is always worthy of our trust. If He wants us to do something, we should always obey, for He not only loves us, but is all powerful too.

Sunday, September 21, 2025

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“For ye have the poor always with you; but Me ye have not always” (Matthew 26:11).
If you read the short story in Matthew 26:6-13, you will see that a woman who loved the Lord Jesus poured some very expensive ointment on His head. Some thought that this was a waste of the ointment, and that it should have been sold and used to help the poor. But the Lord Jesus pointed out that they would not always have this opportunity to honor Him in this way. Yes, there are poor people in this world, and in spite of all the government programs to try to help them, there are always poor people that need help.
However, the Lord Jesus is worthy of all our honor and praise, and this woman wanted to show her appreciation for all that He was, and all that He was going to do. She knew that He was going to the cross to suffer for sin, and she gave her most precious possession to show how much she valued Him. The Lord Jesus greatly appreciated it, and did not consider it a waste of the ointment.
In the same way, the Lord Jesus has asked us to remember Him in His death every Lord’s day. It is a time when we come together to give, not to receive. It is a privilege we should greatly value, and it is never a waste of our time. He is worthy of our praise and worship.

Saturday, September 20, 2025

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“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
As I write this in September, 2023, yesterday was Lord’s day. A brother with a large van was picking up children for Sunday school, and was stopped by the police. They had seen a number of children getting into his van, and they wanted to make sure that they were all safe, and were not being kidnapped by the brother in Christ. After speaking to him for a few minutes, they were satisfied and let them go on to Sunday school.
In today’s world, there are many evil people around who want to harm children. It is a wonderful thing to be safe, and it is good to avoid situations where we might not be safe. But the Lord is the only one who can keep us completely safe. If we trust in the Lord, and ask Him to look after us, we can be sure that He will hear us, and protect us from those who may want to harm us.

Friday, September 19, 2025

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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 dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4-5).
Tragic events are happening with increasing frequency in our world, as I write this in September, 2023. Recently a strong earthquake caused widespread damage in the country of Morocco, in West Africa. Thousands were killed and many more injured. Then, within two days, a massive flood killed thousands of people in Libya, on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, and left even more homeless, as homes, buildings, roads, and other structures were swept away by the water. As I write, Hurricane Lee is approaching the east coast of North America, and is expected to cause a great deal of damage.
Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Lord Jesus pointed out that those affected by such events were not necessarily sinners above all men. Rather, God is giving warnings to this world of coming judgment. God never brings judgment on this world without adequate warning, and we are getting more and more of these warnings today.
God is giving a “wake-up call” to any who are not saved, but He also wants those of us who are saved to realize the serious times in which we are living. Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?

Thursday, September 18, 2025

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“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6).
Eve, and eventually Adam too, went through a temptation similar to what our Lord Jesus went through. They were tempted in the very best of circumstances, for they were in a beautiful garden with everything they could wish. The Lord Jesus was out in the desert and had had nothing to eat for forty days. Eve saw that the fruit was good for food; it was not sour to the taste, or poisonous. It was also nice to look at. We like fruit that looks nice. Today those who process apples in a big way have “color sorters” that tell whether an apple has the right amount of red and green in it. Those that are not just right are used for apple sauce and baby food. Finally, Satan had told Eve that the fruit of that tree would make her wise.
All these things appealed to her, and she disobeyed the one commandment God had given to her and Adam. Satan has used these three categories of temptation on people ever since, and they are named in 1 John 2:16—“the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” You and I can avoid those temptations in the same way that the Lord Jesus did—by following the Word of God.

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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“And Jesus…was…forty days tempted of the devil. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he [the devil] departed from Him for a season” (Luke 4:1-2,13).
Before He started out on His earthly service, the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan in three different ways. Satan was trying to get the Lord Jesus to sin by tempting Him with the same kind of temptations that he uses on us. Some people would say that this was to see if the Lord Jesus would sin, but it is more accurate to say that this was to prove that He could not sin. If the Lord Jesus had had a sinful fallen nature (as we do), He could have given in to these temptations. But our Lord simply quoted Scripture, and Satan was defeated. The temptations proved who He was—the Son of God.
There are some dear believers who would say that the Lord Jesus was capable of sinning, but did not. This is a blasphemous thing to say, for if He could have sinned, then He would have had a sinful nature. Then He could not have died for us, and we would have no Savior. But, blessed be His name, “He did no sin” (1 Peter 2:22), “In Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5), and “He [God] hath made Him [the Lord Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). In every way the Word of God guards the Person of the Lord Jesus.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

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“He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8).
“Keep My commandments, and live; and My law as the apple of thine eye” (Proverbs 7:2).
In both of our verses for today we have the expression “the apple of his eye” or “the apple of thine eye.” This expression occurs in three other places in the Bible; see if you can find them. But what does it mean—the “apple of his eye”? It is an old English expression that simply refers to the pupil of the eye, or sometimes even the whole eyeball. The translators used it in our English Bible because the expression was in common use at that time. It has come to mean something (or someone!) very precious to us.
In our first verse today, we realize how much the Lord cares for us, and how much He feels it when someone tries to harm us. But then in the second verse, we are told to value the Lord’s commandments in the same way. We are very careful to guard our eyes from injury, and the Lord protects us in this way. Let us remember to give His commandments the high honor and respect they deserve.

Monday, September 15, 2025

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“As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song of Solomon 2:3).
I am sure that all of you enjoy eating an apple, and especially at this time of year, when it is apple harvest season. Perhaps you have a favorite type of apple that you specially like, but did you know that apples are mentioned a number of times in the Bible? Apples have been grown for thousands of years, and probably originated in the country of Kazakhstan, which is in central Asia, and borders Russia, China, and a few smaller countries. There are thousands of different kinds of apples, and they are probably the most widely eaten of all the kinds of fruit in the world.
I grew up on a fruit farm, and many times I have sat down under an apple tree and enjoyed eating an apple. In our verse for today, we find that the bride compares her Beloved (a picture of the Lord Jesus) to an apple tree. She sits down under the tree, appreciates the shade it gives, and finds His fruit sweet to her taste.
But there is a spiritual lesson here for us too. If we really know and love the Lord Jesus, we enjoy His company, and He gives us the enjoyment of all that He is. When we read His Word, we find that it is food for our souls, just as eating an apple is food for our bodies. Being in His company is like sitting down under a shady tree, and then He provides something for our enjoyment and nourishment.

Sunday, September 14, 2025

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“I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father” (John 10:17-18).
As a divine Person, the Lord Jesus did not only have power over the life and death of others; He had power over His own life. While on the cross, He did not die as others died from crucifixion. Others died from weakness and the inability to lift themselves up and take another breath. But just before He died, the Lord Jesus cried with a loud voice, and then voluntarily dismissed His spirit. No other human being could do that. People can commit suicide by various means, but none can dismiss their spirit by an act of will. That is why the centurion was so amazed when the Lord Jesus died. Doubtless he had seen others die from crucifixion, but none of them, at the point of death, had the strength to cry with a loud voice.
More than this, the Lord Jesus had the power to raise Himself from the dead. He had the power to take back his human spirit and rise from the dead. He did this on the third day, and in a calm and orderly way. He took the time to fold up the napkin that was about His head, and place it by itself. All of this was in keeping with His glory as the Son of God.

Saturday, September 13, 2025

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“Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:26).
In this verse, the Lord Jesus is speaking to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, who had died. Although he had been dead four days, the Lord was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. However, He uses the occasion to teach Martha something that had not been known before. In this verse the Lord Jesus makes one of the early references to His coming to take all His own home to be with Himself in heaven. Martha did not understand this, but later the Lord Jesus plainly told His disciples that He had to go away from them. But then He reminded them that He would come back again. Our verse today tells us that those who believe on the Lord Jesus, and are alive when He comes, will never die.
All of the human race is subject to death because of sin, but because of the Lord Jesus’ death on the cross, and the value of His precious blood, those who believe on Him have eternal life. If we are alive when the Lord comes, we will never have to die. What a wonderful hope this is!

Friday, September 12, 2025

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“It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2).
As I write this on September 12, 2023, an event is fresh in my mind. On Saturday, two days ago, I attended the funeral of a good friend and brother in Christ. He had suffered from a chronic illness, and finally was taken home to be with the Lord. I was thankful to be at his funeral, for the one who took the service read today’s verse at the beginning of his talk, and reminded everyone very plainly about their need to be saved.
Many people do not like to go to funerals, for it is a reminder that one day they too will die. Deep down inside, I believe that everyone knows that they will have to meet God someday. The Word of God is very clear about this, and tells us that death is not the end of all things. People would rather go to a happy occasion, like the “house of feasting” that is mentioned in our verse. But in the presence of death, all are solemnized, and are compelled to think about eternal matters. There is nothing wrong with feasting: it has its place in our lives. But we all need to be reminded that sooner or later, all of us must face death. However, there is one exception to this, which we will discuss tomorrow.

Thursday, September 11, 2025

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“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Most of you who are young people will probably not remember this date, unless someone has told you about it. Today is the 24th anniversary of the attack on the world trade towers in New York city in the U.S.A. by some Muslim extremists. Two planes were hijacked and then flown directly into the two world trade towers in New York city, causing them to catch on fire. The towers eventually collapsed, and the death toll was almost 3,000 people. It was undoubtedly the most significant and memorable terrorist attack in the modern world.
As you may imagine, those who went to work in those two towers that day never suspected that something like that would happen. Then suddenly those planes hit the towers, and by the end of the day, thousands of people had died. We can be thankful for all those who knew the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, and who instantly went to be with Christ. But in most cases, those who did not know the Lord Jesus had no time to think about where they were going: they were taken away in death very suddenly.
How important it is to settle the matter of our souls’ salvation now, while there is time!

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

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“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It us thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13).
As believers in the Lord Jesus, and with a new life in Christ, we are called to be the salt of the earth. What does this mean? We all know what salt is, and how important it is in our lives. Our bodies need salt in order to function, and salt is very important in food preparation. Food without any salt at all can be very bland and tasteless.
Salt in the Bible speaks of “holy grace.” It means bringing into our lives God’s holiness and God’s claims over us, so that others may see it. But it is to be mixed with grace too, in order to attract others to Christ.
If we, as Christians, are unfaithful to the Lord, we are like salt without any flavor. This can happen to salt, and then it is not good for anything. An unfaithful Christian is not good for anything in this world either, for he is not comfortable anywhere. Let us be faithful to the Lord, and exhibit that godly flavor that the Lord wants us to have.

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

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“And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35).
After what we said yesterday about how God can make our way perfectly smooth, perhaps some of you may say, “But God does not always make my way perfectly smooth! And what about all the true Christians who suffer in this world, and sometimes even give up their lives for the Lord?”
Yes, God does sometimes allow difficulties in our lives, and allows us to pass through them. In some countries in the world, Christians are imprisoned, ill-treated, and even put to death for their faith in Christ. Why is this?
It is because the Lord Jesus is glorified when we suffer for Him, and honor Him by refusing to give up our faith, even though we may have to endure shame or even death for His sake. The early apostles counted it an honor to suffer for the Lord. But the greatest example of suffering for doing good was the Lord Jesus Himself. He never did even one thing wrong, yet this world cast Him out and crucified Him. Again, it is an honor to be called upon to suffer for Him. More than this, He has promised us a rich reward, if we suffer for Him down here in this world.

Monday, September 8, 2025

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“God is my strong fortress, and He maketh my way perfectly smooth” (2 Samuel 22:33 JND).
Yesterday was a nice day outside, so we invited some Christian friends and went out for a picnic lunch beside the Rideau canal, since it is only a few minutes from our home. The canal is still in use all summer, although it was built almost 200 years ago. At first it carried small steamships with commercial cargo, but today almost all the boats going through it are pleasure boats. It was relaxing to watch boats going through the locks, and thus avoiding the rapids and falls along the Rideau river. Some of those rapids and falls are impossible for a boat to go over: the boat would be badly damaged, and in some cases smashed to pieces. Yet the canal makes the way perfectly smooth.
I thought of how that canal is like the way that the Lord allows us to pass easily around serious difficulties in our lives. He knows where the rapids are, and how certain things would be impossible for us to go through. Then He provides a way for us, and as our verse tells us, He makes our way “perfectly smooth.”

Sunday, September 7, 2025

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“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept…for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20,22).
Here is another important result of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Since He is risen from the dead, it is the guarantee that every true believer who has died will rise again. (We have already looked at these two verses back in March, but the subject is important, and bears repeating.) Most of us who are alive have loved ones—relatives and close friends, who have died. Of course, unbelievers also have loved ones who have died. But what a difference between them and Christians!
Many years ago a woman’s husband died, and it does not seem that either of them were believers. Her tragic comment was, “My husband has been taken from me, and is gone forever!” But for believers, the Apostle Paul could say, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Paul was speaking of the coming of the Lord, when every true believer will be instantly raised from the dead. But this could not happen if the Lord Jesus had not risen from the dead.
Since believers have the same life as Christ, we are sure of resurrection, for He is risen.

Saturday, September 6, 2025

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“If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).
Some people may ask why the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is so important. Here in our verses today we see one very important reason why the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is important. When He was raised from the dead, it was the seal of God’s approval on the work of Christ on the cross. (I have already mentioned this fact back on August 24, but it is good to repeat it.)
If the Lord Jesus were still in the grave, then the Apostle Paul makes it clear that we would have no Savior; we are still in our sins. Why is this? It is because the wages of sin is death: death came into this world because Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying the one command that God gave them. If the Lord Jesus were still dead, then He too would be under the same punishment as those who have sinned against God. It would mean that His work was not complete, and that the sins of believers were still there before God.
Thank God, the work is complete, and the Lord Jesus rose triumphant from the grave. We can be absolutely sure that the sins of true believers are thoroughly washed away through the precious blood of Christ.

Friday, September 5, 2025

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“Ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:5-6).
When a seed is placed into the ground and dies, a plant grows from it, and we obtain much more fruit from the plant than the one seed we put into the ground. But we never get back that seed we planted; it dies, and we cannot recover it.
However, it was different with the Lord Jesus. He died, but on the third day He rose again. Some of the women who knew Him came to the grave on the morning after the Sabbath, expecting to place sweet spices on His body. But the angel told them that He was risen; He was no longer in the grave. What a wonderful thing to hear!
Yes, you and I are the fruit of the death of the Lord Jesus, but we did not lose Him! He is alive, and has ascended to heaven. Soon He is coming for us, and we will see Him!

Thursday, September 4, 2025

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“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24).
Whenever we want to grow something, we must plant a seed. But in order to grow a plant, that seed must die in the ground. Then the plant grows, and we get much more than the one seed we planted.
Right now in the area where we live, the corn is ripe and many of us are enjoying it. Most types of corn have only one or two ears of corn on a stalk, although some hybrid varieties may have more. But have you ever counted the number of kernels in an ear of corn? One ear of corn can have 600-800 kernels in it. All this just from one kernel of corn planted in the ground!
The Lord Jesus compared Himself to a corn (we would say a grain) of wheat. He had to die, but from His death much fruit came—much more than the 600-800 kernels in an ear of corn. Every true believer is fruit from the death of the Lord Jesus. However, there is one big difference between the grain of wheat that dies, and the Lord Jesus. We will look at that difference tomorrow.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

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“And the chief priests accused Him [the Lord Jesus] of many things: but He answered nothing. And Pilate asked Him again, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against Thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled” (Mark 15:3-5).
As the Roman governor, Pilate was used to having accused people before him, and no doubt all of them did their best to defend themselves when they were accused. Yet here was a man who said nothing when He was accused, and Pilate was very surprised.
The Lord Jesus did not need to defend himself, for His perfect life spoke for itself. Pilate knew about the Lord Jesus, and knew that “the chief priests had delivered Him for envy” (Mark 15:10). Pilate also knew that the Lord Jesus had not committed any crime; it was just that the Jewish leaders wanted to get rid of Him.
If you and I suffer because of a good Christian testimony, we do not need to defend ourselves. Our lives should speak for themselves. When the apostles were accused by those who did not like their preaching, they simply told their accusers what the Lord had asked them to do. A life lived for God’s glory is our best defense.

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

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“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it” (Jonah 1:2).
“And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand?” (Jonah 4:11).
Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, and was also in what is present-day Iraq. It was on the Tigris river, somewhat north of the original site of Babylon. It was a “great city,” and evidently had more than 120,000 little children in it, who were too young even to know their right hand from their left. It too fell into ruins, but was discovered back in the 1840s. They eventually uncovered the scrolls of Ashurbanipal’s library, more than 30,000 clay tablets, most of which are now in the British Museum in London, England. (Ashurbanipal was the last great king of Assyria.) They also uncovered the huge winged bulls that were originally at the entrance of the king’s palace, and which had to be sawn into several pieces in order to be transported to England. They too are in the British Museum, and you can still see the places where the pieces were put back together.
Although Nineveh was a wicked city, they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and God did not destroy them at that time. He was gracious to them, especially to the young children who were too young to be part of the wickedness. God is gracious to this world today too, and has not brought down judgment upon it yet. He is waiting for more people to be saved, for He is “longsuffering, and not willing that any should perish.”

Monday, September 1, 2025

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“The king [Nebuchadnezzar] spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30).
“And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant” (Jeremiah 51:37).
The Babylonian empire was a mighty empire in its day, and Babylon was no doubt a beautiful city. The hanging gardens that Nebuchadnezzar built for his wife are still regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Yet the Lord foretold by the prophet Jeremiah that the city would become heaps of rubble, and a dwelling place for wild animals.
Babylon was eventually destroyed and fell into ruin. In fact, the whole site of the city was so obliterated that many historians began to wonder whether the city had existed at all. Historians were not convinced until excavations that took place about 180 years ago revealed that Babylon had in fact been a famous city.
All this shows us that human glory and fame is very temporary, and that even the best of man’s attempts to build something permanent often fall into ruin after some years. You and I, as believers, have the privilege of building for eternity, and of using our time and resources for heavenly glory, not earthly glory.
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