Tuesday 30 October 2018

Preaching God's Word: Matthew's Gospel

A Journey with Christ (Matthew 1:5-6; John 8:1-11)

(1) Christ’s Journey through history 
Before we even reach the opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, the Old Testament proclaims this message of hope: Christ is coming. The journey through the Old Testament  paves the way for the coming of Christ. The first 17 verses of Matthew’s Gospel gives us a brief outline of Old Testament history as a preparation for the coming of Christ. These verses present us with a family tree. It’s not particularly interesting reading. For this reason, these verses are often overlooked. There are, however, important lessons which we must not miss! Here are two interesting names in Christ’s family tree - Rahab (Matthew 1:5) and Solomon (Matthew 1:6). Who was Rahab? - a prostitute! Who was Solomon? - a child born out of an adulterous relationship! How did they get into Christ’s family tree? Was there some kind of mistake? - No! It must be stresses that the names of Rahab - a - prostitute - and Solomon - the child of an adulterous relationship - are found in Christ’s family tree so that we might learn that the love of God is greater than the sin of man. God forgives sinners! God restores the fallen. This is the message proclaimed to us by the inclusion of Rahab - the prostitute - in Christ’s family tree. God gives a new beginning.  This is the message proclaimed to us by the inclusion of Solomon - the son of an adulterous relationship - in Christ’s family tree.with the “meek soul”. Let us not think that Christ is brash and insensitive. He does not disregard our temperament and personality. He does not ignore our natural feelings. He does not take delight in embarrassing  us.
The circumstances can be so ordinary, yet the new birth is a miracle!

(2) Christ’s Journey to the Cross 
God restores the fallen. God gives a new beginning. These lessons are emphasized even more strongly when we turn our attention to Christ’s Journey to the Cross.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, there is the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day. These religious leaders were so proud of themselves, so proud of their religion, so proud of their morality.
One instance of this conflict concerned “a woman caught in the very act of adultery” (John 8:3).”The scribes and the Pharisees” despised the poor woman. They were arrogant in their condemnation of her - “this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery” (John 8:4). They brought the woman to Jesus for one reason only. They brought her to Jesus for condemned. Jesus, however, did not condemn her. No condemnation! Forgiveness! This is the Good News of God’s grace.
The scribes and the Pharisees saw the woman as a no-hoper. She was beyond hope - so they thought! They wanted to stone her.
With one simple yet devastating sentence, Jesus exposed their hypocrisy: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). With the strikingly simple and devastatingly direct sentence, Jesus brought the proud accusers down to earth - “when they heard it, they went away, one by one” (John 8:9) .
Jesus was left alone with the woman. He did not condemn her, but He did say to her, “Do not sin again” (John 8:9-11).
This conflict continued throughout Jesus’ life as He made His way to the Cross. The scribes and the Pharisees sent Christ - the sinless Son of God - to the Cross. There Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them …".

(3) Christ’s Journey into our lives 
This is beautifully described in the words of the Christmas carol, “O little town of Bethlehem”:
“How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.”
Jesus’ way is so unlike the way of the world. He is not demonstrative. He is not showy. He does not make a fuss. There is nothing spectacular about His way with us. There is nothing sensational about His entrance into our lives.
The world, obsessed with the dramatic, might say of Jesus’ way, “How cold! How unexciting! How uneventful! How unimpressive!” Let us  not be preoccupied with outward appearances. Let us recognize the presence of Christ in the quiet way - “No ear may hear His coming.” This is Christ’s way.
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Jesus Christ - “God with us” (Matthew 1:23) - is truly God and truly Man.

Jesus Christ is not merely the greatest man who ever lived. He is “God with us” - truly God and truly Man.
* God says, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).
We cannot how Jesus Christ can be “God with us”. We cannot understand how He can be truly God and truly man.
We do not, however, have the right to say, “A true man cannot at the same time be truly God.”
We must acknowledge the truth of God’s Word which says, “”With God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37).
Looking at the Man, Jesus Christ, we have no right to say that His life began at Bethlehem.
We must acknowledge the truth of Jesus’ words, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). These words indicate to us that Jesus Christ is the eternal God.
We have no right to say that God cannot take on human form. Who are we to say what God can do and what God cannot do?
If we believe that God is Almighty, how can we doubt His power to become Man in the person of Jesus Christ?
Scripture makes it clear that Jesus Christ is more than a mere man since He is no less than God Almighty.
The words of Karl Barth are helpful - “in countless passages the New Testament speaks about Jesus of Nazareth as the Lord Jesus … using the same word which the Old Testament expresses by ‘Jehovah’. This Jesus of Nazareth, who passes through the cities and villages of Galilee and wanders to Jerusalem, who is there accused and condemned and crucified, this man is the Jehovah of the Old Testament … the Creator …God Himself … yet (He) does not cease to be a human being … The Creator Himself (remaining fully God) becomes not an angel, but … very really a man” (Dogmatics in Outline, p. 84).
* God is “the Saviour” (Isaiah 45:15). Jesus saves the people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
Jesus Christ came down from heaven for us - men and women - and for our salvation.
The personal name, “Jesus”, means “Saviour” or “Jehovah (the God of Israel) helps.” Jesus does not simply point to the God of salvation. Jesus is the God of salvation: “He is God the Saviour. He is Christ the Lord, ever to be worshipped, trusted and adored.”
If Jesus Christ was no more than the greatest man who ever lived, the greatest witness to God’s salvation, it would be utterly blasphemous to call Him, “the Saviour.” By calling Jesus “Saviour”, we are not saying that man saves himself. We are saying that the Man, Jesus, is God the Saviour: “When we call Him Saviour, we call Him by His Name.”
When the Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31), this is entirely different from a call to have the same faith which Jesus had. We are called to put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was not a sinner, who, like us, needed to receive salvation from God. Jesus Christ is the perfect Saviour from whom believing sinners receive eternal salvation.
* In Isaiah 40:8, we learn that “the Word of our God will stand for ever”. Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Mark 13:31).
The Word which Jesus Christ speaks to us now is nothing less than the Word of God.
- We are born again through His Word (1 Peter 1:23-25).
- We grow in Christ through His Word (1 Peter 2:1-3).
- There must be no compromising of our faithfulness to His Word (2 John 7-11).

Some thoughts on preaching

“The bigger the truth we try to speak the smaller the words we should use, and the shorter the sentences” (Ian Pitt-Watson).
Good preaching does its hearers good. Our concern is not to impress people with our eloquence. Our goal is to direct attention away from ourselves to the Saviour. We should aim to be simple, sincere and spiritual.

God Loves Us. He Calls Us To Be His Faithful People.

Malachi 1:1-2:17  –  God looks upon us in our sin. What does He see? He sees ‘the Wicked Land. He sees ‘a people always under the wrath of the Lord’ (1:4). He looks at what Christ has done for us – ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’; ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’; ‘Christ died for our sins’ (1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3). God looks upon us in Christ – and everything is so very different: ‘God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21). There, at the Cross of Christ, we hear God’s Word of love – ‘I have loved you’; ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ (1:2; Jeremiah 31:3).      

Malachi 3:1-4:6  –  God calls us to be His faithful people. He says, ‘Return to Me’. He promises to bless those who return to Him: ‘I will return to you’. God calls us to honour Him with our ‘tithes and offerings: ‘Bring the whole tithe (tenth) into the storehouse…’. When we honour the Lord, He has promised that He will honour us: ‘Those who honour Me, I will honour’. When we honour the Lord with our obedience, He promises that He will honour us with His blessing. He promises to ‘open the windows of heaven and pour down for us an overflowing blessing’. Satan – ‘the devourer’ – will be defeated. We will ‘serve God’. He will take ‘delight’ in us. We will be His ‘treasured possession’ (3:8-12,17-19; 1 Samuel 2:30).     
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An additional note on tithing
After this article was posted, I received an important comment from
Dr Russell Kelly. Rather than posting Dr Kelly’s detailed comment on this blog, I have decided to add my own note. Dr Kelly has discussed, at length, the question, “Should the Church teach Tithing?”. He has reached the conclusion that “Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine”.
Also of interest is Stuart Murray’s book, “Beyond Tithing” (Paternoster Press, 2000). Murray adopts a similar position (though his exposition of Scripture is less detailed than Russ Kelly’s). In his discussion of Malachi 3:8-12, he writes, “Tithing is an important, although somewhat obscure component in the worship life and social legislation of the nation of Israel. Nothing more. … It is not a fundamental principle that can or should be transferred from its Old Testament context into the experience of Christians and churches today.” (p. 88).
I appreciate the work of Russ Kelly and Stuart Murray. I hope that, by adding this note, I have indicated that I am aware of the importance of taking great care in our interpretation of Malachi’s words regarding tithing. Whatever our answer to the question, “Should the Church teach Tithing?”, I hope that all of us will hear the words of Malachi as a call to consecrate ourselves fully to the Lord our God. 
    

Friday 26 October 2018

Saved By The Lord, Let Us Serve Him.

Salvation and service
* Salvation leads to service.
Those who have been saved by the Lord are to serve Him.
* Service arises out of salvation.
When we serve the Lord, we must never forget that we have been saved by Him.

* What God must do for us – He must save : “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).
* What we must do for God – We must serve: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Jesus is “the light of the world” (John 8:12).

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.

We thank You, Lord, that You are greater than all our problems.

Deuteronomy 2:1-37
We thank You, Lord, that You are greater than all our problems. As we look back on the way You've led us, help us to say, "Grace brought me safe this far." As we look to You to lead us into the future, help us to say, "Grace will lead me home." Thank You, Lord for Your "amazing grace."

We thank You, Lord, that "we do not live by bread alone."

Deuteronomy 8:1-9:21
We thank You, Lord, that "we do not live by bread alone" (Deuteronomy 8:3). We need bread for the body. We also need Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Help us, Lord, not to become too easily satisfied by the things of this world. Help us never to forget that we need Jesus. Without Him, there will always be something missing. With Him, there will be a new - eternal - sense of meaning, purpose and direction.

Thursday 25 October 2018

Help us, Lord, to listen to You and live for You, to speak to You and speak for You.

Deuteronomy 9:22-10:22
Help us, Lord, to listen to You and live for You, to speak to You and speak for You. Help us to receive from You and respond to You. Help us not to get caught up in the "What do I get out of it?" way of thinking. Help us to ask the more important question: "How can I give myself more fully to You, Lord?"

Lord, You give us Your promises and Your warnings.

Deuteronomy 11:1-32
Lord, You give us Your promises and Your warnings. You show us the better way - and You say to us, "Make sure that You don't go back to the old way of living, back to the world's way of living, back to the way of life that will never satisfy."

Who chooses what is important to us?

Deuteronomy 12:1-32
Who chooses what is important to us? Is it You, Lord? or Are we the ones who are in control?  Help us, Lord, not to pay lip-service to You - without really opening our hearts to You and giving You first place in our lives.

Lord, You call us to belong to You.

Deuteronomy 14:22-15:23
Lord, You call us to belong to You. This is wonderful. It makes our hearts glad. You also call us to serve You. We're not to remain what we were before we became Your redeemed people. We're to be renewed - "beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

By Your grace, Lord, You call us to be Your soldiers and servants.

Deuteronomy 19:1-20:9
By Your grace, Lord, You call us to be Your soldiers and servants. Help us not to be "fearful and fainthearted" (Deuteronomy 19:19). Help us to be "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:3). When we hear your challenging question: "Who is on the Lord's side?", may we give our committed answer: "By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine, we are on the Lord's side; Saviour, we are Thine."

Lord, it's not easy to keep on praying, "Your will be done."

Judges 17:1-18:13
Lord, it's not easy to keep on praying, "Your will be done." Our will gets in the way. We start thinking about what we want - and we forget about what You want. We try to get the best of both worlds - pleasing You and pleasing ourselves. We become "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4). Help us to become more like Jesus; "I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 5:30).

Monday 22 October 2018

We come to You, Lord, in our weakness, and You ‘renew our strength.’

Psalm 110:1-7 
‘The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand...’(Psalm 110:1). Lord, we read these words, and we think of our Lord Jesus Christ: When ‘He was taken up into heaven, He sat at the right hand of God’(Mark 16:19). When Jesus ascended to Your Father’s right hand, the Holy Spirit was sent down from heaven to fill our lives with Your blessing (John 7:37-39). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives are changed: ‘In the Day of Your power, Your people will come to You willingly...’. We come to You, Lord, in our weakness, and You ‘renew our strength’. We come to You in our weariness, and we are ‘refreshed’ by Your ‘streams of living water’(Psalm 110,7). ‘Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing call for songs of loudest praise.’

Lord, Your Word makes such a difference!

Psalm 119:49-72 
Lord, Your Word makes such a difference! When everything seems so hopeless, we turn to Your Word,  and we find that there is ‘hope’ (Psalm 119:49). When we are going through a time of  terrible ‘suffering’, we turn to Your Word, and we find ‘comfort’ (Psalm 119:50,52). When everything seems to be going so badly, help us, Lord, to keep on reading Your Word: ‘The wicked have laid a trap for me, but I do not forget Your law’ (Psalm 119:61). Through Your Word, You are teaching us to see Your purpose in our sufferings: ‘The punishment You gave me was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to Your laws’ (Psalm 119:71). You, Lord, are showing us what is really important: ‘The law that You gave means more to me than all the money in the world’ (Psalm 119:72). Teach us to see Your ‘love’ in every part of our life (Psalm 119:64).

The Lord's Great Love

Psalm 89:1-37
‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness through all generations’(Psalm 89:1). Lord, we read these words from so long ago. Many generations have come and gone since these words were written. The years come and go. The centuries run their course. One generation gives way to another generation. Time moves on relentlessly. None of us can halt the march of time. Many changes have taken place over the course of time. We thank You, Lord, that there is something that has never changed – Your great love for us. As we think of Your great love, may we say, in our hearts – The Lord is to be praised ‘for ever.’ He is to be praised ‘through all generations.’ Help us to look back and remember that Jesus Christ was crucified for us, that  He has risen for us. We thank You, Lord, for the Good News which inspires our praise: ‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever…’

Sent To Bring Life

“God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5).
We are to bring life. That’s why God has sent us. We are to bring the Saviour. We are to bring the Scriptures. We are to bring the Spirit. People coming to the Saviour, people learning from the Scriptures, people walking in the Spirit – this is what we’re praying for and working for.

Lord, You are the strength of Your people.

Psalms 28:1-29:11
Lord, You are “the strength of Your people.” May each of us say, “You are my strength” (Psalm 28:7-8). Your strength comes to us through fellowship. We receive strength from others, and we give strength to them. Your strength is more than human strength – the strength that comes to us through fellowship. It is the strength which comes to us through faith – faith in You, our Lord and our God.

We come to You, Lord, with our sin. You come to us with Your forgiveness.

Psalm 32:1-11
We come to You, Lord, with our sin. You come to us with Your forgiveness. What a tremendous blessing this is – the forgiveness of our sins (Psalm 32:1-2). You give Your promise to us: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We bring our prayer to You: “I make my sins known to You, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to You, O Lord. Then You forgave all my sins” (Psalm 32:5).

When, Lord, we’re feeling defeated, Your Word gives us great encouragement.

Psalms 60:1-61:8
“With God we shall gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies” (Psalm 60:12). When, Lord, we’re feeling defeated, Your Word gives us great encouragement. The battle isn’t ours. It’s Yours. The victory isn’t ours. It’s Yours. In the heat of the battle, You are our “strong tower against the enemy” (Psalm 61:3). When we’re feeling the ferocity of Satan’s hostility towards the truth of Your Word and the Gospel of Your grace, help us to remember that You, Lord, are “enthroned for ever” (Psalm 61:7).

Salvation, security, singing and sharing

Psalm 40:1-17
Lord, we thank You for Your gifts – salvation, security, singing and sharing. You have saved us – “He drew me up from the desolate pit … ” (Psalm 40:1). You give us security – You “set my feet on a rock, making my feet secure” (Psalm 40:1). You give to us “a new song … a song of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3). You give us something wonderful to share with other people – “I have not hidden Thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation … ” (Psalm 40:10). Thank You, Lord.

Steadfast Love And Abundant Mercy

Psalm 69:1-36
When, Lord, we are going through “the deep waters” of suffering, help us to pray to You for deliverance (Psalm 69:16). We have sinned against You. We do not try to hide this – "the wrongs that I have done are not hidden from You, my guilt is not hidden from You” (Psalm 69:5). You are the God of “steadfast love” and “abundant mercy” (Psalm 69:16). We remember that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” You don’t send the judgment we deserve – This is Your mercy. You send the blessing we don't deserve – This is Your grace. Help us to come to You and receive Your “mercy” and Your “grace” (1 Timothy 1:13-16; Hebrews 4:14-16).

Victory comes from You, Lord.

Psalm 44:1-26
Victory comes from You, Lord. In ourselves, we are defeated. In You, there is victory. It’s so easy to forget this. We take our eyes off You, and we get despondent – “You have rejected and humbled us …You have made us retreat before the enemy … You gave us up to be devoured like sheep … My disgrace is before me all day long … ” (Psalm 44:9-16). What are we to do when such negative thoughts fill our minds? Lord, help us to pray, “Awake, O Lord! … Rise up and help us; redeem us because of Your unfailing love” (Psalm 44:23,26).

Words For Singing, Words For Living

Psalms 75:1-76:12
“We give thanks to You, O God … I will rejoice for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. Make your vows to the Lord your God, and perform them” (Psalm 785:1,9; Psalm 76:11). Teach us, Lord, that true rejoicing in You is more than singing praise to You. Teach us to live what we sing. “Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise.” “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.” Such words are not to be forgotten as soon as we leave the place of worship. They’re more than words for singing. They’re words for living. How, Lord, can we live a life of praise and consecration? – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Lord, Your Word brings peace to our hearts - but Your blessing is not to be kept to ourselves.

Psalms 46:1-47:9
You call us, Lord, to “be still and know that You are God” (Psalm 46:10). You call us to “shout to You with songs of joy” (Psalm 47:2). Your Word brings peace to our hearts – “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). Your blessing is not to be kept to ourselves – “Sing to the Lord … Let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coastlands” (Isaiah 42:10-12). Help us, Lord, to rejoice in Your love for us, and to share Your love with others.

Lord, we worship You in the place of worship ...

Psalm 48:1-14
Lord, we worship You in the place of worship – “Within Your Temple, we meditate on Your unfailing love.” Help us to go out from there, and play our part in seeing that Your praise “reaches to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 48:: 9-11). How will other people know of Your love, if we don’t tell them? How will they find their way to Your House, if we don’t invite them? When we share Your Word with others, help us to remember Your promise: “My Word … will not return to Me empty, but will … achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

Sometimes, Lord, we have more questions than answers.

Psalm 77:1-20
Sometimes, Lord, we have more questions than answers (Psalm 77:7-9). The questions keep flooding into our minds. We wonder where the answers are going to come from. What, Lord, are we to do when this happens? We remember what You have done for us (Psalm 77:11-12). Help us, Lord, to look back over the “years” – and remember that Your “hand” has been upon us (Psalm 77:5,10). May the memories of Your many blessings fill us with strength – to face the future with confidence in You. Help us, Lord. to trust in You – and be truly happy.

With God we shall gain the victory.

Psalms 60:1-61:8
“With God we shall gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies” (Psalm 60:12). When, Lord, we’re feeling defeated, Your Word gives us great encouragement. The battle isn’t ours. It’s Yours. The victory isn’t ours. It’s Yours. In the heat of the battle, You are our “strong tower against the enemy” (Psalm 61:3). When we’re feeling the ferocity of Satan’s hostility towards the truth of Your Word and the Gospel of Your grace, help us to remember that You, Lord, are “enthroned for ever” (Psalm 61:7).

Help us, Lord, to become better people – not bitter people!

2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Help us, Lord, to learn from the failure of King Uzziah. He began well – “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord … He set himself to seek God” (2 Chronicles 26:4-5). He lost his way – “When he was strong, he grew proud, and he was false to the Lord his God” ( 2 Chronicles 26:16). Help us, Lord, to become better people – not bitter people!

Sunday 21 October 2018

One Year Bible: Days 334-361

Day 334
Daniel 7:1-8:14; 1 John 2:12-27; Psalm 136:13-26
Daniel 7:13-14 looks forward, prophetically, to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the future towards which history is moving, the future towards which God is working, the future of the Kingdom of God. This world is passing away, "but the man who does the will of God lives for ever" (1 John 2:17). Psalm 136 continues to emphasize, over and over again, that "His love endures for ever." This love does not guarantee salvation to those who refuse to welcome God's Son, Jesus Christ, as their Saviour. Responding to God's love by doing His will, we receive, eternal life. Those who belong to the Lord, those whom He has redeemed, are His for ever. Psalm 136 contains the contrast between Israel and Egypt. Israel are brought through the midst of the Red Sea. Pharaoh and his army are swept into the Red Sea (Psalm 136:13-15). The Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring the ultimate division of men and women. There are those who belong to Christ. For them, there is salvation. There are those who have refused Christ. For them, there is judgment.

Day 335
Daniel 8:15-9:19; 1 John 2:28-3:10; Proverbs 29:10-18
There is real urgency about Daniel's prayer: "O Lord, look with favour on Your desolate sanctuary ... O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!" (Daniel 9:17,19). We do need to pray with urgency. There are many who seek to lead us astray (1 John 3:7) - "Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright" (Proverbs 29:10). Who can help us in this situation? - Only the Lord: "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8). He alone will give us strength to "continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His Coming" (1 John 2:28).

Day 336
Daniel 9:20-11:1; 1 John 3:11-4:6; Psalm 137:1-9
"When He spoke to me, I was strengthened" (Daniel 10:19). The strength we receive from the Lord is a greater strength than the temptations we face - "the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). To know that we receive such strength from the Lord is very encouraging when we are mocked by "our tormentors" (Psalm 137:3). Their scorn makes us wonder, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?" (Psalm 137:4). When this question arises in our hearts, "God who is greater than our hearts" (1 John 3:20) speaks His Word, and we are strengthened with the strength which comes from Him, His strength. With His strength, we are able to sing "songs of joy" (Psalm 137:3). We have this testimony - "The joy of the Lord is my strength." By ourselves, we are cast down with weeping (Psalm 137:1). Strengthened by the Lord, we have joy. We rejoice in Him.

Day 337
Daniel 11:2-35; 1 John 4:7-21; Psalm 138:1-8
Daniel 11 is concerned with conflict. This is part of our spiritual experience as well as Israel's military experience. There is an enemy who opposes the Lord and His people. Nevertheless, "the people who know their God will firmly resist him" (Daniel 11:32). How are we able to resist the enemy? We are strengthened by love, the love of God. We learn to love God as we learn to appreciate His love for us: "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). This love, His love, gives us the strength to firmly resist the enemy. God's love is a faithful love - "Your love, O Lord, endures for ever" (Psalm 138:8). His love and His faithfulness belong together - "Your love and Your faithfulness" (Psalm 138:2). How do we know of the faithful love of God? - Through His Name and His Word: "You have exalted above all things Your Name and Your Word" (Psalm 138:2). As the Name of the Lord and the Word of the Lord become precious to us, so the love of the Lord becomes real to us, the strength of the Lord is given to us and the enemy is firmly resisted.

Day 338
Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 139:1-10
Scripture speaks of "the time of wrath" (Daniel 11:36), "a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then" (Daniel 12:1). For some, this will bring "shame and everlasting contempt." Through the grace of God, others will receive "everlasting life" (Daniel 12:20). This "everlasting life" is in Christ - "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life." Scripture also contains the Word of warning - "He who does not have the Son does not have life" (1 John 5:12-12). As we hear Scripture speaking to us concerning eternal life, we say in our hearts, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain" (Psalm 139:6). Too wonderful? Too lofty? - Yes, but, by the grace of God, it is given to us - "I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).

Day 339
Haggai 1:1-2:23; 2 John 1-13; Proverbs 29:19-27
God calls His people - "Be strong" (Haggai 2:4). This call comes to the "governor", "the high priest" and "all you people of the land" (Haggai 2:2). We need spiritual strength in government, in the Church and throughout the land. This strength is needed if we are to build upon the sure foundation of truth. The Lord's work is to be built up. This can only be done when we stand for the truth in the face of "many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh" (2 John 7). John tells us that we must take care to ensure fruitfulness in the Lord's work - "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully" (2 John 8). The danger we must take care to avoid is described pictorially in Haggai 1:6 - "You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." When we hear a message such as this, we must receive it with humility and not with pride - "A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honour" (Proverbs 29:23).

Day 340
Zechariah 1:1-4:14; 3 John 1-14; Psalm 139:11-16
The removal of sin (Zechariah 3:4,9) and the restoration of glory: Here, we have a great description of salvation, wiping out the sin of the past, giving an anticipatory glimpse of the glory to come. The past is forgiven. The future is promised. What about the present - "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord" (Zechariah 4:6). This life in the Spirit - lived between the forgiven sin (the past) and the glory to come (the future) - is to be a life of "working together for the truth" (3 John 4). As we live this life in the Spirit, we enjoy the "peace" of God (3 John 14). This peace arises in our hearts as we learn to praise God. we praise Him for His work of creation - "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." This praise - "Your works are wonderful" - causes us to reflect also on His works of providence - "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:14,16). It also causes us to reflect on God's work of redemption. The thought of creation leads on to the thought of re-creation: "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The thought of providence also leads us to think of redemption: God's "book" (Psalm 139:16) turns our thoughts to "the book of life" - the book of eternal life which we receive through faith in "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

Day 341
Zechariah 5:1-8:23; Jude 1-25; Psalm 139:17-24
Again and again, in Zechariah, we find the phrase, “the Word of the Lord (Almighty) came to me” (Zechariah 6:9; Zechariah 7;1,4,8). Another recurring phrase, with similar meaning, is “This is what the Lord (Almighty) says” (Zechariah 6:12; Zechariah 8:3,4,6,7,9,14,20,23). The Word of revelation – This is the basis of our faith. It’s God speaking His Word to us. His Word is a Word of salvation (Zechariah 8:7-8). This salvation is not only for the Jews. It is for “countries of the east and the west” (Zechariah 8:7). It is for “men from all languages and nations” (Zechariah 8:23). This “salvation we share” (Jude 3), a salvation which goes from nation to nation, from generation to generation, is to be preserved by God’s people “contending for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). In today’s world, many proudly dismiss the whole idea of divine revelation. The Lord’s people must not be deceived. Over against those who oppose God and His Word of revelation, we must speak the Word of rebuke: “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 9). We have been forewarned: “In the last times there will be scoffers, who will follow their own ungodly desires” (Jude 18). In the face of this, we must “build ourselves up in our most holy faith” (Jude 20), always trusting in “Him who is able to keep us from falling” (Jude 24). How does He keep us from falling? How does He keep us standing up for Him in the face of such opposition? – “How precious are Your thoughts, O God!” (Psalm 139:17). We are to feed upon the Word of God, with this constant prayer: “Search me, O God … Lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:24).

Day 342
Zechariah 9:1-11:17; Revelation 1:1-20; Psalm 140:1-5
"Rejoice greatly ... your King comes to you ... having salvation ... because of the blood of My covenant with you" (Zechariah 9:9,11). "The Ruler of the kings of the earth ... who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood" (Revelation 1:5). The King of love is revealed in both Zechariah and Revelation. We see, however, different aspects of His Kingship. We see His two comings. There is His first coming - "Your King comes to you ... gentle and riding on a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9) - and  His second coming - "He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him" (Revelation 1:7). The Lord's way - "gentle" is to be our way. We trust in Him when we are confronted by "men of violence" (Psalm 140:1). We know that, when the King comes again, the men of violence will be exposed - "every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him" (Revelation 1:7).

Day 343
Zechariah 12:1-14:21; Revelation 2:1-17: Proverbs 30:1-10
God "pours out ... a spirit of supplication" upon His people. As a result of this, they look on Him, "the One they have pierced." In doing so, they come to "a fountain ... to cleanse them from sin and impurity" (Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:1). Mourning for the One they pierced and receiving cleansing from sin, we enter into a new relationship in which God says, "They are My people" and we say, "The Lord is our God" (Zechariah 13:9). This new life is to be characterized by "worship." "Holy to the Lord" is to be the central feature of our new life (Zechariah 14:16,20). This is "the new name" (Revelation 2:17) of God's people - "Holy to the Lord." It is inscribed upon us, written over our lives. It is "known only to him who receives it" (Revelation 2:17). Only those who are beginning to experience what it means to be "holy to the Lord" will understand its meaning. Experience and understanding belong together. They are united in the act of receiving. Faith is the tie which binds together experience and understanding. By faith, we hold out our empty hands that they might be filled with God's gift of grace. There is no way to "a man's understanding", no way to "wisdom", no way to "knowledge of the Holy One", no way which begins with "I". Concerning ourselves, we must make this confession: "I am the most ignorant of men" (Proverbs 30:2-3). The question is asked: "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? ... What is his name ...? Tell me if you know!" (Proverbs 30:4). There is no answer to this question. The Gospel does not begin with man, reaching up to heaven. It begins with God, reaching down to earth - "Who came down from heaven to earth? Jesus Christ our Saviour". It is God who pours out His grace. This is the foundation on which our life of faith is based.

Day 344
Esther 1:1-2:18; Revelation 2:18-3:6; Psalm 140:6-13
God is at work in the life of both the Church and the nation. He has a message for His Church. It is the message of the Spirit: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6). This message of the Lord concerns His Church. It also concerns the world. On the surface, the story of Esther is not a very spiritual story. Nevertheless, God is there. Amid all the talk of "twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics" (Esther 2:12), God was working out His purpose. He was revealing Himself as the "Sovereign Lord", the "strong defender" of His people. The plans of men - "the wicked" - did not succeed. The pride of man was brought to nothing so that the glory belong to God alone (Psalm 140:7-8). This is the message of the book of Esther. In order to hear this message clearly, we must read between the lines. This message may not be spelled out in detail. Nevertheless, it is there for the believing reader who is attentive to the Lord, speaking through the events of history. God's concern is that there may be "justice for the poor", that "the cause of the needy" may be upheld (Psalm 140:12). This is a concern which will take us beyond the fairly narrow and well-defined scope of the Church. God's concern takes us into the world with a desire to see the quality of life improved by God so that the people will be more deeply moved to praise His Name and live in His presence (Psalm 140:13).

Day 345
Esther 2:19-5:14; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 141:1-10
There are doors which can only be opened by God - "See, I  have placed before you an open door that no-one can shut" (Revelation 3:8). There are doors which must be opened by man - "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20). This is illustrated in the story of Esther. She became the Queen of Persia according to the sovereign purpose of God. God opened the door. Nevertheless, there were doors which had to be opened by Esther. As the Queen of Persia, she had to act in a wise and courageous way in order to carry out the purpose of God. In everything, we must say, with the Psalmist, "My eyes are fixed on You, O Sovereign Lord" (Psalm 141:8). This is not, however, to be the kind of heavenly-mindedness which makes us oblivious to what is going on around us. We must keep a close eye on events. We must direct our prayers towards the fulfilment of God's purpose through the particular course of events which are taking place here-and-now. This is precisely what the Psalmist does. He sees what is happening, and he prays, "Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil" (Psalm 141:4). His "prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers" (Psalm 141:5-6). This, again, is a combination of God opening and closing doors - "What He opens no-one can shut and what He shuts no-one can open" (Revelation 3:7) - and ourselves opening and closing doors as, looking at what is going on around us, we choose God's way rather than the world's way. Concerning this opening and closing of doors, we say, "O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3).

Day 346
Esther 6:1-8:17; Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 142:1-7
In the book of Esther, we see the people of God in conflict. There were enemies against whom they had to contend. In this battle, there are victories which lead to "joyous celebration" (Esther 8:15). Such times of victory are times of "happiness and joy, gladness and honour" (Esther 8:16). Such times point toward the final victory, the glorious celebration which will take place in God's eternal Kingdom. Worship will "never stop." The Lord's people will "give glory, honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever" (Revelation 4:8-9). Concerning the Lord, we say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142:5). He is our refuge and portion in both this life and the life to come. "The land of the living" does not only speak of the "land" which will come to an end. It speaks also of the "land" that endures forevermore. In this life, there are many times when we say of our enemies, "They are too strong for me." In the life to come, we will be fully "set free from our prison", set free by God to "praise His Name" (Psalm 142:6-7).

Day 347
Esther 9:1-10:3; Revelation 5:1-14; Proverbs 30:11-23
Esther 9 speaks of days of feasting and joy (Esther 9:17-19,22-23,28). If the Jews had cause to rejoice in Esther's day, we have much more cause for rejoicing in the Lord - "Do not weep! Se, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed" (Revelation 5:5). The praise of God's people does not arise only from the Jewish nation. It comes from "every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9. Our rejoicing is in Jesus Christ, "the Lamb of God": "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12). This praise will continue throughout eternity: "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13). Proverbs 30:18 speaks of things that are "too amazing" for us, things that we "do not understand." This is the Gospel. It stretches far beyond our understanding. Through amazing grace, such great things have been revealed to us. This is why praise arises in the hearts of God's people as a song which will continue for all eternity.

Day 348
Malachi 1:1-2:16; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 143:1-12
"Come! ... Come! ... Come! ... Come!" (Revelation 6:1,3,5,7). The invitation is clear. We are to come to the Lord. How are we to come to Him? If we are to learn how we are to come to Him, we should learn also how we are not to come to Him. Malachi 1 stresses that we are not to come to Him with blemished sacrifices. Bringing such sacrifices shows contempt for the Name of the Lord (Malachi 1:6-9). We are not to show contempt for "the Lord's table" (Malachi 1:7). We are not to say of the Lord's table, "It is defiled." We are not to say of the food of the Lord's table, "It is contemptible." We are not come to the Lord's table, saying, "What a burden!" (Malachi 1:12). This is no way to come to the Lord. We are to come with "pure offerings", acknowledging the greatness of the Lord's Name (Malachi 1:11). He is the "great King" whose "Name is to be feared among the nations" (Malachi 1:14). The invitation comes from "the Lamb" (Revelation 6:1,3,5,7). Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. He is the pure Sacrifice. He has been slain for us. He is the foundation of our worship. He is the basis on which we come to God the Father. When we cry to God, "O Lord ... Listen to my cry for mercy" (Psalm 143:1), we come to Him in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we plead His "faithfulness and righteousness" (Psalm 143:1), our attention is fixed on the Cross of Christ. There, God's faithfulness and righteousness are revealed to us. When, in our morning meditation, we pray, "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You" (Psalm 143:8), we are looking, in faith, to the Christ of Calvary from whom blessing flows to us. When we pray, "In Your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant" (Psalm 143:12), we are seeking God's forgiveness and new life and are committing ourselves to be His servants.

Day 349
Malachi 2:17-4:6; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 144:1-8
Malachi 4:5 speaks of "that great and dreadful Day of the Lord."  The Day of the Lord will be a Day of Judgment. This is not, however, the full story. It will also be the great Day of salvation. This comes through clearly in Revelation 7 - "a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb ... wearing white robes and ... holding palm branches ... cried out in a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb'" (Revelation 7:9-10). This is our great encouragement as we wage spiritual warfare against the enemies of God. The glorious celebration in the Kingdom of God is the outcome of our life of faith. Saved by grace, we are victors in Christ. "These in white robes ... have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:13-14). That is the glorious finale of God's gracious work of salvation. Here-and-now, we face spiritual warfare. In the midst of the battle, we say, "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer, my Shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues people under me" (Psalm 144:1-2). We, who have had a glimpse of heavenly glory, a foretaste of glory divine, now pray, "Part Your heavens, O Lord, and come down" (Psalm 144:5).

Day 350
Ezra 1:1-2:67; Revelation 8:1-9:12; Psalm 144:9-15
We read of "gold" in both Ezra and Revelation (Ezra 1:4,6,9-11; Revelation 8:3; Revelation 9:7). In Ezra 1:6, "gold" is set alongside "valuable gifts" and "all the freewill offerings." "Gold" is a valuable thing. The "gold" of our lives is truly valuable when it is given freely, as a "freewill offering." In Revelation 8:3, "gold" is associated with "the prayers of all the saints." The "gold" of our lives is truly valuable when it is given prayerfully to the Lord. In Revelation 9:7, the reference to "gold" is of a different kind. It refers to "the locusts." It does not refer directly to "gold." It uses the intriguing phrase - "something like crowns of gold." This phrase speaks to us of the counterfeit, something which is like the real thing but is not the real thing. Like "the locusts", we must be "prepared for battle" (Revelation 9:7). We must be watchful. We must guard against the counterfeit. We must keep ourselves for God so that we may be presented to Him as that which is truly "gold." "Prepared for battle", we must wage war as those who trust in the Lord, "the One who gives victory" (Psalm 144:2). This is the way of blessing: "Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 144:15).

Day 351
Ezra 2:68-4:5; Revelation 9:13-10:11; Proverbs 30:24-33
At the heart of the rebuilding of the Temple, there was worship -"With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: 'He is good; His love to Israel endures for ever" (Ezra 3:11). Those who worship the Lord are set within the context of a world that refuses to worship Him: "The rest of mankind ... did not stop worshipping demons" (Revelation 9:20). Even when the call to conversion is sounded out clearly and often, we must reckon with the fact that many will refuse to come to Christ for salvation. His way is still the narrow way, while many take the broad way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). Part of God's Word to today's world is a word of rebuke: "If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hands over your mouth!" (Proverbs 30:32). Stop answering back! Stop protesting against the Lord! Start listening to the Lord! Listen to His Word! The Lord has much to say to this generation, if only the people would listen. If the word of rebuke is heeded, perhaps, there will be a real opening for the word of salvation.

Day 352
Ezra 4:6-5:17; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 145:1-7
Ezra speaks of the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem (Ezra 5:11). Revelation speaks of "God's Temple in heaven" (Revelation 11:19). Both belong together - building the Church here on earth and building for the Kingdom of heaven. We must never be content with a measure of success in building the Church here on earth. God's calling is heavenly. We look beyond the Church here on earth. We work towards the full and final fulfilment of God's eternal purpose: "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). Here, on earth, we are learning to praise God - "I will exalt You, my God the King ... Every day I will praise You" (Psalm 145:1-2). This praise will be complete in the glory of God's heavenly and eternal Kingdom: "I will praise Your Name for ever and ever ... and extol Your Name for ever and ever" (Psalm 145:1-2). However much God may bless our worship here on earth, there will always be an inadequacy about our worship in this earthly life: "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no-one can fathom" (Psalm 145:3). Psalm 145:4-7 gives a great description of the joyful celebration, which is true worship (Psalm 145:7). This joyful celebration will reach its fullness in the glory of heaven. There, we will see the most marvellous fulfilment of the words of Psalm 145:7: "They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness."

Day 353
Ezra 10:1-44; Revelation 14:14-15:8; Psalm 146:1-10
God's people are to belong to Him alone. Influences which are foreign to the Gospel of Christ, alien to the Word of God, are to be excluded from our lives so that we might be, more truly and more fully, the people of God. This is the message of Ezra 10, as it emphasizes the sinfulness of God's people intermarrying with those who worship false gods. From our lives as well as our lips, there is to be the song of praise, found in Revelation 15:3-4. It is a song of praise which gives God His rightful place in our lives. We acknowledge Him as the holy God, the God of righteousness. We affirm that His ways are just and true. We submit to Him - "Who would not fear You, O Lord." We seek His glory - "and bring glory to Your Name?" (Revelation 15:4). This commitment to singing the praise of the Lord involves the whole of our life - "I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live" (Psalm 146:20. This lifelong commitment is not to be fulfilled in our own strength. We need the strength of the Lord. "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Israel" (Psalm 146:5).

Day 354
Nehemiah 1:1-2:20; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 147:1-11
How do we respond to adverse circumstances? We can respond in a godly way or we can respond in a worldly fashion. "The walls of Jerusalem ... had been broken down, and its gates ... had been destroyed by fire" (Nehemiah 2:13). Nehemiah responded with faith in God: "Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem ... The gracious hand of God is upon me" (Nehemiah 2:18). "Sanballat ... Tobiah ... and Geshem" responded in a worldly way: "They mocked and ridiculed us" (Nehemiah 2:19). There are still two quite different responses to suffering. In faith, we can say, "You are just in these judgments, You who are and who were, the Holy One ... Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments" (Revelation 16:5,7). There is also the negative reaction: "They cursed the Name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him" (Revelation 16:9,11). Scripture leaves us in no doubt that the better way is the way of praise - "How good it is to sing praises to our God" (Psalm 147:1). We see that "the Lord builds up Jerusalem" and we give praise to the Lord (Psalm 147:2). This "building up" of Jerusalem is more than building with bricks and mortar. It is the gathering together of the Lord's people, the healing of the broken-hearted, the binding up of their wounds (Psalm 147:7). As we consider this "building up", which is the work of God Himself, we are to "sing to the Lord with thanksgiving" (Psalm 147:7). When we choose the way of praise rather than the way of complaint, we bring delight to the Lord: "The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love" (Psalm 147:11).

Day 355
Nehemiah 3:1-4:23; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 147:12-20
God's people faced opposition. What did they do? They kept on working - "The people worked with all their heart" (Nehemiah 4:6). They kept on praying - "We prayed to our God" (Nehemiah 4:9). They were watchful -  "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,  and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked" (Nehemiah 4:17-18). God calls us to work for Him. As we work, we must also pray. In all of our praying and working, we must never forget that we are involved in spiritual warfare. In this battle with our spiritual enemies, we can say with confidence, "Our God will fight for us!" (Nehemiah 4:20). Revelation 17:14 speaks of conflict and victory: "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome  them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings - and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers." It is important that we see the spiritual dimension of our own experience of conflict. Satan's opposition is directed against the Lamb. When we understand our conflict in this broader context, we begin to see the way to victory. The victory over Satan is not something that we achieve for ourselves. We stand against Satan in the victory of the Lamb. Our victory is always "with Him." It is always a sharing in His victory - ""The Lamb will overcome them." In Psalm 147:12, we read, "He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you." This is speaking of the city of Jerusalem, but we can also apply it to our own lives. Through the Lord who fights for us, we receive strength and we enjoy His blessing.

Day 356
Nehemiah 5:1-7:3; Revelation 18:1-17a; Proverbs 31:10-20
Again, the combination of prayer and work is seen in Nehemiah - "I devoted myself to the work on this wall" (Nehemiah 5:16), "I prayed, 'Now, strengthen my hands.'" (Nehemiah 6:9). "So the wall was completed ... this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah 6:15-16). We may contrast the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the fall of Babylon - "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" (Revelation 18:2). The contrast between Jerusalem and Babylon - the 'tale of two cities' - is the contrast between God and the devil, between holiness and sin, godliness and ungodliness, righteousness and unrighteousness, good and evil. the triumph is the Lord's. The word of judgment concerning Babylon has been spoken (Revelation 18:10,16-17). Proverbs 31:10 tells us that "noble character ... is worth far more than rubies." Again, what a contrast there is between the rich blessing of noble character and the empty futility of worldly riches: "Woe! Woe, a great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!" (Revelation 18:16-17).

Day 357
Nehemiah 7:4-8:18; Revelation 18:17b-19:10; Psalm 148:1-6
We are called to "worship God" (Revelation 19:10). Our worship is to be with reverence and joy. "Be still: "This is the call for reverence (Nehemiah 8:11). Alongside this reverence, there is to be joy: "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). We are to "rejoice" in the Lord (Revelation 18:20). This joy is not a superficial emotion. It is accompanied by the reverence which comes from taking seriously the "woe" that is pronounced on the "great city" that lives for this world only (Revelation 18:19). Joyful worship arises from "a great multitude in heaven" (Revelation 19:1). Four times, in Revelation 19, we read, "Hallelujah!" (Revelation 19:1,3,4,6). "Hallelujah" means 'Praise the Lord.' Our praise is to be characterized by joy: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!" (Revelation 19:7). This joy is grounded in an awe-inspiring face: "Our Lord God Almighty reigns" (Revelation 19:6). "Praise the Lord": These are the first words and the message of Psalm 148. The 'choir' which praises the Lord is truly astonishing (Psalm 148:1-4). Our song of praise participates in the song of praise which arises from God's whole creation. This inspires us to worship Him, more truly and more fully.

Day 358
Nehemiah 9:1-37; Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 148:7-14
In the history of Israel, we read a great deal about the history of human sin. First and foremost, however, it is the story of God's grace and mercy. Israel's sin is there in the forefront: "We are slaves today ... Because of our sins ... We are in great distress" (Nehemiah 9:36-37). Even more significant is the God of grace and mercy: "But in Your great mercy You did not put an end to them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and a merciful God" (Nehemiah 9:31). The God of grace and mercy is "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). He reigns in grace and mercy. This is not to suggest that there is no judgment. There will be judgment. People from all walks of life come under the divine judgment (Revelation 19:18). There is, however, a way of escaping judgment. It is the way of coming to the Saviour: "Come, gather together for the great supper of God" (Revelation 19:17). When the redeemed of the Lord are gathered together for the great supper of God, it will be perfectly clear that "His Name alone is exalted: His splendour is above the earth and the heavens" (Psalm 148:13).

Day 359
Nehemiah 9:38-11:21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 149:1-9
The Lord’s people, in Nehemiah’s time, made this commitment: “We will not neglect the House of our God” (Nehemiah 10:39). Such a commitment to God and His work is not easy to maintain. There is an enemy who opposes God and His work – “the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan” (Revelation 20:2). Whatever chaos Satan may cause in the Lord’s work here on earth, we are left in no doubt about his eternal destiny: “The devil … will be tormented day and night for ever” (Revelation 20:10). Satan’s eternal destiny is very different from that of God’s people: “The Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4) – “This is the glory of all His saints” (Psalm 149:9).

Day 360
Nehemiah 11:22-12:47; Revelation 21:1-27; Proverbs 31:21-31
“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation 21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” This is what God wants to make His Bride, the Church – a people who fear the Lord and bring praise to Him.

Day 361
Nehemiah 13:1-31; Revelation 22:1-21; Psalm 150:1-6
Each day, we stand between the past and the future. In our prayers, we call upon God to "remember" (Nehemiah 13:14,22,29,31). There are two different kinds of 'remembering' here. God remembers his faithful servants. He also remembers those who have been unfaithful. As we face the future, we must be guided by both the Gospel invitation and the Gospel warning (Revelation 22:17-19). Salvation is offered to all. It is to be received by faith in Christ. There is also judgment for those who refuse to "come" to Him. Whatever our reaction to Him may be, God maintains His saving intention. He waits patiently for us to heed the call to "praise the Lord" (Psalm 150:1,6). "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" (Psalm 150:6).

One Year Bible: Days 304-333

Day 304
Joel 1:1-2:17Hebrews 3:1-19Psalm 119:137-144
“Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (Joel 2:13). The call to return to the Lord is an urgent call: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8). Those who have returned to the Lord acknowledge that His way is best - “Righteous are You, O Lord, and Your laws are right” (Psalm 119:137). They delight in doing God’s will: “Your commands are my delight” (Psalm 119:143).
Day 305
As in Hebrews 3, we find again, in Hebrews 4, the words, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). The Word of God speaks of “the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31). We are called to decision - “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14). To those who are in the valley of decision, God says, ‘Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved’” (Joel 2:32). In response to this invitation, we are to say, “I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord, and I will obey Your decrees. I call out to You; save me and I will keep Your statutes” (Psalm 119:145-146). 
Day 306
“Visions of God” - This is what we have in Ezekiel. These visions are not easy to understand. Their form emphasizes that God is beyond our understanding. We see the glory of God, and we fall before Him in worship (Ezekiel 3:23). We are not, however, to content ourselves with seeing the glory of God as we worship Him. We are to share the glory of God as we witness for Him (Ezekiel 3:27). As we consider this high calling - to worship the Lord and to be His witnesses, we become conscious of our weakness. This is where Jesus helps us. He is able “to sympathize with our weaknesses.” Through Him, “we ... receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16). Discovering the mercy and grace of God in Christ, we say to God, in worship, “Your compassion is great, O Lord” (Psalm 119:156).
Day 307
“Alas! because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague” (Ezekiel 6:11). Alongside these words concerning Israel’s sin and fall, we place the solemn words of Hebrews 6:4-6, words which warn us of the danger of falling away, stressing the importance of pressing on in the “things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9). “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). We must not take anything for granted. Day-by-day, we are dependent on the mercy and grace of God. Without His mercy and grace, we will fall. Through His mercy and grace, we will stand.
Day 308
The prophet was shown “the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here (in the Temple), things that will drive Me (God) far from My sanctuary” (Ezekiel 8:6). There were, however, “those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it” (Ezekiel 9:4). There was to be judgment, but it would not fall on those who loved the Lord and His House (Ezekiel 9:6). As we read of the “sanctuary”, which was defiled, we read also, in Hebrews 6:19-20, of the sanctuary which will never be defiled: “the inner sanctuary .... where Jesus ... has entered on our behalf.” How are we to respond to the defiling of the sanctuary? We are to spend more time, giving our love to Jesus, entering “the inner sanctuary” where He is - “I hate and abhor falsehood but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous laws” (Psalm 119:163-164). 
Day 309
“The glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 11:23) - This is what the visions are about. The glory of the Lord is most fully revealed in Christ. His glory is revealed in salvation, in His power “to save completely those who come to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25). As we read in Scripture of this great salvation, we must pray, from our hearts: “I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight” (Psalm 119:174). Salvation is not a self-centred experience, all for me, no give and all take. It is a God-centred experience which leads to service, a life committed to doing His will.
Day 310
God speaks against “those who prophesy out of their own imagination ... who follow their own spirit” (Ezekiel 13:2-3). In the face of such false prophets, we must pray, “Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues” (Psalm 120:2). How does the Lord save us from lying lips and deceitful tongues? He leads us to the One who is the Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ “who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man” (Hebrews 8:2). How does Jesus save us from lying lips and deceitful tongues? This is what He does: “I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10).
Day 311
The promises of God are given in Ezekiel 16 - “I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you ... So I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 16:60,62). These promises are fulfilled in “Christ ... the Mediator of a new covenant.” Through Him, we “receive the promised eternal inheritance.” Through His death “as a ransom”, we are “set ... free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15). “Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger” (Proverbs 27:13) - Through faith in Christ, we receive the garment of His perfect righteousness. Trusting in Him, we are no longer strangers to God. We are secure in His salvation.
Day 312
The Word of God calls us to repentance - “Repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32). This repentance does not earn salvation for us. While we are called to “repent and live”, we must understand that eternal life is God’s gift, given to us on the basis of Christ’s death as the perfect sacrifice for our sins: “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). The foundation of our salvation is Christ’s death for our sins: “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.” There is an appropriate response to His saving death. We are to wait for Him - He “brings salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Hebrews 9:28). As we wait for Him, we look forward to life “both now and for evermore” (Psalm 121:8).
Day 313
God is gracious. Despite all the sin of Israel, described in great detail in these chapters of Ezekiel, God still says, “I will accept you as fragrant incense” (Ezekiel 20:41). He still says, “I deal with you for My Name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices” (Ezekiel 20:44).  How does God deal with us in mercy and grace? He does so through Jesus Christ: “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). Concerning Jerusalem, the Psalmist prays, “May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels” (Psalm 122:7). This is what we have “in Christ” - peace and security. In Him, we have been removed from the realm of our own sin and guilt. We have been placed in His peace and security.
Day 314
Human sin and divine judgment, described in such detail in these chapters of Ezekiel - this is the backcloth against which we are called to go on with the Lord: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God” (Hebrews 10:26-27). In the face of our sin and God’s judgment, “our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He shows us His mercy.” We pray, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us” (Psalm 123:3).  
Day 315
The contrast between a life of sin and shame and a life of faith and blessing is highlighted in the comparison between the passages in Ezekiel and Hebrews. The contrast is between living for the things we see - “She saw men ... As soon as she saw them she lusted after them” (Ezekiel 23:14-16) - and living and “longing for a better country - a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16). Proverbs 27:20 says, “Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.” The glory of the Christian hope is that Death and Destruction will not have the last word. God has prepared a city for His people (Hebrews 11:16). Our eyes will look upon Him, and we will rejoice in Him who satisfies completely - our Creator, our Redeemer: God.
Day 316
There is, in these passages, the continuing conflict between the life of obedient faith (Hebrews 11) and the life of disobedience (God’s judgments in Ezekiel). The Psalmist makes it clear that the life of obedient faith is not an easy life - “If the Lord had not been on our side ... they would have swallowed us alive ... the raging waters would have swept us away” (Psalm 124:1-5). The testimony of the Psalmist is clear: “Praise be to the Lord who has not let us be torn by their teeth” (Psalm 124:6). As we read these words, our thoughts may turn towards the Bible’s description of “the devil” as “a roaring lion who goes about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Through Christ, we have the victory - “We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped” (Psalm 124:7).
Day 317
To Tyre, God says, “Your wealth, merchandise and wares, your mariners, seamen and shipwrights, your merchants and all your soldiers, and everyone else on board will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck” (Ezekiel 27:27). Those who are overladen by their attachment to the things of this world will sink in the storms of life. The Word of God says to us, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). Though the storms of life be very severe, the Lord’s promise remains true: “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures for ever” (Psalm 125:1). 
Day 318
Many times over, in these chapters of Ezekiel, the words are repeated, “They will know that I am the Lord.” We must view the events of history in relation to God. He is fulfilling His purpose. He is demonstrating that He is the Lord. The demonstration of His Lordship is seen in both judgment - “Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 29:9) - and salvation - “On that day I will make a horn grow for the house of Israel ... Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 29:21). The judgment need not be final (Ezekiel 29:13-14). The salvation is not without the reminder of past sin (Ezekiel 29:16). In both God’s judgment and His salvation, we see God’s love and His holiness. Scripture speaks of both “the grace of God” and the call to holiness - “without holiness no-one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14-15). We receive God’s Kingdom with thanksgiving, rejoicing that it “cannot be shaken.” We receive His Kingdom “with reverence and awe”, acknowledging that “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). We rejoice  in the Lord - “The Lord has done great things for us.” We pray for renewal - “Restore our fortunes, O Lord” (Psalm 126:3-4).
Day 319
What a contrast there is between “Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Ezekiel 31:2) and “Jesus Christ” who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Pharaoh had the appearance of “majesty”, yet he was “brought down” (Ezekiel 31:2,18). Jesus has a glory which will never be diminished. It will be “glory for ever and ever” (Hebrews 13:21). “Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse” (Proverbs 28:6). Jesus didn’t have the riches of this world, but He lived in perfect obedience to His Heavenly Father. Pharaoh had this world’s riches, but he hardened his heart against the Lord. The Word of God leaves us in no doubt about which way is the better way. It’s not the way of Pharaoh. It’s the way of Jesus.
Day 320
God’s Word must be spoken as a Word which calls for response. The prophet is to “warn the wicked man to turn from his ways” (Ezekiel 33:9). He is to declare that “the Sovereign Lord ... takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” The prophet is to say, “Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel” (Ezekiel 33:11). If God’s Word is to be received as a Word of salvation, it must be “humbly accepted.” We must “not merely listen to the Word.” We are to “do what it says” (James 1:21-22). Our “house” must be built on the Lord (Psalm 127:1). This is the way of wisdom, the way of building on the Rock, which is God Himself. When the storms of life become very testing, those who have built their lives upon the Lord will not collapse - “They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:5). God’s Word promises blessing to those who respond to its challenge with the obedience of faith.
Day 321
The Word of God speaks clearly about sin and judgment - “See, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep” (Ezekiel 34:20), “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful” (James 2:13). God’s Word also gives to us great promises. They are promises of mercy: “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). They are promises of blessing: “There will be showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26). If we are to enjoy the Lord’s blessing, we must fear Him and walk in His ways: “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways” (Psalm 128:1).  
Day 322
The Breath of God (the Spirit of God) brings life (Ezekiel 37:9). When “the tongue ... is ... set on fire by hell” (James 3:6), the words which it breathes out will be “full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). How important it is that we keep on praying, “Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew.” If the Breath of God is not sweeping through our lives, we will be blown here and there by every wind of doctrine, by “restless evil” which goes from one false doctrine to another, never content to settle upon the stability of God’s Word. There is a blessing of the Lord for those who love Him - “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the Name of the Lord” (Psalm 129:8). This blessing will not be given to those who turn away from the Lord - “May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame” (Psalm 129:5).
Day 323 
Ezekiel 38:1-39:29James 4:1-17Proverbs 28:7-17
God’s Word speaks of His judgment upon sin (Ezekiel 39:23-24). It also speaks of His great salvation from sin (Ezekiel 39:25-29). “Scripture says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6). God’s Word speaks of the choice placed before man - obedience or disobedience, blessing or judgment (Proverbs 28:13-14).
Day 324
Ezekiel 40:1-49James 5:1-20Psalm 130:1-8
The prophecy spoken by Ezekiel has its ultimate Source in God Himself - “the hand of the Lord was upon me” (Ezekiel 40:1). He goes on to describe “visions of God” (Ezekiel 40:2). To speak the Word of God faithfully requires patience. There is not always evidence of great blessing. Nevertheless, we must be faithful like “the prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord” (James 5:12). Such ministry is to be accompanied by prayer - “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). The prayer and preaching are to be directed towards bringing men and women back to the Lord from whom they have wandered away (James 5:19-20). There is blessing for those who lead others  back to the Lord. 
Day 325
Ezekiel emphasizes that the Temple was to be built according to God’s pattern. Our lives are to be lived according to God’s pattern - “Be holy in all you do”, “Love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:15,22). The instructions for the building the Temple were precise. The instructions for our living in obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22) are comprehensive. Holiness and love - these are the principles which are to guide us in the whole of life. Psalm 131 speaks of humility and hope. With a humble heart, we are to bow before the Lord. Like “a weaned child” trusts “its mother”, we are to trust our Heavenly Father. Such childlike faith is the essence of hope - trust in “the Word of the Lord”  which stands for ever” (1 Peter 1:24).
Day 326
In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 - “a royal priesthood ... a people belonging to God. To His people, God gives this call - “Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” To be “a holy priesthood ... a royal priesthood” is not only privilege. It is also responsibility. Concerning this privilege and responsibility, the Psalmist writes, “May Your priests be clothed with righteousness; may Your saints sing for joy ... I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall ever sing for joy” (Psalm 132:9,16). 
Day 327
In Ezekiel, we read of many sacrifices being offered to God. In the New Testament, it is emphasized that one Sacrifice is sufficient - “For Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). We are called to look to Christ for salvation. We are to trust in the Lord. This is the way of true prosperity (Proverbs 28:25). It is the way of walking in wisdom, the way of enjoying salvation. This way is contrasted with the way of trusting in oneself, the way of the fool (Proverbs 28:26).
Day 328
“The sanctuary will be in the centre of it ... In the centre of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord ... the Temple sanctuary will be in the centre of them” (Ezekiel 48:8,10,21). Here, we have the centrality of worship in the life of God’s people. First and foremost, God calls His people to worship Him. In all our service offered to God (1 Peter 4:10-11), there is to be the offering of worship - “To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11). This worship is not simply personal worship - ‘you in your small corner and I in mine.” It is the worship offered to God by His people when they gather together to praise Him. It is God’s people responding to the call, ‘Let us worship God.’ “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). When God’s people worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24), the Holy Spirit descends upon them “like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard” (Psalm 133:2). As God’s people worship Him, the blessing of the Lord will be given: “There the Lord bestows His blessing, even life for evermore” (Psalm 133:3). 
Day 329
Daniel’s praise, offered to God, in Daniel 2:20-23, highlights for us the direction from which blessing comes. It comes from above. What we do not have is given to us by God - “He gives” (Daniel 2:21), “You have given me” (Daniel 2:23). Daniel’s praise is echoed in Peter’s praise: “To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:11). Again, in Psalm 134, the connection between praise and blessing is underlined: “Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord ... May the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth bless you from Zion” (Psalm 134:3).
Day 330
God is sovereign. He is establishing His Kingdom which is heavenly, eternal and glorious - “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed ... it will itself endure for ever” (Daniel 2:44). Alongside the sovereignty of God, there is also the responsibility of man - “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fail, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11). There is no comparison between the kingdoms of men and the Kingdom of God - “I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods ... He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings ... and He gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to His people Israel” (Psalm 135:5,10-12).
Day 331
“The Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17). It is a great comfort to know that God is sovereign. It gives strength in the midst of the conflict. It’s an unequal conflict - God’s Kingdom will prevail over the kingdom of Satan. We must not, however, doubt that Satan will provide determined opposition - “false prophets ... false teachers ... will bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 2:1-2). However fierce the conflict may be, we have this assurance: “The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:9). In the heat of the battle, we must never forget what we are fighting for and who we are fighting for - ‘To be the best that I can be for truth and righteousness and Thee.” In this battle, the Lord Himself fights with us and for us. He enables us to maintain His standard. He keeps us from dropping down to the level of the world’s standards. “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7).
Day 332
Worldly men “praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5:4). They worship things - material possessions. The Lord calls His people to higher things. He tells us that “the idols of the nations are silver and gold” (Psalm 135:15). They are not to be worshipped. We are to “praise the Lord” (Psalm 135:19-21). We are to give the glory to “our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We are to praise the Lord - “Your Name, O Lord, endures for ever, Your renown, O Lord, through all generations” (Psalm 135:13).
Day 333
“For He is the living God and He endures for ever; His Kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end” (Daniel 6:26). “His love endures for ever” (Psalm 136). God is the God of love. His Kingdom is the Kingdom of love. God is eternal. His Kingdom is eternal. The love of God is eternal in its origin. It is eternal in its outcome. The love of God has been revealed in history. Between the beginning and the end, there is the Cross of Jesus Christ: “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Notes on the Psalms