1 NOVEMBER MATT. 2: 13-18
THE LORD IS ABLE TO KEEP HIS OWN
God the Father kept Jesus Christ completely safe from the plot of King
Herod to kill Him in infancy (Matt. 2: 13-18). He gave specific guidance
to Jesus’ earthly parents to ensure that He was quite safe (Matt.
2: 13- 15). He made Herod’s mass murder of male infants in Bethlehem
which targeted Jesus unsuccessful against Him (Matt. 2:16-18). He foiled
every attempt by King Herod to eliminate Jesus while He was an infant
(see Matt. 2:13-18). Thus, He kept Jesus completely safe throughout His
childhood until He grew up to fulfil the purpose for which He sent Him
(see Matt. 1:21; Lk. 2:8-20; Jn. 1:29; Jn. 3:16). With this we learn
that God is more than able to keep all His children completely safe to
the end (see Ps. 127:1-2). He kept Joseph from all harm until His purpose
for his life was fulfilled (see Gen. 37, 39-50). He kept David from Saul’s
numerous attempts to kill him until He established him as the King of
His people (see 1 Sam. 18: 8-11; 1 Sam. 23:26-29; 1 Sam. 24:1-22). He
kept Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego from King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
and his burning furnace (see Dan. 3:1-30). He kept the lions from harming
Daniel His prophet when he was thrown into their den (see Dan. 6:1-28).
He kept Peter from King Herod’s plot to kill him (see Acts 12:1-19).
In fact, it is His nature to keep all who are His. And only His own keeping
is unfailing and most reliable (see Ps. 127:1-2). All His true children
(Jn. 1:12-13) can count completely on His unfailing keeping (see Ps.
127:1-2; Lk. 12: 4-7; Matt. 28: 20; cf. Rom. 10:11).
PRAYER
1. Father, please let your keeping alone be my portion. 2. Father, please
bring to nothing every evil plot against me. 3. Father, please let all
the days and things you ordained for me
come to pass.
2 NOVEMBER REV. 10: 5-11
Just before the end (Rev. 10:5-7), John was told in his vision to go
and take the scroll from the angel who is standing on the sea and on
the land (Rev. 10:8-10) and to prophesy again about many peoples, nations,
languages, and kings (Rev. 10:11). The scroll represents the word of
God. While the end was yet to come, preaching was to continue (Rev. 10:
5-11). This is an abiding directive. Until the end comes, preaching must
continue (see 2 Tim. 4: 1-2; cf. Matt. 28:18-20). Most importantly, it
also means that opportunity for salvation exists for the living up to
the end (see Rev. 3:20). Therefore the Church must continue to proclaim
the gospel until the end comes (see 2 Tim. 4:1-2; Matt. 28:18-20). Anyone
who is yet to receive Jesus Christ as His Saviour can still do so before
the end comes (Rev. 3:20; Jn. 1:12-13). The preaching of the gospel and
the opportunity for salvation will cease to be available for the living
once the end comes. Therefore the time for preaching and salvation is
now (see 2 Cor. 6:1-2).
PRAYER
1. Father, please make me ready for the end.
2. Father, please take away
whatever hinders me from being ready
for the end.
3 NOVEMBER MATT. 10:28-31 NO BASIS
FOR FEAR OF DEATH
Fear of death is quite natural and common to man. But here Jesus Christ
dealt with that fear. He commanded His followers not to be afraid of
it (Matt. 10: 31). According to Him, no one can kill their souls and
even the hairs of their heads are all numbered and they are worth more
than sparrows which cannot fall to the ground without His Father’s
authorisation (Matt. 10:28-31). This means that the lives of all His
followers are in His Father’s safe hands absolutely. Like the sparrows,
nothing whatever can happen to any of His followers without His Father’s
will (Matt. 10:29-31). As Jesus taught, the Father is sovereign over
all His creation and everything or every activity is completely subject
to Him and alone (cf. Ps. 24: 1-2; 1 Chron. 29:10-13). He alone reigns
over all His creation and is fully in charge of it all the time (cf.
Ps. 24:1-2; 1 Chron. 29:10-13). There is no activity or incident of any
kind that takes place outside of His sovereign authority. Therefore,
His followers have no reason whatever to be afraid of death. Their lives,
like those of all other creatures, are subject to the authority and control
of no other except God (see Job. 14:5; Acts 17:26).
PRAYER
1. Father, please overcome every form of fear in my life.
2. Father,
please enable me to fear you only.
3. Father, please keep me safe from
all the plots and schemes of the
evil one and his agents.
4 NOVEMBER ZEPH. 1: 14-18 SIN BRINGS
JUDGMENT
Why does the Lord judge His beloved children? This passage answers
this question clearly once again (Zeph. 1:17). The Lord judges His
beloved
children because of their sin (Zeph. 1:17; cf. Jer. 52: 3). His judgments
always follow persistent sin and unwillingness to repent (Cf. Lk. 13:1-5).
The Lord would not judge His children if they do not sin against Him
(see Zeph. 1:17). Therefore the Lord is never unjust in His judgments
(see Rev. 16:7). He does not even take pleasure in the death of the sinner
(Ezek. 18:23). The Lord always relents in His judgment when there is
genuine repentance and turning to Him (Ezek. 18:30-32; Prov. 28:13; Acts
3:19-20). Anyone who desires to escape His judgment must repent of his
sins and turn to the Lord from the heart (Zeph. 2:1- 3; Ezek. 18:30-32;
Prov. 28:13). There is always mercy for the repentant sinner (Prov. 28:13).
Where sin persists, judgment is inevitable (Cf. Heb. 10:26-31).
PRAYER
1. Father, please enable me to turn from every sin to you.
2. Father,
please destroy the power of sin in me. 3. Father, please forgive all
my sins.
5 NOVEMBER HAB. 2: 18-20 THE LORD ALONE
IS THE EVER LIVING GOD
The Lord ends His answer to Prophet Habakkuk’s complaint by proclaiming
His everlasting reign (Hab. 2:20). Whereas idols are man- made and lifeless
(Hab. 2:18-19), the Lord is ever living (Hab. 2:20). He is the only living
God that the entire earth must worship (Hab. 2:20). He alone is entitled
to the worship of all the earth (Hab. 2:20). The revelation of God as
given here is completely true. Idols are the works of men and have no
life in them (see Hab. 2:18-19). The Lord alone is ever living and thus
entitled to the worship of all mankind (Hab. 2:20; Matt. 4:10). It is
utterly useless to worship idols (see Is. 40:19-20; 1 Cor. 8:4-6). The
Lord alone is the living God to be worshipped (Matt. 4:10). Therefore
we must turn from all lifeless and worthless objects of worship to the
living God (Acts 14:15-16; Acts 17:24-31; Matt. 4:10).
PRAYER
1. Father, please enable me to worship and serve you only.
2. Father,
please keep me from every form of idolatry.
6 NOVEMBER MIC. 2: 12-13 THE LORD IS
GRACIOUS, FORGIVING, AND MERCIFUL
Here the Lord promised to restore His people to their land (Mic. 2:12).
The people once scattered will be gathered together like sheep in a
pen, and the place once deserted will throng with people (Mic. 2:12-13).
The
Lord Himself will lead the way as they return to their land (Mic. 2:13).
This promise was fulfilled (see Ezra 1:1-4). Thus, the Lord is indeed
gracious, forgiving, and merciful (see Exod. 34:5-7; Ps. 86:5; cf.
Neh. 9:16-19). He does not take pleasure in the sinner’s death, but
in his repentance and return to Him (see Ezek. 18:23). Anyone who returns
to Him will certainly find mercy (Prov. 28:13; Acts 3:19-20). In fact,
He readily welcomes anyone who heeds His call to return to Him (see Lk.
15:7, 10; cf. Rev. 3:20). His judgment always follows our refusal to
return to Him (see Heb. 10:26-31).
PRAYER
1. Father, please be gracious, forgiving, and merciful to me.
2. Father,
please enable me to return to you completely.
7 NOVEMBER 1 THESS. 2: 4 LIVING TO PLEASE
GOD
While reviewing his ministry in Thessalonica, Paul states what his
goal and that of his colleagues was (1 Thess. 2:4). According to
him, their
goal was to please God, not men (1 Thess. 2:4). This goal affected
their method and character (1 Thess. 2:5-6, 10-12). To please the
one who called
them was indeed the right and proper goal. Pleasing men had no place
in their ministry. Our goal for Christian living or ministry must be
the same as theirs (! Thess. 2:4). The ways of men are often opposed
to those of God (Is. 55:8-9). One cannot please God and men at the
same time (see Rom. 8:6-8). In fact, anyone who delights in pleasing
men cannot
be a friend of God (see 1 Jn. 2: 15-16; cf. Rom. 8:6-8). Whoever pleases
God instead of men is living a life worthy of Him. On the other hand,
one who is pleasing men instead of God is not living a life worthy
of Him.
PRAYER
1. Father, please enable me to please you with all of my life.
2.
Father, please take away whatever hinders me from pleasing you
with all my life.
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