NOVEMBER 13 The branch cannot bear fruit by itself.(John 15:4) How did you begin to bear fruit? It was when you came to Jesus, cast yourself on His great atonement, and rested on His finished righteousness. What fruit you had then! Do you remember those early days? Then the vine flourished, the tender grape appeared,…

NOVEMBER 11 Underneath are the everlasting arms.(Deuteronomy 33:27) God—the eternal God—is Himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God until he hardly knows how…

NOVEMBER 10 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher. (Matthew 10:25) No one will dispute this statement, for it would not be proper for the pupil to be exalted above his Teacher. When our Lord was on earth, what was the treatment He received? Were His claims acknowledged, His instructions followed,…

NOVEMBER 9 So walk in him.(Colossians 2:6) If we have received Christ Himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will display its intimate acquaintance with Him by a walk of faith in Him. Walking implies action. Our Christian life is not to be confined to our closet; our belief must be revealed in our…

NOVEMBER 8 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord …(Colossians 2:6) The life of faith is represented as receiving—an act that implies the very opposite of anything like merit. It is simply the acceptance of a gift. As the earth drinks in the rain, as the sea receives the streams, as night accepts light…

NOVEMBER 7 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.(Isaiah 49:16) Undoubtedly, part of the wonder concentrated in the word “Behold” is due to the contrast with the unbelieving lament of the preceding sentence. Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” How amazed the divine mind seems…

NOVEMBER 6 For I will pour water on the thirsty land.(Isaiah 44:3) When a believer has fallen into a low, sad state of feeling, he often tries to lift himself out of it by chastening himself with dark and gloomy fears. That is not how to rise from the dust but to continue in it….

NOVEMBER 5 No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed.(Isaiah 54:17) The 5th of November is notable in English history for two great deliverances granted by God for us. On this day the plot of the Papists to destroy the Houses of Parliament was discovered, 1605. While for our princes they prepareIn caverns deep…

NOVEMBER 3 Behold, he is praying.(Acts 9:11) Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven. The moment Saul began to pray, the Lord heard him. Here is comfort for the distressed but praying soul. When our hearts are broken and we bow in prayer, we are often only able to employ the language of sighs and tears;…

NOVEMBER 1 The church in your house.(Philemon 1:2) Is there a church in this house? Are parents, children, and friends all members of it, or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the question go round: Am I a member of the church in this house? The father’s heart would leap for…