PREFACE

Older sheep need better feeding than younger ones ( Hebrews 5:12-14 ) ; we cannot live on milk all of our life ( although many attempt it ). The old disciples are fast approaching a time when they shall almost be in view of Home, and their concern is to be ' ready to depart ' ( Philipp.1:23 ). The old are aware of a decline in many areas of their life, but there is no necessity for spiritual decline. These Readings are written to encourage elderly believers, to help lift the mind onward and upward, - a comfort which only God can give with His Word. May the Spirit work with His Word in us.

None of us knows if we are on the last page of the last chapter of our life in this world, and from that perspective these readings are profitable for all ages.

Rev J.Clark. BA(hons.) MA. BSc(hons) MSc. MEd. MTh.   

SEPTEMBER 1

" Your fathers, where are they ? " Zechariah 1:5.

The ever decreasing circle as we get older ! More and more places around us are now empty ( Ps.103:16). Many who were visible to us in time are now invisible, in eternity. Their souls are in eternity, their bodies hidden under the earth. some die, and we wonder, " Where are they ? " Others die, and we are not concerned, we know where they are. When parents are taken away from us, their death can be used by God to stir us up to follow them. The Holy Spirit can produce an interest in seeking the way to heaven, to be with Christ and to be with those now with Him. Some leave a funeral service confirmed in their idea of the futility of existence, but others have their hope in resurrection confirmed. Unbelievers can only look back, believers look forward." Where are they ? " is a question which occupies the minds of everyone. Many answers are given, many hopes are expressed, but only God can give the certain answer. The question is, how did they die ? - in Christ or in their sins ? Were they already acquitted by faith in Christ or condemned for their unbelief ? When someone dies our only certainty is found in the Word of God. It is futile to rest in human opinions. Eulogies given on earth often do not reflect the verdict of heaven. Did they die trusting in the power of Christ's blood or not ? We cannot afford to make a mistake about death, death gives no second chance.

SEPTEMBER 2 

" Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 6:19.

" There is something at once dreadful and delightful in this indwelling of the Holy One in houses of clay. It is dreadful to be so near the divine glory, before which the seraphim veil their faces. The argument therefore from this, against the abuse of the body for the purposes of sin, is natural and compelling. It is on the other hand delightful to consider that the source of all holiness and comfort is within us if we belong to Christ. ( Genuine consolation is not to be looked for independently of holiness) The promised Comforter has made His shrine in our very bodies, and possesses our soul with His presence. He cannot be ignorant of our condition, and no trial can meet us without His permission ; there is also no sorrow which He cannot soothe. This is felt with unutterable peace when the Divine witness testifies within the soul ( 1 John 3:24)...However, it by no means follows that the manifestations of His consoling attributes are equal in our experience at all times. But it is also true that we return to peace by returning to God." ( J.W.Alexander)

SEPTEMBER 3

" But there is forgiveness with Thee." Psalm 130:4.

Forgiveness is eternal, it is for every day. And when the days end for the believer, sin ends with their death - it cannot follow them into eternity. If our sins were unforgivable where would we be ? " A bad conscience is the most universal experience - and the most wretched. No outward change relieves it, you carry it with you." ( J. Packer). We would like to be able to confess all our sins but this seems impossible ( Ps.40:12 ) - it would require us to know everything we have ' done and left undone ' ( C. of E. Prayer Book ), and this knowledge is beyond us. But only God is omniscient, especially in spiritual matters. Perhaps this partial ignorance is to spare us more agony than we can bear. Perhaps our ignorance is also the reason why we are taught to pray, " Forgive us our debts (universally, completely) " ie. because we are unable to enumerate them individually. This is because sin works below the surface ( of our consciousness ) as well as visibly in our lives. But we know from Scripture that Christ died for all of the sins of all of His people. The work is " finished." and there is now ' no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' It is humbling to realize that the sins which we now confess, in particular and in general ( including our involvement in Original sin ) are the sins for which Christ died. It is only in heaven that " I shall know how much I owe " to my Saviour ( R.M.McCheyne).

SEPTEMBER 4 

" I will cry unto God Most High, unto God who performeth all things for me."    Psalm 57:2.

" God manifests Himself to men by His Word and by His works... In this verse David encourages himself from the sovereignty of God. Upon this he acts his faith in the extremity of danger. David is assured that without God's permission Saul cannot touch him. He had none to help, and if he had, he knew God must first help the helpers, or they cannot help him. He had no means of defence or escape before him, but the Most High is not limited to means.The experience of His Providence hitherto also encourages him... What are the works of Providence but the execution of God's decree ( Rom.8:28), and the fulfilling of His word.It is certain that no ship at sea keeps more exactly by the compass which directs its course than Providence does by that promise ( Rom. 8:28). But we can only here view Providence in its single acts, or, at most, in some of its more observable actions.

The doctrine in this verse is that it is the duty of the saints, especially in times of distress, to reflect upon the performances of Providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives." ( John Flavel )

SEPTEMBER 5 

" The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid ? "  Psalm 27:1.

The main fears of people in this life are : fear of poverty, fear of criticism, fear of failure, fear of severe illness, fear of helplessness ( especially in old age), fear of loss, fear of being alone,fear of death. The Bible has much to say about fear. There was no fear in the world until Adam sinned ( Gen.3:10). Now he was afraid of God, felt guilty and feared punishment. He was also afraid when he considered how much he had lost, how much he had damaged his posterity by his sin. God provided the root answer to fear, reconciliation with Himself through Christ. In reconciliation God promises to be with us, He addresses our fears when we are in His company. He encourages us to go on, to meet enemies known and unknown ( Joshua 1:9). he will uphold us when fear takes away our strength ( Isaiah 41:10). When death casts its shadow upon us and we must go through the valley to the land beyond, our fear is met by God's promise to be with us all the way Home ( Ps.23:4). Some are afraid of their past, some are afraid of their future, some are afraid of their present condition. The only remedy is to trust in Christ, to live one day at a time ( Matt.6:34) and to put ourselves and our future in His hands. No-one can pluck us out of that grasp !

SEPTEMBER 6 

" Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more...because I live ye shall live also." John 14:19.

In these words of Jesus we see that He, and His people, are alive on both sides of death. When sin came into the world death reigned like a king ( Rom.5:14, 17,21) ; He came to destroy the power of death, and to replace terror with comforting hope. Christ did not just come to make life better but to give eternal life ( John 10:10), a life which begins here and continues on the other side of death. " He came to put life into the flock, the church...He came to give life to particular believers. Life is inclusive of all good and stands in opposition to the death threatened in Gen.2:7. " ( M.Henry)

We see in His life on earth what we should be. We see in His manhood the contrast with ourselves and get an idea of how much our sin in Adam damaged us. We cannot give ourselves this everlasting life by our efforts, nor can it be lost once it is given. ( Although any deliberate sin on our part will puncture our enjoyment of it - holiness is happiness.) This life is a life of fellowship with Him, and, if we have faith, it has to be lived now. This life is more abundant than that which was forfeited by sin. We gain more in Christ than we lost in Adam." Adam had the power to stand, but we are given the grace to persevere." ( Rutherford)

SEPTEMBER 7 

" Absent from the body...present with the lord." 2 Corinthians 5:8.

When the soul leaves the body it reveals the condition called death. " God does not destroy the inhabitant of the body ; it just takes down the house, the dwelling place in which the person lived." ( C.J.Lawrence) Death brings a release for the soul, a rest for the weary. The soul goes home first, and is later followed by the body ( in most cases ; those alive at Christ's coming receive instant preparation in both soul and body). God has made promise and provision for us, and has fitted death into His design for life eternal. Here ' to live is Christ ', and there it is ' to live with Christ ' , no longer by faith but by sight. The believer thus has the best benefits of both worlds, and the best state in both worlds. In this world we believe ( and it is not easy sometimes) that even sufferings 'are working together for our good '. We may not understand the ' long view ' nor can we see 'the full picture ' of God's design for us, but we know that the ending will be a happy one for those that love Him ( 1 Cor.2:9). " It is God's thoughtfulness and planning that makes our hope a reality." ( C.J. Lawrence) Meanwhile, we must remember that following the Lord is not often the easy way, but it is the right way.

SEPTEMBER 8

" I was found by them that sought me not. " Romans 10:20.

When we look around our families and others we can become discouraged and lose hope for them when we see little interest in the Gospel and no ' seeking of the Lord while He may be found.' (Isaiah 55:6) However, sometimes sinners are saved although they are not seeking. They were not seeking Him but He was seeking them ! And when Christ seeks, He saves ( Luke 19:10). Many start off seeking and give up, but Christ does not give up. He seeks " until He finds it " ( Luke 15:4), and brings the lost sheep Home rejoicing.The Jews thought that the Gentiles could not be saved because they did not seek God according to the Law of Moses. But the Gentiles were included in the Covenant made with Abraham ( Gen.12:3). Augustine well said, " I had not found thee unless Thou had found me first." When God reveals Himself by His Spirit and Word to a sinner, that sinner is found. Christ always takes the initiative in salvation, and if He is the Author of your faith He will be the Finisher ( Heb.12:2 ). Just as the beginning of your faith, hope and love began with Him, so will the end be, when these graces shall be perfected. While this truth does not diminish our responsibility, it does give hope to those who are convicted of their spiritual inability.

SEPTEMBER 9 

" The Lord tries the righteous." Psalm 11:5.

There is hardly a day goes by but there is trial of particular graces or virtues within. These trials are to develop our spiritual life and also to show to ourselves and the world the genuineness of our new state in Christ. The righteous have cast away their own righteousness, wanting nothing to do with it ( Phil.3:9), and have received the righteousness of Christ by faith, and they are glad to have it ! This is their new state before God. We would not choose these trials for ourselves, we would rather have a smooth voyage, but God loves the righteous and therefore He sends them trials. This is Divine wisdom, not ours. These trials are individualized, unique to ourselves, things we cannot share with others. Because of this, these trials lock us into Himself as our only Help. The weakest believer, with all his weakness and imperfections, remains righteous throughout all his trials. his conditions may change, but not His state - God has declared him righteous, forever, in Christ. Trials are necessary for our growth, None of God's children are exempt. " Trial, as a part of earth's discipline for heaven's enjoyment, isa fact nowhere disguised or qualified in God's word." ( Octavius Winslow). His own Son was not exempt from trials ( Heb. 5:7,8). Therefore, when you think that Christ was not in this world as we are, think again. Being without sin did not exempt Him from trials and temptations. Rather, they found Him, day by day. " He knows the way that I take, " said Job. This was his comfort, and ours - He knows.

SEPTEMBER 10 

" God maketh my heart soft." Job 23:16.

The most spiritual are the most sensitive, because they discern more. This tender perception does not make them soft in the sense of weak or compromising ( Job was neither ! ) but more aware of God's holiness and sin, especially indwelling sin. This sensitivity gave Job a kind of fear. " In this tabernacle we groan, being burdened." ( 2 Corinth.5:4). We are sorrowful when we compare our immeasurable obligation to Christ and the poor returns of our heart. " The more the work of grace advances in his soul, the finer is his spiritual sensibility. And the clearer his views of the excellence of a holy God, the more painfully alive is he to the dishonour done to God by his sins and by the sins of his fellow-men." ( Charles Calder Macintosh)

Whenever He contemplated the Lamb, there were always ' bitter herbs ' as he sought to feed upon him by faith. The light in which he walked manifested not only the glory of God to his soul, but also his own sin to his soul. Job's friends were trying to blame him for outward sin. This he easily swept aside by refuting their arguments, he was more concerned with what he saw and what God saw within him. This softened heart can be easily touched by a thought, but even when the thought is good, ' evil is seen to be present with it ' ( Rom.7:21). Even if our world were perfect, we could not not be happy here while we are imperfect. God makes our heart soft, and when the door to Home opens, we are ready to go swiftly through !

SEPTEMBER 11 

" I know whom I have believed. " 2 Timothy 1:12.

" How may the believer arrive to this assurance of his personal and present salvation ? An assurance of salvation must necessarily spring from the great Object of salvation. a sick man could hardly expect to derive healing but from the process of healing. He could not reasonably expect to be cured but by the remedy prescribed for the cure. It is by a personal ,believing, simple apprehension [grasp] of Christ, looking only to Him, resting only on Him, receiving only from Him, that we can possibly know that we are saved. Assurance will never arise by looking at ourselves, or from mixing up anything with Christ. This is assurance of salvation - looking believingly at the Saviour. Perhaps you have been long lacking the assurance that you are saved. This is because you have sought it in yourself and not in Christ. The chief instrument [ way ] by which assurance is obtained is FAITH, " whom I have believed." It flows through the channel of believing. Let your faith, dropping every other confidence,take hold of Christ - His Person, His love, His word of promise. Be not dismayed at your demerit, but take it to the infinite merits of Christ...Deal only with the infinite sufficiency of His Person, and the complete fulness of His work."  ( Octavius Winslow )

SEPTEMBER 12 

" ...that they all may be one." John 17:21.

This prayer of Christ comes to pass, as all His prayers do. His people are united to Him by God's eternal decree, by the Holy Spirit and by faith. Three illustrations of this union are set out in Scripture ; the union of a man with his wife, the union of the vine and its branches, the union of the Head with the body. His people have one faith, one hope, one love and one interest. They have one will to pray, " Thy Will be done."" The great design of every dispensation is to make us to acquiesce in, and submit to, the Will of God. What belongs to Christ in us will submit to the will of God ; what is in us of sin will rebel. And when we are entirely brought to His Will, we shall be introduced to that kingdom where all the subjects do the Will of the King." ( Lachlan Mackenzie) What a happy place heaven is !While we are on earth we desire unity with others in the truth, not in deviating from the truth - to do that is to show resistance to His revealed Will. God cannot bless disobedience, and there is something wrong if we can.

SEPTEMBER 13 

" It is good for me to draw near to God." Psalm 73:28.

Prayer is a ' drawing near ' to God. Asaph says that when he did so he obtained a clearer view of reality, seeing through the illusion of appearances. Why then do we stay away from God in prayer ? ( totally in the unbeliever and too often in the believer's life also) One reason is that we do not feel the need to be near and stay near ; our self-confidence has grown too much. A young child will not go far from its parent, yet God's children seem to manage it ! Another reason may be that it is because we do not have Christ always ' in sight ' here, not yet face to Face. No genuine believer can possibly be happy with his or her prayer life here. How can they, when it says ' pray without ceasing' ? It is not so much a wilful aversion to prayer but, rather, a lack of thought. " Too busy to pray," is a frequent excuse. Whereas Luther, when he knew he expected a busier day than usual said that he therefore prayed the more. If something is good, we ought to like it, and not be ambivalent about it - Therefore this attitude ought to be a matter for prayer.

SEPTEMBER 14 

" Not as though... I were already perfect, but I follow after." Philippians 3:12

" While you cannot suppose that you are already perfect and need not expect to become so here, yet press on toward perfection. Let not your discouragements hinder your exertions. Let not weeping hinder working. Still sow though in tears. In due time you shall reap and bring your sheaves rejoicing home. Bear up under your present burdens. You will soon cast off that ' vile body ' [ which humbles you] and it will encumber you no longer. ' Wait on the Lord...and He will strengthen thy heart.' Psalm 27:14. Remember you are still in the wilderness. Do not expect that here you can feed daily on the grapes of Eshcol...Bless God for your daily Manna, the word and prayer, and daily ordinary duties, comforts and opportunities. Use these diligently and thankfully when richer cordials are not given...Your enemies may have been put to flight but they are not yet banished from the land. Do not expect the conqueror's crown while you are but in the heat of conflict. But ' be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you whithersoever you go.' Joshua 1:9. "  ( Alexander Stewart )

SEPTEMBER 15  

" Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? " Romans 8:35.

The Apostle gives a list of powers and forces which shall attempt to separate us, remove us, from Christ's love. But it cannot be done ; His love is infinite, eternal and unchangeable. This love is permanent, it shall bring sinners to heaven despite all opposition to us, from outside and inside. What Christ is in Himself, what He has done for His people, and what He prays for His people guarantees our eternal preservation. This attitude of Christ cannot be undone, cannot be reversed. There are innumerable variations and fluctuations in our lives, but once " we have passed from death into life " ( 1 John 3:14) we know we are safe forever, and can face the future with confidence. We are raised above any harmful change to our state of grace, being immutably loved by Christ.Faith has its own struggles with dangers and distresses, but it shall persevere. Our perseverance is part of our confession of faith, as it rests upon God's promise, to Christ and to us. It gives rise to songs of praise to Christ for His love, grace and faithfulness ; a song which begins here and continues in heaven.

SEPTEMBER 16 

" Search me,O God, and know my heart." Psalm 139:23.

This call for an examination independent of our own is necessary, not only because of self-bias but also because there are ' hidden sins ' ( Ps.19:12). Sin originates from our own hearts ( James 1:14) but we underestimate the influence of the devil at our peril ! " Deliver us from the evil one," is part of the prayer the Lord taught us ( Matt.6:13). " The Holy Scriptures impress upon us that even the life of the believer is always surrounded by numberless threats and dangers. The Scriptures do not speak in a theoretical way about sin, but disclose in alarming fashion the chilling and destructive power of sin, even in the life of the believer. We are continually faced with the darkness and frailty of the human heart, and continually warned against temptation to evil." ( G.C.Berkouwer). Testing and temptation are distinguished by the motive behind them. God can only test, not tempt. Nevertheless, the devil can try to influence the response of the person being tested, as in the case of Job. However, God does set a limit on temptation, so that we shall persevere ; this is ascribed to God's faithfulness ( 1 Corinth.10:13). We are warned, but always encouraged by God ; there is a consolation in perseverance.

SEPTEMBER 17 

" Behold I know not the day of my death." Genesis 27:2.

What Isaac said applies to us all. There are few informed by God, " This year thou shalt die," ( Jeremiah 28:16), but it does come to some by way of a terminal medical diagnosis. However, many are suddenly taken away when in good health ; quite unexpectedly death comes to collect them. Belshazzar died after enjoying a feast ( Daniel 5:30), the rich fool died after achieving great success, but his success meant failure ( Luke 12:20). These times and seasons are in the Father's hands, not ours ( Acts 1:8. Eccles.8:7). The times of all on earth are ordered according to the decree of God (Acts 15:18). We shall not go beyond that point, it will be our point of departure ( Job 14:5). God keeps us in ignorance of the time of our death so that we will live by faith, trusting God with all that concerns us. It also keeps us watchful. We are not as watchful as we should be, and so He gives us reminders of our mortality as we go on. The sight of others being taken away should turn our eyes to our own state of readiness. He knows all, and this is our comfort ; He holds our future.

SEPTEMBER 18 

" Lord God...keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people, and prepare their heart unto Thee. 1 Chron. 29:18.

David was aware that the sense of his comforts would soon fail him unless God maintained his Godward thoughts within him. Without these thoughts he would slip into worldliness and barrenness. He sought to maintain his spirituality by prayer, as we must do also. " And here is the nature of true consolation in Christ, to look up to the Lord to preserve and maintain it, and so to be drawn nearer and nearer to Christ." ( John Cotton) We acknowledge our need of the Lord to maintain the spiritual life within us. Having begun in the Spirit we do not finish by the efforts of the flesh ( Galat.3:3). Nor can the law finish what grace has begun. David prays that the love in the heart would not grow cold, that God would keep, revive and restore what He has put there, and that we would not grow worse but better. " Great consequences depend upon what is innermost...what we aim at and what we love to think of. If any good has got possession of our hearts, it is good by prayer to commit the custody of it to the grace of God. Lord, keep it there ! " ( M.Henry)

SEPTEMBER 19  

" Remember me, O Lord, with the favour Thou bearest to Thy people ; O visit me with Thy salvation."  Psalm 106:4.

In the Bible God gives us many prayers to use. The Holy Spirit composes prayers for us because " we know not what to pray for as we ought." ( Rom. 8:26) How gracious of God to remind us of His loving care at all times.What words God gives us we ought to use ; we know that these prayers are acceptable to Him, and preserve us from ' asking amiss ' ( James 4:3). This prayer is especially suitable when we come to die, as the dying thief found. The response of Jesus to him on the cross was gracious and faithful. This ' grace of God brings salvation ' ( Titus 2:11).

Just as the High Priest remembers his people, who are laid upon his heart, as he continues his work within the veil ( Exodus 28:30), so the good Shepherd remembers all His sheep ; they are always in His sight. They have individual needs and individual care, " Remember me ! " with all my struggles and afflictions ( Ps.132:1) This is a prayer for all who feel their loneliness, who fear they are forgotten, like those in a prison. " O visit me, " he cries. Believers are made for Christ's company in heaven, and death is a release into His custody for ever. Believer, you belong to Him !

SEPTEMBER 20

" He that hath wrought (made) us for the selfsame thing is God." 2 Corinthians 5:5.

Paul reminds us that soul and body must separate at death to be rejoined forever in heaven. This is part of God's plan, His preparation of us for heaven. Preparation is necessary as by nature we cannot go there. The carnal mind must be changed and the righteousness of Christ given for admission ; without this righteousness we are debarred from heaven. ( Even Adam's perfect self-righteousness, before he fell into sin, was not sufficient for entrance) The Holy Spirit conveys this to us, to be received by faith. Christ is the only way to heaven ( John 14:6), and always has been. 

We must examine ourselves to check that we have what we need. " Prepare to meet thy God," is the message of Scripture. God is the Preparer, Restorer and Perfecter. We are prepared by a sense of need, to look to Him for all that is necessary for this ' final transition.' Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, and now prepares us for the place. " Grace is young glory." ( Alexander Peden)

" One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

  And death shall be no more. Death thou shalt die. " ( John Donne)

SEPTEMBER 21

" The Master is come, and calleth for thee." John 11:28.

The Master calls for His servants one by one, and each must obey His summons. He gives His servants that willingness to obey His call, and this separates them from the disobedient ( who are still in spiritual death). Mary was in grief at her brother's death, but Christ's call gave her strength to go to Him and to endure what the future held. Christ calls His people, they gather to Him in life and at death. He was about to call to Lazarus also, and bring him out of physical death into Resurrection. This He will do for all His people when He returns ( John 5:28,29). He will then call them completely out of this world ; the body is included this time. The Master is omnipotent and His will shall be done, ' on earth as it is in heaven.'

It is faith which diserns the call as personal, " calleth for thee." How happy we are not to be left out ! How do I know if this is for me ? The evidence is - do I answer the call and run to Him ? Do I answer to Him first above all others ? When He calls me out of this world, am I happy to go with Him at His desire and command ? " The Master is come and calleth for thee." These are sweet words to those who have waited for Him, who ' love His appearing.' ( 2 Tim.4:8)

" They are completely blessed,

  Who have done with sin, and care and woe,

  And with their Saviour rest." ( Anon.)

SEPTEMBER 22 

" Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth." Joshua 23:14.

Joshua was a faithful leader, and his work is now drawing to a close here. These are his farewell words. The ' way ' is the way to the grave, a path trodden by all except Enoch and Elijah. Contemplating nature we see that everything dies ; man, animals, flowers etc. History books, biographies, gravestones all confirm this fact. The departure of parents and friends brings this truth home to us. The church roll records it, the newspapers publicise it. Some people do want death to be mentioned, others use euphemisms, but Joshua applies it personally. It was in his thoughts more and more as he saw the final day approaching. He was not very sad at the thought, he had more gladness than sadness. He recounts God's promises to him and to those who journeyed with him. He thanked God that all that He had promised He had faithfully fulfilled. This was an encouragement to the following generation, if they trusted in God as Joshua did. These words should awaken gratitude, incite devoted obedience and deepen the 'fear of the Lord.' Joshua was a great leader because he followed a greater Leader. Christ is the only Commander who never lost a battle. " Follow Me ! " He said.

SEPTEMBER 23 

" Lest Satan should get an advantage over us." 2 Corinthians 2:11.

It is at the time of death that a soul can get the most violent assaults from Satan. John Knox, George Gillespie and others had experience of this. He will come with horrible temptations and suggestions. This is his last opportunity and he will display his rage, like Pharaoh. His plan is to persuade the believer that God no longer loves her and is indifferent to her cries to Him. But his arrows are blunted when we remember we have walked with Him and talked to him all our life. Our souls have treasured up all His interventions in our life, all His answers to our prayers, His great patience in bearing with our foolish thoughts, His supply of our needs and His overruling of our sins. We have therefore ammunition to use against Satan's arrows of doubt ; we overcome his evil with remembrance of God's good - and God does not change ! ( John 13:1) We know that God has had a Fatherly care of us since we became ( consciously) His, and He did much for us before then when we did not know Him as we do now. He has never failed us before, and He will not do so now. " This God is our God for ever and ever ; He will be our Guide unto death." ( Ps.48:14).

SEPTEMBER 24 

" For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you.   Deuteronomy 11:37.

The children of Israel were about to cross over into an undiscovered country. It had been described by God to them but it was going to be a new experience for them. Canaan was typical of the land the Christian reaches after his journey through this wilderness of a world ; it is a " better country " ( Heb.11:16 ). It is the country promised to believers, to those who follow a greater Person than Joshua. Joshua could not give them rest, but Jesus can ( Heb.4:8,9). This is God's gift to His people, and " there the people no longer hurt one another." ( Bunyan) What is promised must be possessed. Faith here is like having the title deeds, it must go forward to possess. The river Jordan was on the border, it had to be crossed. But the people could not cross because of its depth, God had to bring them over supernaturally ( Joshua 3:14-17) . And so with death ; it is not a barrier we can cross in our own strength, for all strength is taken away at death. This makes it clear that only God can bring us across this great divide. The Ark went first, and likewise Jesus is the Forerunner ( Heb.6:20) - He makes the way, leads the way, He is the way ( John 14:6).

" One army of the living God, to His command we bow ;

 Part of His church have crossed before and part are crossing now. "

SEPTEMBER 25

" Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth ( land)." Matthew 5:5.

The Beatitudes describe the character of those who are saved. This character is not the condition for salvation but the effect of having salvation in Christ. The inheritance promised to the meek is in heaven. The children of God have this inheritance because of Christ, and they are all ' meek.' The meek are those who submit to God and His way of salvation ( Rom.10:3). Meekness is not weakness, as the world seems to think. This spiritual attitude in the believer is not the weakness of self-will but the humility involved in serving God. No-one was more meek than Moses ( Numbers 12:3) in the obedience of faith ( Rom. 1:5). It is not the docility of always compromising, it is the work of the Spirit within, giving us a knowledge of God, ourselves and our duty to Him. Meekness is the result of knowing Christ and ourselves, it is the character of the saved, as are the other Beatitudes. There is a heroism in meekness; it will stand with God against the world. It is the imitation of Christ, ' meek and lowly of heart ' ( Matt. 11:29) in faithfulness. If we would be with Him in that Promised Land we must begin to be like Him here, and so be perfected there ( 1 John 3:2. Ps.37:11)). 

" The meek are the ones who shall inherit heaven, for up there they are all meek-spirited. Pride cannot enter there, nor any self-seeking." ( Spurgeon)

SEPTEMBER 26 

" Whom have I in heaven but Thee ? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee.     Psalm 73:25.

" A godly man prefers God before anything else that might be in heaven. He also prefers God before all other things on the earth...What is it that chiefly makes you desire to go to heaven when you die ? Indeed, some have no great desire to go to heaven. They do not care to go to hell ; but if they could be safe from that, they would not much concern themselves about heaven. If it be not so with you, but you find that you have a desire after heaven, then inquire what it is for. Is the main reason that you may be with God, have communion with Him, and be conformed to Him ? that you may see God, and enjoy Him there ? Is this the consideration which keeps your hearts, and your desires, and your expectations towards heaven ?

If there remain with you doubts, one way to be sure in this matter is to examine your practice. He who sincerely prefers God to all other things in his heart will do it in his practice. For when God and all other things come to stand in competition - that is the proper trial as to what a man chooses. " To whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life."  ( Jonathan Edwards )

SEPTEMBER 27

" So He bringeth them to their desired haven."  Psalm 107:30.

Only those who have been in storms know this desire. They also know they did not deliver themselves ( vs.13,28,29). It is one thing to pray on the dry land, another in the storm ; the storm will test our genuineness. Some will look for human help, some will go ' back to Egypt ', some will give up. Looking back, we have seldom sailed in smooth waters ; there have been many stormy days.

" A Christian man is seldom long at ease,

 When one trouble's gone, another will him seize." ( Bunyan)

But those who reach the haven have this character - ' they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and how often they need to do this ! ( vs.6,13,19,28)

" The rougher the voyage the more the mariners long for port, and heaven becomes more and more ' a desired haven ' as our trials multiply. Our heavenly haven shall ring with shouts of grateful joy when once we reach its blessed shore." (Spurgeon) The Spirit moves us to begin this praise here ( vs.31,32). The promise is made ( vs.30), we have seen others arrive, we follow in their wake. Faith is designed to withstand a long voyage.

SEPTEMBER 28 

" Remember...that at that time ye were without Christ...having no hope."  Ephesians 2:11,12.

If we are struggling with motivation we should remember what we were before, when we were ' without Christ.' We were in a hopeless condition then, and did not discern the hope God gave, we ignored it. Looking back on our life should make us rejoice with trembling ( Ps.2:11). Where would we be without Christ ? - still lost and wandering in the maze of life on earth. We would be without a Guide, and also the sense of guilt ( common to all) would still be an unresolved misery. The ' purpose of life ', discussed by many, would still only mean death ! we would still trying to escape our hopelessness by trying to fill our lives with 'meaningful activity '. Without hope but trying hard to find a solid ground for unchanging happiness, and failing. We would still be reading books to distract us or to hope to stumble upon some ' secret of life ', while the Bible lies on the shelf neglected. We see others going about their daily business, and how we ought to give thanks that God intervened to make the difference in our lives ( 1 Corinth.4:7). We should know Psalm 103 by heart and make melody in our heart each day ( Ephes.5:19,20) " To you who believe He is precious." We pray that God would make Christ precious to others also.

SEPTEMBER 29 

" This is the Father's Will...that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." John 6:39.

" Christ is to be answerable for all those that are to be given to Him, at the last day, and therefore we need not doubt but that He will certainly employ all the power of His Godhead to secure and save all those that He must be accountable for. Christ's charge and care of these that are given to Him, extends even to the very day of their resurrection, that He may not so much as lose their dust, but gather it together again, and raise it up in glory, to be a proof of His faithfulness ; for, says He, ' I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.' " ( Thomas Brooks )

This undertaking of Christ was typified by Judah when he promised to bring Benjamin home to his father ( Gen.43:9). The body is as much involved in the promise as the soul. There will be a waiting period for the soul in heaven, but, being in an eternal state, this ' waiting' shall not be experienced as we do here, as there is no " Time " in that state. The body waits in time while the soul tastes of eternity. We know so little of Christ's great works...but we know enough.



SEPTEMBER 30 

" And they that were ready went in." Matthew 25:10.

Those who were not ready found the door closed to them ( vs.10-12) ; they were strangers to Christ. Despite their words, they had no spiritual life within ; they only had a religious veneer. They could not go in with Christ as they were not with Him in this world. They were friends of the world and not of Christ. They knew nothing of the spiritual struggle to stay close to Christ on the journey to this point of reaching the door to heaven. Their religion had lacked reality and depth ; there was much in the head but the heart was not melted with His love. There had been no relationship to Christ except an outwardly formal one, a weekly visit to His house of prayer ; a Sabbath day's journey, but not a lifelong one. Their pilgrimage, if they had begun one, lacked continuity ; they had religious feelings now and again but no experience of ' endurance '. They had known that faith alone in Christ alone was necessary to enter into heaven, but did not take the warning seriously. Therefore they were not ready, and their attitude was disapproved by Christ. " They could not enter in because of unbelief." ( Heb.3:19). They did not have a life of prayer, and even at the time of crisis they called on others for help (vs.8), and not God ! Have we the faith in Christ that we need to be ready ? - then, we are ready. And Christ is ready to receive us. " Come ye blessed of my Father, " He says.