8 July
Deliverance from temptation
Matt. 4:1-11
Christians are not exempted from temptation, no matter how spiritual
they may be. Jesus our Lord and Saviour was Himself tempted (Matt. 4:1-11).
Like Him, we His followers must never yield to any temptation (Matt.
4:1-11). To do so would be to worship the devil instead of God (cf. Matt.
4:8-10; Gen, 3:1-12). It is spiritually devastating to yield to temptation
(see Gen. 3:1-19). Temptation is not an ordinary event. Every temptation
is of the devil (cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3:1-5). His goal is always to
turn believers away from God to himself (see Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3:1-5).
Believers can overcome temptation by the word of God, as Jesus our Lord
and Saviour did (see Matt. 4:1-11). We must never play with temptation.
On the contrary, we must resist it promptly and decisively as Jesus did
(see Matt. 4:1-11; Jam. 4:7). The fact that prayer against temptation
is included in the Lord’s prayer shows how dangerous temptation
is to the Christian life and how important it is for believers to resist
it (Lk. 11:4).
PRAYER: Father, please deliver me from every temptation.
9 July
Doing God’s will
Ps. 143:10
God requires His children to do His will always, everywhere and in everything
(see Matt. 6:10). It is His will that all His children do His will only
(Matt. 6:10; cf. Matt. 4:10). We please Him and attract His favour when
we do His will (cf. Deut. 28:1-14; 1Jn. 5:14). Jesus taught that only
those who do God’s will are entitled to His Kingdom (Matt. 7:21-23),
and that relationship with Him is defined or determined by doing God’s
will (Matt. 20:50). We displease God and attract His wrath or displeasure
when we refuse to do His will (cf. Deut. 28:15-68). As Jesus taught,
anyone who does not do God’s will has no relationship with Him
(Matt. 12:50). Doing God’s will always, everywhere and in everything
is fundamental to our relationship with Him. God would never do anything
outside of His own will (cf. 1 Jn. 5:14). It is our duty to find out
what His will is for every matter or situation and follow it (see Eph.
5:17). Like the Psalmist, we must not only desire to do God’s will
(Ps. 40:8), we must ask Him for the grace to do so (Ps. 143:10). As Jesus
submitted to the Father’s will (Jn. 6:38-40; Matt. 26:39, 42),
we His followers must do likewise and no other.
PRAYER: Father, please teach and enable me to do your will alone.
10 July
A never failing faith
Lk. 22:31
Faith is believing God and His Word (cf. Heb. 11:1). Everything concerning
the Christian life is by faith (cf. Rom. 1:17). It is by faith that we
are justified (cf. Rom. 3:28; Jn. 1:12-13). It is by faith that we are
sanctified (cf. Acts 26:18). It is by faith that we are glorified. It
is by faith that we please God (Heb. 11:6). It is by faith that we perform
signs and wonders (Jn. 14:12; Matt. 17:20). Without faith it is impossible
to accomplish anything or receive anything from God (see Matt. 13:58).
But with faith nothing is impossible (Matt. 17:20; Mk. 9:23). Therefore,
our faith must never fail. A failed faith is a mighty, spiritual disaster.
This is never in the interest of the individual or the gospel. This is
why Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail (Lk. 22:31). We
must keep our faith all the time, everywhere, and in everything. We must
nurture it to maturity and fullness. It is important to remember that
God commends faith (see Heb. 11:1-2) and that everything is possible
only for the one who has faith (Mk. 9:23). We must ask God for the grace
to overcome anything that can weaken or cause our faith to fail. As Jesus
helped Peter (Lk. 22:31), He is ready to help us that our faith does
not fail.
PRAYER: Father, please grant that my faith never ever fails.
11 July
A place in Christ’s Kingdom
Jn 14:2-3
According to the Scripture, one of the activities Jesus will carry out
when He returns will be to bring an end to all other kingdoms and establish
His own (see Rev. 21:1-8). There will be no other kingdom except His
own (cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-25). With the ushering in of His own Kingdom, the
old order of things will pass away and everything will become new (Rev.
21:5). The dwelling of God will be with His people and there will be
no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:3-4). No longer
will there be any curse (Rev. 22:3). And there will be no more night
(Rev. 22:5). There will be endless bliss and tranquility. It is a state
that no human being can afford to miss. However, no one who did not believe
in Jesus will have a share or place in it (Rev. 21:8; 27; see Rev. 20:15).
Only those who believed in Jesus (Jn. 1:12-13) will have a share or place
in it (Rev. 21:27; Jn. 3:16). This is exactly what Jesus promised His
followers (Jn. 14:2-3). Many do not believe that Jesus will return and
bring an end to all other kingdoms and establish His own. This teaching
is wholly trustworthy and true (Rev. 21:5). People’s refusal to
believe can never prevent Jesus from carrying out His plans and promises.
But the opportunity to receive a share or place in His Kingdom is now
that one is alive (see 2Cor. 5:2). At one’s death this opportunity
is foreclosed forever (Jn. 3:18).
PRAYER: Father, please give me a share or place in your Kingdom.
12 July
Be Watchful
Matt. 24:42
Jesus commands us to be watchful concerning His return (Matt. 24:42).
To be watchful is to be ready for His return (see Matt. 24:44). We must
be watchful all the time, since the time of His return is unknown (see
Matt. 24:36-42). It is only the one who is watchful or ready when Jesus
returns whom Jesus will give a share or place in His Kingdom (cf. Matt.
24:46-47; Lk. 12:37-38). Anyone who is not watchful or ready when Jesus
returns will have no share or place in His Kingdom (Matt. 24:48-51; Lk.
12:45-46). It is therefore in our own individual interest to be watchful
or ready for the return of Jesus. We cannot watch or be ready on our
own. We need God’s grace to be able to do so. Therefore, we must
ask God Himself for the grace to be watchful or ready for Jesus’ return.
This watchfulfulness or readiness is a personal obligation (Matt. 24:42).
No one can watch or be ready for another. Each person must watch or be
ready for himself.
PRAYER: Father, please give me the grace to be watchful or ready for
Jesus’ return.
13 July
2 Chron. 5:18-22
The Lord gives victory
The Reubenites, one of the tribes of Israel, had to wage a war to secure
their settlement (2 Chron. 5:18-19). They emerged victorious in their
battle and even took large plunders (2 Chron. 5:18-22). How did they
attain victory? According to the passage, God handed their enemies to
them because they cried out to Him and He answered them because they
trusted in Him (2 Chron. 5:20). Since they trusted in God and cried out
to Him, the battle became God’s (2 Chron. 5:22). The battle of
God’s faithful children are always God’s own battles and
therefore most certain of victory (see Deut. 20:4; 1 Sam. 17:45-50; 2
Chron. 20:15-17; 2 Chron. 32:7-8). Like the Reubenites, when we trust
in the Lord and cry out to Him in trouble or distress, He is sure to
answer us (Ps. 50:15). Those who do not trust in the Lord and cry out
to Him in trouble or distress forfeit their victory. But with God, our
victory is assured, guaranteed (see Ps. 44:6-7; Ps. 60:12). No enemy
of ours can withstand Him, no matter how formidable he is (see 2 Chron.
20:5-6).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please fight all my battles for me.
2. Father, please give me victory over all my enemies.
14 July
Joel. 2:1-5
The day of the Lord
Here the prophet announces the coming of the day of the Lord upon the
people (Joel 2:1). According to the prophet, the day was close at hand
(Joel 2:1), and was going to take the form of a large and mighty army
of locusts (Joel 2:4-5). It was going to be a great and dreadful day
(Joel 2:2, 11). No one was going to be able to escape from it (Joel 2:3).
The announcement of the Lord’s day often followed persistent unfaithfulness
of the people (cf. Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:14-18). The Lord promised to relent
from His wrath if there was genuine repentance and returning to Him (Joel
2:12-17). The day of the Lord is a regular experience for those who refuse
to repent and return to the Lord with all their heart. As in the instant
case, the Lord determines its time and form. But the final day of the
Lord will take place when Jesus Christ returns (Acts 17:31). Like the
one announced here by Joel, no one will be able to escape it (2 Cor.
5:10). Therefore, the right thing to do now in response to the announcement
of the coming of the Lord’s day, whether temporal or final, is
to turn from sin to Jesus Christ with all of one’s heart (Acts
2:38-39; Acts 3:19-20). The Lord often relents from His wrath when there
is genuine repentance and return to Him (see Ezek. 18:21-23).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to return to you with all my heart.
2. Father, please take away whatever hinders me from returning to you
with all my heart.
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