DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Below are daily devotions for each day of the month. They include a quote from a famous individual with my personal comment and a scripture passage with my personal comment. I hope you find these quotations, scripture passages and my personal comments helpful in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

November 1

 

“There’s a way to preach the Bible unbiblical. You can use the Bible as the springboard for all kinds of ideas, can’t you? Look around in here and find something that fits your fancy and then launch a rocket off it. People say, ‘That was amazing, wasn’t it? Remarkable what he got out of that.’ Well of course it is because he put it in before he got it out.”

Alistair Begg

 

We all do this at times because we want to prove a point from our mind, not Gods, or we haven’t studied scripture properly to discern what it really has to say. We fall into this error when we come to the Bible with ideas we want supported rather than letting the Bible tell us the ideas that God wants us to have. Let us be careful how we handle the Word of God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6

 

This verse contains numerous precious truths. First, when we accept Christ as Savior we accept Him as Lord of our life. We’re not joining a Christian club or making Him a part of our life, we are committing to giving our lives to Him totally. To accept Him as Lord means He is our Master. Secondly, we our life must be one centered around Him, thus our lives take root and gain strength from our relationship with Him. Thirdly, because we are saved by Him, because we live in Him, because we are built up and strengthened in our faith by Him, we overflow with thankfulness because of what He has done for us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

November 2

 

“May we have true faith in the sufficiency of God and admit to the inefficiency of self, that by God’s power we will serve one another in love.”

Andrew Murray

 

What I believe is implied in this quote is that we are totally inefficient in our own power to love others as we should. Our self will fail and falter. Our self will stop short of loving adequately at some point. Our self will be permeated by selfishness and our best efforts at love will fall short of God’s standard for love. Only by having faith in the adequacy and capability of God to empower us to love as He loves can we fulfill the commandment to love one another. 1 Corinthians 13 gives us the definition of God’s character as it relates to love and we can only love by this standard if we have the sufficient power of God within us in His anointing.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

1 John 4:20

 

We are presented with a stark truth in this scripture. We cannot claim to love God if we cannot express love for others. Love for others, especially those who are difficult to love, has its source in the depth of our relationship with God. To ignore the needs of others or to fail to have empathy and compassion for their harsh predicament is proof that our love of God can be questioned. To have unrighteous anger towards individuals and to ignore the need for reconciliation is to call into question our love for God. To snub people for whatever reason is to cease to demonstrate that any love for God resides in our heart. Love for God stimulates and encourages love for our fellow man. Love for people we know, friend or foe, offers proof that love for God exists in our soul.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 3

 

“Of all the sins into which men can fall, none seem so exceedingly sinful as false profession and hypocrisy. At all events, none have drawn from our Lord’s mouth such strong language, and such heavy denunciations. It is bad enough to be led away captive by open sin, and to serve diverse lusts and pleasures. But it is even worse to pretend to have a religion, while in reality we serve the world. Let us beware of falling into this abominable sin. Whatever we do in religion, let us never wear a cloak. Let us be real, honest, thorough, and sincere in our Christianity. We cannot deceive an all-seeing God.”

J.C. Ryle

 

Christians should never pretend to be Christians. Either we are or we aren’t. We must be honest with the Lord and honest with ourselves. Honesty keeps us humble. Honesty prevents pride from sneaking into our souls. Honesty is humbling but required if we really desire to be called a servant of God. Being honest means listening with our hearts and minds to what we read in God’s Word and putting it into practice. Being honest means we listen to wise Christian counsel when we receive it. Being honest means when the Holy Spirit speaks, we listen and never attempt to quench His advice. Let us never hide under a religious cloak, but let us wear the white robe of righteousness with which Jesus covers us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

Matthew 23:25-26

 

Let us dedicate ourselves as Children of God to always being concerned with the inside of our cups. If we place our focus on letting God work on our insides, our outsides will reflect His glory, His character and His love.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 4

 

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

Corrie Ten Boom

 

Our future is always unknown and usually we are anxious about what we might face in our future. Corrie is telling us to trust our future to the God we know personally. He can be trusted, because He has been faithful in the past. He can be trusted, because we know He loves us. He can be trusted, because He has our best interest in His heart. He can be trusted because our future lies in His hands.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“And He is the head of the body, the church.”

Colossians 1:18

 

We have our favorite pastors, teachers and leaders of our church, but we must always remember that Jesus is the Head of the Church. We are all subordinate and accountable to Him above anyone else. Any pastor, elder or teacher we might sit under for teaching and instruction can never be with us 24 hours a day, but Jesus is and with the Holy Spirit is instructing us in how we are to live. He knows everything we do and holds us accountable. We must dedicate ourselves to fellowshipping with other Christians and studying under the teaching of individuals in our church but Jesus has the ultimate authority over all of us. He is the Master Shepherd of the Church.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 5

 

“Money buys you stuff. Money can by medicine, but it can’t buy health. It can buy you a house, but it can’t buy you a home. It can buy you companionship, but it can’t buy you friends. It can buy you entertainment, but it won’t buy you happiness. It can buy you food, but it can’t buy you an appetite. It can buy you a bed, but it can’t buy you sleep. It can buy you a good life, but it can’t buy you eternal life.”

Alistair Begg

 

Money is important to material existence, but it does not enable us to obtain the most precious things in life. If we can understand this many if not most of our worries, concerns, fears and weaknesses will vanish like a vapor in the hot sun. May we value the most important things in life that come to us from the Lord and living a godly obedient life while surrounded by servants of Christ who treasure our companionship. These are eternal.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

Philippians 1:27

 

We face good times and bad. In the good times we are tempted to forget our Lord. In the bad times we are prone to complain to our Heavenly Father. But what we are called to is to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. In good times, let us be thankful for how God has blessed us and freely give of our abundance to others. In the bad times let us seek God in prayer, knowing that whatever is happening is according to His will and He will walk us through what He sees as necessary at the time. We are safe in God’s will whether it be blessings or hardships. Nothing can touch us when we stand in God’s will as humble obedient servants. The only thing that can shake us in good times is our selfish desire to have more of the same. The only thing that can undermine our faith in hardships is our fleshly thoughts that God is unfair and dishonest in His Words of hope. Let us seek to continue to keep in step with the Spirit and walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 6

 

“You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.”

Lewis B. Smedes

 

This is when healing happens from wounds suffered by the actions of another. Sometimes there are harsh cruel words, sometimes physical abuse, sometimes deceptive schemes or gossip full of lies, but whatever the offense we know we have forgiven and moved on when we can wish well on those who have hurt us. We can pray for them, that they will allow the Lord to work in their lives as He has in ours. But we must learn and practice forgiveness and many times only the Lord can create this work in us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Speak up and judge fairly.”

Proverbs 31:9

 

We often remain quiet and silent when we should be speaking up to let what God has placed on our heart be known. The world cries out for faithful and wise people to speak the truth in situations where it is needed. Even more needed are those individuals who are led by the wisdom of the Lord to influence events and decisions with a fair and proper judgment. Let us who are committed to Christ, who walk in the way of the Holy Spirit, who have studied the Holy Scriptures and who are prayed up, speak up and judge fairly.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 7

 

“Character is what you are in the dark.”

D. L. Moody

 

We can display commendable character in a group or a crowd, true character is best displayed honestly when one is by themselves when no one is looking. In reality, when no one is looking, there really is someone looking, the Lord. The Lord knows who has true character because He sees all and knows all. Even in the dark behind closed doors the all-seeing eyes of the Lord can see all acts and thoughts plainly. So we do show our true character when we are alone in the dark with only the Lord present and if we recognize He is with us always we have an opportunity to demonstrate that character to Him. It is our choice to show our true colors of morality, purity, faith, holiness and goodness.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16

 

This verse is a tremendous encouragement. God is capable of giving us peace at all times whether it is in good times or bad, in plenty or want. He can give us peace in the times of success and even in times of failure. He can give us peace in health and in sickness. He is God no matter what our circumstances and no matter what is happening in our lives. He remains God and our faith should remain in Him and the fact stated in this verse. Peace is a possession we can have at all times, because it comes from our Father in Heaven. All we must do is ask for it and trust He will give it to us, for He surely will. What an amazing all-sufficient Lord we have!

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 8

 

“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.”

Billy Graham

 

We all strive for comfort and prosperity. While they are beneficial and enjoyable, they do not make for a life that prospers in the area of developing character, courage and faith. It seems that without adversity we become soft in our wisdom, milk-toast in our commitments and weak in our faith. Struggles and hardships refine us like the refiner’s fire. It purges us of the dross of life, the useless hindering traits that make us more like our sinful flesh. Growing in strength usually requires tough adversities to fertilize the growth of faith in God and progression in developing a character like our Heavenly Father.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“We also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Romans 5:5

 

We see several important truths contained in this verse. First we can actually rejoice in sufferings. Why? Because one thing is sure, as we cope with our sufferings we obtain endurance. This endurance builds our character. This character substantiates our hope in God. We may be pained and wounded over our sufferings, but there is a deep joy of rejoicing that one benefit we are guaranteed from the suffering as we endure it is a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father because we become more like Him in our character. As our hope grows in Him we gain increased faith. But this endurance and growth is made possible because the love of God is poured out into our hearts and lives as we strive to endure our suffering. So we must endure as God pours out His love into us and our hope will grow in the inheritance we have as Children of God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 9

 

“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”

John Wooden

 

You can’t succeed unless you risk the chance of failing. Failure is an opportunity to learn and to change for the better. But as John Wooden tells us if you don’t learn from your failures that could be fatal in many ways. God calls us to change and offers us guidance in how to do it and will grant us the power to do so, but we must be willing to change by accepting His advice and strength.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.”

1 Corinthians 14:1

 

Love should motivate us as Christians in so many ways and areas of our lives. Here in Corinthians we are instructed to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, not for our own benefit, but to serve others in the Body of Christ. We are also told to especially be eager to desire the gift of prophecy, because such a teaching and encouraging gift promotes spiritual growth and maturity in the fellowship of Believers.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 10

 

“A great many people are trying to make peace, but that has already been done. God has not left it for us to do; all we have to do is enter into it.”

Dwight L. Moody

 

We often fail to feel at peace because we have either moved away from God or have not moved closer to Him. As we become distant from the Lord and center our focus on our problems and concerns we lose any peace He has given us. I wonder if sometimes we place our problems on a spiritual altar in our lives and begin to serve them with our tension, stress, concern, anger and unsettledness? If our Heavenly Father remains on the throne of our life how can peace not come into our lives? We can have peace in our lives, in our relationships and even between nations if we take the simple step of moving closer to the Lord and resting in His love and character. That is the option we always have when peace seems to have left us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

Matthew 5:7

 

Mercy is a rare commodity today. People need mercy more than ever but rarely find it. Mercy is thought by most of us to be given to those that deserve it, but godly mercy is given appropriately at times to those who do not deserve it. An example in point is you and I. We do not deserve God’s mercy, yet He gives it to us anyway. Out of this unmerited action of mercy we become Christians through Jesus’ death on the cross. God calls us to have this same mercy towards others. He does not ask us to be a doormat or to place ourselves in unwise danger, but He does call us to be merciful whenever possible. This often relates to forgiving others who have wounded or hurt us. Let us strive to be merciful so that God can call us blessed.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 11

 

“It is not the body’s posture, but the heart’s attitude that counts when we pray.”

Billy Graham

 

We can be face down on the floor when we pray, but if our heart is not face down as well then there is question whether we are really being honest with the Lord. Our heart is what God desires in our relationship with Him. He is not impressed by talk or actions unless they are backed up with the heart of a humble servant. We can say many nice words without meaning behind them and we can do deeds that appear righteous and holy but our hearts can be far from godlike. Pastor Graham is correct when he states that the heart’s attitude is what counts when we pray.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

2 Corinthians 7:1

 

God has granted us marvelous eternal promises because we are His children. This love and privilege should motivate us to seek to be holy like our Heavenly Father is. We should strive, with God’s help and power, to purify ourselves of anything and everything that might contaminate our physical body, our internal spirit, our heart attitude, our mind or even our soul. We must cooperate with the Lord in perfecting our lives by holy living. We do this out of reverence and love for God. Let us be about the business of living as we are called to, holy and righteous.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 12

 

“Were our lives simpler, we would be more vulnerable to the subtle workings of the soul.”

Mary Conrow Coelho

 

We live very complex and complicated lives anymore. We are inundated with things to do, places to be and thoughts to contemplate. If our lives were simpler and revolved mostly about the Lord than all the other distractions, very likely we would be more centered on what the Lord would have us to do, have more peace in our lives and be about our calling as Christians to be holy as God is holy.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.”

Psalms 89:15

 

When we spend more of our time praising God through our day, be it in the midst of blessing or trail, we will walk in the light of His presence. The result will not only be a more contented life, but also a life full of wonder at how God is working as well as the experience of sensing the blessing of God on our life.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 13

 

“The seemingly insignificant acts of daily life are the tests of eternity, because they prove what spirit possesses us. It is in our most unguarded moments that we truly show who we are and what we are made of.”

Andrew Murray

 

There are no insignificant acts according to our Heavenly Father. Each moment, each action, each word said and each thought considered are all known by the Lord. He contemplates and evaluates each and every second of our lives and desires that they bring Him glory and honor. That is why it is so crucial that we become like Christ, led by the Holy Spirit and seek our Heavenly Father. We do not realize the importance of what we do with our time and in our actions for we have but a short time on this earth to lay the foundation for what we will experience in Heaven.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener.”

John 15:1

 

Jesus is our life blood because He is the true vine. We are grafted onto Him when we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. Our Heavenly Father is the tender of the Garden, our precious life and always seeks to develop the fruit in our lives through our cooperation with the Holy Spirit. May we seek the life Christ wishes to give us by obeying the Word, praying regularly, serving those in need, fellowshipping with the saints, worshipping our Heavenly Father and growing in grace and knowledge. Let us never forget whom we are grafted into and where our true spiritual life comes from.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 14

 

“Christ imparts the capacity of conquest to our lives every single day that we are willing to believe Him.”

Walter Martin

 

Belief and faith are what are required to receive not only the blessings but also the necessities that God wishes to bestow upon us. We do not have because we do not ask Him and we often do not receive because we do not trust that God wishes to bless us. God desires a relationship with us and part of that relationship is trusting Him and having faith that He will provide for us. If we do not have the faith, we can even ask for that and He will give us that as well.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.”

Titus 2:1

 

Often we do not consider ourselves teachers or preachers because we are not a pastor or lead a Bible study. But every Christian is a teacher and an example. Our words about life, about problems, about meaning, about faith should reflect sound doctrine from God’s Word. People listen to us more than we know and our knowledge of Scripture should flow from our mouths properly and wisely so it can be applied to the situation and circumstance. We must study to be approved in truth so that sound doctrine is reflected in those we teach, whether it be friend, neighbor, relative, child or adult. We are all teachers of the Holy Bible.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 15

 

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”

Corrie Ten Boom

 

Worry is common on this earth, even among Christians. It is so easy to slip into worry as hardship, struggle and difficulty come into our lives. Our flesh encourages us to worry and feeds any doubt we might have about our Heavenly Father’s character or abilities. But we must realize as Corrie tells us, that worry does not drain the hardship of its difficulty or comfort the sorrow we are dreading to face. Worry only digs us deeper into the pit of depression and how weak we are to change the current struggle. Weakened by worry we wallow in our situation having no hope for deliverance. But if we seek to have faith and trust in the Lord as well as consider how He has rescued us in the past we can have hope that our future is in the hands of our loving Heavenly Father. If we meditate on scripture that demonstrates His character and illustrates His compassion for us we are encouraged that He will fight for us and lay out a future that is in our best interest.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:11

 

This verse condenses one of the main decisions we have each day as a Christian. We are to seek to be alive to God, seeking Him, listening to Him, walking in His Words, ministering to others and allowing others to minister to us. This we do because we are in Christ Jesus because of what He did and because we gave dominion over our lives to Him. This type of commitment leads to committed behavior and actions that enables us to die to sin. If we are dead to sin, when it tries to enter our heart, mind or soul it finds no response to it because everything is dedicated and response only to the Lord. Let us be dead to sin.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 16

 

“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.”

Patrick Henry

 

 We all read something each day, newspapers or news reports on our computers, top-selling novels, reports at work, comic strips and possibly even our Bibles. But do we realize the Bible is God’s thoughts, His will, His instruction and illustrates in every facet of our life that it is the supreme guide to living our lives not only for our own benefit but also for the glory of God. So, why don’t we read it more and with this mindset? Let us read the Bible more regularly and read it with anticipation for what it will say to us as it cuts to the bottom of our very soul with not just conviction, but also with compassionate healing for what ails us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.”

1 Timothy 1:12

 

Paul in this letter to Timothy thanks Christ Jesus for considering him faithful to do the task that Jesus called him. Have you considered that there are many tasks each day that God calls you to and He considers you faithful to carry them out? He places people in your lives that request godly counsel. He places you in situations that require your faith to be manifested. We may question whether we really are that faithful to be entrusted with such ministries, but notice in the verse what Paul mentions before He shares about how Christ considered him faithful. He states that Jesus has given him strength. We must remember that Christ will give us strength and out of this strength we can be faithful. Christ will consider us faithful as we draw upon His strength and He will appoint us to be involved in building His Kingdom. We should thank Christ Jesus each day that He gives us strength, considers us faithful and appoints us to ministry. What a privilege we have to receive such blessings and to be involved in such holy eternal works.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 17

 

“Trials are good for us in that they bring us not only to a better knowledge of Him but to a better knowledge of ourselves also.”

Martin Lloyd Jones

 

We don’t like the taste of some medicine or the side affects, but these drugs and treatment save us from death and disease. Trials are of the same nature. They are usually unpleasant and distasteful. They are difficult to swallow and the side affects are difficult to deal with, but they do make us better servants of Christ as we rely upon our Heavenly Father. Martin Lloyd Jones hits the nail on the head. As we respond faithfully to God in the midst of trials we learn more about who God is and how He can provide for us and sustain us. We also learn that we can endure much more than we thought we could because we are dependent on the Lord. We grow in faith and trust in God and this strengthens us and brings us closer to a holy life. The other benefit is we are then able to minister to others who face struggles and trials. It’s a tough way to get to know God or ourselves, but apparently God thinks it is the only thing that works many times and I believe He is absolutely right.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Therefore God gave them over to their sinful desires of their hearts.”

Romans 1:24

 

God will give us the freedom to entertain and pursue our sins if we remain unrepentant and rebellious. This is a most dangerous position and place to be because we are at risk in so many ways. God will not force you to be obedient to His Word. He will discipline and instruct as much as He can, but there comes a point where He can let you find out the results of sinful behavior by letting you pursue such unwise paths. He’s always ready to pick you up after you have fallen and He has deep abilities to forgive us. But to it is so much better to avoid having to restore fellowship with Him if we remain and abide with Him in the first place.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 18

 

“The true follower of Christ will not ask, “If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?” Rather he will say, “This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!”

A. W. Tozer

 

When we read a portion of Holy Scripture that challenges us to an act of obedience, sometimes we question whether we need to accept the challenge or obey the command at that moment. Sometimes we say, “When I am more faithful I’ll do that.” Or “When I’ve grown spiritually a little more I’ll follow through with that instruction.” Or possibly, “I just can’t see how I can obey what God is telling me right now.” But what Mr. Tozer is telling us is that if God’s Word says to do something, if we really believe we’re a Christian, we must obey no matter what, because we do not belong to ourselves, we belong to the Lord. This is our calling. This is our responsibility. This is our duty.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God?”

Galatians 1:10

 

Here Paul is asking a question to prove a point. He was stating in a question that he never tried to impress people or gain their approval in his actions and behavior. He served only the Lord in all he did. He also challenges us to evaluate whether there are times that we behave or act in certain ways to gain acceptance or approval from others, rather than living a life that is worthy of the Lord because we simply love Him and are committed to Him. Our motivation for making decisions, serving others, loving people, living morally holy is to please the Lord, not so others will admire us or approve of us as individuals. If we live a righteous obedient life based on conviction of the Holy Spirit and the Bible we may gain notoriety, acclaim or approval, but that should not be our motivation for living in such a manner. Our motivation should be to please the Lord, bring Him glory and be in step with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 19

 

“Thank God every morning when you get up that you have something to do which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance, self-control, diligence, strength of will, content, and a hundred other virtues which the idle never know.”

Charles Kingsley

 

The flesh in us is basically lazy. It seeks to cause us to rest and relax before we have even worked or put ourselves to a task of some sort. The servant of God who is led by the Spirit of God will apply themselves to tasks in the day as Christ would, with diligence, determination and focus. There is a time to relax and rest, but that is after we have put in a good days work. Let us be about the business of working to provide for our families, expanding our knowledge, learning new skills, ministering to those in need and participating in endeavors that benefit mankind. God does not want us to be “workaholics” but He does wish for us to apply the skills, talents and energy that He gives us.

 

“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.”

2 Peter 1:12

 

A good Christian will seek to remind other Christians of the things that Jesus spoke of in His teachings. This does not just include pastors, Sunday school teachers and Bible Study leaders, it includes each and every Christian. We need to help remind one another of the words of Holy Scripture for we often tend to forget what the Lord taught. Applying ourselves to the Word of God is greatly helped if we remind each other of what is contained in these Words of our Heavenly Father.

 

 

November 20

 

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”

Peter Marshall

 

Our usual desires are for a life without difficulties, a life of ease and happiness. But we all know that out of the most perplexing and hard trials we have seen the best of our character formed and developed. Our faith seems to shoot forth to the heavens when we face struggles and seek the Lord for strength. Let us enjoy the times of our lives that are without difficulties, but let us embrace the storms of life knowing that God is with us and we will be better Christians for such opportunities of growth. The hardships will come most assuredly, so face them with courage and an overwhelming dependence on God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Be self-controlled and alert.”

1 Peter 5:8

 

These are two of the most important qualities in the life of a Christian. When we are self-controlled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Word of God we are men and women of integrity. We are examples of dedicated servants of God. We are walking in the path that Christ would have us walk. When we are alert. We are listening to the Holy Spirit as He guides us. We are mindful of the scriptures because they are buried deep in our heart mind and soul. We are alert, not only for potential danger, but also for opportunities for ministry. We are alert to worship God in song and deed. Let us be self-controlled and alert so that we may grow in holiness and please our loving Savior, our powerful Heavenly Father and the comforting Holy Spirit that lives within us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 21

 

“If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine!”

Elizabeth Elliot

 

We do tend to grab back our lives from the Lord at times. This means our faith has faltered and we have given into the insecurities of our flesh. It is so wonderful that God forgives us for our inconsistencies. He is so gracious to continually be willing to forgive us for our lack of faith, our mistrust at times and our weaknesses. As we grow in our Christian life, we realize that it is useless to grab back our lives from Him for we are safest when we are in the midst of His will, His comfort, His strength and His providence, as we trust and obey Him.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“But we did not surrender to them even for a moment, in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.”

Galatians 2:5

 

Here Paul is speaking about the battle with false teachers that the early church fought numerous times and which the modern-day church is constantly fighting off. May we never surrender our Christian ideals, the Truth of God, the precepts we live by to the enemy, whether it be false teachers, secular humanism or Satan himself. Let us fight the battle for the Truth on every front, in our homes, in our schools, in our churches, at our work and yes, even in our hearts and minds. Let God’s Truth permeate all we do and say and let us go boldly forth in faith and love and live and speak God’s message.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

November 22

 

“We have ample evidence that the Lord is able to guide. The promises cover every imaginable situation. All we need to do is to take the hand he stretches out.”

Elizabeth Elliot

 

We have the evidence that God is able to guide in numerous places. We find it in His scripture. In the Holy Scriptures we see not only how He guided people in their lives in history long ago, we find that the truths and instructions in scripture are absolutely relevant today for application. We find His ability to guide in prayers we say as we see Him answer, in His time and in His manner and method, all our prayers. We see His capability to guide us as He uses the wisdom He has given to other saints we know give us advice. Often this wisdom has been tested and purified in the situations of testing and trial they have gone through. We see God’s compassionate and efficient skills to guide as the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to Christians and as they minister to us with these gifts we receive instruction and guidance in making decisions and enduring situations that normally might overwhelm us. Finally we see His more than adequate ability to guide as we read of His promises for those He calls His own. What an amazing thing that the God of the Universe is our Savior, Lord, Father, Comforter and very able guide.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2

 

We were created for many reasons and one reason is to serve others. God serves us each and every day as He provides for us, is active in our lives and seeks to help us carry our burdens. Christ carried the burden of our sin on the cross and lived a life of ministry that serves as an example of how to carry the burdens of others. The Holy Spirit helps carry our burdens as He ministers by comforting and guiding us as we deal with issues, situations and circumstances. With this triune example of how God carries our burdens, we are trained in how to carry the burdens of others. In this life ministry we are called to we fulfill the law and life of Christ. Let us seek how we might carry the burdens of those around us. Let us have our Father’s eyes as He places people in our lives to minister to with love, wisdom and compassion.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 23

 

“Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, your stronghold, your shepherd, your counselor, your friend, your redeemer, your saviour, your guide? If He is, you don’t need to search any further for security.”

Elisabeth Elliot

 

Too often we as followers of Christ fail to see God as our refuge. We hide in ourselves not letting God minister to us. We think wrongly if we build a stronghold around us rather than seeking to run into the stronghold of our Lord. We wander from our shepherd rather than staying close by His side. We seek the counsel of our friends or any Tom, Dick or Harry rather than listening to the Word or the Holy Spirit. We listen to what our worldly friends tell us rather than to our most wise friend, our Savior. We fail to look upon Jesus as our Redeemer and Savior. We ignore His guidance and therefore lose all security we could have had. Let us do what is spiritual correct and wise and follow the advice of Elisabeth Elliot and let God be all He can be to us, refuge, hiding place, stronghold, shepherd, counselor, friend, redeemer, savior and guide.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle–are they not in Your book?”

Psalm 56:8

 

Do you fathom the meaning of this verse completely? God tracks our every move. As we wander about in the storms and trials of life, He sees every move we make and is ever anxious to help and console. He is ever ready to calm us as we wander or set us straight so we don’t stumble into danger. He also records and collects the tears we shed in times of grief, loss and trauma and empathizes with us. He can minister to us through His sensitive Holy Spirit to lighten the load, ease the pain and dry the tears. Let us always remember we have a loving God that is constantly ready to hold us, comfort us and encourage us no matter what we are going through.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 24

 

“The Christian is not one who has gone all the way with Christ, None of us has? The Christian is one who has found the right road.”

Charles L. Allen

 

Often we beat ourselves up that we are not like Christ. We are discouraged that we are not what we should be or what we think Christ would have us be. What we need to remember at such times is that we will never, in this life, be exactly what God would like us to be because we are in a process of becoming holy. We will never arrive at this destination until we reach our home in Heaven. We should ask ourselves, “Are we closer to the Lord now than we were a year ago?” Hopefully the answer is yes. We also need to remember that we not only found the right road, but are consistently and persistently walking this highway of the King of kings. Let us make sure we stay on this road, notice the improvements that take place in our spiritual life as we work with God to sanctify our heart, mind and soul. Let us not be discouraged for we have a Heavenly home waiting for us and rewards for our obedience to God’s Word and ministry to those in need around us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”

Titus 3:1-2

 

Here Paul is instructing Titus what to preach and teach other Christians. We can gain insight into how we are to live from these instructions to Titus. We are to be respectful and obedient to those who rule over us. We are to be obedient to the laws of the land as well as to the Word of God. We are to be ever ready to do whatever is good towards others around us. We are never ever to slander someone, especially in gossip. We are to be known as a person who is peaceable and considerate. We should always have a demeanor of gentleness towards everyone, even those who might threaten us. This does not mean we are to be a doormat, but it does mean that we will turn the cheek whenever the Holy Spirit so directs us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 25

 

“Why is discipline important? Discipline teaches us to operate by principle rather than desire. Saying no to our impulses (even the ones that are not inherently sinful) puts us in control of our appetites rather than vice versa. It deposes our lust and permits truth, virtue, and integrity to rule our minds instead.”

John F. MacArthur Jr.

 

God has not made us robots that follow His instructions. He gives us a free will to choose to discipline ourselves. Christian discipline, as John MacArthur tells us, gives us a choice to choose the higher road of the Lord and overcome our fleshly impulses. God gives us His Word to guide us in making wise choices as we discipline ourselves. As we submit to the Holy Spirit and allow the strength of God empower us to make wise choices we discipline ourselves in areas of truth, virtue and integrity. As Christ rules our mind, the Holy Spirit inhabits our hearts and God owns our soul we will live as Jesus did.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

1 Peter 3:8-9

 

Here the apostle Peter is giving us excellent Christian advice. In our relationships with other Christians we are to be like-minded. This refers to the common bond we have in Christ. As individuals we are to think like Christ and as a body of believers we are to all think like Christ. If we do, we will be in one accord and in complete unity in all our relationships. We are to love on another in a godly “agape” fashion, not expecting anything in return, but serving one another with a Christ-like attitude. We are to show compassion and humility on a consistent and frequent basis. We should never repay evil for evil for Christ never ever did such a thing. While it might be our fleshly response to repay and insult with an insult, this should never come out of the mouth of a true follower of Christ. Instead, we should repay insults with kindness, empathy and compassion and therefore defuse an ugly situation and turn it to the good. If we live in such a fashion blessings will come, not only from God, but from all those we deal with, both Christian and non-Christian.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 26

 

“A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.”

D.L. Moody

 

Pastor Moody provides us here with some intriguing truth. We can often behave in a loving manner but inwardly can dwell anger, resentment and even hatred. We can fake our faith and make it appear to others that we are a fortress of faith in God when I reality we are full of doubt and mistrust in regards to our Lord. We can even pretend to have hope when what actually lives within our heart and mind are despair and a desperate fleshly fear. Any grace we might exhibit externally that could be construed as godly can be counterfeited. But, humility is easy to discern and discover in someone. You cannot fake humility. Even when someone attempts to fake such a godly attribute it is quickly and easily discerned as just the opposite. Let us seek to have the humility of Christ and very likely all the other Christian graces of behavior and thought will fall into line.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger.”

Psalm 55:1-3

 

This Psalm is a great one to dwell upon when we encounter gossip and slander that someone has spread about us. We grieve over untruths that are communicated to others concerning us. We feel helpless because the untrue words that were said have been caught upon the wind and have spread everywhere like leaves blowing in a strong wind. We contemplate how these leaves of lies will land on the minds of our friends and relatives and will breed resentment and distaste in them about who we are. But we must remember that the truth will always reveal itself. Our true friends will dispel such lies for what they are. Loved ones who truly know us will counter such untrue words with words about our good character. Lies are not as dangerous and deadly as we think they are to be. God is the master of the entire Universe and He will reveal the truth in His time. He can burn up the lies with His Holy character. He can turn the vicious lies back upon those who spoke them. He can rally around us people who know us for who we are, a simple servant who serves a mighty God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 27

 

“If I’m not showing grace I have I forgotten the grace I’ve been shown?”

John F. MacArthur Jr.

 

Pastor MacArthur makes a very accurate observation here. When we are not showing grace to those around us, we have forgotten the grace that our Heavenly Father showed us in His Son and also shows us each day by giving us breath to continue from one moment to another. Grace is often difficult for us to understand as well as show towards others. This simply demonstrates our need to constantly be reliant upon the Holy Spirit to empower us to show grace, dependent on Christ’s example of how to show grace and our desire to model the “agape” love of our Heavenly Father who gave His only Son to die for our sins.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1

 

This short simple verse contains a truth that defies the atheistic thoughts and theories of the science of man. It DOES NOT say the heaven and earth were created by chance over long periods of time. It says simply that in the beginning of the universe, our mighty and powerful triune God created the Heavens and the Earth. The majority of the early scientists down through the ages recognized this because they were believers dedicated to the Lord. As history marched on, scientists wavered in their commitment to God because of sinful and fleshly justifications for their lifestyle and philosophies. Motivated by egotism and a rebellious nature they sought to make the assumption that there was no God therefore their interpretations of their study and experimentation of facts became skewed. Now we live in a world dominated by atheistic and agnostic scientists who feel it folly to believe in a Divine Creator. But their truth is substantiated only by their weak and meager theories. God exists despite their false beliefs and faith in the mind of man.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 28

 

“When ours are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) “toward the goal of true maturity” (Romans 12:2).”

Elisabeth Elliot

 

I’m sure we all wish we knew the plans of the Lord for us. We would probably be more patient, but possibly we would still be frustrated that His plans were not jiving with ours. It is a difficult lesson for us to learn to be patient on the timing of God in our lives and accepting what His plans are for us. We are better people because His Heavenly plans are for our own eternal good. It would be a shame to arrive in Heaven on our agenda with our plans being fulfilled but not the Lord’s. Oh what a mess we would be and very likely how spiritually immature. I continue to learn this lesson and I’m sure you do as well. May we seek to live in acceptance of God’s plans and alter ours to align with His.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Galatians 3:10

 

It is good to obey God’s law. It is commendable to observe Christ’s teachings. But we are cursed if we think we obtain salvation by observing the law. Salvation is a free gift from God and cannot be earned. Even if you tried earning your salvation you would quickly fail for no one except Christ Himself can observe the letter of God’s law to the finest point. If you can’t do everything right according to God you are cursed. So we must understand that we are totally reliant upon Christ for our salvation. But this does not mean that we ignore the law and the commands of Christ. Obeying God is our love for Christ put into action. We prove we are truly saved when we obey God as He calls us to.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

November 29

 

“How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, His precepts!”

Benjamin Franklin

 

Good words from Mr. Franklin. Can you imagine what the world would be like if rather than putting all the energy and effort into the one day of Christmas this kind of dedication were put into observing the Word of God and the teachings of Christ. There would be so much ministry that would take place, so many problems that would be solved, so much love and compassion that would be expressed, so much evil that would be eradicated. Let us strive to live each and every day with the heart and mind of Christ as if Christmas, and all it symbolizes, is lived out in our lives.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:2-3

 

These words are probably the most difficult for any of us to obey. We can deny ourselves and be humble with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, but can we be “completely humble” every moment? We can be gentle when we die to self, but can we be “completely gentle” with all people? The call to patience here is in sync with humbleness and gentleness. They are a triad of expressing love for others. When we live out this triad of spiritual maturity we keep the bond of peace and unity of the Spirit that Christ desires for His universal church to have. Let us be about the business of keeping in step with the Holy Spirit so that we can live this out.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

November 30

 

“Sit not down without assurance. Get alone, and bring thy heart to the bar of trial: force it to answer the interrogatories put to it to set the qualifications of the saints on one side, and the qualifications of thyself on the other side, and then judge what resemblance there is between them…. Yet be sure thou judge by a true touchstone, and mistake not the Scripture description of a saint, that thou neither acquit nor condemn thyself by mistake.”

Richard Baxter

 

 While the language with which Richard Baxter expresses himself is rather complex he expresses truth none-the-less. My translation of this quote would be as follows. Do not sit down to evaluate your Christian life without the assurance of God on your heart, mind and soul. We must always remember our salvation lies in the hands of the Almighty God. We often need to get alone with God and evaluate where we are in our Christian life. At this moment of evaluation we must lay before us the characteristics of a true Christian on one side and how we think and act on the other and honestly ask ourselves how we are doing in our walk with Christ. Mr. Baxter wants us to make sure that we don’t overlook some area of discrepancy between what a Christian should be and what we are in reality. We must not lower God’s standard because we want to feel better about ourselves, but we must not beat ourselves up, as Satan would so wish, either. Our sins are forgiven and we are saved by grace not works. But works prove the validity of our faith as we act, think and behave as a good Christian should.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.”

Proverbs 12:1

 

The Bible is often very blunt and it is so with this verse. When we love to be disciplined and corrected by the Holy Spirit or the Holy Scriptures we show that our main desire is to show our Heavenly Father our love by our submission to instruction. We love to know more, not only about the Lord, but about how to walk in the manner of Christ. This is our main focus in life if we love discipline. But those who rebel and hate to be corrected and evaluated by the Word of God or who quench the Spirit by turning a deaf ear to Him prove their lack of maturity and faith. The scripture is rather blunt here and calls this person stupid. That probably basically sums it up. To ignore or to go out of ones way to avoid receiving correction from God is to be very, very stupid for it will lead to destruction.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.