March 31 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” (1 Tim. 3:6) In listing the qualifications of an elder, the Apostle Paul cautions against the assumption of this work by one who is young in the faith. Overseership requires the wisdom and sound judgment that…
March 30 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28 NASB) This is one of those verses that perplex us most when the going is roughest. As long as the wind blows gently, we…
March 29 “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Tim. 2:4) The Christian has been enlisted by the Lord, and is on active service for Him. He must not entangle himself in the affairs of everyday…
March 28 “The hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her.” (2 Sam. 13:15) Amnon burned with lust for his half-sister, Tamar. She was beautiful, and he was determined to have her. He was frustrated because he knew that what he wanted to do was clearly forbidden…
March 27 “The wind blozveth where it listeth.” (John 3:8) The Spirit of God is sovereign. He moves as He pleases. We try to pour Him into our particular mold, but our attempts are invariably frustrated. Most of the types of the Holy Spirit are fluid – wind, fire, oil, and water. We may try…
March 26 “What is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:22) The Lord Jesus had just told Peter that he would live to be an old man, and then die a martyr’s death. Peter immediately looked across at John and wondered out loud if John would receive preferred treatment. The Lord’s reply was, “What…
March 25 “In the beginning God—” (Gen. 1:1) If we separate the first four words of Genesis 1:1 from the rest of the verse, they form a sort of motto for all of life. They say, “God first.” We find this motto suggested in the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”…
March 24 “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Eph. 4:7) We must always remember that whenever the Lord tells us to do something, He gives us the needed power. All His commands include His enablement, even when His commands are in the realm of…
March 23 “Neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” (2 Sam. 24:24) When David was instructed to offer burnt offerings where the Lord had stopped the pestilence, Araunah offered as an outright gift a threshing floor, oxen, and wood for the fire. But David insisted…
March 22 “Thou didst well in that it was in thine heart.” (1 Kings 8:18) One of the great desires of David’s heart was to build a Temple for Jehovah in Jerusalem. The Lord sent word that he would not be permitted to build the Temple because he was a man of war, but the…