October (part 1 of 2)
OCTOBER 1
"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock" (Psalm 40:2).
The Church or Ecclesia means drawn out. Suppose a magnet is brought near a huge pile containing various articles of gold, silver, iron, brass and precious gems like diamonds and rubies. Only a dirty and rusty nail is drawn out by the magnet, and the lovely, expensive articles are left behind. In the same way, Christ attracts the poor, lost and unclean sinners who have repented; but proud and wealthy people of the world are not drawn to Him. The word Ecclesia means "drawn out". It refers to those who have been drawn out of the world by Christ. Even though they may be illiterate and have no qualifications such as are esteemed highly in the world, yet in God's sight they have become most precious. Of such people our Lord says, "I have chosen you out of the world" (John 15:19).
Do you belong to this Church? Can you truthfully say the Lord Jesus has drawn you out from the world? Do not think because you have a Christian name or you have much Bible knowledge you belong to the Lord. There must be a change in your heart and your life. When you are drawn out by God's mighty hand, worldly pleasures lost their power of attraction for you. You have no need to struggle and strive, but because Christ has come into your heart, darkness has disappeared and you are delivered from the power of sin. Unless this has happened to you, you cannot say that you belong to the Church. Many Christians, so-called, long for worldly pleasures occasionally. They would like to go to the cinema and see "good pictures" only two or three times a year. They do not realize that poison could be deadly whether you have a drop of it or a bottle full. The small T.B. germs can kill your whole body. One spot in the eye can cause blindness. Make sure that the Lord has delivered you totally from every worldly pleasure and made you a member in His true Church.
OCTOBER 2
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (Eph. 4:11).
According to God's plan He gave fivefold gifts to the Church for the spiritual maturity of the believers (Eph. 4:11-16). He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. That is how believers can be brought to maturity. It is necessary that all these gifts should function for the growth of believers. When the apostles went as a team to preach the Gospel all these gifts were manifested as we see in Acts 14:21-33; 15:32; 20:28 to 36. First of all the gospel was preached by the apostle and his workers with authority and then they were able to stay with them for some time to build them up and confirm them in the faith. Thus the believers were shepherded and brought to maturity. Then they ordained elders everywhere. "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed" (Acts 14:23). So after much prayer and waiting upon the Lord they found out who were fit to be elders. Through 1 Peter 5 we see how elders have to function.
First of all those who are chosen to be elders should be very humble people. "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed" (1 Peter 5:1). The apostle Peter says he is an elder as one of them. He is not seeking any glory as an apostle. Thus he takes a very humble place. Unless a man is really humble, he will not be able to feed His flock. People who take pride in themselves and seek self-glory cannot function as elders.
Secondly, Peter says that he is a witness of the sufferings of Christ, (v. 1). If a man wants to be an elder he must go through some suffering, some hardship and some persecution for the sake of the Gospel. Those shepherds who have gone through sufferings will be able to bear the suffering that will come later on.
Thirdly, Peter calls himself a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed (v. 1). Peter had a clear heavenly vision of the second coming of the Lord. When we accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we enter into a sevenfold spiritual partnership. So the elders are those who have a clear heavenly vision of their heavenly calling and ministry.
OCTOBER 3
"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5).
We are the material - "lively stones" with which the Lord builds His Dwelling Place. The day we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, His life is poured into us. Our Lord Himself says, "Whosoever believeth on me hath everlasting life." We are called lively stones because we have everlasting life. We are called stones because God uses us as the building material of His Spiritual House. Unless one has everlasting life he has no right to be called a Christian, nor can he become a part of God's House. Not only does God want us to build Him His Dwelling Place, but He also wants us to be that Dwelling Place. Just as human beings long to have a home where they can live and love and be loved freely so also God longs for a spiritual home, where He can live and love and be loved by us. God is love. Love is God's main characteristic and it is everlasting, universal, sacrificial, unchanging and beyond our human understanding. It is not wonderful that He should want us to build Him and to be build by Him as His Everlasting Habitation?
When stones are used in building of a house, first they must be quarried from the rock-bed, then chiseled to fit in with each other and for the right purpose. The Lord also has to quarry us and chisel us so that we fit into the main pattern. If we learn to submit to His loving chiseling, we shall be able to live in harmony with other "lively stones." Many believers find it hard to live peacefully with other believers. They can live peacefully and be happy by themselves in their secluded corner. But they find it difficult to get with others and quarrel for the least thing. When we live in harmony with other believers we are in a better position to understand God's plan for His House and our labour becomes more fruitful.
OCTOBER 4
"...we will not forsake the house of our God..." (Neh. 10:39).
Before we were saved we were self-sufficient, happy to live all by ourselves and for ourselves. But now is changed and we have received a desire to be with God's people to enjoy fellowship with them. As members of God's family we get a longing to share each other's joy and sorrows. We desire to get together and worship the Lord Who has bound us together in His love. By such a fellowship we are strengthened more and more spiritually. With this experience David says in Psalm 122:1, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." We too, as we take one step ahead in this spiritual life, get an increasing longing in our hearts to spend as much time as possible in the House of God in prayer and worship along with our fellow-believers. Those who despise the fellowship of God's people and love worldly activities are bound to remain poor spiritually. They miss the strength and encouragement which is the portion of those who regularly meet together for Bible study, prayer, fellowship and service in the House of God.
That was the secret of the growth and strength of the early Church. We read in Acts 2:42 that the believers continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and in fellowship, in breaking of bread and in prayer. By honouring God's Word thus, they were able to safeguard themselves against the attacks of the enemy. In these end days we know that the enemy is more active. In 2 Tim. 3:1-13 there is a list of different kinds of sins that will be prevalent in the end days. If we want to overcome these we must stand together in close fellowship with God and His people. We cannot conquer any situation by ourselves. You may spend hours together with your Bible at home. That will not strengthen you as much as time of fellowship spent with the believers. In olden days monks and nuns retired to lonely places in jungles and spent their time in meditation and prayers hoping that thereby, in the end, they would be strong enough to overcome the enemy easily. But they became worse and weaker after being all by themselves. Many believers are defeated for the same reason and are weak spiritually. They allow worldly activities and worldly friendships to prevent them from coming to the House of God for fellowship. We need to learn well that the more we have regular fellowship with the believers in the House of God and the more we take part in any service in the House of God the stronger will be our spiritual life.
OCTOBER 5
"And I beheld, and, lo, ...a Lamb as it had been slain, ...and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne" (Rev.5: 6,7).
As the Lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ had prevailed and had power to take the book and open its seals. John was an apostle and the disciple whom Jesus loved. These words occur six times in the Bible. He was in heaven itself, but could not understand what he saw. There are mysteries which we can never understand. We think we know, but it is sad that what we have not understood. These mysteries are hidden from us. We see in God's Word that many have longed to understand those mysteries but could not. "For verify I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Matt. 13:17). "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor. 2:9). We do not know anything, yet we think we know everything. It is only when we do not know anything, that we think we know everything.
God's Word is full of divine truths. Even though a man may spend many years in reading it he cannot exhaust it. In the eyes of people John was a great apostle, but in heaven he did not understand much. There are some people who think they know everything. Because they know something of the Bible, they are proud that they know everything. In my early days I bought an Oxford dictionary. I was the only boy in the village who was learning English. One day I carried that book under my arm. I only knew simple words like cat and dog. One man saw me and asked, "Can you read this big book?" I said, "Yes I can". Then the man said, "Please read one page". So I opened the book and rattled something and the man said, "How clever you are!" That is how we think we know everything. But when we get older we know how much we have to learn. That is why John was crying in heaven. It is quite true, when we grow older we realise how little we know our Lord Jesus. If you know the Lamb, and how to feed upon Him, be washed in His blood and keep your eyes upon Him, you will have true wisdom, true understanding and true knowledge of all these heavenly mysteries.
As far as God is concerned He has purposed from eternity to reveal all these mysteries to us. That is why He calls us friends. "...I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made know unto you" (John 15:15).
OCTOBER 6
"...God is able to make all grace abound toward you" (2 Cor. 9:8).
Those who are married in God's will must appropriate the power of resurrection for all their trials and difficulties which they may have to go through in their married life. Lazarus was in the grave for four days, and was stinking, but at the Lord's command he came out of the grave. He is the symbol of the power of resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For every trial, temptation, hardship and difficulty that power is sufficient. Whosoever you may be, rich or poor, high or low, educated or uneducated, as human beings you have to face some problem, weakness, limitation, temptation or hardship common to all people. The secret of conquering them is to claim the power of resurrection. The couple should say by faith, "Lord Jesus Christ, we are facing this difficulty. We have no capacity to face it. Please give us Your power of resurrection to conquer it". By that power they can overcome all situations. They should not depend upon their own strength, but depend upon the power of resurrection. The apostle Paul says in Phil. 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". He refers to the power of His resurrection. In Phil. 3:10 he says, "I may know him, and the power of his resurrection". It is by that power that they will be able to conquer all their afflictions.
OCTOBER 7
"...planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:5).
Our Lord draws the attention of the apostle John to some important matters in Revelation Chapter 1, and in verse 4 He draws his eyes to the throne, "seven Spirits which are before his throne." In verse 13, He makes him see the glory of the seven golden candlesticks, which indicate the kind of the Church our Lord is building. So many people think of the Church in terms of members, buildings and activities. Even though it is such a simple but important subject, people do not know the meaning of the Church. They spend so much money and energy on the building and the furniture, and on the activities of the building. Yet they do not know what the Church really is. These seven golden candlesticks tell us what the Church really is. We see our Lord as the great heavenly and everlasting High Priest walking between those candlesticks. We see our Lord in a new glory; His hair like the white wool, His countenance like the beautiful sun. His eyes are like the flame of fire. From His mouth goes out a sharp two-edged sword; His feet are like burning brass, and in His hand the seven stars; His voice is like the sound of many waters; His garment is very long and beautiful, and girded with a golden girdle.
These few details tell us something about the beauty and grandeur of the Saviour Who died for us. There is a message for you and for me in all the features of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can spend many hours in meditating on the meaning of these mysteries. Our Lord knew that John the apostle would find it hard to understand the meaning of the mysteries; and that is why He said in verses 17 and 18, "...Fear not; I am the first and the last... I am he that liveth." There lies the great secret: "I am he that liveth." Unless we have felt the experience of the Living Lord Jesus we cannot understand what He is saying in this book of Revelation. That is why many people find it hard to understand. They want only to know the meaning of these things. That want only knowledge and facts and things like that. They do not enjoy these truths. Unless we have a real experience of the living Lord Jesus, whatever is being said in this Book of Revelation will not help us. In the same way, if you want to enjoy the truth of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, it becomes more enjoyable and more real by coming into a personal experience of Him. Can you say like Paul in Gal 2:20, "Christ liveth in me"? No doubt you know this in theory, but not by experience, and before you can go further into these things, you must have a deeper, fuller and richer experience of the living Lord Jesus. Without this, you will never be satisfied; but when the Lord becomes real to you, whatever may be your discomfort, inconvenience and handicap, or whatever be your situation, your joy will be abundant and your life will be triumphant and victorious. To make this possible our Lord rose again to live in us.
OCTOBER 8
"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:5).
The Lord Jesus died not only to take away our judgment and forgive our sins, but also to make us die to our old sinful nature. The Psalmist says that we are born in sin. "...in sin did my mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5). Right from the first son of Adam, Cain, all men have inherited a sinful nature from their parents. We cannot help sinning because of this sinful nature. Supposing you question a snake, "Mr. Snake, why are you so poisonous? Why do you go on biting everybody? What will the snake answer? He will say, "I am made that way. There is poison in my fangs, and when I bite, I poison people". A snake may look nice and harmless, as a child and yet it will bite anyone who touches it. It is made that way. What would you say if you were asked, "Why do you sin?" You would answer, "I cannot help it; I am made like that". All of us are born with a sinful nature. It is that nature that make us sin: we cannot help it. We are born that way. As long as that nature is in you, you will go on sinning again and again. You will never conquer sin unless you die to that old sinful nature.
There are certain skin diseases for which you may apply many bottles of ointment externally, and you will get only temporary relief. To be cured of such diseases, the root of the disease has to be discovered, and suitable medicines taken. In the same way, if you want to be cured of your disease of sin, first of all, you must realize that your inward old nature is responsible for all your sinful deeds, and that you cannot remove this old nature by mere education, or even by acquiring Bible knowledge, or by performing good works.
Once there was a professor in London who tried to change the nature of his pig. He put the pig in a beautiful room with electric fan and all modern conveniences. Every day a servant washed this pig with hot water and scented soap. After continuing this treatment for some years, he took the pig on a chain and went out for a walk. As they went, the pig saw a dirty drain, and immediately the pig tugged hard at the chain, and pulled away from his master. Then it went and wallowed in the dirty drain. The owner sighed disgustedly, and said, "For ten long years I laboured patiently to change you, my pig. All my efforts are in vain. A pig you are my nature, and a pig you will remain". In the same way education will not change your sinful nature. What you need is an inward change. Otherwise the old nature will make you more and more corrupt. In fact, education makes a man more cunning in covering his sins. So it is necessary that you should die to your old nature. To do this, you must take into you by faith the power of death of the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith you must say, "Lord Jesus, I see all the bad things that are in me: my bad temper, jealousy, and other lustful weaknesses. I cannot conquer them. So I want to die to myself today. Will you kindly put the power of Your death into me? Only then you will be able to die to your old nature. The apostle Paul had this experience, and he could say, "I am crucified with Christ". Christ's death worked daily in the apostle's life, and then he received Christ's resurrection life. Dying to self should be our daily experience. Thus Paul was able to say, "I die daily" (1 Cor. 15:31).
OCTOBER 9
"...the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish" (Proverbs 14:11)
Onesimus was a slave in the house of Philemon. At one time he was greatly tempted and he robbed his master and ran away to Rome. There he spent all his money and became penniless. In this condition he must have gone to Paul the apostle for help. Once he was a thief and a rogue yet Paul received him, and gave him the Gospel, and he was wonderfully saved. He also became very dear unto Paul as his assistant as well as a servant of God. Paul sent him back to Philemon for two reasons. It was to ask forgiveness from his master and secondly to take a letter from Paul and to explain it. At that time Paul was writing the epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians. Most part of these two epistles teaches great and hidden truths of the Church.
Onesimus must have looked after the aged Paul by washing his clothes and doing other household jobs. At the same time he went on listening to and learning from his talk with others. Thus he learnt the fuller meaning of "the Church". Now he went back to the house of his master as a Bible teacher. Paul is quite sure of the forgiving spirit of Philemon and writes, with confidence "...receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant...If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself....refresh my bowels in the Lord. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say" (vs. 15,17,20-21). That is why Philemon's home became a home of equality, of oneness, of service and a home of fellowship, and of forgiveness. It was a home where God's Word was honoured and was given the first place and where many were comforted and refreshed. It was not only a home of refreshing but a home where there was obedience, where the Lord Jesus Christ was given the first place, and where His voice was daily heard and His will was fully accomplished. Paul could say joyfully, "I know you will do more than I say". It was a home of sacrifice, home where many became friends. Philemon did not fall short of Paul's expectation. As a family they showed God's love and manifested His power. As a result many were converted and transformed in Philemon's house and worshipped the Lord. So it was a real Christian home and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ was established in their home. We pray much that our loving God may give such a home to all His people where love may be showed, and the work of salvation may be wrought by love, testimony and sacrifice.
OCTOBER 10
"Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well" (Genesis 49:22).
God made Joseph fruitful through affliction. Jacob refers to this fruitfulness of Joseph while blessing him; "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall" (Gen. 49:22). How did Joseph become fruitful? When he was a young lad his own brothers hated him because he refused their company and would not be a partner with them in their bad habits. Their father Jacob loved Joseph, so they were jealous of him. They wanted to kill him, but ultimately they sold him as a slave. Thus he was brought to Egypt and he became a slave in the house of Potiphar. Here, he was falsely accused and put into prison and forgotten entirely for two years. These afflictions lasted for about fifteen years together but when he was thirty, the Lord lifted him up and brought him into favour with Pharaoh. These fifteen years of affliction were not wasted. God used them to prepare Joseph for a very high position. Joseph was able to supply food not only to Egypt, but to other nations as well, throughout the seven years of famine.
In Psalm 105:16-22, we read how Joseph suffered as a slave and then as a prisoner. Finally he was set free by the king and made "lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom". Generally officers become corrupt and dishonest. No doubt Pharaoh was not able to trust his officers because of their corruption and dishonesty. So he gave full authority to Joseph to punish the corrupt princes and senators. These men must have been rich and powerful. How was Joseph to bring them under discipline? It was a very difficult task, but Joseph had been disciplined by his afflictions, and he was able to teach wisdom to these proud and stubborn men. To qualify Joseph for such a difficult task God had to take him through fifteen years of suffering.
OCTOBER 11
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne..." (Rev. 3:21).
All those who are redeemed by the precious Blood are given the privilege of being part of the LORD's BODY, but only those who are found faithful and are true overcomers will have the privilege of sharing His throne (Rev. 3:21) - the high position of governing the new creation. Paul declares in Eph. 3:10, that by the true Church the Lord Jesus Christ is going to reveal His manifold wisdom to powers and principalities in heavenly places. Similarly God's fulness is going to be contained in the true Church. Nobody can understand what God's fulness is, but first of all we see that the Lord Jesus Christ is God's fulness. "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9) and that fulness is to be contained finally in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Eph. 1:22,23, we read that God's fulness is in the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ and that Body is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by understanding the real meaning of the Church that we understand what the Church is. Some people call a building the church. Wherever you go you find these names given, St. John's church, St. Luke's church, and so on, all man-given names. But in the Bible nowhere do you find these names given to a building. People have become blind by their own interpretation. They say, "I am going to church", which means they are going to a building. But we do not see anywhere in Scripture, any single reference where a building is ever called a church. That is why these believers do not seem to enjoy their right and privilege as members of the heavenly Church, but live in spiritual barrenness and infancy. When we could be kings, we live as beggars. When we are in trouble we start crying over a very small matter. We worry over our small temptations, and we fall; and the enemy can deceive us by wrong teaching. That is why Paul, the apostle, in Ephesians, is trying to show the believers their true heavenly vocation. We can be saved from many temptations, if we exercise our right as God's children, as God's co-worker and God's witnesses.
If you are going to be a king, then behave as a king. But many of us behave as beggars. There is no need to behave as such. We as God's children must behave as sons of God. Then you will find that you will have more liberty and authority in your prayers because of the One Who has given us the boldness and privilege to approach His throne of grace.
OCTOBER 12
"...before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).
"Simeon" means "God hath heard" (Gen. 29:33). God has promised, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isa. 65:24). There is no need to wait for signs and evidences. Believe His promise and start thanking the Lord for hearing and answering our prayers. The Lord Himself said, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24). The faith that the Lord hears and answers us is the secret of effectual prayer. Do not doubt God. He will do things which we think are impossible. The life of faith is life of joy. You can trust God for everything.
In our own experience we have found this to be true many, many times. Let me given one instance. We were lead to arrange Holy Convocation gatherings at Guntur, for the first time in 1954. God had spoken to us clearly and we fixed the dates. However, we had not yet been able to secure suitable buildings and premises for such gatherings. We expected about 5000 people to attend and we knew it would not be easy to find a place large enough to accommodate that number for nine days. Yet we believed that the Lord would provide, and we had not the least doubt about it. One morning a brother in the Lord came to me and suggested that we go into the city and look for a place. We drove three miles and reached a compound which we understood belonged to one Mr. Chowdhry, a Hindu gentleman. We went in to see him and explained to him our desire to conduct Holy Convocation gatherings in Guntur.
Immediately he put his hand into his pocket and offered us Rs. 25/- for the expenses. We told him that we had not come to collect any contributions, but we needed accommodation. He was very pleased to give us the whole compound of several acres and also offered us several of spacious rooms in his bunglow, a three-storeyed building. The secret of blessing we received is that we believed the Lord even before He supplied our need. Financially, when we started the preparations we had with us Rupees ten only, yet we fully believed the Lord would supply all that was necessary to feed the 5000 people whom we expected. The Lord honoured our faith and fully supplied.
OCTOBER 13
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord..." (2 Cor. 6:17).
When Jacob obeyed God and put away all the strange gods in his household, the first result was that the terror of God fell upon all the people round about. His neighbours began to tremble when they saw him. The people of Shechem had tried to draw Jacob and his family to their side. They had offered to enter into marriage alliances with them (Gen. 34:9,10). When Jacob's sons took a strong stand against such a relationship Jacob was offended, and he was afraid that because he and his people were few in number they would be destroyed.
The enemy has gained entrance into many believing homes through fear, and as a result the influence of worldly associations and friendships has brought ruin upon them. Jacob was tempted to settle down at Shechem. Having fled from Laban, he now wanted to live in peace at Shechem. But God told him that that was not the place of his rest. Even though Shechem appeared to be a wealthy and comfortable place, God told him to leave it and go to Bethel. Jacob obeyed and put away all the strange gods in his household. That was why God made His terror to fall upon all the people round about Jacob. No one dared to do him any harm. When we faithfully obey the Lord, He will watch over us and bless us.
There are several reasons for which people keep away from the House of God. Some keep away for the sake of their business. Their argument is that because they have more children they need to earn more money to feed, clothe and educate them. Beside keeping away from the House of God, they also cut down their time of prayer and devotion. At one time they might have taken part very happily in the service of the House of God. But now something has happened, and some strange god has come into their heart. In this way, they have brought upon themselves not gain but loss. Naomi thought that by going away from Bethlehem she would get more food and be happy. Instead of that she lost her husband and two sons. It was only when she came back to Bethlehem, the house of bread, that she was blessed again. Away from Bethlehem she fell into sorrow and worry; but when she came back to Bethlehem she became the happy grand-mother of Obed and the blessed great grandmother of David, the king of Israel. So do not let your worldly wisdom keep you away from the House of God. However busy your life may be, God has the first claim over you.
OCTOBER 14
"The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty" (Psalm 29:4).
There are golden bells between the pomegranates, on the hem of the blue robe worn by the high priest. They were not copper bells or steel bells but golden bells producing heavenly music. As the high priest moved here and there, these golden bells produced a peculiar sound. The sound of these golden bells represented the sweet sound of the voice of God. Just as the sound of the golden bells in unique and entirely different from the sound produced by copper, steel or other bells, the voice of God is entirely different from man's voice. When we hear the voice of God we know by experience that it is not the voice of man but it is the voice of God. It is the still small voice. It is the heavenly voice. It is a sweet voice and it is a loving voice with authority. Joy comes to our hearts as we hear His voice.
The golden bells proclaimed that only by hearing the voice of God we can take share in building the Church of God. Nowadays people think that by spending much money and great activity they can build the Church. They forget that unless they hear God's voice constantly, and understand God's plan for the Church, they are not qualified to take a share in the work of building God's House. So through these golden bells God reminds us, that if we want to be His co-workers in building His everlasting sanctuary, we must first learn to hear His voice. That is why we have to stay upon our knees for long time and say, "Lord, speak to me, give me Thy message, let me hear Thy voice; show me Thy way; keep me in the right path, carry me through, strengthen me and give me Thy grace." Those who are not born again can never hear the voice of God nor can they be co-workers with God.
OCTOBER 15
"...if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:5).
In Heb 6:2 we read about the doctrine of baptisms. Why it is written "baptisms"? When we are born again we are baptized into one Body, by the Holy Spirit. That is the first baptism. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jew or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13). The second one is the water baptism.
In the Bible the word baptism is never used for fullness. Baptism means washing or dipping or bathing. When we take bath we wash our whole body. If we wash our hands or feet only it is not a bath. In the same way, in baptism we are immersed into water by which we testify that the Lord Jesus Christ has completely washed all our sins away.
Secondly, through baptism we declare our union with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death... For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:3-5). As we have already seen, when we are saved we are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ, which means we are joined in Him. We become members of His Body and His life begins to flow in us. In water baptism we declare this spiritual union with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Creator, He gave us His life. In other words our life was in Him. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). That is why when He died, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried. When He rose again, we too were raised with Him.
Our union with the Lord Jesus Christ can be explained like this. If a woman who is about to deliver a child dies, the child in her womb also dies. When she is buried the child is also buried. If by some miracle that woman is brought back to life, the child in her womb also is made alive. Our life is in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why we are united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection. To declare such oneness with our Lord we are baptized.
OCTOBER 16
".. the love of Christ... passeth knowledge" (Eph. 3:19).
When a husband goes to some distant place on some business, he usually thinks of his wife and tries to bring something nice to her. He goes from one shop to another to get something beautiful, which will make her to say, "I have never had anything like this before!" Our Lord Jesus loves us much more than we ask, and quite often gives us things we have never asked Him at all. This has been my own experience. We are objects of His unique love and favour. In this sense we are His Bride.
We read in Rev. 21:4, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes". Almost every wife knows how to weep, and it is the husband's privilege to wipe away her tears. The love and comfort which the Lord gives to us excels that which any husband can give. He has received us as His bride. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and heal every wound in our hearts. He says, "My Beloved, I have bottled up every tear which you have shed. I know your hardships and your sufferings. Now, let me comfort you". Those loving words of His will make us to forget all our past. In this sense also He is our Bridegroom and we are His Bride.
There is a custom in Punjab that the bride should not wear any of her old clothes. After her marriage she must wear only those given by her husband. The Lord also wants to cover all our ugliness. He wants to give us His own virtues and His own glory. He wants all things in us to be new. Such love is so wonderful. He wants us to be perfectly one with Him, never to part again. He wants us to be His Bride. Do not despise such a wonder love. Receive it and see how great will be your joy afterwards. Then you will be worthy to be called His Bride.
OCTOBER 17
"And the manna ceased...they did eat of the fruit of the land" (Joshua 5:12).
As long as the children of Israel were in the wilderness, God supplied them with Manna daily. After coming to Canaan it ceased. They had to work hard for their food from now on. In order to come to spiritual maturity we must become active partners with God. In the beginning of our spiritual life for a short time God will look after us and watch over us in a special way. But as we progress in spiritual maturity God expects us to exercise faith to a larger extent and call upon Him for help, for producing more difficult spiritual fruit. He wants us to find out His will and bear our responsibilities and face trials and difficulties, which are common to all, with confidence and with God's help. This way God wants us to learn to claim His victory by faith.
The apostle Paul, sometimes expounded many mysteries in the Word of God to help his followers in spiritual matters. Then, while he was away, he wrote to them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). So for a short time God will give us shepherds to feed us, teach us and lead us. Afterwards we have to learn to work by ourselves. We must learn to read the Bible and to meditate upon it and be able to hear God's voice through it. Some believers remain as babes for too long a time. They want other God's servants to feed them with milk. They do not grow in understanding nor have capacity to digest the strong spiritual meat in God's Word (Heb. 5:12-14). May the Lord help us to learn more and more how to hear His voice and find His perfect will and no more continue to be babes spiritually.
OCTOBER 18
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).
The Lord offers us His fulness in abundance, not in a small measure. He is a God of abundance, and He wants to give us all things in abundance. Whatever we may receive from Him, whether it is life, peace, truth, joy or power, He offers in abundance. The fulness of the Holy Spirit, all things of the earth and also of the new creation, are given to us by faith. It is said, "All things are yours", all the things of the new creation but not of the old creation (Rev. 21:7). But we must learn to overcome our doubts, fears and unbelief, and then go on claiming all things of the new creation. For all that we require there is abundance of divine wisdom. That is why the apostle Paul prays in Eph. 1:17, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." The Ephesians were highly taught in the doctrines of salvation, because men like Paul, Apollos, Timothy and John, apostles and mighty men of God, were sent to teach them. Yet Paul prayed for them, that God should give them still more knowledge and wisdom, that they might enjoy all that God had purposed and planned for them. All of us require that wisdom, divine and heavenly wisdom, which is from above. With that wisdom we can understand the things of God. We receive it by faith. The Lord wants us to have this, so that we may be filled with His fulness. It does not matter what our past failures, shortcomings and weaknesses have been. Once we are purchased by the precious blood and become His purchased possession, we can claim every privilege that He gives to believers. Eph. 1:3 is a promise for every believer not only for a few, chosen believers who are serving God, like the apostle Paul. Our loving God wants every believer, to receive all these spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus. We have to exercise our right and claim our portion. We do not deserve it. The God of love offers these gifts to show His love for us.
OCTOBER 19
"Buried with him... risen with him..." (Col. 2:12).
It is very necessary for us to learn the secret of appropriating the power of resurrection day by day for all our needs. The Lord Jesus Christ becomes our personal Saviour when we believe that He died in our stead to bear judgement of all our sins, shed His precious blood to cleanse us from our sins and rose again for our justification. Through such a faith we recognise we are planted together in the likeness of His death and burial and in the likeness of His resurrection. These days the best fruits like mangoes, apples, oranges and peaches are being produced by grafting. A tree yielding small and sour fruit can be made to yield nice, large, sweet and juicy fruits. One seedling of a bad tree is grated into a tree yielding good fruits. By grafting, the seedling receives the nature of a good tree yielding nice and juicy fruits. The apostle Paul uses the same phrase for our union with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. By the power of His death we die daily to our old nature and by the power of His resurrection we become new creatures. In the Lord Jesus Christ all things become new as we read in 2 Cor. 5:17. The Lord expects us to enjoy his power day by day by appropriating it with simple faith according to our need.