OCTOBER 1

" ..a crown of thorns...and they put on Him a purple robe."   John 19:2.

In the old testament the thorns were a symbol of being under God's curse ( Gen.3) and the tree upon which Christ was crucified was an additional sign that Christ was bearing it for others ( Galat.3:10,13). The crown of thorns would be His before the crown of glory.The soldiers also mocked Him for claiming to be a king. They put a purple robe upon Him and taunted Him. He was put to shame, again for others. In the treatment Christ received and in His death we see what the believer deserved, not only suffering but the shame that belongs to sin. Society feels no shame in disobeying God, which is sin. sadly this nonchalance has infected the visible church also. Christ knew what sin deserved, and He bore the load without complaint. " Our Lord was clothed with a robe of shame and contempt, that we might be clothed with a spotless garment of righteousness, and stand in white robes before the throne of God." ( J.C.Ryle) What a great and loving exchange !

OCTOBER 2

" I find no fault in Him." John 19:4.

This was Pilate's confession, according to conscience.But it was " discoursing to wolves about the innocence of the lamb." ( W. Doren ). It is very noteworthy that this expression is used three times by Pilate. It was fitting and right that he who was to publicly order the death of the Lamb of God should pronounce Him to be free of blemish and therefore fit for sacrifice. The high priest did not think so, but God did and had it publicly declared by even Christ's enemy. He had conducted a searching examination and found that Christ was personally innocent, but for the sake of others He had to die. " In the final analysis Jesus was not delivered up by Pilate for fear, nor by Judas for money, nor by the Jews for envy, but by God for love."( O.Winslow)

OCTOBER 3

" Behold the man ! " John 19:5.

And what did they see ? Much depends on the condition of the eyes when you look at something. If we are going to see spiritually, then we need ' ears to hear, and eyes to see,'- this is not what we have by nature. We need the gift of sight, as the miracles of the Lord taught us ( Heb.11:1). The Jews saw an imposter, a guilty man. Pilate just saw Him as a man also ; none of them could see through the veil of His humanity. They saw themselves judging Him, when all the time He was judging them ! Our responses to Him will condemn us or acquit us on the last day. He Himself asked, " What think ye of Christ ? Whose son is He ? " The people then as now saw Him as hostile to their selfish interests, they would not bow the knee, except in mockery like the soldiers. They gave Him a look, perhaps in pity like Pilate, but looked no more. The latest excitement for the crow had passed, and now they looked for another. But the true believer keeps looking. There is always something more to see in the Person of Christ, being Divinely infinite. There was no repentance in those who looked at Him without faith. Faith will look in worship, reverence, trust and love.

Alas those same people will see Him again, ( Rev.1:7 and chapter 6 ) !

OCTOBER 4

" He that delivered Me to thee has the greater sin." John 19:11.

God gives power even to His enemies, but they do not use that power for His cause ( Rom.13:1 & 14:12) and are judged. Pilate and Christ have changed places. Sins have different degrees of culpability ( Matt.11:22,24.Luke 12:47). Pilate's sin was great - against evidence, conscience and heaven's warning ( through his wife). But in this transaction there had been a greater sin committed by Caiaphas the high priest and the Jewish leaders. There was a judicial blindness over the entire nation. The real reason for the rejection of Christ was that he was not the kind of Messiah they wanted ! ( 1 Corinth.1:23) ( T.Whitelaw) Some sins are worse because they affect others badly ; they lead them astray ( as the high priest did) , they infect them with the consequences of their own sin ( as Adam did). Sin can be aggravated by the amount of knowledge in the sinner ; Judas was a Jew who knew Scripture, Pilate was an ignorant heathen. Premeditated sin is also regarded as worse than a sudden fall by infirmity ( Ps.19:12,13).  ( P.Henry)

OCTOBER 5 

" Behold your King ! " John 19:14.

As often, Christ's enemies spoke more truth than they understood. The Jews immediately rejected Him as king, but God did not. Many with privileges today still reject Him as king. Nevertheless, every knee shall bow to Him on that last day, whether they acknowledge Him now or not. Behold Him preparing His throne ! He lays the foundation of it in His suffering nature. He makes it a throne of grace by His atoning griefs. He prepares a people and gives them access to it. This throne is eternal, unlike others. ( Spurgeon) He claims dominion over us, a truth which the world resists ( Psalm 2), but He continues to subdue the hearts of elect Jews and Gentiles. They look to Him and pledge allegiance. He takes the devil's captives captive to Himself ( Psalm 68:18) ; He shall rule not only over them but in them. They put Him to shame before Pilate, but He was still King, ' God over all and blessed forever. ' O let us come and worship Him ', there is none more worthy of praise and adoration ( Ps.95:6) - and He shall have it from His people.

OCTOBER 6

" And they took Jesus and led Him away." John 19:16.

Here is the true Scapegoat, led away to judgement bearing the sin of His people. Did not the high priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon his head, confessing the sins of the people. In a typical manner the goat then carried away the sins of the people. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and the rulers who pronounce Him guilty. In this case God Himself imputes the sins to Him, 'He was made sin for us.' He was then led to the place of death. His cross was waiting for Him. Remember that when God saw Christ in the sinner's place He did not spare Him, and when He finds you without Christ He will not spare you. ( C.H.Spurgeon ).

OCTOBER 7

" Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews...in Hebrew, Greek and Latin."   John 19:19,20.

These were the languages of religion, wisdom and law. The title placed above Jesus' head declared not only His humanity ( Jesus ) but majesty ( King). Their attempt to disgrace Him was overruled to proclaim His glory in His death. He was lifted up, but it was to victory and triumph at the cross. This death was the foundation of His kingdom of grace in this world and glory in the next for hIs subjects ; a people who would be made willing in the day of His power ( Ps. 110). They could not abolish His government and this title vexed His enemies. They wanted it altered but Pilate, under the restraint and constraint of Divine Providence, refused to do so. All who passed by could read it, those on the crosses next to Him and the soldiers nearby could read it too.It was the Word of God above the Son of God. Many passed by and took no heed. But the dying thief and the centurion could see what others could not. They saw the justice and mercy of God meeting at the cross in the Person of His Son. And what do you see at the cross ? Is it what Bunyan's pilgrim saw ?

OCTOBER 8

" Woman, behold thy Son." John 19:26.

Mary stood at the cross, a sinner. Christ reminded her that she must look to Him first as the Son of God, her Saviour. He was God's Son before He became her baby. Mary now experienced what Simeon had predicted ( Luke 2:35). She said nothing, she listened to her Son. She would soon be worshipping with the others at a prayer meeting after His resurrection ( Acts 1:14). John always emphasizes the Divinity of Christ in this Gospel.The Lord Himself emphasized that more than a natural connection to Himself was necessary, and more important than a physical or social one. They must be joined to Him by the one Spirit, and thus all are equal in Christ. Mary has no special place in heaven, she is certainly not an equal with God as the Papacy falsely asserts. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, and Mary had that faith in her Saviour. She was at the cross when many were not. She saw Jesus not only as her son but as her Saviour, and He commended her to his disciple John' s care while she continued on earth.

OCTOBER 9

" The disciple...whom He loved." John 19:26.

This is the humility of John, he never names himself in the Gospel eg at the Last supper also (and in ch.20:8 it is ' that other disciple .') For John, this was the most important fact in His life, that he was loved by Jesus. From this love can be traced every blessing that he had, of grace and glory. It is a sovereign love ; there was a disciple whom Jesus did not love, Judas ! John is a disciple, he was spiritually made teachable, Christ had opened his understanding ( Ps.25:9). He was at the cross, his love from and love to Christ made him faithful unto death. He identified with Christ when His Master was most despised for His teaching. He was " not ashamed of anything Christ ever said or did " ( Spurgeon). Christ chose out John to receive and care for His mother. He was not as vocal as Peter but he was steadfast, and this is the kind of disciple that the church needs today. Words often cover up unfaithfulness, but for John ( and Paul ), " the love of Christ constrains us."

OCTOBER 10

" It is finished. " John 19:30.

This is the echo of Psalm 22:31. What was finished ? His obedience unto death; His keeping of the law for others and His paying the penalty of breaking the law for the same others ( Philipp. 2:8). " A single word in the original, the briefest of His utterances on the cross but the fullest. eternity will be needed to make manifest all that it contains. All things had been done which the Law of God required ; all things established which prophecy predicted ; all things brought to pass which the types foreshadowed ; all things accomplished which the Father had given Him to do ; all things performed which were needed for our redemption. Nothing was left undone.The costly ransom had been given, the great conflict had been endured, sin's wages had been paid, Divine justice had been satisfied.The fruit and application of His resurrection would follow." ( A.W.Pink )

OCTOBER 11

" It is finished." John 19:30.

What evidence do we have that Christ has finished the work of redemption ? Firstly, there is the infinite efficacy of the blood and obedience of Christ - His people have been saved, all of them for whom He obeyed and died. Secondly, God the Father discharged Him from the work, and showed His acceptance of it, when He raised Him from the dead ( Rom. 4:25). If Christ the Surety was discharged by God the Creditor, then the debt is fully paid 

( Heb.10:12-14). Thirdly, there is the blessed effect of this finished work in all that believe on Him. Their consciences are now rationally pacified, and their souls at death are actually received into glory. ( John Flavel) Christ proclaims His own finished work, to the Father, to His people, to the world, to the devil. He takes the character of a faithful Servant's language ; He took pleasure in coming as His Father's Servant. It is finished, and the Holy Spirit shall come to apply His work to His people one by one. None shall perish that He brings to trust in Him ; the Holy Spirit shall enable them to do so.

OCTOBER 12

" And after this Joseph...and there came also came Nicodemus." John 19:38,39.

These fearful ' secret disciples ' came out openly to identify publicly with Christ. The death of Christ will always show us who are genuine disciples ; they shall speak of it and act upon it. There are no silent witnesses for Christ ; a witness must speak of Him. The death of Christ has this power, to bring forward the undecided to confess Him. Scripture is clear about this confession of faith in Christ's genuine disciples ( Rom.10:9,10. Matt.10:32. Luke 12 :8). Many are gambling that what Christ said is not true, will not come to pass, but they are fatally mistaken. In these two men we see the power of the cross and the power of the two graces at work in the soul, faith and repentance for their disloyalty to Christ. They were not afraid to identify with Christ now. Only the hands of believers were allowed to touch the body of Christ, and only faith in Him shall touch His heart. We see how the Lord brought Nicodemus to faith. He was ashamed to be seen in Christ's company, he came by night to speak to Him ( John 3). Then he defended Christ's position before the Law ( John 8 ) and now he steps out to boldly assist Joseph at the funeral. Joseph's conversion and gift of a tomb was predicted long before ( Isaiah 53:9).

OCTOBER 13

" Mary Magdalene...sees the stone taken away from the sepulchre." John 20:1.

The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christianity ; Christ must be alive to save sinners. The Jews were not convinced by His miracles that He was clothed with Divine power, but His people know Him and His power by His resurrection ( Rom.1:4). This is the decisive testimony ; He raised others, at Nain, at Bethany, in Jerusalem, and then Himself ! His resurrection is the assurance that our sins are forgiven and we are justified by faith ( Rom.4:25 ). Some of the Puritans called it ' God's receipt to us.' - that the debt has been paid, the ransom for sinners accepted, God's judicial wrath appeased by Christ's sacrifice of propitiation ( Rom.3:25,25). If He had not risen, our faith would be in vain ( 1 Corinth.15), there would be no hope for anyone at death. But faith sees Christ 'crowned with glory and honour.' ( Heb.2:9). " We must not confine our view to the dying Christ, but remember the living Christ. This is the incentive to heavenly mindedness ( Coloss.3:1,2). It is the encouragement to the living, and consolation for the bereaved. "          ( H.L.Nicholson )

OCTOBER 14

" Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple." John 20:3.

We see here the differences in personality among Christ's disciples, who are all loved equally.Both ran, John looked in only, Peter went straight inside.Both were deeply attached to the Lord and each behaves in their own characteristic fashion. We must bear this in mind when we meet believers. Some have more devotion than others ; much depends on how deep their sense of obligation to Christ is. It was John, the quiet disciple who outran the impulsive one. The church has a place for all with a work for all. Both John and Peter still had some ignorance ( vs.9) although they were both taught by Christ Himself. We must remember that true grace, and not mere head knowledge, is the one thing needful ; the need to know our own sinfulness and the power in our lives of Christ as Saviour. Faith and repentance must be there in the heart. Let us always seek knowledge, but let us not despair if our knowledge is imperfect. ( J.C.Ryle)

OCTOBER 15

" But Mary stood outside the sepulchre weeping. " John 20:11.

Christians are often sorrowful when there is no need to be, but this is what happens due to lack of knowledge ( and lack of faith - Christ promised He would rise again). When Christ is absent from His church's eyes, they are apt to look elsewhere, their eyes diverted from the Lord. Jesus is often very close to His disciples when they cannot perceive Him, as here. We are sometimes so absorbed in sorrow that we cannot see Him who comes to soothe it. We often think Him far away when He is nearest. Is He not a ' present help in trouble ' ?

( Ps.46). We are prone to rest in the means of grace when we should rise to the Giver of grace. Christ's first resurrection- word was one of consolation ; He is tender and loving still. and He knows us individually and personally, " Mary " - so shall it be in heaven. ( N.Hall )

The Lord tells Mary to cease touching Him, because He is not staying on earth, and also she is to be a messenger to His disciples.

OCTOBER 16 

" Mary." John 20:16

She had not recognised Him because it was still dark (vs.1). She had been first at the tomb, and was lingering at the last place Christ had been seen, bound to Him forever by a loving gratitude. She had been no harlot ( there is no Biblical evidence for this ), she had been possessed by seven devils. But her great Deliverer had come and freed her, she was freed to follow Him ; this is freedom indeed( Ps.119:45). The best company could not compensate for His absence. She was so absorbed in seeking Him that she forgot herself. She had also been looking in the wrong direction, but His word turned her to face Him ( vs.16). " Mary " - there was something in that voice which Mary recognised. " My sheep hear My voice," He had said ( John 10). We have the words of the Lord written down in the Bible for us, we must also try to understand the tone in which they were spoken. Sometimes it was with severity ( Matt.23 ), sometimes, as here, with tenderness ; ' the bruised reed He will not break.' How much can be conveyed by one word of Scripture !

OCTOBER 17

" Go to My brethren, and tell them, I ascend to My Father..." John 20:17.

Our Lord here, for the first time, calls His disciples ' brethren '. This He did primarily with allusion to Psalm 22:23, where the Righteous One, delivered from the bands of death, says, " I will declare Thy Name to My brethren." It pointed to that more profound fellowship between Jesus and His people - a fellowship created by that redeeming death of which the resurrection was the seal. Christ having given His life for them, transformed them from friends into brethren ( ch.15:15). This is to assure them of their fellowship with Christ. He clothes them with His dignity, and is not ashamed to call them brethren ( Heb.2:12). How full of consolation is this new designation. ( E.W.Hengstenberg )

He says," to My God and your God " - Mine by nature, yours by grace. ( Augustine )

OCTOBER 18

" He showed them His hands and His side." John 20:20.

He ascended to heaven with these marks on His resurrection body, and appears there as the " Lamb as slain " in the midst of the throne. His hands were the hands of a workman, He honours labour not idleness.They were healing hands ; the leper, the blind and others had felt His healing touch in their souls. They were hands lifted in benediction over sinners as their Great High Priest ; He ascended to heaven in this manner. They were hands that took hold of the sinking sinner, like Peter. These hands have upheld His people as they passed through great dangers. and still do. These hands bear the marks of having suffered for others. It was not the nails that held Him to the cross, but the love for His Father ( always first ) and the love for His people. They shall be stretched out to welcome each one as they come Home. ( T.Cuyler)

OCTOBER 19

" Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. But Thomas..was not with them.   John 20:20,24.

They were glad, all their fears and forebodings had been taken away. Christ was there but His disciple Thomas was not ; this is still true of some today ( Heb.10:25). What blessings are missed when we are missing from His worship ! They had ' hoped against hope ' and now it dawned brightly in their darkness. Now they remembered all that they had forgotten, that all had happened as He had foretold. Their eyes were opened as to the meaning of their earthly life, and to the prospect of immortal fellowship with their Divine Lord. They would have an honourable life and death would bring them nearer. " I desire to see my Lord so as to live to His praise. Oh for such a vision as would shape my life, my thought, my whole being, till I become like Him. Oh to see Him as to be changed into His image from glory to glory ! " ( Spurgeon)

OCTOBER 20

" And Thomas answered, my Lord and my God." John 20:28.

This is a concise expression of deep feeling, a confession, a confession which is the common one of the whole Christian church.Thomas utters here his confession of faith, what Jesus had constantly set before His disciples as His doctrine ( ch.14:9,10). In Himself ' dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.' He addressed to Christ precisely the same words which are elsewhere addressed to the supreme God, ' My God and Lord ' ( Ps. 35:23). It would have been blasphemy by Thomas had it not been true. Christ accepted his invocation and responded,' Thou hast believed ' and refers to Himself. This shows that the necessary content of faith is to recognise Christ as his own Lord and God. The Gospel places the Divinity of Christ in the clearest light. The blessing goes to those who believe ( vs.29) and not necessarily to those who saw Christ in the flesh, as the crowds did. Believing is seeing Christ as ' my Lord and my God.'  ( E.W.Hengstenberg)

OCTOBER 21

" Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:29.

The world says,' seeing is believing.' But the Bible teaches that believing is seeing ( Heb. 11:1). It is not a ' blind faith ', but trusting God at His Word. Christians can also be tempted to believe and be affected by what they see only, but when this happens they lose their 

' blessedness' ie. their happiness is diminished.When the the Son of Man comes back, shall He find faith on the earth ? - salvation by faith without relying on works, appearances or emotions ? We shall be tempted like Noah, 120 years living on a promise without the appearance of its fulfilment. But in the end it came, God kept His Word, and powerfully. Faith needs patience. Few live by faith alone, many are looking for the crutches of happy circumstances, instead of leaning all their weight on the Beloved. Abraham believed against appearances, Job trusted when it looked like he would be slain. The three men went into Nebuchandnezzar's furnace ; by faith went through, by faith they came out. We have not yet met such trials of faith in our own lives, let us pray for a firmer grasp of Christ.

OCTOBER 22

" These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and...have life." John 20:31.

Not everything about Jesus has been written, but God has given sufficient for faith. The Holy Spirit will mix faith with the word in the heart ( Heb.4:2) - such a combination is necessary for the sinner to have eternal life. Every day on earth was filled with the Words and deeds of the Son, as He daily carried out the purpose of the Father. It was not possible for us to have 33 years of such words and deeds written down ; this is beyond our capacity to grasp. There is nevertheless abundance for revelation and our lifetime study. This ' short life of Christ ' conveys to us His excellence, beauty, majesty and power. The account does not minimize the enmity of the world against Him and spends much time on His last days on earth before the triumph of the resurrection. The account also reminds us of the supernatural in God's word, both good and bad. Most of all, we are to believe in a Person, not an issue for discussion. There are no ifs, buts and maybe in the Gospel record. If we do believe, let us thank Him, for if we do, He has obviously taken us out of our previous unbelief. It is a great wonder to us that we have life, that we are alive in Christ.

OCTOBER 23

" And that night they caught nothing. " John 21:3.

We must not be surprised at failures in our lives. We have indwelling sin and live in a hostile environment, a world which is in a state of decay and also contradicts God. God permits us to experience failure and, like the disciples here, we are to listen to the words of Christ for the remedy. They had made a great effort, they had toiled all night, but without the success they hoped for. The Lord shows His interest in our lives apart from churchgoing, our secular employment. But we can also fail spiritually, as David, Peter and others know from bitter experience. The Christian has aims, while many lives are aimless. Christ has set the standard and the future before us, and we struggle on to meet it. There are promises and works yet to be fulfilled in us eg. further experiences to conform us more to the image of His Son, and then perfect holiness in the soul at death. There will be barren nights and days, but joy can come in the morning, despite our weariness and disappointments. Christ's plan for each takes account of our failures also.

OCTOBER 24

" When the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore." John 21:4.

The Lord chooses His own time in which to manifest His presence to His disciples. He could be seen only by an act of His own Will. His appearance showed His victory over death, rescued His disciples from any despair, and set them to take on further tasks. He recalled them to enjoy communion with Him. John perceived Him first. He had a love which needed Christ, and was on the lookout for Him. His faith had its evidence, " It is the Lord." Faith does not grow by the complacency of ignorance, but by seeking more of Christ and from Christ in the life. Peter could not wait for the boat to reach the shore, he jumped forward at the opportunity to be near Christ again.There is another shore to which Christians are heading ( Rev.15:2,3). It is not a ship that will bring us there. Christ Himself shall come to bring us Home to Himself. Then there shall be no fleeting glimpses of Him, but eternal and permanent enjoyment of His company.

OCTOBER 25

" Lovest thou Me ? " John 21:15.

Three public denials by Peter are followed by three public demonstrations of his restoration. Christ will always restore the souls of His people ( Ps.23:3). There is a spurious love, a kind of sentimentalism which is not based on Christ's revealed character. However, true love is the fruit of the Spirit ( Galat.5:22). Believers cannot always reply as Peter did, they distrust themselves, but desire to show to Christ that love which He deserves. The heart cannot always express itself as it ought to, but the root of the matter is there. " The way in which Christ's approaches are received are a declaration of love. It makes their heart leap when tidings that He is near is brought to them, and when the sound of His footsteps is heard. This love must be declared publicly to the world, and it shall fit us for the service Christ commands." ( A.Gray )

OCTOBER 26

" Lovest thou Me ? " John 21:15

This is the supreme question, and it is clear that the Lord takes pleasure in hearing the avowed love of His people.The importance of the cross as the basis of this power to love cannot be exaggerated. Love exercises a powerful influence over all our other feelings. As with Peter, our love to Christ must sometimes be questioned, and an inward search be carried out, eg as to its depth and consistency. It is a question which must be and can be answered. Doubtless, Peter felt the pain of remembrance of his sin, but Christ was leading him to assurance of his repentance, that it was accepted and he could be useful again. He and we must be especially on guard against repeating the sins which provoked this inquiry. Whatever our state of mind, it must not keep us from approaching Him ; " This Man receives sinners."( Luke 15:2)  ( C.Bradley )

OCTOBER 27

" This He spoke, signifying by what death he should glorify God." John 21:19.

His time to die was appointed, the place and the manner of it also. In this we follow Christ's example ( Heb.9;27,28). The Body must follow its Head, and to die in faith is to glorify God ( Heb.11 ). Our death is known in advance with regard to its certainty ( if the Lord does not come before we die ), but not the details. " Man proposes, but God disposes, " said Luther. All is under God's predetermining Providence. It may come gradually or suddenly, but the Bible emphasizes that it must come and we should do all in our wisdom to be ready for it, to move on ( Ps.90:12). The world is waiting to die, but the Christian is waiting to live, to leave the land of the dying and enter the land of the living ( Ps.116:9). To glorify God is our chief end in life and at death, and to enjoy Him fully beyond is glory.

OCTOBER 28

" Lord, and what shall this man do ? " John 21:21.

Each of us has our own work to do in this world while we are in it. Peter and John were each to follow Christ, but they would have unique experiences in doing so. Our life is planned by Him, it shall be at His Will. However, predestination does not diminish our responsibility. We are to do what we can, like Mary,and He shall overrule our weaknesses and mistakes. What looks a mess to us looking from below shall be seen as an ordered pattern from above ( like the two sides of a tapestry ). There is a mystery in Providence, but it is always His Providence, He remains in control of His creation - whether this is accepted by men or not ! " Herein lies the grandeur of our Christian life. We are in a world of mystery. We dare not choose for ourselves, the merest trifles affect the way ahead. But the fact that Christ has commanded us to follow Him and gives us the grace to do so, encourages us to hope to the end." ( E.L.Hull )

OCTOBER 29

" If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? Follow thou Me. " John 21:22.

Jesus' words convey rebuke and instruction. Every believer has a personal relationship to Christ which is not at all dependent on anyone else. Jesus says, " I will..' - Christ has a plan for each believer's life and future, and Peter had no right to question it. we bring so much trouble upon ourselves by interfering with someone else's life. Such interfering in another's life usually leads to the sin of critical gossip, which results in misunderstanding and enmity. ( J.A.Blair)" The future is not ours, the present is ; we are responsible for the present. Follow Christ, and leave the results to Him ; duty is ours, not the consequences that follow faithfulness. In your business, household, church, Follow Christ ! Do not distress your selves with things that have not yet occurred. Attend to duty, and your brother's welfare. " ( W.M.Taylor )

OCTOBER 30

" And we know that his testimony is true." John 21:24.

John's testimony was God's testimony first ; he wrote it down, he agreed with it. What faith did for him it shall do for others. Faith carries the objective assurance in it ; faith refuses to believe what is not true, and fights to keep hold of what is true. It is ' faith in Christ against the world.' The Spirit testifies to the truth which Jesus declared ; this is something which He takes from Christ and applies to us. The truth should have an effect on our thinking, our lives, and we must pray that it will be so, consistently. To know that something is true and not to practise it is hypocrisy. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments ( and not the apocrypha ) are the word of God. People mock the simplicity of faith, but what have they to offer in its place ? The shifting sands of human opinions ? That is not a safe way to live or die. Many die still looking for the Truth, the Christian dies having found it, in Christ Jesus ( John 14:6).

OCTOBER 31

" And there are also many other things which Jesus did..." John 21:25.

There is much that Jesus said and did which has never been recorded, but there is enough to verify that He is the Son of God, and that there is no salvation apart from Him. The necessity of trusting in Him is also sufficiently emphasized in this Gospel.One may be familiar with the contents of this Book, quote much from it, but yet have never met Christ. If this is your condition, pray for such a meeting. ( J.A.Blair)

" Christ is an inexhaustible treasure. There are more treasures in Christ than in the Bible, the Bible reveals many but not all of them. There remains ' the mystery of godliness ' ( 1 Tim.3:16). We bless God for the treasures in the Bible, treasures which all belong to Christ, come to us through Christ, and are used to glorify Him - " Christ in you the hope of glory." ( J.C.Jones )