26
OCTOBER
Gen 3:21 The origin of clothing: the care and provision
of God
Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were naked and in need of
clothing (Gen.3:10). And God made clothes and clothed them (Gen.3:21).
By clothing them God cared and provided for their nakedness. He met
their need for clothing. He is indeed a caring God (Nah.1:7). The Lord
knows the needs of His children and is ready to meet them if they would
trust in Him (see Matt.6:25-34). What the Lord requires of His children
is not to worry about their needs but to trust Him to meet them (cf.
Matt.6:25-34). If anyone casts his care or need upon Him, He will surely
sustain him (Ps.55:22; 1 Pet.5:7). As He clothed Adam and Eve then,
so does He cloth His children today (see Matt.6:28-32). But the best
and eternally enduring clothing for believers is Jesus Christ (see
Rom.13:14).
27
OCTOBER
GAL. 1:8-9 The punishment for preaching another gospel:
those affected by it
The punishment applies to those who commit the offence (Gal.1:8-9).
This is the position in Scripture. The soul who sins is the one who
will die (Ezek.18:4). As is the case with all of God’s judgment,
there is no favouritism in the punishment for this offence (cf. Rom.2:11).
Whoever is guilty of this offence receives the punishment for it. The
fact that he is an apostle or an angel, a human or a spirit being does
not exempt him from the punishment for the offence if he commits it
(Gal.1:8-9). The position that one holds in the ministry will not exempt
one from the punishment if he preaches another gospel (see Gal.1:8-9).
The one who is not guilty of the offence of preaching another gospel
will not be punished for it (cf. Ezek.18:19). The punishment applies
to the one who commits the offence, regardless of who he is.
28
OCTOBER
JER.1:14-16 Judgment on God’s people: the Judge
Who is the one who promises to judge the people? It is clear
from the passage that it is the Lord (Jer.1:14-16). The Lord is just,
as He is loving (2 Thess.1:6-7). It is His right and nature to judge
(see Ps. 50:6). He alone is the judge of all the earth (cf. Heb.12:23;
Gen.18:25). No one can escape His judgment (cf. 2 Cor.5:10). Everyone
is subject to His judgment, his status in life notwithstanding (cf.
2 Cor.5:10). His right to judge is sovereign and absolute (Ps.50:6).
No one should hope to escape His judgment, no matter who he is. The
Lord will not be judged by anyone, but He will judge all men without
exception.
29
OCTOBER
ACTS 2:6-12 Speaking in tongues at Pentecost: its true
purpose
Why did the Holy Spirit enable the early disciples to speak
in the languages of nations and peoples other than their own? Was it
to make them super disciples? It was so that they will declare the
word of God in the languages of other peoples and nations (Acts 2:11).
Language schools were not available then as is the case today. Yet
peoples and nations had to hear the good news of God’s love that
was meant for all the people (see Lk.2:10-12). Thus, the Holy Spirit
enabled them to speak in these languages in order to declare the word
of God to those who spoke these languages (Acts 2:6-12). This is the
true purpose of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:6-12; cf. 1Cor.14:1ff).
It is a gift for ministry (Acts 2:6-12). It is a gift for witnessing
about Christ (Acts 2:6-12).Any believer who uses the gift for a purpose
different from this is abusing it. Like its counterparts in the Scripture,
this gift is meant to be used to draw people to Christ (cf.1 Cor. 12:1-13).
To use the gift for any other purpose is to abuse it. When it is used
to witness about Christ, it is used properly (Acts 2:6-12).
30
OCTOBER
PS.8:1, 9 The place of God’s majesty
According to this passage, God’s majesty covers the
whole earth (Ps.8:1, 9). There is no part of the earth that is excluded
from His majesty (Ps.8:1, 9). It cannot be otherwise because the earth
is His and everything in it (Ps.24:1- 2). Since He established it,
He has majesty over it (Ps.24:1-2). This means that He is the sovereign
and true ruler over the earth. It also means that the entire earth
is under His majesty. All rulers, powers, authorities, nations, peoples,
tribes and languages are all subject to His majesty. There is no rival
majesty to His own. With His majesty over the whole earth, those who
trust in Him can have complete peace in everything at all times. The
powers of darkness are subject to His majesty (cf. Col.2:10).
31 OCTOBER
REV. 2:10 The believer’s
attitude to suffering: the call to be faithful
Jesus commands the believers in the Church at Smyrna of what
to do under suffering (Rev.2:10). He commands them to be faithful,
even to the point of death (Rev.2:10). This was exactly what He did
when He died on the cross for us (Phil.2:8). This is the only right
and appropriate thing for a true believer to do when he suffers. The
one who remains faithful under suffering is the one who overcomes,
not the one who is unfaithful (Exod.14:13-14; Matt.10:22). The believer’s
victory over suffering depends on remaining faithful under it, not
on being unfaithful. Those who become unfaithful under suffering cannot
overcome it. Jesus overcame suffering by remaining faithful under it
(see Phil.2:8). His true followers cannot overcome it except by the
same means (Phil.2:8; Rev.2:10).
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