February 29

“If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.” Galatians 5:25

Walking after the Spirit implies that all our actions are to be subject to the Holy Spirit’s own laws and principles. With these everything becomes sharply defined. There is a precise standard of right and wrong. What is right is right, whether the day is clear or cloudy. What is wrong is wrong, whether the matter is exciting or repulsive. The Christian’s walk must follow a distinct standard.

The one who lives in his emotions will not be governed by principles but by the whim of vacillating feelings. Should he be thrilled, he may be tempted to undertake what he would ordinarily recognize as unreasonable. If, however, he feels despondent, he may not even perform what he well knows to be his duty. The law of the Spirit of life is God's remedy for this.  

February 28

“And l, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” John 12:32

Over against the present world order, the Lord Jesus proclaims, “And I . . .” The expression contrasts sharply with what precedes it, even as the One it identifies stands in contrast with his antagonist, the prince of this world. Through the cross, through the obedience to death at him who is God’s grain of wheat (verse 24), this world’s rule by compulsion and fear is to end with the fall of its proud ruler.

And with Christ's springing up once more to life, there has come into being in its place a new reign of righteousness and one that is marked by a free allegiance of men to him. With cords of love their hearts will be drawn away from a world under judgment toward Jesus the Son of Man, who though lifted up to die was by that very act lifted up to reign.

February 27

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

Without some foothold in us, Satan cannot operate. Hence, his first tempting of us will be aimed at securing some ground; the next will be an assault from the ground he has secured. One very large territory, perhaps the largest, that he operates from is fear.

“Fear is Satan’s calling card,” a beloved counselor used to say to me. Whenever you accept his calling card, you will receive a visit from him. Fear him and he comes; fear not and he is held at a distance. No child of God need be fearful of Satan, even though he roar as a lion and his teeth are drawn. Within us is One who by demonstration is greater than he.

February 26

“ . . . though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” Hebrews 5:8

Inasmuch as rebellion came from created beings, so obedience must now be established among them. Man sinned by rebelling; therefore, the authority of God must be erected anew on man’s obedience.

This explains why the Lord Jesus came into the world and was made one with created men. He did so, and then brake the long tradition of human independence by walking humbly in the way of obedience to God. Please note that he did not merely bring obedience to the earth; he learned it in practice—and he did so through suffering.

We too may learn to practice obedience by the same means. Our usefulness is determined not by whether we have suffered, but by how much obedience we have learned as we walked with our Lord Jesus in that suffering. Those alone are useful to God who have learned, at whatever cost, to obey him.

February 25

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way.” John 14:6

God’s way for man is not a route which can be charted on a map; indeed, it is not a thing at all, but a Person. His Son is the only means for attaining his end. The one and only way that leads from where we are to where God is, is Christ.

All who have truly come to God have done so by making this discovery—that Christ does not merely teach us the way to the Father; he is the Way. We meet him and he leads us to God.

But going on from this first experience, we need to realize that progressively, no less than initially, we can approach the Father only through the Son. “I am the way” was true when we first came to God. It is still true and always will be. Yet numbers of defeated Christians have for years sought what they would call the way of victory, and are still pursuing their weary quest.

Alas, they are searching for a way and are missing him who is the Way. As long as we are trying to find some technique for overcoming sin and Satan, we are doomed to defeat. Formulae have their use in the world of nature, but in the realm of the spirit nothing has value apart from the living Christ himself.

February 24

“Lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12

We hold the view that a changed life without a corresponding oral confession is inadequate. Change in conduct is no substitute for confession with the mouth. I have frequently heard people say that if a man’s conduct is good, he does not need to speak out for God. But such a position leaves him with a loophole.

True. no one will speak against him if his conduct is good, but neither will they do so if his conduct is bad. If, however, he has openly confessed himself to be a Christian, then the moment he fails in behavior the world will rise up and charge him with inconsistency.

To insist on conduct without confession is to leave your back door open. By providing yourself with a way of escaping men’s criticism if you fail in the matter of conduct, you have actually prepared for the day of failure. Close that loophole! Stand up and confess the Lord. Then, leaning on him for help, live consistently with your confession.

February 23

“Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.” Nehemiah 2:17

Separation to God, which means separation from the world, is a first principle of Christian living. If God wants his city with its measurements and its glory in eternity, then we must build in human hearts the wall which is the first feature of that city.

Nehemiah in his day succeeded in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, but only in the face of great opposition. For Satan hates distinctiveness; separation of men to God he cannot abide. Nehemiah and his colleagues armed themselves, therefore, and thus equipped for war they laid stone to stone. Let us follow their lead. Let us guard as precious all that is of God and be uncompromising in our separation unto him. There is a reproach to be removed and we are called to build. This is a matter of first importance.

February 22

God is willing to supply our needs, superabundantly if we will let him. Never for a moment think that he is poor. The cattle upon a thousand hills are his; all things belong to him. God is not one who cannot supply. He most assuredly can. But there is something we must do, a condition we must fulfill before we are supplied. What he requires is that we ourselves should give; then his promise follows that there shall be given to us again.

Christians should have a special way of managing their finances. The world calculates its income, but we Christians should measure revenue by outgoing. A meager income often follows inadequate giving. Proper giving almost guarantees a sufficient supply from God. lf you do not give, then the Lord is under no obligation to give to you. Many have faith to ask God for money, but lack faith to give it away. When God gives, he always gives bountifully. He gives not only good measure, but pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

February 21

“Love suffereth long, and is kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4

Paul knew only too well how easy it is to let loose, as from tinkling cymbals, a torrent of empty words. His own words were never empty, for he himself affirmed, “We believe, and therefore also we speak.” It is quite easy to teach the truths about love which are found in this chapter, and perhaps even memorize the chapter to impress our hearers, but in the case of the writer we know that he wrote, not to impress, but from his heart.

The Corinthians had said many critical things about him. He talked a lot, but his words were unworthy of their notice. He wanted their money. but his own status was in question. He was not even a divinely commissioned apostle at all. And he was always vacillating: first he was coming to them, and then he wasn’t. Paul listened to all these criticisms—and what did he do? He responded only with the kind and patient love of which he writes here so beautifully.

February 20

“And said, What shall I do Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus.” Acts 22:10

Before he encountered the sovereign rule of God, Paul had taken upon himself to wipe out the Church; but after he had fallen to the ground and acknowledged Jesus as Lord, he was a changed man, able now to submit to directions from one of its members. Ananias of Damascus. In that moment when he was saved, Paul had come to know God’s rule as well as his mercy.

How could Paul, a man of such dominating character, listen to the words of Ananias, an unknown Christian whom Scripture mentions only in connection with this incident? Clearly it was because he had now become subject to God’s reign. Had he not encountered divine authority on the Damascus Road, he would never have become subject to an obscure Christian brother in that city.

February 19

“For lo, the kingdom of God is within [margin: in the midst of] you.” Luke 17:21

What did Jesus mean when he said these words to the Pharisees? He simply meant: “l am standing here.” We all know that the kingdom of God could not be “within” the Pharisees, but on that day the kingdom was in their midst because its King stood among them. The presence of the Lord Jesus implies the unfettered rule of God. Where he is, the kingdom is.

Redemption has made us, too, into a kingdom (Revelation 1:6). Not only where the Lord Jesus is, but where his Church is, there is also the kingdom of God. This is the place where he is free to exercise his authority. He must have a sphere, provided here by us, for his kingdom, his power, and his glory to have free course. For us the important thing is not our future reward or supposed position in the kingdom: it is our fulfillment of the Church’s role of bringing his kingdom down among men in the earth today.

February 18

“Besides me there is no God: I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me.” Isaiah 45:5

In this passage we have a very peculiar thing. Cyrus, conqueror of Babylon and king of Persia, did not know God; yet he is described in these verses as the Lord's anointed. In the Scriptures, anointing always marks a man as chosen by God for his own special purpose, to fulfill a task for him.

Cyrus is, then, an illustration for us of how world governments stand in the sight of God. He had no personal relationship with God. Yet he was in God’s hand for the fulfilling of God’s will. All such world powers are in God’s hand. This one rises, that one falls, and God is over all. Of Cyrus God did not just say, “My instrument,” but “My anointed.” The rise and fall of nations in history is controlled by his sovereign choice for purposes that are only wise and good.

February 17

"And the Lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.” Matthew 18:27

Do you see that this pardon illustrates the gospel? How absurd for the servant to plead for time when the proceeds from selling all that he had, and even selling himself, could not possibly repay the debt. It was as though he were saying. “Give me time. My intention is good. I am not thinking of evading my debt. I will do my best. I will pay back sometime in the future.”

If we go thus to the Lord, he does not answer. “All right. Pay what you can now and clear up the rest of the debt bit by bit in the days to come.” No, he freely forgives all. God gives grace and will go on giving until his own heart is satisfied. If he gives, he gives according to his own nature. We may ask boldly, for he always does abundantly above all that we ask or think.

February 16

“And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant.” Revelation 11:19

God originally told the Israelites to make an ark or chest of shittim wood according to the pattern given to Moses in the Mount, and to place it in the Tabernacle. Later, when Solomon had built the Temple, the ark was transferred there. At length, with Israel captive in Babylon, the ark of God was lost. The symbol disappeared; but the reality it foreshadowed remains, for in heaven at the end, God again shows us the ark. What was that reality?

The ark was an expression of God himself. It was reserved, not for man, but for God. By this sight of the ark in heaven we are assured that God will not deny himself. He cannot revoke his pledges nor contravene his character. From it we must learn that what is of God can never fail, never be frustrated. By this glimpse into heaven God assures us that for his own name’s sake, he will accomplish in the end all things that he has set himself to do.

February 15

“Praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance.” Ephesians 6:18

New believers should take prayer seriously as a job to be done, and should prepare for themselves a “prayer book,” a book of prayer accounts. Thus they will know how many things they have asked of God, how many times God has answered their prayers, and how many prayers are waiting to be heard.

Before any details are listed, several major matters should be recorded in the book to be prayed over daily: (1) All children of God should pray daily for the people of the world that they may be saved. (2) God’s children should pray for the full restoration of Israel, for they are his chosen people. (3) Believers should ask the Head of the Church to give light, grace, and spiritual gifts to his own. How the Church today needs these things! And [4] Christians ought to pray for their countries, that they may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness. Let us never overlook these oft-forgotten prayers.