FEBRUARY DAILY DEVOTIONS
DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
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.
February 1
“The winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory.”
Richard Sibbes
All of us have and will face struggles and trials in life and often we wonder why these are allowed to crash down upon us. Richard Sibbes suggests one reason. God allows storms of life to descend upon us to prepare our soul, nurture our faith and build our spiritual endurance. The earth would not be restored for spring flowers without the seasons of nature. The winter seasons of our life where there seems to be harsh experiences with no meaning or good reasoning play a role in preparing us for more wonderful and glorious things in the future. The question is will we respond in these hardships appropriately so that when the glory comes later we do not miss it.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”
Psalms 57:5
We would sing and shout this in our worship as we give God praise and honor on any Sunday, but would we live this out in our daily life? We would love to have God’s glory to be all over the entire earth, but will we allow it to be expressed in our heart, mind and soul? Let us praise God on Sundays and let Him be exalted above the Heavens but let us also let Him be exalted in our thoughts, actions and acts of service to others. Let His glory permeate the earth as well as our hearts. Your heart is safe with Him so why not make sure you give it to Him this day.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 2
“Refuse to let the eyes to wander, the mind to settle, the heart to conceive on that which is externally appealing, but when you would grab it, will leave stain marks that will last a long, long time.”
Alistair Begg
Here Pastor Begg is speaking of the lust that conceives sin. We all face temptations in life, but there is a moment when the temptation can move from simply temptation to actual sin. We can’t avoid all temptations that might walk into our lives, but we can avoid lingering with them so that they will not turn into sins we commit. Our hearts and minds must belong to the Lord, molded by His Spirit and obedient to His Word if we are to live holy lives. Let us hold one another accountable as we pray for godly discernment and power to move away from the temptations that present themselves.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!”
Habakuk 2:9
As we provide for our family and retirement we build our material foundation upon our earnings from our job and career. If we scheme in mischievous and dishonest ways to obtain our security this “woe” will be our judgment. We know our spiritual foundation is the Lord, but this spiritual foundation must also be applied to how we work and serve others in our business of earning a living. We cannot divorce the holiness we are called to in our spiritual lives from the manner in which we conduct our business and behavior at our job. We must work honestly and godly as an employer and as an employee, whatever our role. Let us take this “woe” as a warning so that we may live righteously in how we build our house.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 3
“One of the things I am very aware of not having in my life is the love of my father. …but I know now that it is hard to make up that loss in the life of a daughter. It’s your dad who tells you that you are beautiful. It’s your dad who picks you up over his head and carries you on his shoulders. It’s your did who will fight the monsters under your bed. It’s your dad who tells you that you are worth a lot, so don’t settle for the first guy who tells you you’re pretty.”
Sheila Walsh addresses a critical issue in this quotation. Many times our experience with our earthly father affects our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We must understand this influence and comprehend that the lack of, or abuse by, an earthly Father does not mean that our Heavenly Father will abandon us or abuse us in similar fashion. While Sheila is addressing this issue regarding women, the same influence is present with men as well. Let us seek our Heavenly Father because He is perfect, pure, loving, compassionate and understanding, the perfect father. He can heal the wounds endured and experienced by an imperfect earthly father. He can also verify and build upon, the love given and protection provided, by a good earthly father.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
Christ lived this verse all His life and it was no better demonstrated than by His sacrifice on the cross for us. We are tempted by the ambitions we have in life to achieve success and sometimes we abuse others or walk upon them to obtain it. Other times we demonstrate conceit as we “lord it over” others for what we have or have accomplished. These behaviors and attitudes come from the flesh and are not of Christ. This scripture tells us that rather than have these thoughts in our mind or allow them to be manifested in our behavior, we are to seek humility and value others over ourselves. When we do this we think of the needs and desires of others before we think of our own. When we place others first, we will discover that we will be happier, fulfilled and have a godly peace in life that cannot be obtained any other way. Living as Christ lived will bring lasting happiness to our lives and others. Any other path of thought life or behavior is just second best.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 4
“…stooping very low, He engraves with care His Name, indelible, upon our dust; and from the ashes of our self-despair, kindles a flame of hope and humble trust. He seeks no second site on which to build, but on the old foundation, stone by stone, cementing sad experience with grace, fashions a stronger temple of His own.”
What precious words of how God works in our lives as we face struggles, hardships and trials. These humble words communicate how Jesus writes His name on our hearts and souls as He encourages us to endure. The flicker of hope we have in Him and the humble trust we have in our Heavenly Father grows as we persist in our endurance. God wants to work with us where we are, in the midst of pain, confusion and doubt. Gradually He builds upon the foundation He has laid within us, as we are faithful to commit our lives and our difficult situations to His will. We emerge from such refining, a more holy temple where His Holy Spirit resides.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“A most horrible thing has been done by Virgin Israel. Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing?Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths.”
Jeremiah 18:13-15
Jeremiah is here describing how senseless it is for God’s chosen people to reject Him and turn from His Word and guidance. In the natural world, the mountains of Lebanon always have snow and water always flows down from its summit. These are ceaseless conditions and actions that never stop. God expects His people, be they Jew or Christian, to love and obey Him, to seek Him with their hearts and minds, to be living vessels of worship of Him. It was a horrible experience for God to have His people reject Him for false Gods and for Him to see them waste their lives on sin and evil. It is a horrible experience today for God to see any of us as Christians avoid our relationship with Him as we seek after any sinful desires we might have or to be led astray by false doctrine. God expects us to seek Him, His Word and His will. Let us love our Heavenly Father and not follow the path of ancient Israel. God desires that we love Him and wishes to avoid having to discipline us, but He will if we put ourselves in that posture of rebellion.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 5
“A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living.”
Charles Swindohl
There can be many precious loving moments in a family but sometimes there are also tense confrontational moments. This happens as we deal with each other’s imperfections and strive to live out our relationships according to godly principles. Sometimes it feels like we are hammering on an anvil as we work things out with each other, but with love, commitment and God’s intervention a family is made stronger and bonded ever tighter than they were before. May we always be respectful towards each other and value each other more than our own opinion. Let God be the maker and ruler of the family.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.”
Proverbs 26:1
Honor is given to those who are wise, prudent, loving and compassionate. Fools are the exact opposite and to bestow honor on them would, as Proverbs states, be ridiculous. It doesn’t snow in the summer and honor is not befitting a foolish unloving person. Harvesting a crop while in the rainy season makes no sense and bestowing honor upon a fool who is reckless and rebellious to counsel makes no sense either. Let us live as people who deserve honor and never may we be called a Christian fool because of our actions or words.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 6
“Give me a man who says this one thing I do, and not those fifty things I dabble in.”
Dwight L. Moody
Moody has a way with words. Many of us dabble in numerous things and therefore are mediocre in them all, others of us focus on one main important project and excel. May we view our Christian walk as the “one thing I do” and excel at it rather than dabbling away our time doing it part time.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
John 14:15
Seven profound words make up this verse. It is such a simple instruction, yet how often do we live this out. If we really have accepted Christ as our Savior we would obey His commands because by our obedience we verify we love Him. By our obedience we not only demonstrate our love for Jesus, we also verify we are truly saved. Salvation in words only is no proof. Obedience in the flesh is worthless as well. There must be a balance of loving obedience knowing that it is by grace alone we are saved. The grace and mercy shown to us by our Heavenly Father should stimulate us to show our love in our actions. Let us love our Lord as we obey His commands.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 7
“Let us endeavor to attain to purity of heart, which comes from paying heed to our ways and from constant confession of secret thoughts of the soul. For if we, moved by a penitent heart, constantly and daily confess these, it produces in us repentance for what we have done or even thought.”
Simeon 10th century church father
We cannot attain purity of heart without the help of God’s Word as a standard and the Holy Spirit as a spiritual guide. As we read the Word and listen for the Holy Spirit we can confess the outward and inward sins we commit. It is a blessing to know we are justified in God’s eyes by accepting Christ as our Savior, but also that through continued confession we are becoming sanctified and holy as we live out our relationship with our Lord. May we keep short accounts with the Lord so that we can experience the blessings of the Christian life more fully and bring honor to our King as well.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
John 20:28-29
It would have been an amazing experience to have seen Christ raised from the grave and standing before you in the flesh. It would validate your faith through your physical senses and would be an experience you would never forget. But here we hear Christ say, that while it is good to believe as Thomas did, it is more blessed for us who cannot see Christ to believe. We cannot rely upon our sight or touch to see or feel Jesus. We must rely upon the reliable and established Word of God and the testimony of the Holy Spirit within us. That is our foundation of faith in Christ, the Word and the Holy Spirit. The Bible is our objective evidence and the Spirit is our subjective evidence. The two together testify of the ancient truth of God’s Son Jesus Christ dying for our sins and saving us from them.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 8
“I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.”
Philip Yancey
This is a wise way to live life, for it will reduce stress and make for a smoother path as we walk into our future. If we trust our Lord in advance, we have the godly perspective that our Heavenly Father is directing our lives, allowing things to take place for a reason as well as providing answers and solutions to reveal themselves when He ordains. It has been said that, “hindsight is 20/20” and this would be true in many of our experiences in life. When we look at our life in reverse, the confusion of the past takes on a more orderly appearance. But it is much more beneficial to have a faithful perspective based on trust in the Lord as you take each step into the future.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
Philippians 3:13
It is difficult to forget our past at times. Hurts can plague us and mistakes can haunt us. Even positive achievements in our past can rob our future if we sit on our laurels. God is telling us through Paul as he writes, that we must strive towards what God has in store for us in the future. God wants us to set goals for ourselves, godly goals based on the challenges in His Word. God wants us to learn from past mistakes and not repeat our errors. He wants us to build on our past successes and move on to greater faith and maturity. May we not ignore the tiny rear-view mirror of our past, but focus our gaze into the huge front window of our future and strive to be more godly, holy and humble for our Heavenly Father as we drive into our destiny as a Child of God.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 9
“Compassion costs. It is easy enough to argue, criticize and condemn, but redemption is costly, and comfort draws from the deep. Brains can argue, but it takes heart to comfort.” Samuel Chadwick
This is so true when you think about it. How quick we tend to get into an argument compared to how long it takes us to consider reaching out and helping someone. How quick we are to take offense and how long does it take us to muster up courage to forgive the person who has offended us. How quick it is for us to demean and criticize someone and how slow and infrequent we are to give honor and praise to someone who has done something good. How quick it is for us to condemn an individual and how hesitant we are to give honor when honor is due. Compassionately loving others is costly. It takes our time, emotions and sometimes great effort to reach out and serve, minister and demonstrate compassion to those we know, but this is what Christ did all His life. He is our example of not allowing the cost of compassion to sway oneself from doing loving acts towards others. Let us seek to be Christ-like.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
This can be a powerful verse if you contemplate exactly what it says. God’s Word is alive and active, not dead and stagnant. This means it is moving at all times to evaluate and influence our attitudes and actions. It constantly seeks to hold us accountable to God’s standards. It empowers us to live holy and righteously. It encourages us to minister and serve others. It comforts us in troubled times. It draws us towards our Heavenly Father so that we might have a relationship with Him. It is sharper than the sharpest razor blade or diamond blade and acts as a spiritual scalpel for it divides our soul and spirit down to the very essence of our life. It cuts away our excuses, fleshly arguments and mindless reasoning to expose the true life we think and live. It sits in perfect judgment of our thoughts and attitudes that live within our heart. It has a power and force you must reckon with if you wish to live as a Christian. It is so simple a young child can come to Christ by hearing its words and yet so complex elderly and wise theologians study it their entire life. Let us respect this truth that comes from the God we serve and worship.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 10
“Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person’s seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next.”
Elisabeth Elliot is very perceptive. How many of us pray hard for things that are going to take place in our future? How many of us get down on our knees to pray that certain things won’t happen in our future? But, the question is, how are we living in the present, as we pray for our future? Small acts of obedience each and every day lay a foundation upon which will be laid faith and wisdom. Then we will know not only what to pray for, but we will also know how to handle what we receive as the future becomes the present. A lifestyle of godly obedience will help us appreciate the good future that takes place and will help us endure the bad future that manifests itself. The Christian life is a “long obedience in the same direction.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;”
Psalms 7:17
We often give thanks to the Lord for how He blesses us, what He does for us or what He protects us from, but do we give thanks to Him for who He is? He has so many marvelous and magnificent qualities yet do we tell Him this in our praise and worship. We have our prayers of petition when we ask Him for things and for His intercession in our lives. We have our prayers of the thanks for the things that He so generously provides for us. But should we spend some significant time amidst these prayers just thanking and praising Him for who He is? I suggest we could all be better at doing this in our prayers.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 11
“May our Lord’s sweet hand square us and hammer us, and strike off all kinds of pride, self-love, world-worship, and infidelity, so that He can make us stones and pillars in His Father’s house.” Samuel Rutherford
Samuel Rutherford gives us a very descriptive picture of the loving and holy process by which God forms us into godly vessels He can use for His use. It is especially important we notice the word “sweet” that Mr. Rutherford uses to describe the hand of God that hammers on us. He loves us and therefore any hardship or trial that He allows to come into our life to mold us and test us is done with a “sweet” concern for our well-being. This quote also identifies the fact that there are many things in each of our lives that needs to be purged from our being or refined for higher purposes. May we become hard as stone in our courage and resolve to live for Christ, yet retain a sweet and soft compassion like our Savior for those in need.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:18
It is such a blessing as a Christian to know that we do not have to fear death, that our sins are forgiven and there will be no punishment for our sins because of what our Savior has done for us on the cross. It is also a blessing to know that we do not have to fear things in this life. We do fear things at times because of our lack of faith, but God forgives us for this fear. He loves us and provides His perfect love so that as we receive it we can let it caste out our fear. God strives to perfect us by pouring the healing oil of His love over our lives. Our task is to receive it and let fear evaporate from our lives. In the place of fear God places faith, hope and love, and we know that the greatest of these is His love.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 12
“True contentment is a real, even an active, virtue—not only affirmative but creative. It is the power of getting out of any situation all there is in it.”
G.K. Chesterton
God grants us contentment if we have faith in His power and promises. When we trust in who He is and how much He loves us, our contentment takes on a heavenly mature quality and this establishes its reality. Godly contentment is as Chesterton states, active, affirming and creative. Out of godly contentment comes thanksgiving and praise to God, ministry to the needs of others and a joyful rejoicing that is often incomprehensible by those that live according to the world.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.”
Proverbs 26:11
How blunt and confronting the Holy Word can be. How often have we at times returned to a bad habit, a subtle sin, a horrible behavior because we failed to call upon the power of the Lord, obey the Bible or listen to the Holy Spirit? May God permit this visible picture portrayed in this passage come to our mind the next time we considered repeating our folly and transgression by returning to a thought or activity that was foolish and ungodly.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 13
“When a man has quietly made up his mind that there is nothing he cannot endure, his fears leave him.”
Grove Patterson
The courage to quietly make up your mind in this instance is comes from the Lord God Almighty. There are many things we cannot endure in our own courage and this causes us to fear. When we realize that when we stand in the providence of God there is nothing we cannot endure, our fear will vanish. We endure horrible hardships, trials and struggles when we stand under the shelter of God’s wing, know we are loved by Him and are convinced that He will stand with us and give us the courageous fortitude to endure anything He lays in our path. To God be the glory for this marvelous truth!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.”
Revelation 13:8
There are many ideas and theories about who or what this beast is in Revelation that causes such devilish destruction and suffering. But whatever or whoever they are it is described in great specifics they will have great power and influence over the world. Everyone will worship this beast and anyone who is not saved by the blood of Christ. This will be a most horrible abomination to God and it is unimaginable what life will be like on the earth when satanic worship and praise is allowed to reign. Presently we live in a sinful world that has much evil and sin. But there is a godly restraint holding back wanton and uncontrolled demonstration of such evil. In the end times a loosening of this restraint will take place and all amounts of perversion, evil and sin will run rampant on the earth. Praise God, we who are saved by the blood of the lamb will never be present for such mayhem and debauchery.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 14
“If somebody writes a great poem, people don’t run around applauding the pencil, saying ‘Oh, what a great pencil’…I’m a pencil in God’s hands.”
Keith Green
May we all be pencils in the hands of the Lord. May all our ministry, teaching, advice, counsel and service, bring glory and honor to the author of our faith, our Heavenly Father. We have a great privilege and honor to be permitted to be used as tools or “pencils” to help write God’s truth on the hearts of people. May we give God the glory for the poems He writes through us on the lives of those we minister to and love in His name.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
The world has always had false teachers that seek to mislead people from the Truth of God. Whether controlled or influenced by demonic influences or simply driven by their own fleshly desires and mistruths the results are the same. They lead people down dead-end paths and sometimes into the weeds of destruction. These individuals are described in this verse as false and deceitful. They lie and twist what little truth they know into man-made religions and self-promoting institutions. Like Halloween night they dress themselves up and masquerade as apostles and teachers of Christ but underneath their external appearance are the same old lies that Satan initiated in the Garden of Eden. This verse informs us of something very dangerous we should be aware of, that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. If Satan can deceive in this manner, false teachers will only follow suit. So stay close to a Christian fellowship that teaches good solid Bible doctrine, test all teaching that it aligns with Scripture and test the spirits to assure they are from your Heavenly Father. Wolves are all around and often wear sheep’s clothing.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 15
“One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team.”
A. W. Tozer
As Christians we are not called to be religious, we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves. To appear religious is not bad in and of itself, but if when people get to know us we are only religious and not Christ-like in the deepest part of our heart and mind, then we are dead spiritually. The Pharisees were professionals at being religious and were called a brood of vipers, white-washed tombstones, cups clean on the outside and dirty on the inside by Jesus. A true church is made up of humble sinners who have been saved by the grace of God and seek to serve their Lord and others as well as share the Gospel of Truth with those they meet. They worship in spirit and in truth and they walk the King’s highway of godly living. This is a true church. May we all be living stones in our local church fellowship as we grow in our faith and await the soon return of our Savior.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
It is often difficult to find things in this world anymore that have any of the traits mentioned in this verse. They are there if you seek them out. This command tells us what to think about so that we remain pure and holy in our Christian walk. It is also implied that we are NOT to think about the opposites of these descriptive words. May we avoid thinking about things that are false, vulgar, incorrect, spoiled, unlovely, dishonorable, inferior and unworthy. Turns my stomach to think about dwelling on such horrible things and I hope it turns yours as well. Let us dwell on, meditate on, contemplate and think about godly things.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 16
“Even in the wildest storms the sky is not all dark; and so in the darkest dealings of God with His children, there are always some bright tokens for good.”
Robert Murray M’Cheyne
Sometimes we can be experiencing such a hard difficult trial we miss the bright spots or tokens with which God blesses us in such times. Usually it is because we have our eyes off of Him and are focusing all our emotions and energy on the darkness. In the midst of horrible grief, pain, suffering, torment or confusion, we must let the Holy Spirit ministry to us and help us seek a bright moment, thought or reflection that can sustain us. It is absolutely necessary during such storms of life not to lose our focus on the Lord. As we seek our Heavenly Father, endurance will be granted, strength given and comfort felt.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Psalms 34:1
Our lives can be a constant praise honoring the Lord if we think of Him through our day. No matter where we are or what we are doing we can commune with His Holy Spirit, we can pray to Him, we can praise Him silently or in words or song. We honor Him in our work as we apply ourselves to our tasks responsibly. We honor Him in our recreation as we give thanks for how He has blessed us. May we exceedingly exalt Him in all we do and at all times. Let our praise ever be ready to be expressed.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 17
“The secret formula of the saints: When I am in the cellar of affliction, I look for the Lord’s choicest wines.”
Samuel Rutherford
This is spiritual advice for when we face affliction, trials or suffering. God will sometimes lead us down into a cellar of affliction and there are many uncomfortable and painful things we experience there. But there are also nuggets of spiritual blessings and comfort that can also be discovered. My grandparents in Oklahoma had an old cellar they used in case a tornado ever came. As a young boy I went down into its dark and damp hole. It was an uneasy scary experience for it was very small and I had no idea what the shadowy nooks and crannies held. But down there on the rickety shelves were also mason jars full of luscious fruits and berries as well as sweet delectable jams and jellies my grandmother had made. While we may at times find ourselves in the cellar of affliction for a God-appointed time, we will also discover that such affliction contains spiritual benefits that God wants us to experience and learn. Let us remember this the next time we enter such a cellar of life.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes.”
2 Chronicles 34:14-19
Here we see the lost Book of the Law being read for the first time in many years before King Josiah. When Josiah hears the words from Holy Scripture he is so convicted by what he hears he tears his royal robes. He does so because he is stricken by grief over the sins that Judah has done in the eyes of the Lord. The question we must ask ourselves when we read such a passage is how do we respond when a sin or disobedient act in our lives is revealed. Culturally we don’t tear our clothing, but do we feel remorse and are we repentant for failing to live as we are called as a Christian? When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, when Scripture reveals a transgression, when a fellow Christian confronts us with a disobedient behavior do we respond in a humble and contrite manner and seek to be restored in our fellowship with the Lord? I leave this question before you to consider.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 18
“Christian: One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbors.”
Ambrose Bierce
This is just one definition of a Christian, but it is accurate none the less. To be called a true Christian you must believe that the Bible is divinely inspired by God. God worked through the lives of men to write His words and will down so that all those in future history could know of Him and His divine purposes and plans. A Christian will also be firmly convinced that this divinely inspired Word of God is appropriate and much needed for the needs of his or her friends, neighbors and relatives. This said, it is only common sense that this inspired Word would be shared with these individuals. To believe the Bible is divinely inspired and appropriate for the needs of others and not to share it with them is irresponsible as a Christian. In other words, if you were a doctor, would you withhold medicine from a patient if you knew it would cure them?
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
In this sentence we see a major problem for those who believe in evolution. It simply and basically states that God created the heavens and the earth. It does not say the universe came into being by chance or accident. It simply and powerfully states that God in His power and intelligent creativity made all that is in the universe. There are no ifs ands or buts, just take the Word of God as it stands. God created all that exists, in the beginning. With that holy powerful act He made it possible for mankind to exist and have fellowship with Him. God did this to bring Himself glory and honor and so that He could fellowship with those He also created, man and woman, whom He created in His image.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 19
“How blessed and amazing are God’s gifts, dear friends! Life with immortality, splendor with righteous, truth with confidence, faith with assurance, self-control with holiness! And all these things are within our comprehension.”
Clement of Rome
Clement of Rome shares with us in this quote just a few of the more precious gifts we receive when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. First, life with immortality – eternal life that begins here on earth and continues for all of time. An eternal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Secondly, splendor with righteous – splendor means bright and shiny, when this is connected with righteousness we see the image of the glory of God burned into our lives and our pure relationship with Him. Righteous splendor can be seen in our lives as well as we reflect His image as we live for Him. Thirdly, truth with confidence – we possess a truth that rules our life, fills our heart and soul and can be given freely to anyone we know. It is truth that can be shared with confidence because it is absolutely true for it is based on the dependable faithful God we serve. Fourthly, faith with assurance – we have a faith that has a foundation that is firmly established upon our unchanging God therefore we have complete assurance it is without doubt or question to be established and true. Fifthly, self-control with holiness – God grants us the means and the will to be self-controlled so that we can be holy as He is holy. What a privilege and blessing to not only be called to be holy but granted the ability and power to be holy with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible to guide us. All these things we have and can comprehend because of God’s provision and saving grace!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Proverbs 27:1
We often make grand plans for all of our tomorrows with no consideration for the fact that our tomorrows and future is all determined by the Lord. This does not mean we should be fearful of our tomorrows or frozen with indecision, but it does mean we need to humbly understand that our future, whether it be tomorrow, next week or next month is made possibly by the grace of God. May we plan our tomorrows with the understanding that God oversees our future and may we consult Him always as we make plans as well as give thanks to Him when He allows us to have a tomorrow. May we never take Him for granted as He works out His will for our lives.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 20
“To be in Christ is the source of the Christian life; to be like Christ is the sum of his excellence; to be with Christ is the fullness of his joy.”
Charles Hodge
In, like and with, small words that take on such meaning when tied to the name of Christ. When we are in Christ we are protected, empowered and confident. When we are like Christ we are holy, righteous and wise. When we are with Christ we are joyful, blessed and contented. It is often confusing why people do not make a choice to accept Christ as their Savior so they can be in Him, like Him and with Him. May we pray for those who do not know Him and be ever ready to share the possibilities that await them if they would only humble themselves and accept Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Romans 1:20
There is a witness of God in creation that offers evidence that God not only exists, but that He rules and reigns over all that is. This witness is powerful and can bring men and women to a knowledge that He does exist. No one can say there is no evidence for the existence of God for we are surrounded constantly by this both beautiful and magnificent witness. Creation demonstrates His invisible qualities in physical ways. His power is seen in the explosive power of the ocean or an erupting volcano. His compassion is seen in the manner in which animals care for their young. His order is seen in the way there are days and nights and the seasons of the year. His creativity is seen in the millions of animals, plants and insects that live. His judgment is seen in the death of men, animals and plants. These things are clear and obvious so no one has an excuse to reject the truth that God exists and calls us to seek Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 21
“The times we find ourselves having to wait on others may be the perfect opportunities to train ourselves to wait on the Lord.”
Joni Eareckson Tada
We can be very impatient at times and God often puts us in situations where we must wait on others to train us to be patient with people and with Him. Sometimes we must wait for others because they have dropped the ball, forgotten about what they should have done or are irresponsible. This trains us in forgiveness. Sometimes we must wait on others because their lives have been interrupted by unforeseen events beyond their control. This trains us in compassion and understanding. Sometimes we must wait on others because we are unable to do things for ourselves. This trains us in humility. All these situations are allowed by God not only so we can learn to be forgiving, compassionate and humble, but so we can learn to wait on the Lord Himself and this trains us in submission.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord,”
2 Timothy 1:6-8
We have a responsibility as a Believer to not only allow the Holy Spirit to influence us, but to encourage and stimulate our relationship with Him, in other words “fan into flame” this gift we have from God. When we do this we begin to burn brighter for the Lord and become bold in how we love, courageous in how we discipline ourselves and powerful in how we speak the truth in love and live a holy obedient life. We should never find ourselves being ashamed of the testimony in our lives of what the Lord has done for us and of how the Holy Spirit lives in us. Let us fan the flame and really live the Christian life with fervency!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 22
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”
Corrie ten Boom
Worry is common to all of us even as we live the Christian life. It is a tendency to slip into despondency over struggles, trials and hardships as we attempt to deal with not only the present but also our future. As we allow this subtle and deceptive animal to live in our heart and mind it eats away at our strength and undermines our faith in the God who provides for us. We must remember as we are tempted to worry that God is in control. He is lover of our soul. He has great plans for us. We are His child and He wants to bless and care for us. He does allow events and situations in our lives that will tempt us to worry, but we must place our faith and trust in Him. When we worry, not only do we rob our strength for today, we frustrate our faith for tomorrow. Let us avoid the temptation of worry and rest under the shadow of His wings.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
1 Timothy 4:1-2
We have been in the last days for some time now but one thing never changes as we wait for the return of the Lord, false teachers abound. They come in all forms, shapes and colors. They teach doctrines of demons. Their motive is to deceive and if possible to gain personal power and money. The same old lies that were presented in the Garden of Eden by Satan are still put forth today, just in different forms and flavors. Satan calls God a liar and encourages the belief we can gain salvation through works. He attacks the deity of Christ and spits on the salvation offered in the death and resurrection of our Savior. Those that Satan has deceived have minds and hearts that have been seared by the hot iron of his deception and are callous to any truth from God. Let not any one of us be counted among those who have abandoned the faith. Let us stand for truth, remain steadfast in faith and be called men and women who studied the scriptures daily to prove and testify of the truth. Let us pray against the demonic forces and expose the false teachers for who they really are. Protect the saints and fight the spiritual battle brothers and sisters!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 23
In our, “I’m OK, you’re OK” world, Jesus’ exclusive claims to salvation aren’t popular. The Gospel’s goal isn’t to cut down other people and their beliefs, but the Gospel truth can be painful. Whenever sin is uncovered and forgiven, change will follow. It is a historical fact that Jesus is alive and His followers have no option but to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.”
Pastor Daniel Ausbun
We live in a world that loves “relative” truth, that is, there is no absolute truth. This philosophy is; what you believe is fine and what I may believe is fine and if we don’t agree that’s okay, we can both be right. But the only problem with this is that there is an absolute truth when it comes to having a relationship with God. You cannot have a relationship with God through any religion you might choose as the Bahai’ faith would claim. Jesus’ exclusive claim that only through Him can a person have a relationship with the Father is absolute truth and it will offend people at times. Jesus did not come to demean, insult or trash people, He came to save people from their sins so that they might have eternal life and this means a close relationship with the Creator. The absolute truth of the Gospel can be painful for those who rebel against it, but its foundation is the love, grace and mercy of the Lord. And that’s the absolute truth. Let’s share this with others.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”
John 6:66
Prior to this verse Jesus has just finished delivering a particularly hard teaching. It was hard because He shared the fact that unless people seek God through Him they are dead spiritually, have no eternal life, have no hope of resurrecting from the dead and no chance of having a relationship with God. After this teaching many of Christ’s disciples left Him. Jesus turned to His most trusted twelve disciples and asked if they were going to leave as well. They chose to stay. When we share the gospel with others we should not be surprised when they say, “This is hard to believe.” They may even take offense when we share the teachings of Jesus and the meaning of His death and resurrection. Let us not be surprised if friends, relatives, co-workers, employers and even strangers no longer regard us with respect or honor when we lovingly share the truth of Jesus’ teaching.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 24
“After I set out to refute Christianity intellectually and couldn’t, I came to the conclusion the Bible was true and Jesus Christ was God’s Son.”
Josh McDowell
You can’t fight the truth and the one truth of the Bible is that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. There is much in Josh’s statement. The Bible is true. Not sometimes correct or occasionally on target, but always true because it is divinely inspired by God Himself. This sets the foundation for the witness of scripture that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and therefore is absolute deity in the flesh. He was both fully God and man and therefore qualified to die for our sins. It goes without saying that if the Bible is true, then God exists for it originated from Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”
Hebrews 9:27
In many world religions or false belief systems there is an idea that any of us can be reincarnated from a previous life. This idea is based on a spiritual evolutionary process of improvement by works and deeds. This is absolutely contrary to the Truth of the Holy Bible. Hebrews here tells us that you have one chance, one attempt, one life to live and that is it. After this one life is over, you are appointed by the Creator to die and then comes the ultimate judgment. For Christians the judgment is a judgment of reward for the degree to which they lived obediently for they have already been justified and declared free of any penalty for sins. For non-believers the judgment is one of condemnation for rejecting Jesus as Lord and Savior. It’s black and white, either you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior or you did not, it’s as simple as that. Reincarnation is a demonic deception and we should never entertain this false doctrine as a belief to place our trust.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 25
“God’s commands are designed to guide you to life’s very best. You will not obey Him, if you do not believe Him and trust Him. You cannot believe Him if you do not love Him. You cannot love Him unless you know Him.”
Henry Blackaby
Commands are often thought to be oppressive and limiting, but God’s commands are for both protection and successful guidance and therefore wise to follow in obedience. But if you don’t know who your Heavenly Father by having a personal loving relationship with Him, you’ll never believe the commands are worth obeying for your own benefit. If you find you are having trouble obeying God, first seek Him in the Word, in prayer and in Christian fellowship and you will come to know Him in deeper ways that will encourage you to obey Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”
1 Corinthians 10:14
It may seem strange to read this verse and see any application for us in the twenty-first century. We don’t worship wooden idols or statues. We don’t sacrifice animals before stone images. But this verse is just as appropriate for those of us in the twenty-first century because our idols can be money, material possessions, recreation, hobbies, or anything that takes our heart from our Lord. These “things” are not idols in and of themselves; they become idols when we place them over our relationship with our Savior. Let us flee this modern form of idolatry, place God first in all we think and do and set everything else aside into the periphery of our lives. Let us enjoy the blessings of what God provides, but let us worship God and Him alone.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 26
“Not to be afflicted is a sign of weakness; for, therefore God imposeth no more on me, because he sees I can bear no more.”
Joseph Hall
We feel we are weak and unworthy when we suffer trial and hardships because we think we are so insufficient to deal with the storm we are experiencing. But Joseph Hall is telling us indirectly that to be afflicted is a sign of strength, that God is allowing something to happen in our lives not only to make us stronger, but because our Heavenly knows we can endure it through our faith and dependence on Him. God will not place us in situations that are overwhelming; He always provides the strength to overcome. The next time you face a horrible task or experience, consider Joseph Hall’s words and realize because you are strong, God is allowing this to take place and He will stand by your side through all of it.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,”
Acts 3:19
The Gospel is the holy eraser that thoroughly wipes away our sins. This is the Great Message we have to share with others, that their stained and tainted hearts and minds can be purged of the influence and pollution of sin. The spiritual blindness they have can be lifted. The hopelessness they live can be changed to godly hope in the Lord. Their earthly life can be transformed from the walking dead to the spiritually living. Let us share this message in as many ways and with as many people as possible, in our words, in our behavior and in our actions. When this is done a time of refreshing will come upon their lives just as it did for us when we made the decision to follow Christ as our Savior and Lord.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 27
“The Christian is a man who can be certain about the ultimate even when he is most uncertain about the immediate.”
David Martin Lloyd-Jones
We face situations in life where we are unclear and uncertain about what is happening. We may be confused about events and why things are taking place, but the Christian can always know for sure that God, who never changes, is always in control. Nothing and I mean nothing, takes place without it filtering through the loving hands of our Heavenly Father. This does not mean He causes hardships, trials and struggles, it simply means He allows them to take place. The Christian with faith and trust in the Lord will always be absolutely certain about the goodness of God, His loving kindness, His ability to minister and intervene, His ever present concern of what happens in our lives. Let us not worry or fret when we are uncertain about what is happening at the moment, for we are certain about the God who has saved us and who is always working in our lives for our good.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
Friends may desert us. Relatives may disown us. But the Lord our God will never leave, abandon or forsake us. He is with us through thick and thin. He is omnipresent and this means He stands by us through everything we experience. This foundational principle for support and strength will enable us to not only live the victorious Christian life, it will arm us with courage to face the most difficult tasks that come our way. Whether it is death, disease, rejection, abandonment, physical harm, verbal or emotional abuse that impacts our life, God will always be by our side and within us as Christians to face the storm.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
February 28
“Whole days and weeks have I spent prostrate on the ground in silent or vocal prayer.”
George Whitefield
I would surmise that many of us spend not enough time prostrate on the ground in prayer whether it be silent or vocal. There is something about the posture of prostration that humbles the heart, mind and soul as one prepares to pray to their Heavenly Father. It is good to pray at all times, but there is something special and intimate when we kneel or lay our faces to the ground in deep submissive prayer to God. This does not mean prayers from a posture of prostration are more effective or efficient, but they can set our focus more on the Lord and establish our position of humility before him. I also might hazard to guess that most of us spend less time than we should praying. We are told to pray without ceasing as we go about our daily activities and hopefully we strive to do this. May we seek to talk to our Lord more often through the day and always with a humble and submissive attitude of love as we praise and petition Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15
If we revere Christ as Lord in our hearts, our thoughts and actions will be in tune with God’s Word and His will for our lives. With this foundation we can then always be prepared to share the gospel, give godly counsel, weep with those who weep and encourage those who are facing trials. Our hope in God should be on the tip of our tongue each time we are able to give a witness and it should be in the tips of our fingers as we are given opportunity to serve others. Whatever we say or whatever we do as Believers may they be said and done with gentleness and respect to demonstrate the love of God within us.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
FEBRUARY 29
“Many would be scantily clad if clothed in humility.”
Author Unknown
Can you imagine if our humility were our clothes how adequately would we be dressed? Would some of us be stark naked as we went around our business because humility is so foreign to us. Very likely those we know who are known for their humility would be dressed very nicely and properly compared to us. May we seek this godly trait of having and exhibiting godly humility. We do this as we recognize our position before our Heavenly Father and as we strive to love others as ourselves while placing their needs above our own. Selfish pride cannot be found in someone clothed in humility.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
1 Timothy 1:15
We probably don’t consider ourselves the worst of sinners as Paul did. I wonder if this is another example we should follow. Not that we should degrade ourselves by focusing on our sins and imperfections, but having a true picture of who we were before Christ became our Savior and how the sinful flesh we battle has a propensity to drag us back into the gutter from which we came. A healthy understanding of who we are in Christ and who we were before we accepted Christ is a contrast that can motivate and stimulate us to live as we are called, holy and righteous as a child of our Heavenly Father. May we never take for granted the purpose Christ came into the world, to save the worst of sinners from their sins which includes you and me.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.