God's Word For Every Day

What's it all about - this Christianity? is it a form of religion or a code of ethics? The words, 'religion' and 'ethics' are well wide of the mark when it comes to describing what it means to be a Christian. The word, 'life' is the word used by Jesus: "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" ( John 10:10 ). Jesus did not say, "I have come that they might have religion (or ethics)." Jesus came to give us life - the life of God. When we have received this life from Him, we come to understand that being a Christian is about a personal relationship with God. It's not just a matter of following a certain code of religious or moral behaviour. This personal relationship with God is entirely bound up with Jesus Christ. Apart from him, there is no life. There is only the emptiness of life without God, in this world and in the world to come. With Jesus Christ, there is life - a life given b...

John 3:16 ; John 10:10 What does it mean to have eternal life? There are two important dimensions in eternal life. There is life after death and there is life before death. There are a great many people who never give any thought to an after-life. The question, “Is there life after death?” rarely crosses their mind. they are content to live from day to day, taking each day as it comes. These people are, however, interested in another question: Is there life before death? When they hear of Jesus Christ, they ask, “Can He change my life here and now? Can He make a difference in my life right now? The Gospel answer to that question is an emphatic “Yes”. Jesus Christ does not only give us heaven. He give us new life here and now. The two sides of the life which Christ gives to us must be emphasized. There is life before death. Jesus calls this: “abundant life” ( John 10:10 ). There is life after death. Here, Jesus speaks of “everlasting life” ( John 3:16 , Authorized Version)...

“Jesus answered, ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’” ( John 13:10 ). * “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son cleanses us all from sin” ( 1 John 1:7 ). When we come in faith to Jesus Christ, our Saviour, we receive complete cleansing – “The vilest offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.” ”Every sin had to go ‘neath the cleansing flow.”  * “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, keeps on cleansing us from all sin” ( 1 John 1:7 ). Coming to Christ and receiving the forgiveness of our sins is just the beginning of our walk in God. Through faith in our Saviour, we become God’s children. Becoming God’s children through faith in Christ is the beginning of our new life in Christ. God is calling us to grow in Christ. He is calling us to become mature believers. How are we to grow in Christ? How are to become mature belie...

Jesus was speaking to men who practised a very high-brow kind of religion. As far as they were concerned, they did all the right things. They regarded themselves as the people of God. From this high vantage-point of religious observance, these men became proud and arrogant. They looked down on others. Rather than looking deeply into their own sinful hearts and confessing their own sin to God, these men were preoccupied with outward appearances and insisted on passing judgment on the lives of others. Although these men had plenty of religion, Jesus hit the nail on the head when He said to them: "But I know that you have not the love of God within you" ( John 5:42 ). Jesus' words, in  John 5:42 , begin with the word, "But." Jesus is saying to these proud, religious men, "I know all about your religion, all about your religious traditions, all about the power and the glory of your religion, all about your knowledge of the Scriptures, but there is something ...

We grow as disciples as we build our lives on the truth of God. Jesus emphasizes this point very strongly in John 15:7 - “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” If we are to grow in prayer , we must build our faith and our lives upon God’s Word - “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” ( John 15:10 ). If we are to grow in love , we must build a living faith on the teaching of God’s Word -”These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” ( John 15:11 ). If we are to grow in joy , we muse feed upon the Word of the Lord, letting His teaching form the rock-solid foundation for our lives. When we build on the truth of God, going on with the Lord day-by-day, we will be true disciples. In the presence of the Lord, each of us must answer honestly the searching question: What kind of disciple a...

Life without Christ is very different from life with Christ. He is “the Light of the world” (John 8:12). When Christ shines His light into our hearts, the whole of life is so much brighter than it could ever be without Him. We could compare the world to a jigsaw. We don’t see the complete picture until we have all the pieces in place. For many people, Christ is “the missing piece.” He’s not just one small missing piece that doesn’t really matter very much if it’s not there. He is the Centre of everything. Take Him away, and everything else looks very different. Put Him in His proper place, at the centre of our life, and we begin to see the complete picture. Everything is centred on Him. When we see the whole of life in relation to Christ, our whole life starts to make sense in a way that it doesn’t when Christ is taken out of the picture.

John 7:37-38  (1) We begin with the context of Jesus' great invitation -    (a) the Feast of Tabernacles;    (b) the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures. (a) The Feast of Tabernacles   (i) Its historical significance It reminded the people of Israel that they had been wanderers in the desert, dependent on the grace and mercy of God to provide for them in their need.   (ii) Its agricultural significance It was a Harvest Thanksgiving. A priest took a golden pitcher, which held about two pints. He filled it with water from the Pool of Siloam. He carried it through the Water Gate, to the altar of the Temple, where it was poured out as an offering to God. This was a vivid thanksgiving for God's good gift of rain. It was an enacted prayer for rain. It was a memorial of the water which sprang from the rock, while God's people were travelling through the wilderness. It was in this context that Jesus spoke His tremendous words co...

In his discussion, "Election and the Hiddenness of God" in Divine Election (Chapter Four, pp.102-131), G. C. Berkouwer emphasizes that God's hiddenness is not to be set over against His salvation. He rejects a concept of God's hiddenness which "separates the God of revelation from our lives and mitigates the absolute trustworthiness of that revelation" (p. 125). Even in confessing God's salvation, faith acknowledges that it does not know everything about God (pp. 120-121, especially  the reference to Isaiah 45:15 - " Truly You are a God who has been hiding Himself,  the God and Saviour of Israel."). Although our knowledge of God in Christ is confessed to be true and reliable, we must not presume upon complete knowledge (p. 124 - especially the reference to John 14:9 - "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."). The attempt to attain to complete knowledge is admonished for its spiritual pride, when Christ speaks of these things which...

When you're at a crossroads, it's so important that you make the right decision. Once you've made the right decision, it's so important that you keep on heading in the right direction. Some people tell us that there are many ways to God and many ways to heaven. This is not what Jesus tells us. What does Jesus say to us? - He says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No-one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus says, "I am the door; if any one enters by Me, he will be saved" (John 10:9). How does Jesus open the door to heaven for us? He says, "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for us" (John 10:11). It's through His death on the Cross that Jesus opens the door to heaven. What is heaven? We speak about going up to heaven when our life on earth is over. We can also speak of heaven coming down to us while we are still here on earth - "Heaven came down and glory filled...

“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). Blessing is in Jesus. Blessing comes to us through Him. There's no direct route to God's blessing without going by way of Jesus. He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life." We come to God the Father through Him (John 14:6). When we are deeply aware of our sin, we rejoice in this: There is one God and one Mediator between God and us, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for us all" (1 Timothy 2:5-6). 

“We wish to see Jesus … The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified … I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself …  although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him … they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” ( John 12:21 , 23 , 32 , 37-43 ). When we say, “We want to see Jesus”, we are led by the Holy Spirit to the Cross of Christ. In the Cross of Christ, we see love that appeals to all people, calling them to come to the Saviour and receive His salvation. Sadly, there are many who refuse to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. There are some who find themselves drawn to the Saviour. They “believe in Him” but  “they do not confess Him” because “they love the praise of men more than the praise of God.” What are we to say when the love that makes its appeal to all is rejected by many? – “Not everyone has faith, but the Lord is faithful” ( 2 Thessalonians 3:2...

* Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who died on the cross for us – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). * Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd who rose from the dead for us – “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21). * Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd who is coming again for us – “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade aw...

"Com e and see what God has done ... Come and listen, all who fear God,   and I will tell you what he has done for me ... Let everyone give thanks to You, O God. " (Psalm 66:5,16; Psalm 67:3). If we want to see what God has done for us, what's the best place to look? - The Cross of Christ. This is where we will see how much the Lord has done for us. This is where we will see how much the Lord loves us.  When we come to the Cross of Christ, we come to look and listen. From the Cross, Christ speaks to us some wonderful words.  Here are some of His words:  * "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34). Here, we see Jesus taking our sin upon Himself.  * "It is finished" (John 19:30). Here, Jesus declares that He has completed the work that needed to be done for us to be saved.  * "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). Through Jesus' death for us, we re...

"Beware lest any man spoil you through  philosophy  and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). On the one side, there is philosophy. On the other side, there is Christ. The two are very different. Philosophy begins with man - "after the tradition of men." When we speak of Christ, we begin with God - "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ..." (John 3:16). Sometimes, philosophy may try to find God. In philosophy of religion, we hear about the arguments for the existence of God. When these arguments are discussed, it soon becomes clear that it is questionable whether such arguments can be regarded as 'proofs' for God's existence. There are arguments. There are counter-arguments. We're left wondering, "What does all this really prove? - Neither side of the debate is likely to convince many on the other side. There may be some who will move from one...

Much modern preaching tends, in the words of the prophet Jeremiah, to say to men and women, "Peace, peace" where there is, in fact, "no peace." The Gospel, on the other hand, to use the words of the prophet Joel, places "multitudes in the valley of decision." The Gospel places you and me crossroads between faith and unbelief. It is a crossroads at which you must make a decision - either to trust Jesus Christ as Saviour, or to trust in your own selves, your religion, your good works. Which will it be - Christ or or man-centred religion? When Jesus Christ preached the Word of God, His preaching had one of two effects on His hearers - either they believed and were saved, or they were antagonised, and they objected to Him, threatening Him, taunting Him and persecuting Him. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, simply and honestly, it is never comfortable to listen to. The Gospel never leaves people the way they were. Either, it thrills them, or it ...

"For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, a nd those who escape from Mount Zion.  The  zeal of the  Lord  of hosts will do this" (Isaiah 37:32). A remnant - When Isaiah was called by God to the prophetic  ministry, he was given a warning. He was told that only a small minority of his hearers would respond positively to his message. If Isaiah was expecting the majority of his hearers to welcome his preaching, he would have been discouraged by the poor response that he received from so many people -  The land is utterly desolate ... a nd the forsaken places   are   many in the midst of the land" (Isaiah 6:11-12) .  Isaiah needed to receive encouragement from the Lord. This is the encouragement he was given - " But yet a tenth   will be   in it ...  As a terebinth tree or as an oak, w hose stump   remains   when it is cut down.  So   the holy seed   shall be   its stump" (Isaiah 6:13). If we read...

"What is truth?" (John 18:38). This question can be asked in a cynical way, suggesting that searching for truth is pointless, because there is no truth. The sceptics may say to us, "If it's true for you, that's okay by me - but it's not true for me."  It can also be asked as part of a sincere search for truth. Where will such a search lead us? The question was put to Jesus - and the question leads us to Jesus. He described himself as "the truth" (John 14:6).  Do we believe that Jesus speaks the truth? Do we believe that Jesus is the truth? Do we believe him when he says, in prayer to God the Father, "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17)? If we believe that Jesus speaks the truth, and that Jesus is the truth, will we not stand, with him, in the confession of faith - God's Word is truth? How much sense does it make to speak of Jesus being true for one person, and not true for someone else? Surely, that is to reduce faith to f...

"This is My blood of the   new  covenant,  which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Early on in my Christian life, I read James Denney's book, The Death of Christ.  Reading this book gave me a real sense of the importance of the death of Christ. This has stayed with me over the years. It helped me to understand why the Apostle Paul said, "we preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23),  " I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2) and "God forbid that I should ever boast (or glory) except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14). It helped me to understand what John the Baptist when he pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Many year have come and gone since I read James Denney's book. It is still my great desire to join, with John the Baptist, i...

We wonder, "Where have we come from? Where are we going to?" Jesus says, "I know where I came from, and where I'm going" (John 8:14). Show us, Lord Jesus, Your eternal love - the love that calls out to us from the beginning, the love that calls us on to the end, the love that calls out to us from Your eternal glory, the love that calls us on to Your eternal glory.

(i) The Holy Spirit comes from God. - The new birth ( John 3:3 , 7 ). - “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” ( Luke 3:16 ). (ii) The Holy Spirit changes us. – “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” ( Romans 8:1-4 ). – “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you shall be My witnesses” ( Acts 1:8 ).