January 12
“…keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).
The blue robe made for the high priest reminds us of our vocation and heavenly calling as co-workers with
the Lord Jesus Christ. We are co-workers with God (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1). We have a heavenly calling
(Heb. 3:1). Every believer has a share in that calling. In the very same passage (1 Cor. 3:9), we are told that
we are God’s building. For a building we require many things such as stones, bricks, mud and timber. We
require both large and small stones. In the same way, we require sand, timber and many other things.
Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has a share in the building of God’s house.
We are building the House of Lord Jesus Christ and we are that House (Heb. 3:6). The blue robe indicates
our heavenly calling, to build the heavenly habitation of the Lord Jesus Christ under His Headship. In order
to enjoy the fulness fully, we must take our share in the building of the House of the Lord Jesus Christ.
On the hem of the blue robe worn by the high priest there were pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet.
A pomegranate looks like a single fruit but when you cut it open, you will find it composed of many
compartments, each containing deep red, juicy, fleshy seeds. Pomegranates in Palestine are very large in
size. This fruit is a symbol of the Lord’s people. Even though believers are scattered in every part of the
world, all of them together make one Church. All those who are purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus
Christ, are the members of the Church. There is only one Church. The Church is being built by the Lord
Jesus Christ, with those who are of one mind and are free from jealousy. Only then you can be a co-worker
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with the Lord Jesus Christ in building His Church. Just as the seeds of the pomegranates are put together
in many compartments making one fruit, by the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are kept as one body. It
is a sevenfold unity of believers that makes one body. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one calling, one
faith, one baptism and one Lord and Creator. The Lord wants this sevenfold oneness among His people.
In the beginning many began to say, “I am of Paul; I am of Apollos; I am of Cephas”, and this brought
division. No human name can be given to the Church of God. All those names and titles bring division. It
is by oneness we are able to build the heavenly Church. The pomegranates remind us of the living Church
but not of any building.
daily devotional
Sword of the Spirit
Jan
09
Despise God’s Word and find yourself in trouble. Obey it and succeed.
—Proverbs 13:13 (TLB)
As Christians, we have the Spirit of God in us. But ours is the responsibility to keep sin out of our lives so that the Spirit can produce His fruit in us. Become grounded in the Bible. As Christians, we have only one authority, one compass: the Word of God. Abraham Lincoln in a letter to a friend said, “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance upon faith. You will live and die a better man.” Begin the day with the Book; and as the day comes to a close, let the Word speak its wisdom to your soul. Let it be the firm foundation upon which your hope is built. Let it be the Staff of Life upon which your spirit is nourished. Let it be the Sword of the Spirit which cuts away the evil of your life and fashions you in His image and likeness.
Recent Devotions
Fervent prayers | January 9
“…Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1).
“Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel” (Psalm 20:4). This is a very wonderful
promise. Whatever our needs or problems, He is able to meet them and solve them. We have to believe
that God is able to give us much more than we ask. With that faith we have to go to Him. Many years ago,
I wanted a type-writer. I thought if I pray for a new one God might not give. So I prayed for an old one.
“Lord, I want a type-writer. Will you send an old one from somewhere? I was looking forward for an old
typewriter, but after a week or so someone came with a brand new type-writer. I thought it was
impossible to get a new one. That is how we limit God by our request. But God promises to grant us our
hearts’ desires. “Fulfil all thy counsel” means when we pray He will make our labours prosperous.
Whatever we give to Him, and whatever we offer must be done whole-heartedly. Don’t cut short your
prayer time.
“We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will setup our banners: the LORD fulfil all
thy petitions” (Psa. 20:5). In this verse there are three wonderful promises. The first one is, we will rejoice
in His salvation. Even though our prayers are not answered immediately, yet the fact that He has saved us
gives us great joy. Secondly, in the Name of the Lord we setup our banners. Banners speak of victory. For
every sin we conquer, and for every prayer answered, we must lift up a banner. When we do not thank
the Lord sufficiently we cannot lift up our banners. We should have faith in the Lord and His faithfulness.
By having faith in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ we become more than conquerors. Every
temptation we overcome is because of His victory. Our Lord became victorious and by faith we claim that
victory. We have to appropriate His victory as our victory. Thirdly, “And fulfil all your petitions”. If we keep
on counting the answered prayers there will be no end. Whatever may be our petition it will be fully
answered according to our faith.
“Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed ; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving
strength of his right hand” (v.6). We should keep ourselves holy in His presence. Then He will hear us from
His holy heaven. That is why we should claim the efficacy of His precious blood constantly to keep
ourselves holy. Then we can pray with boldness and liberty in His presence.
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“Some trust in chariot, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (v.7).
Some people depend upon their wealth and friends. These are all human sources. Whatever we receive
through men is only for a short time. “They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand
upright” (v.8). It is by the fervent prayers of the Church that the enemy is defeated.
Recent Devotions
The kingdom of God
January 9
“The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost” (Romans 14:17).
Earthly joy arises from possession. Men think that if they get all they want to have they will
be happy, but sooner or later life brings disappointment and hopes are shattered. All that you
think will give you joy will prove empty at the last. The Lord Jesus Christ, the living, loving
Saviour, who died for sinners, is the only one who can give you joy. But the joy He offers you
is not earthly joy. It is His own heavenly joy.
The Holy Ghost, who comes to dwell within us, works in us abundance of righteousness as
God’s gift, and that righteousness is the source of our peace and joy. Men struggle hard to
become righteous before God and men, but what men call righteousness God calls filthy rags
(Isa. 64:6). Whether it be Jewish righteousness, or Hindu righteousness, or Buddhist
righteousness, or ‘nominal Christian’ righteousness, God calls it filthy rags. God is ready to
give you His righteousness as the free gift of His love. He adds peace to love and multiplies it
by eternity. That is His grace!
And to that love and peace He adds joy by the Holy Spirit. But if you let the Holy Spirit of God
enter and work in you, you will become righteous with God’s own righteousness, and as a
result you will leap with the joy of God, because of the assurance of the Spirit in your heart
that you are righteous in God’s sight, and because day by day you will find yourself becoming
richer and purer and stronger in Him.
Recent Devotions
pray in times
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe …
—Mark 11:24
We are to pray in times of adversity, lest we become faithless and unbelieving. We are to pray in times of prosperity, lest we become boastful and proud. We are to pray in times of danger, lest we become fearful and doubting. We need to pray in times of security, lest we become self-sufficient. Sinners, pray to a merciful God for forgiveness. Christians, pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon a willful, evil, unrepentant world. Parents, pray that God may crown your home with grace and mercy. Children, pray for the salvation of your parents. Christians, saints of God, pray that the dew of heaven may fall on earth’s dry, thirsty ground, and that righteousness may cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.