April 29th, Wednesday: 1 John 1 - 2

1 John

Overview

The apostle wrote this letter to his dear 'little children' (the phrase which is used, by the way, 9 times) to help them find assurance of personal salvation.

When you're assured of your salvation, you can have fellowship with God and God's people.

You can experience joy and have victory over sin.

John also wrote to warn believers about false teachers.

Both Peter and John were concern about the purity of the doctrine of the church, and you and I should be concerned about that same thing today too.

Chapters 1 and 2 focus on fellowship and contrast saying and doing.

It's easy to talk the Christian life, but God wants the walk, not just the talk.

John emphasizes son-ship in chapters 3 through 5.

The phrase 'born of God' is used several times there and gives 3 marks of the true child of God –

I. Doing God's will.

ii. Loving the brethren, &

iii. Believing the truth.

God is light and His children should walk in the light.

God is love and His children should walk in love.

The Spirit is truth and God's children should believe and obey the truth.

1 John 1

God wants you to have a living fellowship with Him and His children in Jesus Christ.

He has revealed what true life really is.

Even though you cannot see Him and touch Him as the apostles did many centuries ago – He can still be real to you as His Holy Spirit opens the Word to your heart.

He wants you to have a joyful fellowship.

It's not the fellowship of the slave with the master, but that a child with the parent.

God delights in His children, and longs to share His love with them.

When you're happy in the will of God, you are ready to live for Him and serve Him.

He wants you to have an honest fellowship as well – that means walking in the light and dealing honestly with sin.

Salvation is a matter of life or death.

But fellowship is a matter of light or darkness.

If you lie to God, to others and to yourself – you will lose your fellowship with God and your character.

The Godly character does not develop in the darkness.

1 John 2

In Jesus Christ, you have an advocate – representing you before God's throne.

When you sin, confess it to Him and receive His faithful forgiveness.

In Him, you also have an example, and you should walk just as He walked.

Ask the indwelling Holy Spirit to make you more like Jesus Christ and saturate yourself with His light as you read the Gospels.

From Jesus Christ you have a commandment to love God's people.

The Father gave this commandment to Israel, and the Son to His disciples and the Spirit enables us to obey it.

You see, because of Jesus Christ, you have a family: the members are at different stages of spiritual development, but all can receive the Word and grow.

How wonderful it is when the little children become young men and then fathers.

You'll also have some enemies – the world and the false teachers.

Christians who love the world, lose the enjoyment of the Father's love and the desire to do His will.

We overcome the world with God's love and the liars with God's truth.

And then of course, you have a wonderful hope, a sure and steadfast hope – the coming of Jesus Christ.

So abide in Him and you will not be ashamed when He comes.

April 28th, Tuesday: 2 Peter 2 - 3

2 Peter 2

The description of the false teachers is clear enough to help you detect them and vivid enough to make you want to avoid them.

It's not enough to reject their false teachings - you must also avoid their way of life and the hypocrisy behind it.

Their tool is deception - so you must know God's Word and exercise discernment when you hear their impressive language and their alluring promises.

They fellowship with you only to find out what they can get from you, and then they will leave you in worse shape than when they found you.

They are deceptive and destructive – so beware!

Their purpose is personal pleasure and financial gain, and their destiny is judgment.

Like Balaam, they caused others to sin by using religion for personal gain.

They're not God's sheep – they're pigs and dogs in sheep's clothing.

And eventually they'll go back to their natural habits.

True sheep keep themselves clean because they follow the shepherd

2 Peter 3

When false teachers cannot accomplish their devious purposes with lies, they start to scoff and ridicule the Word of God.

They want you to forget that the very Word they deride is in control of God's universe.

God created everything by His Word, and His Word holds it together.

His Word caused the flood, and His Word will one day bring a judgment of fire to the ungodly world.

Whoever robs you of God's Word - robs you of your future!

People who have no future hope have no motivation for life today.

No wonder Peter closes with 'Beloved, be diligent!' and 'Beloved, beware!'

We live in dangerous days, my friend.

But the opportunities have never been greater.

God is patiently waiting for the lost to trust Christ, but He needs you to share the Gospel with them.

April 27th, Monday: 1 Peter 5 - 2 Peter 1

1 Peter 5

Even apart from the end time suffering the church will experience, believers must face their 3 great enemies:

i. The world.

Christian leaders are tempted to act like the world and kind of lord it over God's people; but leaders are shepherds, and sheep must be led, not driven.

Our service must be willing and humble.

We must be eager to help others.

ii. The flesh.

By nature we do not want to submit to others.

The phrase 'clothed with humility' reminds us of our Saviour when He wore a towel and washed Peter's feet.

If we are submitted to the Lord, we will submit to His people.

Humility leads to honour; pride leads to shame.

Iii. The devil.

The devil is an adversary – not a friend.

He is a roaring lion – not a playful pet.

He wants to devour you and you had better be on guard.

Peter thought that he is well able to defeat the enemy so he did not heed the Lord's warning.

The results were failure and shame.

You can resist Satan by faith if you're wearing the armour and trusting the Spirit.

2 Peter 1

Brief Overview

When the apostle wrote this book, he was conscious that death was near and that the church was in danger for false teachers were creeping in.

He urged the believers to hold to the precious Word and grow spiritually, and to identified and shun false teachers, and to keep the promise of Christ's return uppermost in their hearts.

He stressed spiritual knowledge that comes from God's Word.

2 Peter 1

You'll have power for the present.

When you trust Christ, He will give all you need for life and Godliness.

All you have to do is appropriate what you need from His resources.

His Word feeds the divine nature within.

And you can grow in knowledge and in grace.

This is not automatic – you must be diligent to use the means of grace that god has provided.

You'll have assurance from the past.

Peter would be martyred soon, so he took occasion to remind readers that they could trust the Word of God.

Although Peter's experience on the Mount of Transfiguration was wonderful – my friend, experiences are not a substitute for the unchanging Word of God.

And you'll have hope for the future.

The Word is a light in this dark world, pointing to the return of the Lord.

Private interpretation means no prophecy should be isolated from the rest of Scripture, or interpreted apart from the leading of the Spirit who gave it to us.

The Spirit wrote one book and it must be understood as a whole.

Believers may differ on individual matters of prophecy, but they all agree on the one hope – and that is Jesus is coming again!
And He's coming soon.

April 26th, Sunday: 1 Peter 3 - 4

1 Peter 3

Peter compared believers to sheep.

And sheep are gentle animals.

He then called for Christians to practice gentleness in several areas of life.

Gentleness In the home.

Christian wives with unsaved husbands should seek to win them to the Lord with true spiritual beauty, and not with artificial glamour or nagging.

Husbands should live as though their wives were priceless porcelain vases and treat them with gentle love.

Gentleness in the church.

Imagine having to remind Christians to show one another love and courtesy!

But as James chapter 4 shows us – not every local assembly is a place of peace; not every local church is a place of safety and refuge.

Gentleness in the world.

Anybody can suffer for doing wrong, but Christians must learn to suffer for doing what's right.

Of course, Jesus is the example for us to follow.

We witness not by making noise and fighting back, but by showing meekness and fear.

A gentle witness can make a big difference in a violent world.

1 Peter 4

Do not be controlled by the past.

People who have been born again through faith in Christ, should not allow the old life to control them.

The past has been buried and they are new creatures in Christ.

Furthermore, life is too short to waste it on Godless living, especially when you realise that one day we will all stand before God.

Be serious about the present no matter how difficult life may be.

There is a job to do and we must be faithful.

Take time to pray.

Show love to the saints.

Use your gifts and talents to serve others.

The Lord who gave you the ability will also give you the strength to use it for His glory.

Just ask Him for energy from on high.

Be prepared for the future.

A fiery trial was about to come to the church.

Peter told his readers to expect it and use it as an opportunity to witness for Christ, and in all things seek to glorify God.

The trial came under the Roman emperor Nero, who accused the Christians of burning Rome.

The Church today faces persecution – are you prepared?

April 25th, Saturday: 1 Peter 1 - 2

1 Peter

The apostle Peter was chosen to be the first to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

But his ministry was primarily to the Jews.

He wrote these two letters, 1 & 2 Peter to believers scattered in 5 areas of the Roman empire – 2 of which Paul had not been allowed to enter.

And in writing these letters, Peter fulfilled the commission given him in Luke 22 and in John 21.

The theme of the first letter is the grace of God, and Peter tells us how to live as aliens in a hostile world.

The theme of the second letter is spiritual knowledge.

He uses the word knowledge 7 times in the letter, and he warns us about false teachers.

Peter opens his first epistle by reminding his readers of what God's grace had done for them in saving them.

He then points out that God's grace helps them out in various relationships of life, and in the coming time of persecution.

Peter sums up the themes of both letters in his benediction over in 2 Peter 3:18: 'But grow in grace, and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.'.

That is the only way to succeed in these last days.

1 Peter 1

Salvation is a calling.

We're chosen by the Father, who gives us the new birth.

We're set apart by the Spirit, who gave the Word and enables God's servants to declare it.

And gives sinners the faith to believe the Promise.

We've been purchased by the blood of God's Son, who died for us, rose again and is coming for us to give our inheritance.

No wonder Peter opened his letter with a song of praise!

Salvation is a birth.

This is the spiritual birth Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus.

When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are born from above – you receive hope and love for Christ and His people.

Because we're God's children – we want to obey Him.

Salvation is a redemption.

The apostle is referring to the Passover feast.

Jesus is the Lamb slain for us and His blood was sprinkled to shelter us.

The Jews in Egypt had to be ready to depart, and we must have the same attitude.

When Jesus comes again, we will make our exodus from this world.

And all of this was for you.

Are you praising Him for it?

1 Peter 2

Growing.

You know – just as a baby has an appetite for the mother's milk, so the child of God has an appetite for the Father's Word.

If you lose that appetite and stopped growing – check to see if any of the sins listed are infecting your life.

Building.

God is building a temple out of a living stone – as a matter of fact, several living stones.

And we privileged to be a part of it.

We're built on Jesus Christ, so there is no way the temple can be destroyed.

Sacrificing.

Each believer is a priest before God and can bring sacrifices to the Lord Jesus Christ and through Jesus Christ.

As we worship the Lord, we proclaim His virtues to a lost world.

That is what God called Israel to do.

And they failed.

What about us?

Are we willing, or are we also failing?

Submitting.

Peter's counsel is that Christians be good citizens and employees, so that God will be glorified.

The example for us is to follow Jesus Christ who submitted even to the point of death.

April 24th, Friday: James 4 - 5

James 4

Of the early church, it was said, 'Behold, how they loved one another!'

Today, people might say, 'Behold, how they compete with one another!'

Why is it sometimes so difficult for God's people to get along?

Well, one thing is selfishness.

The wars among us are caused by the wars within us.

We want to please ourselves – even if it hurts somebody else.

If we're not careful, even our prayers can become selfish.

And then there is the problem of worldliness.

Because Abraham was separated from sin, he was the friend of God.

But Lot was the friend of the world.

And of course, there's pride.

Satan knows how to use pride to defeat you, as he defeated Eve.

Are you laughing, when you should be weeping over your sins?

Are you resisting the devil or resisting the Lord?

Then there's criticism.

One of the easiest ways to hide our sins is to expose the sins of others.

Gossip and slander grieve the Spirit, and divide the family.

God called us to be witnesses, not judges.

And there's boasting.

Life is short and the future unknown – so do the will of God today.

When you make plans, always say, 'If the Lord wills.'

James 5

Now in these last days, before the coming of the Lord – what does God want in our lives?

Let's talk about priorities.

To live only to get wealth is to rob yourself of true riches.

It is to worry instead of worship.

God knows you have needs and He will meet them if you practise what it says in Mathew 6:33.

And we need patience.

If you've sown the right seed, you will eventually reap a harvest of blessings, so be patient.

If others have exploited you – be patient.

The Judge is at the door.

God has the final say, and God has a plan for your life.

All life is lived in seasons.

Perhaps God is preparing you for the next season.

Be diligent!

If you're going through trials, be patient!

God is still on the throne.

Don't forget prayer.

Many kinds of prayer are named here – prayer for the sick, prayer for forgiveness, prayer for the nation, even prayer about the weather.

There's no need that prayer cannot meet and no problem that prayer cannot solve.

Personal concern.

Once again, James emphasizes ministry to individuals.

Can you detect once a fellow believer starts to stray?

Are you truly concerned?

Will you try to help?

Will you wait too long?

April 23rd, Thursday: James 2 - 3

James 2

If you have true saving faith, you will practice impartiality.

And see people in terms of character, and not clothing, or possessions, or positions.

You will not cater to the rich or ignore the poor.

But you will love each person for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Christian love simply means treating others the way the Lord treats you and doing it in the power of the Spirit.

True saving faith is also seen in activity.

Faith is not something you only talk about – it's something that motivates your life, so that you think of others and serve them.

Abraham was saved by faith, but he proved that faith by obeying God and offering his son.

Rahab the harlot was saved by trusting God, but she showed the reality of her faith by protecting the spies.

James and Paul do not contradict each other – they complement each other.

We're justified – that is declared righteous before God by faith.

But we're justified before men by works.

God can see our faith, but men can see only our works.

James 3

Now the believers James wrote to had problems with their tongues.

Of course, the tongue is not the problem – it is the heart.

But before you say anything, ask yourself some questions.

1.Who's in control?

If your tongue is under God's control, you will take what you say seriously and your whole body will be under His discipline.

2. What would the consequences be?

Are you starting a fire that may get out of control and do a lot of damage?

See, once your words are spoken, you cannot take them back – so look ahead!

3. What are my motives?

Is there bitterness in your heart or envy?

Are you speaking from God's wisdom or the wisdom of the world?

Are you a peacemaker or a troublemaker?

If your heart is right before God, He will use your words to produce the right kind of fruit.

April 22nd, Wednesday: Hebrews 13 & James 1

Heb 13:

Lest we get the idea that we can run the race successfully alone – the writer closes his letter by reminding us to follow our spiritual leaders.

If we do, we will love the brothers and sisters, we'll help the strangers and prisoners, live above lust, and we'll deal with covetousness and not be lead away by false doctrines.

'Remember them' (v. 7 & 8)

This may refer to leaders now dead, but their ministry goes on.

Remember what they taught you, how they lived, and what they lived for.

Church leaders and ministry leaders may come and go, but Jesus is the same.

And they, the leaders must fix our eyes on Him.

Obey them.

If they are faithful to care for your soul and teach you the Word - well, you have the responsibility to obey.

A spiritual leader is not a dictator who drives you from behind.

No, he's a shepherd who goes before and leads the way.

So pray for them.

When you come to the throne of grace, ask God to make His shepherds faithful and fruitful.

Pray that the great Shepherd will use them to make you complete in every good work.

And greet them.

You should know your leaders personally and be on good terms with them.

Let nothing come between you that could create problems in the fellowship.

James 1

The man who wrote this letter was the half-brother of our Lord and the leader of the church in Jerusalem.

He was a devout Jew and wrote to Jewish believers scattered throughout the Roman world.

They were troubled by trials and testings as well as by problems in their assemblies.

And James wrote to help them mature in their faith.

The epistle of James is a practical book that discusses living the faith.

It contains echoes of the Sermon on the Mount and the book of Proverbs, both of which are very practical.

If we truly practice our faith, it will be seen in how we face trials, in the way we treat people, in what we say and how we deal with sins in our lives and it will be seen in our prayer life.

When you trust God, trials will work for you and not against you.

But be sure that your heart is wholly yielded to Him.

If your heart and mind are divided, trials will tear you apart.

The goodness of God.

When you realise how good God is to you, you'll have no interest in the temptations the Enemy puts before you.

When you're tempted, count your blessings, and soon you'll have strength to say no!

The Word of God.

It is a mirror that helps us examine ourselves and cleanse our lives.

We must DO the Word of God, not just read it or study it.

The blessing is in the doing.

April 21st, Tuesday: Hebrews 11 - 12

Heb 11

Faith is confidence in God that leads to obedience to God.

True faith is based on what God says and is demonstrated in what we do.

People with faith do things for God, and God does things for them.

Faith is not a luxury – it is a necessity.

It is for common people and not just great leaders.

You see – we need faith for worshiping as well as for working.

And even walking.

And waiting.

And warring.

In any area of life where you ignore faith – you'll end up sinning.

John Calvin defined faith as 'A steady and certain knowledge that the divine benevolence towards us, which being founded on the truth of the gratuitous promise in Christ, is both revealed to our minds and confirmed to our hearts by the Holy Spirit. '

Note that faith is founded on divine truth – that's God's promise.

And is witnessed to by the Spirit in the heart.

It has both objective and subjective aspects, and both are essential.

The phrase 'still others' reminds us that we can live by faith and appear to be defeated!

See, not everybody who trusted God was delivered or protected.

But the most important thing is not God's deliverance – it is God's approval!

Faith and God gives you the ability to endure when others are giving up.

D.L. Moody said, 'Faith makes all things possible. Love makes all things easy.'

Heb 12

Runners.

The people listed as the 'cloud' that witnesses to us.

'God can be trusted' – that's what these witnesses are saying to us.

'Put your faith in His Word, and keep running the race – don't give up!'

'Don't give up – don't stop!'

When you read the Old Testament, your faith should grow.

For the account shows what God did in and through people who dared to trust His promises.

When you read the Gospels, you see the greatest example of endurance in Jesus Christ.

Tertulian said, 'You can judge the quality of their faith from the way they behave.'

Discipline is an index to doctrine.

Children.

Chastening refers to child training – helping the child prepare for adulthood.

It does not necessarily mean punishment for disobedience.

No – although that might sometimes be included.

The successful runner must exercise discipline and submit to training.

Never fear the chastening hand of the Lord – it's controlled by a loving heart.

God's goal is your maturity.

The people of Israel had a frightening experience of Law at Mount Sinai.

But our experience at Mount Zion is one of grace and glory.

We are citizens of the heavenly city.

And will one day fellowship with Patriarchs and angels, and God Himself.

But this does not means we can ignore His solemn voice to us.

If God is shaking things in your life – listen to His Word.

You'll discover the things that cannot be shaken, and you will run the race to the end.

G.W. Campbell wrote, 'We cry too often to be delivered from the punishment, instead of the sin that lies behind it.'

We're anxious to escape from the things that causes us pain, rather than the things that cause God pain.

April 20th, Monday: Hebrews 9 - 10

Heb 9

A better sanctuary.

In every way, the present heavenly sanctuary is better than any sanctuary on earth, including the temple in Jerusalem.

In the earthly temple, the furnishings were only symbols, the work was never finished.

And the ministry could never change the human heart.

You can be grateful for the price Jesus paid to make His heavenly ministry possible.

A better service.

The Jewish high priest could deal only with externals, but Jesus deals with the heart and conscience.

He can purify us and perfect us.

So that we can serve God in an acceptable way.

Do you come to Him daily and ask for His ministry?

A better sacrifice.

The blood that purchased your eternal redemption is not from unwilling animals, but from the Son of God who willingly laid down His life for you.

The spotless Lamb of God had to die only once.

The sacrifice need not be repeated,

Have you trusted that blood to save you?

Heb 10

Forgiveness.

The sacrifices under the old covenant brought a reminder of sin, not a remission of sin – big difference!

The blood of God's own Son took care of sin once and for all.

Now because there is no more offering for sin, there's also no more remembrance of sin.

And we can rejoice that we have a righteous standing before God.

That, my friend, is real good news!

April 19th, Sunday: Hebrews 7 - 8

Heb7

The writer begins to explain the better priesthood of Christ.

And it begins with the better order – the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus Christ is both King and Priest.

And His throne is a throne of grace.

As King He can control circumstances around you.

As Priest He can change attitudes within you.

You'll experience righteousness and peace as you yield to Him..

Because He's a priest forever, He saves forever.

'To the uttermost' means completely, perfectly.

You're secure as long as He lives.

And guess what – He lives forever.

And you can live by the power of His endless life because you're in Christ.

The perfect salvation should lead to a life of growing maturity.

An earthly priesthood can make nothing perfect.

Nor can the Law of God.

Or the sacrifices.

But Jesus can lead you into spiritual maturity as you walk by faith.

He invites you to come to His throne and He understands you better than you understand yourself.

Heb 8

Finality.

There were no chairs in the Jewish tabernacle or temple because the priests' work was never finished.

But Jesus finished the work of redemption and sat down on the throne.

It gives us cause to rejoice.

Reality.

The Jewish priest in the temple minister with copies and shadows, but Christ in heaven ministers in the original sanctuary from which the things on earth were copied.

When you trust Christ you enter a life of reality and you're forever finished with substitutes.

Another cause to rejoice.

Maturity.

The Law of Moses was given to the children of Israel as a tutor to help them grow up and be prepared for their Messiah's coming.

They were like children.

God had to take them by the hand and lead them.

But the new covenant with its heavenly priesthood leads us to spiritual maturity.

God puts His Word in our hearts and transforms our character.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad!

April 18th, Saturday: Hebrews 5 - 6

Heb 5

Just as the Jewish high priest was appointed by God, so our great High Priest was appointed by the Father.

And He alone is worthy to serve.

Never allow anyone to come between you and God.

For Christ is the only mediator.

The order of Melchizedek refers to Genesis.

Being from the tribe of Judah, Jesus could not serve as priest on earth but he can serve as Priest in heaven.

He is there ministering for you today right now.

Being perfected.

Jesus had to prepare for His priestly ministry by experiencing the trials His people experience as they walk by faith.

Because of the life He lived, the death that He died – He is able to identify with your needs and give you grace to see you through.

In other words, He understands and He helps.

Being neglected.

The milk of the Word represents the first principles of the Christian life.

That is what Jesus Christ did for us when He was on earth.

The meat of the Word is the teaching – what Jesus is doing for us now in heaven.

His ministry is high priest.

How sad it is when Christians neglect God's Word and stop growing in grace.

Heb 6

The impossible.

The ABCs of the Christian life is important, but they must be a launching pad and not a parking lot.

For the challenge is 'let us go on to maturity.'

If we get sluggish and dull toward the Word, we may fall by the wayside and stop being fruitful.

As long as disobedient believers are bring shame to Christ, it is impossible to bring them to repentance.

And God must deal with them.

The improbable.

The writer did not believe that his readers were in that condition.

Although they did have a long way to go in their Christian experience.

The fruit was there!

The diligence, faith and patience are required to live the Christian life – no doubt about it!

Maturity though is not automatic.

The immutable.

The chapter ends with one of the greatest statements on security found anywhere in Scripture.

God's promise and God's oath assure us that we are His.

And God's character backs up His words.

Instead of drifting, we're anchored heavenward, where Jesus ministers in the very presence of God.

And that anchor will not fail.

You can bet your life on it!

We're anchored so we can make progress.