May (part 1 of 2)
MAY 1
"... lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:20).
In Esther 2:7 we find that Esther's first name was Hadassah. The name Hadassah means an ordinary myrtle tree. Esther means, "bright shining star". When she came to Babylon, in the beginning hardly anyone knew her. She came as a captive, or a slave, as an orphan girl, without any prominence. But because of her virtues, she became a bright shining star and her name was changed from Hadassah to Esther, as one who had received new life.
Here lies the divine secret of a happy home. The light of God must shine in the hearts of those who are going to be joined together. Many people are governed by faces. The outward appearance is no proof of inward beauty. The light of God shining within gives true beauty. That is why, as far as possible, those who are going to be joined together, should make sure the light of God has come to shine in them. Then we are sure that they will enjoy God's favour. Then they can also enjoy God's presence with them.
What an honour we have in having the loving and living God with us! How much we lose by not knowing the secret of God's presence. God's Word says in Psa. 16:11, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore". It is only in the presence of God that one can have full and true joy. Without that consciousness of God's presence you cannot have true joy. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to live in those who are born again. That is why He rose again. It was prophesied that He would die and rise again. The living God, the Holy God, the loving God, the mighty God comes to live in us and among us. That experience will give you victory over every trial.
Those who want to be indwelt by God, must have their sins forgiven and their hearts cleansed. That is why the Lord shed His blood and died. The living and the Holy God is willing to live in us. How can we know? We can feel the presence of God always. In sickness or health, in poverty or prosperity, in the midst of enemies or friends, far away from home, or right inside the home, in young age or old age, in war or famine, earthquake or scarcity, you will enjoy His presence. It is such an experience that gives happiness to the children of God. The great God, the mighty God, comes to live in us. To have a happy home, be content. Do not murmur or complain, but prove God in every situation. Enjoy His presence at all times. God's Word says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee".
MAY 2
"...as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation" (2 Corinthians 1:7).
As soon as we begin to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and confess Him as our Lord and Saviour boldly before all men, we are bound to be despised and hated by those who do not want to follow the Word of God in all their ways. We are reminded in 2 Tim. 3:12, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." The Lord Jesus Christ warned us in Matt. 10:24,25, "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" In John 15:18-21 we are being taught by the Lord that before the world hated us, it hated Him and if we were of the world, the world would love us but because we have been chosen from the world, the world hates us.
We read in Psalm 123:3-4 how for the Lord's sake we will be hated and despised even by our friends and people whom we respect greatly. By keeping our eyes upon the Lord as written in Psalm 123:2, "...as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress," we can come out fully victorious in all these situations. For His Name's sake we must regard our sufferings and shame as privilege, as we see in Acts 5:41, "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." Our joy becomes greater when we learn to suffer shame for His Name's sake.
In Psalm 124:1-3 we read how the Psalmist was attacked by all kinds of enemies. The same thing happens to us also. For a short time we are protected from all the enemy attacks but after a while the Lord does permit all kinds of painful trials and we feel as if everything is going wrong. For a period God takes us through a very dark valley. When we find ourselves going through such dark valleys we feel very lonely and forsaken. As we trust in the Lord, He brings us out victoriously from all such trials.
MAY 3
"When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Prov. 16:7).
Jacob was full of fear, and he sent the messengers with many presents for his brother Esau, to appease him of his anger, in case he still had any (Gen. 32:3,18). He instructed his servants to address Esau as "my lord". There is a saying in Hindi that when people are in trouble they will address even a donkey as "father"! Even to an ordinary constable some people say "yes sir", "no sir". This they do, not from their hearts, but only to escape from their trouble. In other ways also we can see that Jacob was not depending upon God's promises and God's angels for safety. He was still scheming. He divided his flock into two bands (vs. 7, 8), and his plan was, in case Esau still showed anger against Jacob and attacked the first band, he could take warning and escape with the other. In spite of all his scheming, Jacob could not get peace of mind. At last he began to pray and this was his prayer, "Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children" (v. 11). It is the same with many of us when we get into trouble we cry very fervently to God, with tears and with agony. Otherwise we have no time even to think of Him.
Then Jacob sent away the whole company and remained alone by the brook Jabbok. As he prayed, there God met him again for the third time and said to him, "Do not behave like a slave. Do not be afraid. You are my prince."
MAY 4
"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day" (Psalm 25:5).
When we read the Word of God, we can pray as it is written in Psalm 119:18, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." That is how we receive divine light. Let us say, "O Lord, open my eyes and pour into me the divine life. Let me see from Thy Word the hidden mysteries, and show me Thy path for today and tomorrow." It is only by reading the Word of God that divine light comes into our heart and we can hear the voice of God clearly.
Elijah the man of God was God's prophet. When he prayed, fire came down (1 Kings 18:38). When he prayed for three and a half years the rain was withheld. Again he prayed and the rain came down. The very same prophet was found under the juniper tree and he was saying, "It is enough; now. O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers" (1 Kings 19:4). He was discouraged. What was the reason? He did not know the mind of God. God took him to a high mountain; there he heard a still small voice. Then he understood what God would do and how He would judge Jezebel and others. In this way he was delivered from fears and doubts and began to see God's will clearly. It is by hearing the voice of God, we become God's co-workers and God's partners in building God's House. We have to make it a daily practice to call upon God and hear His voice. First of all, we have to make sure that we are born again. Secondly, we have to be certain of His presence, remembering that any kind of sin will rob us of this privilege. As Elijah became discouraged we may also become like him. We must keep our hearts clean and we must be free from greed, enmity and defilement. By daily practice we can hear God's voice and for every problem of any kind we can go to Him.
We must wait patiently in the presence of the Lord to hear His voice. King David knew how to hear the voice of God. But later on, he became very impatient. Without consulting and hearing God's voice, he went and joined the Philistine against Saul (1 Sam. 29). When he and his followers came to Ziklag, they found that their houses were burnt and their women were taken captive. David repented and sought the Lord, who spoke to him and promised recovery. David obeyed and recovered all because he enquired from the Lord with the help of Urim and Thummim.
God will not force us to do His will. We have to go to Him concerning marriage, or business or job or any other activity to know His will. But sad to say, very few believers exercise their privilege of consulting God because they will not wait patiently. The result is unhappiness and failure. They become spiritually deaf and blind. It is by coming back to God we recover everything. Therefore let us pray, "Lord, be thou my Urim and Thummim. Help me to hear Thy voice.
MAY 5
"... pray one for another" (James 5:16).
The word high priest is repeated again and again in the epistle to the Hebrews. The Lord Jesus Christ is not only our Saviour but also our intercessor and our High Priest. Those who have to go to court engage an advocate because they do not know how to present their case. These advocates know all the laws and claim justice for them. The Lord Jesus Christ as our High Priest is willing to plead for us in heaven. Because He knows our weaknesses, limitations and failures. He pleads for us. He does not cover our sins that we may be forgiven and restored, but as an advocate He pleads, saying, "Father, forgive So and So. In the weakness of his flesh he has fallen into sin. Someone had deceived him and he has fallen. Father, forgive him. He is sorry for his sin. I have bought him with My precious blood. I will deliver him and help him in future". Some parents plead in the court saying, "From now onwards we will look after our son carefully. He is too young and fell into bad company. We too have been careless so far". The Lord Jesus Christ pleads for us and afterwards helps us to become overcomers. He gives us extra strength for our temptations. We as His co-workers have to learn, to intercede for those who fall into sin. Rather than condemning them we ought to plead for them and travail for them. These days we find only few who know how to intercede. Many are clever in spreading stories. They think, they must go about telling stories. So they go to people saying, "Don't you know, what happened in such and such a place? They are talking about it all over". They go on adding some salt and pepper to make it very interesting. They go from door to door; that is their business. As believers, we have to intercede for others. The devil is far too strong for all of us. No one can say, "I will never fall" because the devil is very clever. For a small thing he can deceive us. Sometimes people put their feet unawares on a piece of soap in their bathroom and they fall down and fracture their legs. It is due to a small negligence. That is how the devil makes us to fall into some small temptation and commit sin.
We are told in Gal. 6:1-2, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ". As co-workers with the Lord Jesus Christ we must intercede for others. The Lord Jesus Christ is our heavenly King, but in Rev. 1:13 we see Him as our Advocate and High Priest. In John 13:4,5 we read that the Lord girded Himself with a towel, to wash His disciples' feet. Thus He reminded them that though they were disciples, they needed their feet to be washed. Our Lord warns us that in this wicked world, we are bound to be defiled by hearing and seeing. Just as we wash our hands many times a day, the Lord Jesus Christ is willing to wash us constantly from all our defilement. As our everlasting High Priest He is girded with a golden girdle and is willing to intercede and pray for us. We as His co-workers should do the same ministry.
MAY 6
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12).
The angel said to Joseph, "... fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 1:20). In other words, "Don't be afraid to bear the reproach for a while. You are given the privilege of being reproached. Don't take any notice of what will come upon you and your wife. God will defend you and bear your reproach". It is very hard to imagine what kind of reproach Mary and Joseph had to bear when the Child was conceived, because at that time no one knew the truth except Mary and Joseph. Afterwards God revealed it to Elizabeth and she also knew. And so they had to bear the reproach. If you want to enjoy your salvation, do not be afraid of the reproaches that will come upon you. If you want to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ you have to bear reproach. You may live a life of ungodliness and sin, and you find that your relations, neighbours and, friends will not bother about you. But when you follow God's Word even your most intimate friends and relations will start reproaching you. The more you obey God, the more you will have to bear reproaches. No one can escape that. That is the divine law. We must be reproached.
The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matt. 10:24-25, "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" The Master of the house went about doing good (Acts 10:38) yet they called Him Beelzebub. In fact, they called Him by many other names too. So the Lord Jesus Christ said, "If they have called Me by that name how are you going to escape?" People who were healed by the Lord called Him by many bad names. But He bore it all. We too must be prepared for reproaches through friends, relations and neighbours.
If you want other people to be blessed by you do not murmur or complain when you are reproached. It does not matter how watchful and careful you are, you will be reproached. You may say, "I have not done anything wrong, why am I being reproached? When I do not harm anyone why do people speak against me?" Did the Lord Jesus Christ do any harm to anyone? As a matter of fact, He only did good to others. Yet He was reproached. Yet He was reviled. People will speak many unkind things about us (See 1 Peter 4:12-14; John 15:21). But it happened to all the prophets and it happened to the Lord also. We ought to rejoice that we are partakers of the Lord's sufferings. If God wanted, He could have hid Mary and Joseph, but He left them where they were, and allowed them to bear the reproaches. We too have to bear the reproaches. You cannot escape.
If you want to be partakers of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, you have to rejoice in your reproaches. You may say, "If others reproach me I do not mind, but if believers do so how to bear it?" Whether they are strangers or believers, they are lead by the devil. And we are going to be reproached more and more, as we obey the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matt 5:12). We have to be glad because the Spirit of glory will rest upon us. (1 Peter 4:14). All God's servants and prophets suffered much. Do not be afraid of bearing reproaches. A time will come when people will understand.
MAY 7
"... Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments" (Genesis 35:2).
"Bethel" means "the House of God". But to Jacob it was merely a place, and nothing more. No doubt, Jacob had great respect for this place, because God had appeared to him there, when he was fleeing from home and from his brother Esau. At Bethel he had seen heaven opened and God spoke to him yet at that time Jacob never understood the real meaning of God's House, and to him Bethel was merely a place of sentimental value.
Many people today regard the House of God in the same way, and they are more attached to the place itself than they are to God. They do not know what God's House is. They might have built nice buildings in the Name of Christ; they may be taking part regularly in Christian worship services; yet it is possible that they may not be in the full enjoyment of the blessings of God's House. Like Jacob they need to come back to Bethel, so that God may speak to them and reveal to them His plans and purposes!
Before Jacob started for Bethel he began to search his own heart and set right all his household (Gen 35:2). He became strong in his determination and commanded his household to put away defiling things and get ready to go with him to Bethel. He also commanded his household to change their garments. In the Bible garments stand for habits. Very often one's character is revealed by the kind of garments one wears, and their colour and the number of times one changes them. It is very sad to see how even good believers are attracted and deceived by the glamour of worldly clothes and worldly ways of living. Gradually they form habits and associations which bring darkness in their minds and lives. Just as Jacob cleansed his household we also need to put away all worldly practices and friendships and become holy even in our conversation. We are told, that Jacob buried the strange gods and other defiling articles under the oak tree in Shechem. In the same way all our old habits and ways should be buried by our union with Christ in His death and burial. Only after Jacob had buried the offending and defiling articles under the oak tree he was able to return to Bethel. Then he began to understand fully why God had changed his name from Jacob to Israel, and why God had asked him to go to Bethel. On a previous occasion God had spoken to him in clear words. Now after many years, God was repeating the same message in much stronger language, and Jacob was able to comprehend its meaning. In the same way, it is possible for us also to use words without understanding their meaning fully. Many people are familiar with words like "Church" and "House of God", they do not live in the truth of the words they express. So please make sure that you are not merely repeating words and phrases, but living in the value of spiritual realities. Can you truly say that you have become a part of Bethel that is God's House? or is there, perhaps, some strange god in your life which is hindering your spiritual growth?
MAY 8
"... Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day" (Acts 23:1).
One day a senior officer came to me in Punjab. He said to me, "I want you to ask forgiveness on my behalf to my Punjabi sweeper". He was a military officer, an Englishman. So I called the sweeper and said, "Your Sahib had told me to ask your forgiveness on his behalf, because this morning he got angry with you". The sweeper said, "I am his servant, he can kick me if he wants; he has every right". But the officer said, "No, I am a Christian. I have no right to hurt your feelings. Kindly forgive me". I met the same sweeper at Amritsar a few years later. I asked him if he was born again and with a shining face he replied that he was born again, and he said, "When my master asked forgiveness from me, I was astonished because I have never heard such a thing; a white man asking forgiveness!" The words of the officer touched the heart of the sweeper and he knew what it was to be a Christian. When you wrong anyone by word or deed, please ask forgiveness, whether it is your wife or children or friends. Then you can enjoy God's presence. In my school days, there was a Christian boy, who borrowed one rupee from me. I forgot entirely about it. One day I received a money order for one rupee with these words, "You might have forgotten about it, and so did I; But the Lord reminded me. My conscience troubled me. So I am sending you this rupee." Because he was my school-fellow I had given it joyfully. It is only when we are free from even such small failures, that we can enjoy His fellowship.
When you are in debt, you find it difficult to pray freely. Any little sin will take away your joy. You have to put things right, then you can enjoy the presence of God. When there is nothing between you and your Lord, then you have appetite for God's Word, prayer and fellowship of God's people. You can enjoy God's Word and hear God's voice. So we can say, "Lord Jesus Christ, You may come at anytime, I have nothing to be ashamed of. " "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). Keep your conscience clear and your heart pure. Then you can meet Him joyfully and not be ashamed.
MAY 9
"Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality" (Romans 12:13).
Every believing husband and wife must endeavour as far as possible to show love to all in need and render service to others joyfully, regarding it as a great privilege. Whatever they do, they should do it as unto the Lord according to Col. 3:23.
When the Lord Jesus Christ and Lazarus had food together Martha served joyfully. In Luke 10:40, we find that she was full of murmuring, complaints, anger and jealousy. But afterwards she was changed. Some husbands talk about their wives like this, "My wife is very hardworking, clean, clever and very active, but she has a very bad temper. When she gets angry everyone in the house trembles". For a happy married life, both the husband and the wife should serve others joyfully, cheerfully and willingly. Their hearts must be free from jealousy, hatred, anger and murmuring. A Christian home is a home of service for poor, needy and sick people. It is a home of love, where all are served equally.
Like Mary, they must be grateful to the Lord for His grace and compassion. "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment" (John 12:3). Mary anointed the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ by pouring the precious ointment for two reasons. Her heart was full of gratitude, because her brother who was in the grave for four days was raised from the dead. Secondly, she recognised that the Lord Jesus Christ was not just an ordinary person, but God Himself Who became Man for the salvation of mankind. So with a heart full of devotion, she poured the ointment upon His feet. For a happy home, the couple must have devotion for the Lord and must praise, honour and worship Him. They should begin their day by singing worship songs and also end their day in the same way, with a true and humble devotion to the Lord for His grace, compassion, love and faithfulness. Their faith will be strengthened and they will be enabled to love the Lord more and more. They should also take full share in the worship meetings. Such a home is a foretaste of heaven upon the earth.
MAY 10
"... All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient" (Exodus 24:7).
God tempted Abraham, i.e. He proved or tested him (Gen. 22:1). If you want to enjoy the friendship of God, then be prepared to be proved and tried by God's own testings. When a watch maker wants to use a piece of steel for a watch spring, he has to put the steel through many tests before using it. In the same way God, Who only knows our real ministry on earth has to apply every kind of test in our lives that we may be found fit and worthy. We as believers should never question or doubt God, demanding of Him as to why this or that has happened in my life. Believe me, every test, however severe, is very necessary to one who desires to be a friend of God. Some of the tests are very painful, and the enemy will try to suggest that you are being punished by God for your failure in the past. If, however, you have understood God's purpose, then remember you are forgiven completely. When you confess your sins and put things right with God and man, your sins are forgiven, covered and washed. His grace will never dig them up again. Your part is to be faithful and sincere in your repentance and confession, and obey God, putting all things right with our fellow-men. Afterwards let God try and prove you by any test. The saints of God, all down the world's history, have been proved in different ways, and were found faithful. We read that, when God called Abraham on Mount Moriah, he said, "Behold here I am!" He could not have said that so quickly at the beginning, but he had been prepared by God for many years, till his ears had become sensitive to the voice of God. God spoke and he heard and responded immediately. He did not say "Lord, give me five or ten minutes!" So many people hear God speaking in meeting or in their quiet time or in prayer time, but they answer, "God! Please give me ten minutes. I will consult my darling wife and give you a definite reply.
She is very good wife and the best woman in the whole world. Please God, just wait for a few minutes and I will ask her permission and then come." In a subtle way the devil has deceived many God's servants, and many teachers and believers. They bring some man, some woman, some relation between God and themselves. But the answer of Abraham is: "Behold, here I am", which means, "Oh God! I am fully ready and prepared. You tell me and I will do it." If you are not clear as to God's voice, then wait. Because in some case it takes a month or two months or more to know God's will. But when God has spoken and God has commanded, you must say at once "Behold, here am I".
MAY 11
"... be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5).
We must learn how to become truly humble. Our Lord gave His disciples, and us, an example when He laid aside His garments and took water and a towel and washed His disciples' feet. He taught them, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:14). Without meekness and humility we cannot grow spiritually. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:29). "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased" (Matthew 23:12). See also 1 Peter 5:5,6, "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder, Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."
True humility is a great virtue. We are all liable to become proud at times, sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly. Pride is a great hindrance to our spiritual growth. We can even become proud of our Bible knowledge or the service we are rendering to God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is our example and enablement. It is by receiving His humility that we can learn to serve Him. This humility cannot come by our human effort. We must become true yoke-fellows with our Lord Jesus. That is the meaning of taking His yoke upon us. You have seen a yoke upon a pair of bullocks. These two bullocks have to work together. The yoke speaks of partnership. You must be willing to work with the Lord Jesus Christ as a partner, and only in this way can you become lowly.
Many of us take years to become humble. Somehow or the other we become proud and therefore dislike some people, and perhaps hate them. Even the apostle Paul was in danger of becoming puffed up, so the Lord gave him a thorn in the flesh. David also was in a similar danger. He tried to bring the Ark of God in a bullock cart contrary to God's ordained order. Another time he tried to number the mighty men of Israel against the will of God. That is why God brought David twice to the experience of the threshing floor. Thus the Lord removed the chaff from his life. The Lord deals with us also in the same way to remove from us the chaff of pride and make us truly humble. After that only, can He exalt us and manifest His power through us.
MAY 12
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
It is remarkable how the Lord prophesied here concerning His own death upon the cross. Many people think that perhaps through supernatural signs and wonders people can be easily drawn to the Lord. Others think that clever and convincing arguments can accomplish it. But the Word of God is clear; it is only by the power of the cross and not by human methods that men can be drawn to Christ.
Our "self" is the main hindrance to our spiritual life, and we can be set free from the self only by the work of the cross. So Paul says in Galatians 6:14, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world". The world attracts all of us far too much and we are deceived. We may be free from the love of worldly pleasures and yet be very worldly-minded in our dealing, and influenced by worldly wisdom in our activities, and as a result we may bring much loss in the work of God. By the work of the cross in our lives we will be saved from the deceptions of the devil, and as people see the work of the cross in us, they also will be drawn to the Lord.
Many years ago a Muslim gentleman came to me. He wanted to become a Christian. I asked him how he got this desire. He told me that once he had been visiting a friend. At that time a sweeper, who happened to be a Christian, was sweeping the verandah outside the house. He had placed his basket outside. A Hindu man passed by, and by accident his garment touched the basket. He became very angry and actually removed his shoe and began to beat the poor sweeper shouting, "How dare you defile my body!" The sweeper meekly received the blows and never said a word. The Muslim man had been watching everything and approaching the sweeper remarked, "It was not your fault. You have only been doing your duty to sweep the floor. The man had no right to beat you". The man replied, "I am a Christian. My Lord Jesus Christ suffered much more than this for my sake. They spat upon His face, beat Him and nailed Him to the cross. But He never took revenge." This answer had touched the heart of the Muslim and that is why he now wanted to become a Christian. Thus you see he was not convicted through any argument but because he was impressed by the life of the sweeper in whom the cross had done its work. When the cross has worked in us we will be completely freed from the inward works of the flesh, and the power of God will be revealed through us.
MAY 13
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12: 13).
We read in Acts 8:14-17 how Peter and John laid their hands upon the Samaritan believers. "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." In the normal course the Samaritans should have received the Holy Ghost when they believed. But in this particular case, for a purpose, the Lord withheld the Holy Ghost, who was given afterwards with the laying on of hands.
We read in John 4:9 that the Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. Now the very same Samaritans had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. If the Lord had given them the Holy Spirit at their new birth the Jews would have said that what they received on the day of Pentecost was something better than what the Samaritans received. That is why God sent Peter and John to Samaria so that they could see for themselves how the very same gift, which the Jews received on the day of Pentecost was also given to the Samaritans. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon the Samaritans to acknowledge that they were equal and that they were brothers. Before that, they were divided. They laid hands upon them to show spiritual equality and oneness. To express this truth that we all are one, we have the testimony of the laying on of hands. We declare that there is no difference between the rich and the poor, high and low, literate and illiterate. We all are one. "There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male or female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). We may come from any family, any country, or any walk of life when we are born again, we become equally precious, equally necessary and equally important to God. We express this truth by the laying on of hands.
MAY 14
"Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul" (Psa. 124:4,5).
The troubles that came to David were like floods. Floods often come suddenly when people are not at all prepared to face them. For several years there may not have been any flood; then one year they come suddenly and they bring much damage to lives, cattle and crops. In our lives also there are occasions when the enemy comes upon us like a flood, from most unexpected sources or at an unexpected time of life. The devil can work against us through friends or relations. Those whom we love, respect and admire sometimes rise up against us. It is good to be warned beforehand that such situations are possible. At such times we have a promise from the Lord in Psalm 124:2 that He will give us victory. "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us." Notice the words, "The LORD was on our side." Even though we try our best to get help from other sources we find that they all fail. In the end the Lord alone comes to our aid. Paul says in 2 Tim. 4:16, "no man stood with me, but all men forsook me". But he continues in the next verse. "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." Thus he was able to preach the Gospel boldly in the midst of his enemies. When the enemy saw that there was no one with Paul and yet he preached boldly he was defeated. So God allows us to be forsaken and left alone without help from friends, relations or others. But He helps us in that situation so that His name may be magnified through us.
For the same purpose David had to go through much persecution from king Saul for eight years. At the end he was able to say in Psalm 18:17, "He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me". Not a single friend came to his help. Saul was after his life and attempted to kill him thrice. His own people did not give him any protection. He could find no shelter in the House of God. Strangers were afraid of him. Eventually he hid himself in a cave called Adullam. It was there that the Lord became very close and precious to him. He stayed in that cave for many days. He had to pray and depend upon God for everything: for food, protection and shelter. Those four hundred men who came to be his companions were also men who were in trouble and debt (1 Sam. 22: 1,2). Not a single person was able to help him in all his difficulties and troubles. Yet the Lord helped them.
Thus we find through all our troubles, afflictions and trials we are drawn very close to Him. We can prove His faithfulness in all our afflictions when there is no one to help us. In Psalm 66:10-12, we read that David was taken to a large wealthy place. So in order to bring us to large wealthy place spiritually, He will take us through refining fires and painful trials.
MAY 15
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts" (Psalm 139:23).
Our life is in the blood. As soon as the heart stops beating, man dies and the body starts stinking that very second and that is why the body has to be buried or burnt. Similarly we have to be conscious of divine life flowing into us constantly, not occasionally (Col. 3:4). When we feel the pulse, we know that life is still present whether the person is walking, sitting or lying down and that the heart is beating and the person is alive. There is some consciousness of life. The love of the Lord Jesus Christ flowing into us constantly and freely keeps us alive. Any pride, hatred or other sin can stop or lessen the flow.
Sometimes in our taps water does not flow freely but only a few drops come through. When the pipe line is opened, and dirt is removed, again there is a full flow. How is the divine life flowing in you? It is just in drops or is it full and free? God wants us to have abundant life. He wants to give us everything in abundance - abundant life, abundance of peace, abundance of power and He wants to make us abundantly fruitful. Whenever we are conscious that the flow had decreased, that peace, joy and strength are becoming less, we must search our hearts, examine ourselves, humble ourselves and say, "Lord, why have my peace become less? Why is it that I do not feel Thy presence so strongly? I do not have the same strength for my temptations, nor the same hunger for God's Word, nor the same burden for prayer." There is some blockage somewhere and that must be removed. Then we can affirm, "Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness and I lay hold on Thee." Do not depend upon your will power. Go on claiming His life. Say before going out any where, "Now, Lord, I commit myself unto Thee." Generally, we do so for a long journey but we do not pray for short journeys and not even at the end of journey. That is our nature. We only pray for big things and thus we are deceived by the enemy. We become careless and negligent, and lose our peace and joy. It is the daily appropriation of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, that gives us the fulness.
MAY 16
"Now the God of peace ... Make you perfect in every good work to do his will" (Hebrews 13:20-21).
If you divide this verse into seven parts, you have seven evidences of the proofs of God's will: (1) The God of peace: Whenever God speaks to you concerning any matter and shows His will, there must be in your spirit an increasing, multiplying, perfect and a great peace. I find the early morning devotion time is the best time to pray, ---when the morning is fresh and clear. "Now Lord, I am prepared to die to my will. I resign myself to Thy will. Show me Thy will, and I will obey Thee, and do so joyfully." Then wait, and read His Word till you find your soul full of divine peace.
(2) That brought again from the dead: This is the power of His resurrection. When you are in God's will, the power should be abundantly and fully manifested in and through you. You have to say by faith, "Don't allow me to make any plan which will lessen Thy power in my life."
(3) Our Lord Jesus Christ: His Lordship must be acknowledged. If you are in God's will, He will supply all your need (Phil. 4:19). Come under His Lordship. He will take away every sorrow and every anxiety.
(4) That great Shepherd of sheep: The Bible is the pasture. The Lord Jesus is the Shepherd. Psalm 23:1, 2. He will lead you to the portion of the Scriptures which confirms His will. For that purpose you have to be systematic in your Bible study. Read it slowly and carefully.
(5) The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant: Our guilty conscience is cleansed by the blood (Heb. 9:14). When you are in God's will He will cleanse you from every unworthy motive. Our hearts are deceptive. Sometimes in the heart there is greed for money, or love for power, or lustful desires, or hatred or enmity. To do God's will, you must be freed from all defiling things by His blood. So say by faith, "Lord, take away from my heart every unworthy and unhealthy thought, which is against Thy nature and character."
(6) Make you perfect in every good work to do His will: Be governed completely by God's will. You have got to be controlled in every matter, not only in one thing but in all things. Refuse to take any step without being sure of God's will, and that will make you perfect in every good work, for He will work "in you that which is well pleasing in his sight".
(7) Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever: That is our seventh evidence of God's will. His Name should be highly magnified through the matter for which we seek God's will. Can you say from the heart, "I want Thy name to be magnified in this matter?"
You must learn to apply these seven tests day by day. Then your ear will become very sensitive. It is a wonderful experience to hear the voice of God day by day, saying. "This is the way, walk ye in it. Do not go to the right side or the left". You will be conscious of God's hand holding your hand, and carrying you triumphantly through every suffering and trial. "...as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).
MAY 17
"... he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness ..." (Isaiah 61:10).
The long beautiful white robe put on Aaron speaks of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, which we receive by faith (Rom.1:17;10:3-10;2 Cor.5:21). It is by faith we are made righteous. We should ask the Lord, "Oh God, it does not matter what I do, or what I like or what I suffer or where I go, but make me righteous by faith." It is not by tears, fasting, prayer, sufferings or by our own efforts we become righteous. It is only by believing from the heart that the Lord Jesus Christ our Creator and our Saviour took our place on the Cross. He died in our stead, for He did no sin and knew no sin. Willingly He emptied Himself and died in our stead. By that faith we become righteous and not by ourselves nor by any effort of any kind on our part. That our nakedness of sin could not be covered by ourselves is the first message shown in the long white robe. Our friends, relations and other people and our charity cannot cover our sin. But the Lord Jesus Christ by His life and through grace covers our nakedness because He died for us.
Many of us take pride in ourselves. We say in our hearts sometimes, "I am not like so and so, I am not as weak as he is, nor so foolish." But later on we discover that all of us do many foolish things. We do many wrong things and often fall into temptations. The very second we depend upon our own will power and our ability, we fall. We speak a word in foolishness and suffer afterwards. God is showing that we are weak and foolish. But by faith we have to say, "Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness. I am not depending upon my own righteousness, prayers, books, garments nor upon my own personality." Thank Him for becoming your righteousness. Then, day by day we have to appropriate the very same righteousness.
MAY 18
"... we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Rom. 8:37).
In Exodus 17:15 the Lord revealed Himself to Moses by the name "Jehovah-Nissi". When any conqueror wins a battle, the first thing he does is to plant his flag or banner over the conquered land, as sign of his conquest. In Exodus 17 the children of Israel had just won a battle. They won it through a twofold strategythrough men who fought in the battlefield under Joshua's leadership and through Moses standing on the hill with the rod of God held up in his hands. The rod in Moses' hands speaks of the authority of God. Moses had no strength in himself. When he had cast down the rod on the ground, and it became a serpent, Moses himself ran away from it (Exo. 4:3). There was no doubt that Moses by himself was without power; whatever he had accomplished since that time was only by the strength of the Lord. The rod in Moses' hands as he stood on the mount, signified the authority of God. The men with Joshua were chosen men. They were strong and valiant. In spite of this, whenever Moses' hands were let down they were defeated. It is therefore clear that the victory depended mainly on Moses lifting up his hands with the rod of God.
We also have to fight with many enemies. The worst of these enemies are our own flesh and own self because through them come forth lust, hatred, enmity, jealousy etc. Our fleshly and selfish desires bring us into a defeated life and cause us to lose our joy, peace and desire for prayer. In this way, many believers are living defeated lives. They try to fight against these desires (Gal. 5:17), but very often they are defeated. We can never hope to win in this warfare by our own strength, whether we are newly born again believers or grown up believers. The secret of victory lies in taking rod in our hands, i.e. appropriating the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He won on the cross.
MAY 19
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you" (2 Peter 2:1).
Jehoshaphat was in the net of Ahab yet he said, "Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD today" (2 Chron. 18:4). It has been his custom, always to enquire at the prophets of God before undertaking anything of real importance. Ahab was prepared for his matter also. He knew that Jehoshaphat honoured the prophets of God; and so had kept four hundred false prophets ready for consultation. Thus when Jehoshaphat asked for one prophet, Ahab produced four hundred. Ahab wanted to create the impression that he too was a God-fearing man. But alas! without any exception all the four hundred prophets were spiritually blind. They all said to Ahab, "Go to the battle, and you will surely win, Go up, the Lord is with thee". They were not concerned about the safety of the kings. They thought in their hearts, "If these kings die in the battle, let them die; what is that to us?"