MAY 1

" As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from his youth." John 9:1.

Those windows, the eyes, through which the soul looks out upon the beauty of God's creation, had never been opened. He was afflicted with beggary, and sat at the Temple, hoping for religious compassion. But how often he must have been pained to hear the question recorded in verse 2 ! This was a common error of the Jews and the whole book of Job seems to have been written to correct it. Christ himself exposed its groundlessness ( Luke 13:1-4). The sufferings of individuals is no just criterion of moral character. But how few realize this.The deliverance of this man was part of the predetermined work of God. Christ does not say that this man was free from sin [ and who is ? ], but that his blindness was not a specific punishment for it. Christ did the right work in the right place at the right time, and on the right person ; this was God's programme. The sovereignty of God is highlighted by His intervention upon individual conditions. ( D.Thomas) ' He had come all the way from heaven on purpose.' ( Spurgeon)

MAY 2

" Master, who sinned,this man or his parents, that he was born blind ? " John 9:2.

First of all, Adam sinned, and we were part of him, our first father. So anyone coming into the world after Adam had the effects of that first sin in his nature ( Ps. 51:7). Therefore this man and his parents came into the world as sinners. The poison of sin ran through hereditary human nature, with all its negative physical, mental and spiritual effects. Without sin, even the common cold would not exist in the world. Adam was made perfect, but did not remain that way for long, and his posterity were as damaged in their nature as he was. They were spiritually blind and ignorant. However, ' the Light of the world ' had come ( 8:12 ) to remedy what we lost in Adam. If we have Christ by faith, we have all gains, eternally so ; and this time they cannot be lost.

MAY 3

" I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day. " John 9:4.

He is our Example for work, the great master Worker, we are to follow Him in this also. The work was laid upon Him, and He did it ' with all His might.' He speaks of His work often, and the unity of His purpose was never broken. He sets us the example that whatever we do God gets the glory. He came as an Ambassador from heaven and the work was genial to His nature ; He had the grace to carry it through. He saw that there was a fitting time to do the work and that time would have an end. Thou has but a day - youth is the morning, manhood the noon and old age the evening. Let us be up and doing, for beyond is the night. But as with Christ, so with us ; we cannot die until our day is over. We are all workers under Him ; each has a personal obligation. We are in danger of losing ourselves in societies etc, in religious distractions, instead of growing in knowledge of Him. He is the only Saviour to save souls, but we are responsible to inform them. What greater motive can we have ? Does not the love of Christ constrain us ? How short the time ! 

( C.H Spurgeon )

MAY 4

" The night comes, when no man can work." John 9:4.

The night is coming, so do not set too much affection on earthly things. Wealth, reputation, pleasure will all disappear when the night comes ; concentrate on what will remain.Who would tie their earthly happiness which will fade away when the light goes from this world ? Life is short, any ' accident ' can end it unexpectedly. Disappointments and sorrows will also end when the evening hour comes, and the believer can rest from his labours. Meanwhile, let us bear our crosses and our losses ; we shall have more on the other side of the valley of darkness. Let us therefore not lose heart or grow weary of following Christ despite the world ( and some of the ' church ') being against Him and His teaching. " Work out your own salvation, " for God will not cease to continue His good work in you ; this can only be accomplished during the day. When the night comes, all works are over, and it is only Christ's work that shall remain. And who knows how many hours remain ? ( A.K.Boyd )

MAY 5

" I am the light of the world. " John 9:5.

John draws no distinction, in essence, between three forms of revelation ; in nature, in Providence, in Word - each have the same Source, each are part of the same plan. Man has not light in himself independently. The understanding of the outward revelation depends upon the influence of the Word from the Spirit within ( 5:37). Those who believe in Christ move in a new region of life ( 12:46), they become ' sons of light ' ( 12:35) ; they have the light of life ( 8:12).  ( B.F.Westcott )

Light is the first thing visible and all things are seen by it. The rays of Christ's light are seen in both of His Old and New Testaments, and in them we see Him ( Ps.36:9). Light resembles Christ in purity and visits many impure places. Like the sun, it has a life-giving, life-preserving power ; so with Christ's light and life ( 1:4). The light drives away much when it rises, and so within the sinner. The church sometimes has a wintry absence, but when Christ returns to it with light, its life revives ( Isaiah 55:12,13. Song of Sol. 2:10-13).  ( R.Leighton )

MAY 6

" Is not this he who sat [ blind ] and begged ? ...He said, I am he." John 9:8,9.

The change in the man was visible to all, especially the change in his face, his look. It was a physical change only at this point. He only knew the name of the ' man ' who did it for him, but not where to find Him. He did not yet realize the divine identity of this ' man ' who accomplished a miracle in him. Nevertheless, he confessed publicly what he knew. It was not yet a confession of faith ( as in verses 36-38 ), and had he been left as he was it would only have been a physical cure and not a spiritual one. However, he did want to see this ' man ' again, and continued to speak of Him - much to the annoyance of Christ's enemies. He took no glory to himself, nor would he divide it with others ; Jesus was the sole deliverer from his darkness. He would soon learn that there was another darkness to be delivered from, but this came later. God's Providence would soon bring him and Christ together again, but not until questions and responses ( cf. this chapter ) developed the man's understanding of just how important Jesus was. He also realized how divided people were in their view of Jesus.

MAY 7

" He is of age, ask him. He shall speak for himself. " John 9:21.

Circumstances came together to compel the man, though limited in knowledge and experience, to speak about Christ. When it comes to Christ, we cannot let others speak for us, including our parents. Our knowledge and experience of Christ must be firsthand and not secondhand. His parents directed all inquirers to the man himself. He was regarded by them as honest, and he would not speak from hypocrisy. We must ' always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us.' The man knew what he had, seeing eyes, but he also knew what he did not have, a full understanding of the Person of Christ. But he did know that only God could open the eyes of a man born blind. At present he thought of Christ as a servant of God, but soon he would know more ie. that He was God. It was a direct healing and not through the instrumentality of the Apostles. We must not only speak to Christ ( and He hears everything ) of what we have but also of what we do not have, and what only He can give. We do not pray by proxy, we must ' speak for ourselves ' to and through the Mediator, Christ Jesus. It shall even be so on the Day of Judgement.

MAY 8

" If any man did confess that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue." John 9:22

Therefore, if you agree with all that Christ says, then as now, you could be victimised. Many say they agree with Him, but in practice it is evident that they do not. Conviction in the heart is followed by confession with the mouth ; this is the evidence of salvation( Rom.10:9). It is more than talk. Some said to Jesus, ' I go to do what Thou hast said, but did not actually go ! ' The church abounds with Mr. Facing Both Ways and Mrs. Love The World. " Not every one who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." ( Matt.7:21)

True confession strengthens faith, and is the evidence of a new birth ; it implies an apprehension of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ ( 2 Corinth 4:6). It is a requirement of salvation, because God requires it. It is a commandment and a duty ; it acknowledges Christ as God and honours Him. It is the language of sincere devotion. ( Charles Hodge )

MAY 9

" One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. " John 9:25.

He confesses that he has been the subject of a physical miracle ; he did not yet have a spiritual, saving knowledge of Christ ( vs.36 ). His soundness of health was indeed an evidence of God's work on his body, but not yet a work in his soul. It was a confession of thankfulness, which is obligatory for all, but not yet a confession of faith. However, he did want to learn more, to be a disciple. He encourages the Pharisees to take the same course ( vs.27 ) but they scorned him, as they thought they knew enough about Christ already ! They also preferred the Law of Moses to the Gospel of Christ ( vs.28), and refused to become disciples ( ' learners ' ) of Christ. The fact that no one else but God could open the eyes of the blind ( vs.32) could not take away their innate prejudice against God's revealed truth, including many of the words of Moses ! However, the man's confession also implies that what God can do for the body, He can do for the soul ; He can open the eyes of the heart, the eyes of the understanding ( 2 Corinth.4:6).

MAY 10 

" Do you believe on the Son of God ? " John 9:35.

What the man had was not enough, he had to be brought by Christ to faith now. The man first of all confesses his religious ignorance ( vs.36 ) and is eager to hear who this Person is and where he can find Him. Jesus reveals Himself, not just by His words but also by His Spirit, who is now at work opening the man's heart, as He did for Lydia ( Acts 16:14). True faith always leads to worship ( vs.38 ) ; where there is a lack of, or reluctance to worship, there is a lack of faith in Christ. If you have a love for Christ you will seek Him out where He is, and we know He is present at His own appointed worship ; even if there are only " two or three gathered in His Name."Christ is the appointed and only Object of faith, not Mary or the church. Christ is the only appointed sacrifice for sin, and it has been completed and accepted by God for sinners. There is no other sacrifice, and there is no repetition, " It is finished." This faith is the only source of life to the church ; nothing else will keep the church alive, and alive to worship Him. ( J.Higgins )

MAY 11

" For judgement I have come into the world. " John 9:39.

To judge is to separate, to acquit or to condemn. Christ still divides people over their attitude to Himself. There are only 2 groups in the world, believers and unbelievers ; this fundamental division causes all other divisions in the world ( religious, moral, social and political ). Christ defended this man's belief, and will do so again on the Day of Judgement.This man had a sense of his own ignorance when Christ spoke to him ; he had lived many years in blind ignorance, which was worse than physical blindness in its eternal consequences. He knew that his eyes had been opened to see what he had never been able to see before, not just physically but spiritually. The Pharisees were blinded by trusting in their previous knowledge of things and God, but it was not a spiritual knowledge. They discussed many things which, in the end of life, did not matter. The things which did matter were blindly ignored or explained away. Believers are willing for Christ to judge them and correct their thinking, and are as happy as this blind man that Christ did not leave them to live and die as they are, as they were born. " The eye of knowledge and faith is more important than physical sight. " ( John Trapp )

MAY 12

" But now you say, We see, therefore your sin remains." John 9:41.

The Pharisees said that they could ' see through ' this healing, that it was not genuine, and proved nothing about the divinity of Christ. Christ said that their own sin maintained their blind prejudice against Him. Many today say that these miracles, these signs of the supernatural in the life of Christ were never properly investigated. But in this chapter we see a thorough investigation by the Pharisees, and yet clear evidence is rejected because of their bias against Jesus ; and also their fear that it might be true. Despite all, their dogmatism nullifies any acceptance of the truth. " There are none so blind as those who are not willing to see." and the barrier was in their will, not in the abundant evidence. All the witnesses said the same thing, that the man had been born blind and that Jesus alone healed him. The more the evidence piled up in front of them, the more bitter did their hearts become against Jesus. The miracles thus became tests of faith, about whether we believe Jesus' words about who He is or not. This sifting goes on today, and will do until the end of time. The world still ' loves darkness rather than light. ' ( John 3:19) They all have a blindness they are not conscious of, and need a visit from Christ, ' to open the eyes of the blind ' ( Luke 4:18).

MAY 13

" He that enters not by the door...is a thief and a robber. " John 10:1.

The Pharisees professed to be shepherds and feeders of the flock. But what had they, with their pride and self righteousness, ever known of the infinite love and mercy of God ? Their treatment of the blind beggar ( ch.9 ) was an example of how they treat the weaker members of the flock. The true Shepherd had sought and found this lost sheep. Christ teaches who the Shepherd really is, who the shepherds really are, and who are the genuine sheep. ( A. Watkins) Christ is the Door, providing sole admission to the Father. He is the Porter who has the keys to admit or exclude. He is the Guide and Guardian of the sheep. He is also the Lamb who sacrifices Himself for the rest of the sheep to live. The false shepherds are thieves, mercenaries,legalists and heretics who seek their own advancement at the expense of others. They are the wolves, the enemies of the sheep, even though they disguise themselves to look like sheep. ( I. Williams )

MAY 14

" He climbs up some other way. " John 10:1.

These thieves etc. want to get in among the sheep, but their motives are not pure. Any way in but God's way suits them. Some want to climb up because they don't want to walk in. They see a merit in climbing by their own efforts, they still want to get to heaven by faith and not by works. There are wrong ways taken to try to reach heaven. Some say, ' I have lived a good life,' but that does not avail for entrance to heaven ; good is not perfect. No one can hope for eternal life who does not know Christ, who is that life, and by God's Door enters the fold. ( Augustine )Thieves try to enter in by fraud, deceitfully and silently. They do not wish to draw attention to themselves, for they would then be examined as to their qualifications The robber,on the other hand, will bluster in and draw attention to himself. Both of these characters are found trying to enter the church ; hypocrisy can be bold or cunning, sometimes both. ( R.Trench )

" Sheep should be fed, and not sheared ! " ( J.Exell )

MAY 15

" He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out." John 10:3.

Effectual calling is personal and effective, whereas a general call to sinners is not. When Christ saves, it is on a One to one basis. There is a personal relationship between the Shepherd and the sheep. The whole flock is known and loved and led ; but each sheep has a separate and individual love and leading within that. He calls us by name because He knows us already. In view of the number of the redeemed, the thought is bewildering. 

He leads them out, from the darkness of their sinful life, a life without the leading of the Shepherd, with all its guilt and misery, and into the life of joy, peace and acceptance. Out of dreamy indolence and disappointments, out of besetting sins and into waiting duty, out of useless activities into a ' time of refreshing.' Be careful that it is He who leads you, and you are not led by your own commanding voice. We are to follow Him closely, obediently, courageously and hopefully. ( A. Raleigh )

MAY 16

" I am the Door. " John 10:9.

Jesus condescends to use a common, homely example, a door. A door is often used, and easily brought to mind. Jesus would have the lowliest sheep know and use Him. A door is a necessity, without it there is no access to God or heaven. There is only one door, let us not weary ourselves to find another ( Acts 4:12). The door is Himself, not a ceremony, achievement or profession. The door is suitable for all communication between God and man, seeing He unites both in His own Person ( 1 Tim.2:5). It is a perpetual door for all times and ages ( Matt.28:20 ) ; " I am ", He says. The sheep will use this door ; they will not sit down in front of it, contemplate or knock at it only, they shall go through. They are known to be sheep because they enter in ! They have faith in action. The door is publicly revealed, it is not hidden, and it is meant to be used ; alas, sin blinds the sinner to see what is already there. The privileges of grace belong to all who enter. They come into fellowship, go out to serve and are nourished from Himself. The door is Jesus, we need not fear to draw near to Him. ( C.H.Spurgeon )

MAY 17

" I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. " John 10: 10.

The God of peace comes to His open enemies ;sinners are at enmity with Him in their minds.They have surrendered to the enemy of God's kingdom, Satan, and for small wages too ! ( Rom.6:21,23). God comes to the unthankful. They shall have a sufficiency of life, because of His merit. Moses saw this glory of God in His dealings towards men ( Exodus 34:6). It is no fault in Him that many are not willing to be partakers of His mercy. He who is omnipresent ' has come ', to be present with a human nature also. His purpose, ' that they might have life.' God has included all that is good in the name of Life, and all that is evil in the name of Death ( Deut.30:15). To live by faith, a spiritual life, is to end with the ' fulness of joy ' in eternal life ( Ps.16:11). This life must be received, by faith. In the Christian church Christ has given us the means to be better today than yesterday, tomorrow than today. Grace not only fills, but enlarges our capacity for all that goes to make up life - holiness, happiness and heaven. ( John Donne )

MAY 18

" The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." John 10:11. 

he had foreseen this death from eternity ( Psalm 40 ) and prefigured it with the institution of sacrifices and giving of prophecies eg. Isaiah 53. He spoke much of it, especially as He neared the cross. He died voluntarily, no one took His life from Him ; He could not die until He willed it, until His work for us was finished.He restrained the good angels who wished to help while he dealt with the evil ones. This was a work which only He could do, and He would do it alone. He needed no help to save sinners, bind satan and conquer death. He dies in the place of His sheep, the just for the unjust, to bring the sheep safely Home.We should adore Him for His love, and pray never to lose the wonder of it. We were worthless, but worthy is the Lamb ; for He was not only the High Priest but also the Lamb - He sacrificed Himself. Now we must live as those who have been bought with a price, a price which will not be demanded again.

MAY 19

" I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. " John 10:14.

His is a relation beyond parallel in His love and care for His own. This good Shepherd is diligent in recovering those who stray ( Ezekiel 34. Isaiah 53 ). he came to seek and save the lost, and to make sure they do not get lost again. But sheep are ' prone to wander ', and He is busy bringing back the backsliders, with appropriate measures of chastisement ( Ps.107). He also takes especial care of the young ( Isaiah 40), the new converts starting out to follow Him. They are guarded from severe experiences, at first. Before long they will find out the cost in suffering for following this Shepherd according to His word ; and there is no other way to follow Him. They will soon experience the temptations and trials of those who follow Christ. Besides the world,the devil and his dogs will harass them also. David also had to fight off the lions and bears who attacked the flock. The calling of the sheep to follow the shepherd is only the beginning, there is a long journey ahead. It will end if He comes back soon. But if not, He will be with us when we ' go through the valley of the shadow of death '. He is 'good ', He is genuine and will keep all His promises.

MAY 20

" I know my sheep and am known of Mine. " John 10:14.

Christ knows us first and then we are brought to know Him ; now there is mutual knowledge, but ours does not compare to His. He knows all their persons and the number of His flock. He knows their circumstances and conditions. He knows what requires to be healed and our needs which He himself will supply. He knows our burdens and the strength we need to bear them. He knows our prayers, the ease and the difficulty of them. His knowledge is traced back to His love and innermost relationship with them. Other people do not understand our knowledge of Him, not having had the experience of knowing Him as we do. Nature, ' flesh and blood', cannot teach it, we are born again into it. This is unlike the young sheep which knows its mother by instinct, but must be taught regarding the shepherd. The believer is born with a knowledge of Christ as the 'Author and Finisher ' of her faith. He has led us and fed us, and when we have fallen, no one else could have helped us, but He did ! To know Him is to love Him, and leads to a willing obedience. ( Charles Bradley )

MAY 21

" And other sheep I have which are not of this fold : them also I must bring. " John 10:16.

These are, in particular, the Gentiles, the unchurched. The other elected sheep were still in ignorance, hardness, cynicism or outright defiance. But His irresistible grace would bring them. When He does He will make them distinct from all the world. We must never despair of others while they still live on earth ; who knows those whom Christ has purposed to bring to Himself ? We did not even know ourselves until He brought us to His feet. Our Lord has other sheep not yet known to us. At present sin has scattered them, but they shall be gathered, in His time. " You have not chosen Me ,' He said to His disciples ; quite the reverse. Our choice is the result of His. We may try to resist His drawing but in the end He will have His own ; they have been ' bought with a price. ' They belong to Him and so cannot perish ; this Saviour is no failure ( John 13:1). The Lord speaks of the unity of His church, they are " one flock." There is unity in the Spirit and in the Truth. All the visible churches contain part of that one flock. A spiritually minded man is at one with all spiritually minded men. The external church is needful, but it is not the one and indivisible church of Christ. This church is known by its obedience to Christ.  ( C.H.Spurgeon )

MAY 22

" Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life..." John 10:17.

Christ speaks of how the Father approves the work He does, and the words He speaks, despite the criticism of others. The Father appointed Him to this work. It was predicted in the OT that He would be sent by the Father and would act as His Servant, carrying out the Father's commission. He was qualified by His innocence, His sinlessness, to fulfil the Law on behalf of others. He would be the only sacrifice without moral blemish, and the infinite merit of His blood alone could take away the guilt of sin and save sinners. As a Man He had a life to lay down, as Divine He had the power and merit to take it up again in Resurrection. He has accomplished a great work and did not fail in any part of it, as foretold ( Matt.1:21). The Father delights in His Son, He is wellpleased. He speaks only three times in the New Testament, and on each occasion it is to commend His Son. may we commend Him also !

 ( John Brown )

MAY 23

" No man takes it ( My life ) from Me .. I have power..." John 10:18.

This is another consolation to encourage the disciples upon the death of Christ. he is not forced to die but offers Himself willingly for the salvation of His flock. He denies that men have the power to kill Him and He is also free from all violence of necessity. It is different with us, we have sinned and therefore we must die. Christ could die but it was a voluntary submission to death and not a bondage imposed by another. Christ wanted to strengthen His disciples lest they become brokenhearted when they saw Him led off to die, as if He had been overcome by His enemies. It would be by the wonderful Providence of God that He should die for His flock ( Rom.5:19). He dies by His own choice, in full accord with the command of His Father. In everything His only aim was to please His Father while He also thought of us. ( John Calvin )

MAY 24

" There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings."  John 10:19.

This is the third time a division among Christ's hearers is mentioned ( ch.7:43. 9:16). It was predicted that the Messiah would offend the proud by His words and acts ( Isaiah 8:14). The division was not due to any fault in Christ or His words, but by reason of the carnal mind of His hearers. Let us never be surprised if we see the same thing in our days ; human nature never changes. As long as the heart of man is without grace, we must expect it to dislike the Gospel of Christ ; nor can they really like the people of God. " The carnal mind is enmity against God." ( Romans 8:7. 1 Corinth.2:14 ) If we adopt the teaching of Christ we may expect to see a division in our own family, as He did. You may have to endure ridicule, hard words or persecution from those of the world ( Matt.10:25). Human nature and not Christianity is to blame for the strife and dissension which arises. We must not find fault with the glorious Gospel if it stirs up men's corruptions and reveals what is in their hearts ( Luke 2:35). The same sun shines, but it hardens the clay while it melts the wax. ( J.C.Ryle )

MAY 25

" But you believe not, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. " John 10:26.

They did not believe Him and this was the evidence that they were not of His sheep.they did not believe because they could not believe ( without grace ). Perhaps they believed a few things that He said, but certainly not all of it. All that Christ did and said to them had challenged their prejudice and traditional knowledge, and their wills and understanding refused to submit to Him. The unbeliever resists all influences. " As I said to you," may also be connected to the next verse. He describes those who were not His sheep with a series of negatives ; they did not know or hear His voice, they followed strangers and not Himself - these cannot be His sheep. His words had made a deep impression on them, but not for their good. ( E.W. Hengstenberg)

The vast majority continued to live and die in such unbelief, blaming Christ for not being the Messiah that they wanted. No, He was God's Saviour, the only One He sent.

MAY 26

" My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me. " John 10:27. 

He says " My sheep " ; they are His by choice, by the Father's gift, by the Spirit's indwelling, by the price He paid, by their enabled choice. They have the marks of the sheep. They have the ear, they hear His voice ; they follow Him and no stranger. They have the feet ; they follow Him as their Commander and Example. They have the sheep's privileges ;they are called, protected and preserved, and guaranteed never to perish. ( Spurgeon)

They are given eternal life, which is a promise of their perseverance ; no one can take away what Christ gives. They shall live as long as Christ does, with Him forever. The devil will tempt them to fall away, to snatch them back into His possession, but the Shepherd ( and not we ) is too strong for Him. His failure to destroy Christ's sheep only highlights his impotent malice. He cannot destroy, but He can disturb. However, this Shepherd has experience in binding up wounds ( Ps.147:3).

MAY 27

" I and My Father are one." John 10:30.

This means one in Essence, Will and power. What belongs to Him, in the purpose of redemption, belongs also to the Father and the Holy Spirit. This is the culminating point of the discourse. When they heard this statement from Christ they accused Him of speaking against God, as He was claiming to be God. ( They also probably thought that He was preaching idolatry, as the Jews do not believe in the Trinity ). But He did not deny their accusation ie. He maintained His claim to be God, the Son of the Father. He did not correct them, as if they had misunderstood. He uses the plural verb, We are one.

He is one in a different manner with His people, just as they are sons of God in an inferior manner to Himself ; they are sons by adoption, He is the eternal Son. ( F.Godet)

MAY 28

" The Scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35.

In other words, the Scripture is absolute truth, definite and irrefutable, and comes with full authority from God, who will fulfil any promise He has made. Jesus had a reverence for Scripture which ought to be shared by those who believe in Him. Without Scripture we cannot be sure of anything ; it reveals reality in the only unbiased, unflawed way possible. It is not changeable, as human nature is. Man's view of things is always tainted with subjectivism ; Scripture will correct that. God cannot lie, and whatever He says shall stand, no matter what arguments are put against it. The fulfilling of past promises to individuals eg. for deliverance, and threats to nations have been fulfilled ; this gives a right assurance that they will be fulfilled in the future also. God is the one Person upon whom you can rely to keep His Word. " Our confidence in God for the future will be in proportion to how well we remember what He has done for us in the past. " ( T.Beza ) We do not pray, " Thy Will be done " by superstition, but because we know it shall be.

MAY 29

" Though you believe Me not, believe the works. " John 10:38.

These works were done by that same power which is common to Him with His Father, who sent Him. He knew that their consciences regarded His works as more than human acts. But He knew that their prejudices hindered belief ; He regarded unbelief as their own fault. It is our duty to rest content with God's word as the ground for our faith, not seeking any other proof. However, the evidence of Christ's divine works renders unbelief all the more inexcusable ; it is additional proof of His being God.Christ is never rightly known and believed on except when He is regarded as one in essence with His Father. He is distinct from His Father and the Holy Spirit, but the divine essence is undivided. The sinner must " know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him." ( vs.38). ( G.Hutcheson )

MAY 30

" And He went away again beyond Jordan...and many believed on Him there." John 10:40-42.

Opposition in one quarter is sometimes an indication to labour elsewhere. But though our Lord left the obstinate, He never ceased to do good. He moved to a place which He knew. It was a place where divine ordinances were observed, where He was obeyed with worship. It was a place where faithful preaching had been heard. John had preached the gospel of repentance there. Where the plough leads the way it will be good sowing. Disciples had been born again there. On one side of the river were the critical Jews, on the other side of the Jordan He finds a people that believe on Him. Opposition is no sign of defeat. When the devil roars it is because his kingdom is being shaken. It was a time when many desired to hear Him ; you cannot catch fish where there are none. There He abode. It was a great refreshment to the Saviour's heart, He seemed at home there. Many believed, it was why He came - to give His life a ransom for many. ( C.H.Spurgeon )

MAY 31

" John did no miracle, but all things that John spoke of this Man were true." John 10:41

John did the work of an ' ungifted worker.' There were no miracles, they are not necessary for faithfulness, nor did John want to attract attention to himself. He wanted to ' decrease ' so that Christ would stand out more to the people's view. " There are some preachers and you cannot see past them, " said an old Minister. John did not dazzle by the splendour of his oratory or intellectual gifts. He spoke about Christ and to the people in a natural manner, he did it unostentatiously. Christ was the consistent theme of his ministry, ' he spoke of this Man.' This was all that he was required to do, and he fulfilled his commision. He did it privately, eg to two disciples and publicly to the crowds. Two years after his death the people his words were fresh in the people's memories: and, as they were compared with their fulfilment, the Holy Spirit led many into the faith... We may be giving men and women thoughts about Christ which are at present not effective, but in the future they may come back to them with divine power. ' All things that he spoke of Jesus were true ' - what better epitaph could any of us wish ? ( F.B.Meyer)