DECEMBER DAILY DEVOTIONS
DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER
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.
December 1
“Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: He casteth forth His ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, He is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord’s sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Spurgeon writes a very hard portion of truth in this statement. There are times as Spurgeon says there is a “winter in the soul.” We’ve all been there at one time or another and sometimes for not only days and weeks but also years. It is those times that we wonder what God is doing. Our comfortable life has vanished. It seems like persecution and hardship has surrounded us and there is no hope to be found. But what Spurgeon is telling us is that God has allowed such a “winter in the soul” to take place for some godly reason. Possibly it is to purge us of apathy in our Christian faith. Maybe it is to grab our attention to our lazy Christian walk. At other times winter comes over our soul so that we can grow in leaps and bounds in our trust in our Heavenly Father that could not be fostered in any other way. Spurgeon puts it well that winter kills deadly insects and a winter of the soul can be used to kill sinful insects of the flesh we battle. While we may not enjoy such spiritual winter experiences, they do cause us to cling to the Lord, take shelter under His wings and run to His comfort and experience His grace with fervor. May we weather the winters of the soul that come upon us and grow in faith as we weather the “temporary” winters of the soul that come upon us.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.”
Psalm 19:9
“Fear here is not describing a dread and horrible aversion to our Heavenly Father. It is speaking of a deep respect and awe that attracts us to not only His love, but also His purity, holiness, character, power, majesty, grace and providence. Godly fear keeps us on the straight and narrow path of righteousness. Godly fear is based on God’s Word. Godly fear finds its foundation in the work of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection. Godly fear stimulates us to demonstrate our love for our Heavenly Father by walking in line with the Holy Spirit. Godly fear is established and maintained by reverent prayer. Godly fear is a continuous practice of any true servant of the Lord. It is pure and endures forever and this means not only during our life on this earth, but also in our eternal experience in Heaven. Holy fear of the Lord is a precious possession of any Christian.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
December 2
“You don’t have to be alone in your hurt! Comfort is yours. Joy is an option. And it’s all been made possible by your Saviour. He went without comfort so you might have it. He postponed joy so you might share in it. He willingly chose isolation so you might never be alone in your hurt and sorrow.”
Joni Eareckson Tada
“Often when we are hurting or dealing with oppressive situations we feel like we are all alone. Joni is encouraging us here in her statement that a Christian is NEVER alone. They always have God with them because the Holy Spirit resides in every Believer. He is capable of comforting you anytime and anywhere, but you must seek His comfort and be open for His ministry to your heart, mind and soul. Joy is an option and the joy of the Lord can be your strength. You can be in physical pain or emotional distress but the joy of the Lord is greater than these and can give you the strength to endure whatever you face. Jesus made God’s resources of coping available when He died for our sins. Because of His pain, suffering and sacrifice we are able to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father who grants us all the resources to cope with hope anything that might come into our lives. What a mighty God we serve!”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”
Psalms 119:76
“God’s love is unfailing and consistent. It endures forever and is constantly available. This is a godly promise for anyone who seeks the Lord in times of torment and adversity. It is a blessing to know that God loves us not with the human love we crave and desire but with a holy, pure, eternal, steadfast, strong and enduring love that can never be shaken. I believe we have no idea the extent with which God loves us. Our human minds cannot grasp the depth and breadth of the love God can give to us. Possibly when we get to Heaven we will understand this deep love and comfort in a more adequate manner.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
December 3
“My conscience is captive to the Word of God.”
Martin Luther
“When we make our conscience captive and accountable to the Word of God we walk firmly on the King’s Highway. We don’t stray from the path of righteousness. We aren’t swayed by temptation. We give wise advice and counsel. We speak words of truth, love and compassion. We minister to those in need as Christ would. We walk according to God’s will. May we seek in our lives to let the Word of God permeate our conscience and allow it to have free reign over our lives because the Word of God is Holy and True and comes directly from the mind and heart of God.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Proverbs 27:1
“We take our tomorrows so for granted. We plan, schedule and set our minds to what we are going to do tomorrow as if it is a guarantee. We fail to consider that today might be our last and that our tomorrow is in the hand of our Heavenly Father. This is not to say we should not plan for our tomorrow, but that we should always be aware that “Lord willing,” we will have a tomorrow and that we will use our time wisely because each day is a gift from our Creator.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
December 4
“I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God. “
Elisabeth Elliot
“It is a truth that pain can drive us to God so quickly and substantially that our faith in Him and our dependence on Him increases exponentially. Pain shows us our vulnerability, weakness, humanness, frailty and need for God. Pain in life is inevitable and so when it shows up on our doorstep we need to understand that it was allowed to appear through the providence of our Heavenly Father. So to Him we can run for comfort while it visits us, courage while we endure it, patience as we wait for it to leave and trust in the Lord as we ask the question, Why?”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
“Perseverance is a necessary character trait and behavior of every Christian. The will of God is often pleasant and comfortable as it unfolds in our lives. But there are times when the will of is uncomfortable and painful to experience. During the good times we need to persevere in our commitment and faith and not become lazy, apathetic or unthankful. During the tough times we need to persevere in our dedication to trusting God, praying to Him and for others, serving those in need and putting Christ first in our life. Perseverance in the Christian life rests on the foundation of humility before God, that we are at His disposal to do with as He see fits in blessings and trials, in whatever manner they appear and whenever they may manifest.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 5
“The moment we decide to throw more energy into fighting for our mate than with him, the crack of a fist on the enemy’s jaw splits the ears of angels.”
Beth Moore
“While this is true especially for those who are married, it also applies to friends, especially Christian friends. We need to fight for our wife or husband, our mother and our father, our son or daughter, and our fellow Christians. As we support, encourage, love and minister to those who are closest to us Satan cannot gain a foothold in relationships and lives. This warfare must be perceived constantly. We have many things to distract us from this task such as hobbies, recreational endeavors, our jobs and household tasks. The only job Satan has is to promote evil and harass Believers. Let us fight the spiritual war that is being waged and fight for those we love in the Lord.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
“Our hope is in the Lord and this can give us a godly hope that is unshakable. We can be patient in affliction because the Lord can give us the strength to be patient as we wait for relief and rescue from the pain. We need to be faithful in prayer for it stimulates our hop and enables us to have humble patience as we wait upon our Heavenly Father for His will to be done. This triad of commands from Paul should be engraved on our heart, mind and soul the second we wake from our night of rest. It also needs to be the last thing we contemplate before we close our eyes so that our spirit may meditate on them all night long.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 6
“The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.”
Charles Swindohl
“Our thoughts have a huge impact on our behavior, actions and speech but also the relationship we have with the Lord. If we study God’s Word it will help us think thoughts of excellence that will help us live a life of excellence in all we do. Holy Scripture applied to our thinking will improve our attitude towards life, increase our ability to deal with adversities that befall us, empower us to love and forgive in the relationships we have with others, give us strength to handle temptations that present themselves and increase the depth of our commitment to the Lord. May we live a life of excellence because we are not only spending time in God’s Word, but are practicing being doers of the Word and not hearers only.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32
“Christians and non-Christians are often in bondage because they do not really know the truth. Non-Christians at least have the excuse that they don’t know the Savior nor have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them who could help them interpret the Bible. Christians have less of an excuse because they know the Savior, have the Holy Spirit and have the capability of being free in all matters. Knowing the truth of the salvation available through Christ is just the beginning of the Christian life. Once we accept Christ as Savior our journey of knowing the truth really begins. It is a lifelong process of not only ‘knowing the truth” but becoming freer in our lives each day as we really know the truth by applying it to our minds and living it out with our actions. Let us seek as Believers to be free through knowing the truth.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 7
“A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.”
Charles Spurgeon
“This is such a challenging quote from the “Prince of Preachers.” We really should spend our lives carving the image of Christ on the hearts of those we come in contact with as we live out our faith with the love and power of the Holy Spirit. The legacy we leave behind will be one of being known as a true Believer and servant of Christ. This is how people can remember our Christian witness long after we are gone. But the most important thing about this legacy is that we will have been used as a tool to carve not only our witness into their hearts, but the truth of the Lord, the love of our Heavenly Father and the tender instruction of the Holy Spirit upon their hearts as well.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.”
Psalms 9:1
“This is the pure worship a Christian can offer to the Lord. Praising the Lord with ALL their heart, not just a portion of it. This means praising God in every situation and in all activities throughout the day. While this may seem to be impossible, I believe much of it is within our grasp. As we grow closer to the Lord a perception of His presence in our lives is manifested to such a degree that we sense Him by our side, in our heart and within our mind as we go about our day. As this presence is felt it can be expressed in worship as well as declarations of the wonders that God has done, is doing and will do. The more we practice praise during our day and speak of His marvelous works and wonders, the greater will be our experience of Him, the more consistent our walk with Him and the more He will use us to minister to others as we help build His Kingdom.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 8
“Holiness, not happiness, is the chief end of man.”
Oswald Chambers
“Most people seek happiness as the true goal in life, but the goal of a Christian should be holiness. This does not mean we abhor being happy or appreciate feeling happy, it just means it is not the goal we strive for in life. To seek to be holy as God is holy is a calling every Christian has upon their lives. As we seek holiness we will be happy because we will have the deep joy of the Lord within us. Happiness is a byproduct of an obedient Christian who seeks holiness in their life. May we seek holiness and thereby receive a godly joy and happiness from the obedience and service reflected in our lives.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“We know we have come to know Him if we obey His commands.”
1 John 2:3
“We sometimes doubt our faith and our commitment to the Lord because we have ceased to obey Christ and His commands. Obedience to Christ is a necessity in the life of the Christian. When we obey God’s commands it not only brings Him glory, it also validates our faith and ministers to others as well. The security of our faith lies in what Christ did on the cross, but validation by a changed life of obedience is evidence to us that we truly have become a servant of God. Cheerfully obeying the Lord is further validation that we have moved from dutiful observance of Jesus’ commands to a joyful spirit of obedience.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 9
“A Christian’s freedom from anxiety is not due to some guaranteed freedom from trouble, but to the folly of worry and especially to the confidence that God is our Father, that even permitted suffering is within the orbit of His care.”
John Stott
“Christians sometimes have anxiety over the events of life, but John Stott tells us here that there is folly in worry and any anxiety. Worry and anxiety accomplishes nothing other than raising our blood pressure, increasing our heart rate, eroding our emotional health and decreasing our faith in God. We need to worry less and have more confidence in our Heavenly Father who permits the suffering that comes into our lives at times. He permits it for many reasons but not so we can worry and have anxiety. I need to work on this and I know most of you do to.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13
“Here we see that we can do EVERYTHING through Christ who gives us strength. We are often heard to say, “I don’t know how I am going to get through this.” Or “I can’t handle this right now.” But this scripture encourages us to consider and grasp the truth that we really can handle and get through anything AS LONG AS we do it with the strength we receive from the Lord. This requires us to seek Him for the strength and that we trust Him that He will give it to us. It also means we must not try to handle or get through many things on our own skills and abilities. Often we fail because we do not seek His help and provision and sometimes we fail because we do not rest in His strength and trust His timing in the working out of His will.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 10
“If you don’t do your part, don’t blame God.”
Billy Sunday
“What Billy Sunday is saying here is that the Christian can’t sit on his or her duff and say, “Lord make me holy, make me obedient, make me grow in faith.” We have a calling to live in obedience to God’s Word, to pray, to fellowship with other Believers, to minister to those in need. We must be about the business of living the life of a servant of Christ and if we don’t grow in faith, increase in spiritual knowledge, become more tender and loving towards others then we can’t blame God. He will not do for us what He has called us to do. Living the life of a Christian requires God’s empowerment but we must be willing to live actively in this power. Even those who are restricted to their homes or beds can work tenaciously for God, praying and interacting with others. No one has an excuse and no one can blame God for not growing in holiness. Philippians 2:12-13 is a good verse to consider in this area.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“If we view our Christian life as a fruit tree these fruits should be manifested in our lives as we live for our Lord. Love for others should be growing. Joy of the Lord should be present in our hearts and mind. Peace should be a foundation as we face hardships. Longsuffering should be manifested as we deal with difficult individuals or situations. Gentleness should be expressed as we attempt to help those who need to be confronted about issues. Goodness should be a characteristic of our witness. Faith should be evident in all areas of our life. Meekness should be found in the way we express our strength and knowledge. Temperance should be demonstrated in how we view our finances, hobbies and recreation. When these fruits grow and blossom in our lives they are sweet proof that we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we have not quenched His ministry in our heart, mind and soul.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 11
“To hear of the love of God is sweet – to believe it most precious – but to enjoy it is paradise below the skies.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Do you remember when you first heard about how much God loved you? Did it taste sweet to your spirit? I’m sure it did for that’s one reason you accepted Christ as your Savior. Do you daily seek to believe in the love of God? If you do you have a precious experience each time you think of how much you believe in the overwhelming love of God as He demonstrates His love to you. But do you enjoy it? To enjoy the love of God is to experience life here on the earth as if you were in paradise even though hardships and struggles may come your way. To know that your Heavenly Father loves you immensely in the midst of abuse of others, sickness, pain, abandonment, betrayal, verbal abuse, loss of income or a job and whatever life may throw your way. To hear the love of God preached at church and in Bible studies through the week is sweet. To believe it every day as you go about your daily activities is precious. And, to enjoy it as an overflowing cup of blessing is sheer paradise here on the earth.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.”
Psalms 29:11
“These two great blessings are what sustains us in the bad times and what builds our appreciation of God in the good times. The Lord gives us strength to tackle the most amazing things that come into our lives. Without this strength we would not be able to cope, endure, continue on or survive. What a gift His strength is to us. This second blessing of peace is the other side of the coin of faith. With strength we move forward into adversity, but with peace as a balance we remain calm in the midst of the storm. With strength we endure trials and struggles, but with peace we shelter ourselves under His wings as the tempest rages. What a twofold blessing this is from God, strength and peace. May we thank Him daily for His wisdom in blessing us with these gives from His Heavenly hand.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 12
“When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look the evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us, and only then do we forgive it.”
Lewis Smedes
“There are evil things that are done to us with evil motives and intentions at times. Jesus calls us to forgive those who do such things and this we must do. But as Lewis Smedes shares here, we do not excuse the evil, it’s manifestation against us or others nor should we seek to smother it with our own judgment. We leave the judgment for evil up to the Lord. Evil will shock, stun and enrage us because we are sensitive and loving servants of the Lord but if we can forgive those who do evil we will avoid becoming like them. Justice will be done sometimes by the legal system or agents of enforcement but for sure God Himself in the end. We must not let the evil done to us stain and warp us as God’s children and that is why we must forgive.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
“Hebrews is speaking of delayed gratification. Often the rewards for our faithfulness will not be experienced in the here and now. Many times it will be in the far distance future and sometimes not even in our lifetime. The important thing is that we persevere and do God’s will so that the promises of God will come to us, sometimes now, sometimes the near future and sometimes in our eternal experience. The will of God can be found in His Word and so we must seek to be good workmen of the scriptures so we know in what we must persevere.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 13
“When the time comes to die, make sure that all you have to do is die!”
Jim Elliot
“There’s an implication hidden in this quote from Jim Elliot. His point is that when we come to the time that God has appointed for us to die, we should simply pass from this life into the next eternal existence as Christians. Let’s not have sins to confess, forgiveness to ask for from others and ministry tasks that we could have completed that we have let fall by the wayside. We may feel that death will interrupt our life before we are finished, but if we keep short accounts with the Lord and others and keep living as we should moment by moment then when the Lord calls us home there will be nothing left to do but simply die and place ourselves in His loving hands.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7
“Our peace is not always a good covering. It is manifested from our own strength and will. God’s peace is unlimited and comes from our Majestic Heavenly Father. His peace is beyond our understanding and can permeate the darkest times of our lives and can comfort the most depressed heart. God’s peace will guard our hearts from further trauma and our minds from the progressive torment of situations of stress. May we seek the Lord and His peace so that we can have the oil of His peace pour over our heart, mind and soul.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 14
“Faith is not an instinct. It certainly is not a feeling – feelings don’t help much when you’re in the lions’ den or hanging on a wooden Cross. Faith is not inferred from the happy way things work. It is an act of will, a choice, based on the unbreakable Word of a God who cannot lie, and who showed us what love and obedience and sacrifice mean, in the person of Jesus Christ.”
Elisabeth Elliot
“It would greatly desirable for us to respond instinctively with faith, but often when we are in a trial or struggle we do not respond in this manner. We know faith is not a feeling because feelings are so fleeting and can be turned quickly by any kind of whim. Faith may be encouraged by blessings and happiness but it is stimulated with growth by the act of our will. Faith is a choice we make when facing an ominous task or overwhelming temptation. Our faith is based on the stability of God’s Word which is truth. It is based on the person and work of Jesus Christ. When you are pushed up against the wall by tragedy or cornered in a dark hole of despair, faith manifests itself when you state in your heart, mind and soul, ‘I will trust my Heavenly Father, live by the Spirit and be rescued by my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.’”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
“There is a ton of Christian doctrine contained in this verse! It tells us that the love of our Heavenly Father was demonstrated through the sacrifice of His only Son Jesus Christ. It tells us that this eternally sufficient sacrifice was payment for all our sins and this is also a never-ending encouragement to us. It gives us hope that is everlasting. It tells us that these truths will encourage our hearts as we live for Christ. It tells us that these acts of love by our Father and His Son will strengthen us as we perform good deeds and as we speak the truth in love out of our godly compassion for others. God’s Word is always rich in spiritual flavor and sticks like meat and potatoes to your heart, mind and soul.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 15
“Christianity is the greatest intellectual system the mind of man has ever touched.”
Francis Schaeffer
“We know that Christianity is more than an intellectual system. It is a relationship with our Heavenly Father. But the point that Francis Schaeffer is making is that of all the deep thoughts man has ever thought, all the philosophies of the meaning of life man has ever written down upon paper, all the ideas that man has constructed with the most brilliant of human minds, nothing, nothing at all compares to the deep, wide and broad intellect of God which is revealed in His written Word and in the manifestation of His Holy Spirit in the lives of Believers. His truth overwhelms our meager created minds and when it touches us, it always causes a reaction.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.”
Psalms 105:4
“When we are in trouble, a tight spot or a storm of life we often look to our own abilities for rescue. Psalms is telling us to look to the Lord for His strength is beyond any problem or trial that might be falling upon us. If we seek His face as we struggle with hardship we will find not only strength, but also comfort, peace and courage. Seek His face and His strength will be yours.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 16
“I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.”
Mary Gardiner Brainard
“We are much more secure in all areas if we walk with God. Even when it seems we are in the dark, surrounded by the unknown, having no idea what the future holds, it is always better to be walking with the Lord than going it alone in what to us appears to be the light. Some paths seem so clear and straight, but if we measure their straightness by the Truth of God’s Word sometimes we find they are more crooked than first perceived as we view them through the eyes of our Heavenly Father. Let us be secure with our Lord despite how dark our lives seem to be, for it truly is better to walk by the side of the Lord in the dark, than walk in false brightness alone.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Romans 8:25
“If we truly have godly hope for what we do not have, we will be patiently waiting for it to be manifested in God’s time and manner. Patience can be difficult, but as we grow close to the Lord we can see that our hope, when placed in God’s will, can encourage us to be patient. It is also surprising to see often that when we do patiently wait we see events and situations take place that validate the purpose and reason we are to wait patiently. May we hope and patiently wait for what we do not yet have and trust the Lord.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 17
“It takes a Christian to see the blackness of his own heart.”
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
“The Lord attempts to show all people the blackness of their own heart, because until you see that darkness you will never come to the cross to repent. Once we realize that blackness and accept Christ as Lord and Savior we are new creatures in Christ. But though we are cleansed by the blood of Christ and stand justified before our Heavenly Father we must live out our faith with the power of God seeking to be holy and pure. This is the task we have, seeing the blackness of our heart and letting God purify and sanctify us until we meet Him in Heaven. What a wonderful day that will be.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“‘I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord.”
Jeremiah 1:8
“God is with us as servants, saved sinners, believers and followers of Christ. He is on our side and seeks to bless us even though He allows storms to come upon us at times. He will deliver us and this is His solemn, substantial, dependable word here in Jeremiah. It is a short phrase that we must remember no matter what falls upon our lives. He will deliver you and I from whatever struggle, trial, hardship or difficulty occur. What a blessed promise we need to constantly take to heart.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 18
“My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”
Billy Graham
“This should be a consistent and persistent attitude of every Christian. Focusing on where our real home is as servants of our Lord would keep us on track and keep us moving in the direction God would have us to go. We would walk closer with the Holy Spirit and we would love others more deeply. Ministry to others would be sought after with a tenacious love for those in need. Our worship would be heart-motivated more than it is and we might find ourselves not distracted from our relationship with our Heavenly Father by hobbies and entertainment, but we would find ourselves distracted from our hobbies and entertainment by our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Let’s remember we’re just traveling through this world. Our real home is in Heaven.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“With the aged is wisdom, and with length of days comes understanding.”
Job 12:12
“This is one thing we can cherish as we age, that we will develop more wisdom than we had before and more understanding than when we were young. Of course this assumes we learn from our mistakes. We can be fools even as we age if we keep making the same mistakes over and over again. There is no wisdom in old age unless we learn from the Lord, His Word and the Holy Spirit as God matures us in our faith. Father teach us to be wise and increase our understanding.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 19
“Spiritual greatness has nothing to do with being greater than others. It has everything to do with being as great as each of us can be.”
Henri Nouwen
“God is the one who moves us to spiritual greatness and we are never to compare where we are spiritually with others, only with where God wants us to be at the moment. God has a plan for our spiritual maturity and wants to encourage us to become what He wants us to be. His job is to mold our character, change our heart, and conform us to His Word and to live the life of Christ. Our job is to be willing to be the clay in the Master Potter’s hands. When we try to be who “we” want to be or what “others” want us to be we will become frustrated and languish in despair. Only our Heavenly Father’s plan for us is divine and holy and it is specific for us as a unique creation of His. Let us seek to humble ourselves and have a passion for what God wants us to be for His glory and honor.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”
John 15:1
“I believe at times we forget that our Heavenly Father is the gardener of our lives. He gives us the freedom to plan and conduct our lives as we see fit, but is always ready to offer advice, guidance and the ability to live the life to which He calls us. What a gracious God who knows what is best for us but lets us choose the lesser because He wants us free to choose. What a loving God who after we have chosen a bad path comes quickly to our rescue to not only help heal our wounds, but again, sets us back on the straight and narrow. What a wise God who when we have reached the end of our understanding and knowledge, gives us wisdom beyond any man’s that lightens our load and illuminates the road we should take out of our dilemma and into our future. Let us strive to remember we are a tender branch that needs the loving care from the Holy Gardener. Let us also never forget that we are a meager branch that is sustained only as long as we remain attached to the Holy Vine of Jesus Christ. Close fellowship with our Lord keeps us spiritually alive and able to produce the Holy fruit of the Spirit. What a wonderful analogy God has provided in His Holy Scripture!”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 20
“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.”
Elisabeth Elliot
“Our evidence for God’s guidance is found first of all in scripture. We have hundreds of examples of how God guided people in the Old and New Testament as they faced all sorts of trials, hardships, conflicts and storms of life. We also have ample evidence of God’s guidance down through history as Christians who lean on His guidance have traveled the globe evangelizing despite the odds against them, fought government oppression, endured persecution and torture for their faith and endured numerous situations of death, disease and mental torment. Very likely each of us has evidence in our own lives of how God guided us through difficulties. The closer we are to Him, the more true is our walk and the more blessed is our reward both on this earth and in Heaven. He loves us greatly and always reaches out with a powerful comforting hand to guide us through anything we encounter.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26-28
“There are natural differences between male and female. There are cultural differences between Jew and Gentile. There are differences between our social and economic situations in life. But when it comes to spiritual matters we are all the same, a child of God. Because we are all children of our Heavenly Father, no matter what our sex, cultural difference or social economic standing we are to love each other as God loves us and treat one another with respect. May our common bond in the Holy Spirit, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and rule of our Heavenly Father, cause us to never treat another Christian with disrespect, envy or spite.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 21
“The only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom, than to follow the Lord wherever He leads. Let this, then, be then be the first step, to abandon ourselves, and devote the whole energy of our minds to the service of God.”
John Calvin
“It is often difficult for us to completely trust the Lord with our everyday life. We tend to trust Him for some of the higher spiritual pursuits, but when it comes to the everyday trials and needs we come up short in trusting Him. Yes, we pray for our needs, and so we should, but when they continue to be unfulfilled we doubt God’s purposes and plan for our life. Sometimes unmet needs are a means by which we grow closer to the Lord through building our patience and trust that He will provide. We want the immediate answer and God wants growth in us. Yes, we pray to be delivered from trials, and this is a natural response, but to this prayer of deliverance we should also add a pray for growth, that we will grow in our trust and dependence on the Lord. When we abandon ourselves as John Calvin states, it does not mean we ignore our needs nor deny our wishes to be rescued from struggles, but we add to these natural responses the higher spiritual discernment that God may be allowing such events to take place to grow us, perfect us and transform us into the creation we were meant to be.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 10:39
“If we seek to find our life without God we actually will lose all that has worth in life and miss the true value of living. If we give up our life and place it in the hands of God, in essence…lose it for the sake of Christ, we will be amazed at how much more alive we are, how much more fulfilled we become, how more sensitive to others and our own internal workings we are. It goes against our grain to sacrifice our will and desires, but when we place ALL of ourselves at the disposal of our Most High God, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, then we truly begin to live an abundant, purposeful, powerful and joyful life.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 22
“Spiritual growth doesn’t mean a life of doing what I should do instead of what I want to do. It means coming to want to do what I should do…when people come to understand how good God is, they want Him. They don’t just love Him. They like Him.”
Pastor John Ortberg
(from the book, “The Me I Want To Be”)
“Many of us, too many of us, are putting most of our energy doing what we should do as a Christian without the passion and love we should possess as a follower of Christ. In other words we are often living our Christian lives in the flesh out of a burden to do the right thing, rather than living out of a love for our Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We need to understand that we experience God more deeply and grow spiritual more substantially when we foster a love for our God. We can only love God adequately if we know Him. As we know Him, we not only like Him we love Him and we grow exponentially in our Christian maturity. As we all start this New Year, let us consider how to draw closer to our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Master Jesus Christ and the precious Holy Spirit that lives within us so we can love God more deeply and therefore want to do the things we should, living as the people God desires for us to be.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:8
“It is interesting that this verse instructs us to use two of our senses in a “metaphorical” manner to come to know that God is good. It does not mean we literally taste our Heavenly Father nor can actually see Him for He is Spirit, but it means that when we come to know Him and His character in an intimate way, we can taste His goodness like a freshly baked apple pie or a spoonful of pure honey. When we see with our eyes what He can do with our lives and how He protects and provides for us while He spurs us on to spiritual growth, we see Him for who He truly is, a loving, compassionate, protective perfect Father over our lives. It is also interesting that this verse ties taking refuge “IN” Him when we are attempting to deal with life. This can mean in times of struggle and trial, but it can also mean when we go about our regular mundane activities of life we should still take refuge in Him so we are protected and not caught off guard. So much spiritual insight contained in one short verse. Isn’t God’s Word amazing!”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 23
“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.”
Robert Murray M’Cheyne
“What an experience it would be if we would hear our Savior praying for us. The content of His prayers would surely include all the situations we were facing and the fears we were dealing with, but His words would also be ones of encouragement to grow in grace, increase in spiritual knowledge and expand in our love for others. Let us seek to understand how our Lord and Savior prays for us, the high calling that is required of us and the power that is given to us by the Holy Spirit to live a life glorifying to Him.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,”
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
“Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to share both his praise and concern for their well-being. Here in these verses he shares his persistent and consistent prayers for them and praises them for three aspects of their commitment to Christ. First their work of faith, secondly their labor of love and thirdly their steadfastness of hope in the Lord. As we read this verse, we should take these three praises of Paul for the Christians in Thessalonica as a benchmark for how we are loving and serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Do we work at our faith by living out the gospel, obeying the Lord’s commands? Do we labor lovingly for God, demonstrating our love for others? Do we possess a continual and steadfast hope in the Lord’s promises to not only save us, but carry us to our heavenly home? Let us all be about the task of focusing on this triad of Christian witness and service.
December 24
“Men who have been the hopeless slaves and victims of sin and who have reduced their families and homes to conditions of abject poverty, once they have been converted and brought to Christ have proceeded to transform their whole surroundings and conditions. In regenerating a man, the gospel changes even his personal appearance. He begins to pay new attention to his clothing and that of his wife and children; the very furniture of his home is altered, and the aspect of his premises improved. Once the man himself is put right, he proceeds to put everything else right.”
Martin Lloyd Jones
“Martin Lloyd Jones is absolutely correct about the power of the gospel to change a man, but the one deciding factor is the man’s response to the gospel. God will not force us to be obedient. His Spirit will not manipulate us to obedience. God loves us and desires us to willingly and consistently love Him in return. We demonstrate our love for Him with our obedience to His commands. We are transformed and changed, moving in sanctification as we submit and allow God’s Spirit to lead us in holiness. When this submission takes place every aspect of our life is changed. Each of us should ask the question, ‘Is there evidence in our lives of a holy transformation taking place?’ If the answer is no, we should evaluate our relationship with Christ, our submission to the Spirit and our obedience to God’s Word.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:5
“The ways of the world tell us it is the arrogant and abusive that will succeed in this life. But God’s Word tells us here that the meek shall inherit the earth. Do you comprehend the full meaning of this statement? The meek, those who are humble, loving and weak will inherit all that is in the earth. Why is this so? It is true, because all of the earth belongs to the Lord and He gives all he possesses to those who love Him. Those who love Him obey His Word and love others as Jesus Christ does. The arrogant and abusive in this world are deceived and led astray when they believe that evil and selfish desires and power will enable them to obtain what they desire. Their victory is weak and power is temporary. Their judgment will be absolute and fair. It will be a life of eternal torment in Hell.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
December 25
“How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, His precepts!”
Benjamin Franklin
“The wisdom of Benjamin Franklin’s observations in his day would apply even more today. At this special time of year millions stop to observe our Lord’s birthday by giving gifts, singing songs, enjoying food, but every other day of the year they often give no consideration for the meaning of Christmas. It is not only unfortunate, but seriously concerning that very likely the majority of those who celebrate and observe Christmas fail to live according to the teachings of our Savior and Lord. Christ is the Lord of Christmas and should be the Lord of our lives. Just as many would wake up surprised to see no presents or delicious food on Christmas morning, there will also be a great surprise when they arrive at the judgment seat of Christ confronted with punishment rather than blessing because they made no commitment to Christ by accepting Him as their Lord and Savior.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:7
“Mary loved her son, the Son of God. She lovingly wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a roughly made manger, because the world had made no other place available to Him. Such is the case with many who now live. They have no place for the Son of God, the Savior of the world in their heart. God desires to abide and possess a place in each man and woman’s heart. He desires to let His grace permeate our lives and His love to pour through our person. But because many if not most individuals refuse to allow room for Him, they not only miss many blessings, they also will miss out on living for eternity. There is always a penalty for refusing to make room for God in our life. It is a penalty that can so easily be avoided. It is a blessing that can be so easily received, just by accepting Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior. What a shame to reject the love of Jesus.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
December 26
“Personal salvation is not merely an occasional rendezvous with Deity; it is an actual dwelling with God. Christianity is not just an avocation; it is a lifelong, eternity-long vocation.”
Billy Graham
“Consistent and continual communion with our Heavenly Father is an ongoing experience and reality for the true believer. A follower of Christ is always aware of the Spirit in their life, the Lord’s grace upon their spirit and the love of God pouring down on them. Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship with Almighty God, His Son and His Spirit. A Christian does not view his communion with God as a duty or job. He views it as a blessed daily walk with a loving God who cares for Him in all he does and faces. Because it is such a precious blessing to be known and loved by God, the Christian walks in a constant awareness of his holy calling to love others, obey God’s Word and become more like his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1
“Shade is a precious commodity when it is hot. We escape the tormenting heat when we can grab a little shade to cool down. Such is the way in life when the hardness and cruelty of it beats down upon our weak body. Our resources are often limited in the storms of life and our ability to endure hardship is weak. But possessing the assurance and knowledge that we can rest under the shadow of our Most High and All-powerful Heavenly Father gives us a coolness in the midst of the horrible heat of life. This secret place that we dwell is the precious and personal knowledge that we are saved by Christ
December 27
“Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us for sacrifice. We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies for ourselves.”
Elisabeth Elliot
“As Christians we are called to love God with all our heart, mind and soul. We show our love by offering ourselves as living sacrifices. So we should give our entire being internal and external to God for His use and His purposes. Elisabeth Elliot is so right when she says we can’t give our heart and withhold our body. We can’t say we have given our heart to God if we have not offered our body at His disposal and use. What we do with our body will usually reflect what we are doing with our heart. So let us give our entire body and soul to the Lord. Let the actions we do with our body coincide with what we think, feel and do within our heart and mind. Let us be a living sacrifice of love for our God.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Romans 12:1
“Here Paul urges and strongly encourages followers of Christ, because of the mercy they have received through Christ’s death and resurrection, to freely and completely offer their bodies as living sacrifices. We are aware of the sacrifices performed in the Temple, but these animals were offered, killed and consumed by fire. Paul is telling us that because we have eternal life, we can become sacrifices to the Lord on a continual basis without end. Because we have been redeemed by the Lord and are holy in His sight our living sacrifice is holy and pleasing to God. Yes, we are not perfect in condition, but in spiritual standing we are holy in God’s eyes because of who we are in Christ. Therefore our lives offered as a living sacrifice is a spiritual act of worship and praise to our Heavenly Father. So let us not hold back or crawl off the altar. Let us die to self and offer ourselves as living sacrifices. In reality it is the only way to be happy, fulfilled, content and at peace. A life of sacrifice to God will bring not only great glory and honor to God; it will bring us all that we wish in life that is eternal and of value.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 28
“Angels – like all other intelligent creatures – were designed to render worship to God, not to receive worship themselves. In fact, in every case in Scripture, whenever angels are offered any form of worship, they always rebuke the worshiper and redirect all worship to God alone.“
John MacArthur
“There is much attention given to angels today. Some people seek to not just have a moderate interest in them but come to worship them as heavenly beings. This is contrary to scripture and as John MacArthur states is inappropriate. Let us as followers of Christ attempt to inform people that angels are not to be worshipped. They are simply created beings who serve our Heavenly Father. A close reading of scripture will reveal what Pastor MacArthur states. Angels always rebuke and warn against angel worship. Only God is worthy of worship and to worship anything other than Him is idol worship and disrespectful of our Heavenly Father.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
John 3:19
“Here we are given a verdict from the mind of God. Light came into the world. This implies that the world was dark before Christ, the Light, was born. We also read that people love darkness instead of the light and they place their love on the dark things because their deeds were evil. We also know that evil deeds are a reflection of what resides within the heart. This verse should convict us as Christians to have compassion for those who live in darkness and seek to share the Light of Christ with them. It should also convict us of sin in our own lives as followers of Christ. While we have been redeemed and saved from our sins we still sin at times. These dark actions are a result of some portion of our heart and mind that has not fully been transformed by submitting to Christ. Our response when dark sins manifest in our lives as believers is to confess them and verify again that we have already been saved from them. This enables us to continue on in the process of obedience and submission to the Lord and therefore come closer to the holiness and sanctification to which we are called. So let us share the gospel with others and live the gospel for our Lord!”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 29
“Turn your loneliness into solitude and your solitude into prayer.”
Elisabeth Elliott
“The world is full of loneliness and each of us experiences times when we are lonely. Elisabeth Elliott is telling us to turn these lonely moments of our life into moments of solitude with God. Solitude time with God is not allowing loneliness to creep in, but to let the Holy Spirit minister to us through our precious relationship with Him. Our Heavenly Father will minister to us and as we experience His presence we will turn these times of solitude into meaningful times of prayer. Prayer is really talking with God in a moment of solitude. Let us allow our times of loneliness to be transformed into times of great prayer for ourselves as well as others.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28
“This verse is often misunderstood and misapplied. This does not mean that good things are always going to happen to those who are servants of God nor will all trials and tribulations always end with happy endings. The verse means that God and His Spirit is working in the best and worst of situations to bring us to maturity and completion. Hardships and trials will work in us for our true spiritual welfare for the promotion of holiness in our lives as well as peace and true godly joy in our hearts. We will learn lessons, sometimes hard lessons, but these are lessons that must be learned if we are to appreciate the good that God wants us to experience in this life on Earth, which by the way prepares us for life in Heaven. May we understand that God works good in our lives for our eternal well-being and for the process of sanctification that we are going through.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 30
“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.”
G.K. Chesterton
“It rains on our parade numerous times in our life, sometimes so numerous we wonder if we are cursed at times. But if we take G.K. Chesterton’s advice and look for the rainbows in the rainstorms of life we will develop a most positive attitude. This is a godly attitude for rainstorms are allowed in our lives by our Lord so that we can be tested and tried to seek our Heavenly Father. The rainbows are a sign of the true rewards that result from weathering the storms of life in a Christ-like manner, fellowship with our Heavenly Father increased in depth and breadth.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.”
Galatians 1:11
“There is only one true gospel of truth, Holy Christian Scripture. All other religions are man-made and pale in comparison to the truth of the Bible. God’s Word is of divine origin because God used the experiences, talents and skills of writers over history to convey His truth and character. Other religions attempt to copy the wisdom of God but there is always either a human fleshly taint to the precepts of man-made religion or a devilish evil poison that hides beneath the philosophy. God the Father, Son and Spirit speak in the Word, the truth of the ages. Let us read our Bibles daily and meditate on what we read and practice what it preaches.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
December 31
”Blessing is at the end of the road. And that which is at the end of the road influences everything that takes place along the road. The end shapes the means. As Catherine of Siena said, “All the way to heaven is heaven.”
Eugene Peterson
“We may view the end of the year as the end of the road many times, but actually we have just passed a landmark in time of the period God allows us to live on the earth. May we contemplate on the year behind us as a journey that God has sometimes blessed us, sometimes challenged us and sometimes sustained us through hardships. Our true end that shapes our means of living out our years is the fact that our true home is in Heaven. This end of living in the presence of God shapes how we live each year, or at least it should be. Heaven actually begins now as we live as faithful saints enjoying the blessings, overcoming the challenges and enduring the struggles and trials with God’s strength. May we cherish each year for what it brings and attempt to look upon life as preparation for our eternal home.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“As we usher out the old year and anticipate the new one may we take this verse to heart. God had plans for us last year and He has even more plans for us this next year. These plans are for good and not disaster. We may question God at times for the difficult things He allows to come into our life or happen to us, but even the struggles and hardships are part of the good plans He has for us. Our future and hope is not in circumstances and experiences, but in a majestic, all-powerful, loving and compassionate God. Our Heavenly Father works in our lives in mysterious ways at times but He is always, and I do mean ALWAYS, working for our ultimate good and His glory. May we trust in Him as our faith grows even more this next year.”
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.