DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH

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.

 

March 1

 

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”

C. S. Lewis

 

I believe that we often aim too low in our Christian lives. We aim at what we can accomplish in our own strength and with our own abilities and skills rather than stepping out in faith and trusting that God will grant us His strength and enable us to go beyond our own abilities. To be like Christ and in Christ and for Christ is to aim towards heaven. When we seek heaven, we obtain heavenly blessings as well as earthly blessings. If we seek only earthly accomplishments, we miss the heavenly blessings that are much more valuable and eternal. We also fail to experience the joy in living on this earth that God intended. C. S. Lewis had it right, seek heaven and you get earth thrown in as well.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,”

Titus 2:11-12

 

God’s grace appeared in the flesh in Jesus Christ. His life, ministry, message and person teaches us to live holy and godly lives. We deny the passions of the flesh through the power and truth that is available from God and His Word. When the Word became flesh in Jesus Christ, those in the world was given the chance to fellowship with God and to be empowered to live self-controlled lives. Those of us who made the choice to become servants of Jesus Christ by giving our lives to Him are able to live as He lived. The question is, do we choose to do this or do we quench the Spirit and fall short of our calling? May we live this passage and show our love for our Savior.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

March 2

 

“Christians are like the several flowers in a garden that have each of them the dew of Heaven, which, being shaken with the wind, they let fall at each other’s roots, whereby they are jointly nourished, and become nourishers of each other.”

John Bunyan

 

This is a very creative analogy to what is true in any local fellowship of Believers. The dew of Heaven could be viewed as the fruits of the Spirit that each Christian will manifest as they grow in Christ and express their spiritual gifts. This dew or service and ministry to one another nourishes the Body of Christ. The importance of being involved in a local fellowship or church is critical, for Christians are given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit, not for personal edification, but for the benefit of the Body of Christ. Others need you to minister to them and you need others to minister to you. Without m4utual spiritual nourishment we fail to grow in our faith and remain babes in the faith drinking only the milk of the Word rather than the meat God intends for us to feast on.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

3 John 4

 

We should have great joy as John did, whenever we see Christians walking in step with the Holy Spirit, according to the Word of God and growing in faith. To see Christians living as they should, honoring the Lord, serving in a fellowship, comforting each other, ministering to those in need and worshipping the Lord brings great joy to our Heavenly Father and it should to us as well. Walking in the truth is a process by which we die to self, rely upon the Holy Spirit and the Word to guide and convict us. May we bring joy to each other as we walk in the truth, moment by moment each and every day.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 3

 

“Ruth and I don’t have a perfect marriage, but we have a great one. How can I say two things that seem so contradictory? In a perfect marriage, everything is always the finest and best imaginable; like a Greek statue, the proportions are exact and the finish is unblemished. Who knows any human beings like that? For a married couple to expect perfection in each other is unrealistic. We learned that even before we were married.”

Billy Graham

 

Billy Graham is wise and this wisdom comes from both God’s Word and years of experience living in obedience. Christian marriages are never perfect because Christians aren’t perfect. But there is a loving grace that can exist in a Christian marriage where each partner greatly appreciates the talents, abilities and character qualities of the other person despite occasional bumbles and mistakes. The grace shown to the man and the woman by God in their lives is in turn granted by each to their spouse as they forgive in an understanding way mistakes and faults. A great marriage is based on God’s love and standards. Both husband and wife are submissive to the Lord and treat each other with respect. While scripture talks about the husband being the head of the household, the man must love his wife as Christ loved the church and that is a godly sacrificial love. They each are also submissive to one another and respect each other for who they are as persons.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Philippians 2:12-13

 

Here we see the teamwork involved in living the Christian life. God won’t force us to obey Him and live according to His Word and we can’t live the Christian life without Him empowering us to do so. It’s a team effort. We must work at being godly as He works in us to give us the strength to live in the faith He grants us. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean to work under an unbearable yoke or an oppressive thumb of an ogre-like God. It means to live the Christian life with godly submission and a fearful awe of the help you receive from God to live such a life. It means to work responsibly and consistently with a trembling respect for how God can empower you to live such a godly life of holiness as you rely upon Him. This teamwork of God working in us and us working out the salvation that God has given us fulfills the purpose planned by God for each of us as His servants.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

March 4

 

“Our only business is to love and delight ourselves in God.”

Brother Lawrence

 

We are so busy with living these days we forget that the real and only business we are to be about is loving and delighting in our Heavenly Father. This does not mean we just sit and delight in God. It means that in all we do, we share the moments with the Lord. We delight in how he works through us at work, in our family, in our relationships, in hardships we endure. Delighting in God is a presence of mind that He is always with us. Delighting in God emanates from the love we have for Him. You can’t help but delight in God through the day if you love Him with all your heart, mind and soul.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.”

Psalms 47:8

 

It’s almost funny how kings, presidents and dictators promote themselves and their authoritative office of ruler over a nation. Someone must be in the position of ruler of a nation or country, but we must remember that God reigns over all countries. Those nations who recognize that the God of the Bible sits on His holy throne and is the ultimate authority over all will prosper, live under His blessings and be assured a future. But those nations who fail to recognize God as Lord and King, will face unrest, crime and confusion. You can believe anything you want as a leader, but the Bible is full of evidence that kings and rulers who failed to submit to God had a limited time of power. God places rulers in power and He can remove them. He sets the length of time a nation survives and prospers. He determines the power a nation has and how long it will exist. God reigns.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 5

 

“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”

C.T. Studd

 

All we are as Believers is due to the sacrifice of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. If we fully comprehend this fact, doesn’t it make sense that no sacrifice we might be called to make for Jesus would be too great? If we are close to Him and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak, we will be directed how we might sacrifice our lives in service and worship for Him. The blessing of such sacrifices is that they are beneficial to the growth of our faith, they are beneficial to the spiritual lives of others, they are beneficial to the well-being of those we minister to and they benefit God because they bring Him great glory and honor. Let us be ever ready to sacrifice for our great King because He was so ready and willing to sacrifice Himself for us.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?”

Proverbs 20:6

 

There is a great truth in this proverb. Anyone can say “I love you with all my heart.” or “I have a deep unfailing love for you.” But these statements are only proven true and factual if the person lives a life of faithfulness to their words. A faithful person carries out their statements of unfailing love. A faithful person is committed in word, deed and thought. A faithful person is morally and ethically focused on remaining true to their word. A faithful person is able to be so, because they are dedicated to the Lord who sustains their commitment. Let us be faithful in all we do, especially when we say we have unfailing love, whether it be in an earthly relationship or in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 6

 

“Disbelieve hell, and you unscrew, unsettle, and unpin everything in Scripture.”

J.C. Ryle

 

It is not a pleasant thought to believe in Hell. But if you deny such a place is real, you remove divine judgment from the sovereign will of God. To believe there can be a heaven and disbelieve in hell is to create an unjust understanding of sin. Sin is more horrible, perverse, evil, tainted and spoiled than any of us can imagine. God has a standard for godly excellence so extraordinarily higher than ours I doubt we can ever understand it and therefore we can have a meager view of sin and a disbelief in hell. When hell is removed from a belief structure, anything goes, the determination of reward and punishment is skewed towards compromise and apathy. There is reward for accepting Christ’s sacrifice for our sin and there is a penalty and punishment in hell for rebelling and refusing to accept this gift of grace. Hell is a horrible place, but it does exist for a purpose.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

 

What a blessed verse. In the midst of hardship, trial and suffering we can know for sure that God has a plan for us. Life is not an accumulation of meaningless pleasant and horrible experiences. There is a plan and purpose to our life and when bad things happen there is a reason. God has plans no matter what we are going through to prosper us spiritually, emotionally, physically, psychologically and mentally. If we wait on Him, remain faithful to Him, obey Him and trust Him. He will reveal the plan. Rest assured He has no plans to harm us. He wants to give us hope because He has given us a future. Trust the Lord in the midst of the most traumatic experience and the blessings will eventually come. God is always working for our benefit.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 7

 

“The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for us. We…put ourselves where only God deserves to be; God…puts himself where we deserve to be.”

John Stott

 

When we refuse to let God have control over any area of our life, we are substituting ourselves for God and we sin. We are placing ourselves at the control center of our lives and only God deserves to be in that position. For our sin and rebellion, we deserve to die. But God allowed His Son Jesus Christ to place Himself in that position of judgment where we deserved to be to pay the penalty. Through that substitution Christ paid for our salvation. The essence of the Christian life is allowing God to take His place upon the throne of our heart, mind and soul. Let us not substitute our will for God’s will. Let us allow Him to be in our life where He deserves to be and needs to be, at the center of our lives.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,”

Ephesians 5:8

 

Living in darkness becomes deceptively addicting. You become accustomed to the lack of light. You become comfortable to live in the shadows, thinking no one knows what you think or do. This darkness can hold you in bondage and while it may seem to protective you from being discovered in your sin it is isolating you from the warm illuminating light of God. Accepting the Lord turns the lights on in your life. It exposes not only sin so that it can be dealt with, it also identifies how you were made in the image of God and how He can use you for great things. In darkness plants die and putrefy. I light they grow and thrive. It is similar to the human heart and soul. In darkness our heart dies and our soul decays. In God’s light our heart thrives and our soul is purified. As Christians let us live in the light as children of the light. Let us avoid the darkness and even the shadows of temptation that might pull us into the darkness where death resides.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 8

 

“The devil is nimble; he can run apace; he is light of foot; he hath overtaken many….They that would have heaven must run for it.”

John Bunyan

 

We do not work for our salvation nor earn it by our deeds, but there is an obedience and an effort that must be applied to living the Christian life if we are to persevere in our calling as a servant of God. The devil is more crafty and devious than we could ever imagine. He is quick and tricky. He is fast in his deceptive decisions and his plans are spiritually pornographic. He has caused many a servant of God to fall into sin and if not that, at least to faint in a momentary lapse of ungodly behavior. Let us run for the Lord and understand as we run, God empowers our feet with His Holy Word, fills our spiritual lungs with His Holy Spirit as we keep our eyes on our Savior Jesus Christ. Let us finish the race.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

 

“He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.”

Job 12:22

 

Nothing can be hidden from the Lord. There is no rock that can hide our thoughts from God. There is no hole we can bury our heart’s intent. There is no chest we can store the condition of our soul. God is in the business of revealing the deep things of darkness that reside in our lives. Even those things that are mere shadows, what we might call “white lies” or “small sins” are brought out into the bright daylight of His discernment. Let us live our lives with the knowledge that it is a waste of time to attempt to hide things from our Heavenly Father. If we are honest in this area with ourselves and with God, we will live more holy, more truthfully and as the child of God we were meant to be.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 9

 

“By the time the average Christian gets his temperature up to normal, everybody thinks he has a fever!”

Watchman Nee

 

There is much truth here. Do you or I have an abnormally low temperature of fervor for the Lord? Are we not burning as bright as we should? When we grow in faith and in our boldness to live for God do others feel we have a temperature because we were so lack luster before in our witness? Let us be “normal” Christians. Normal is consecrated for service, dedicated in prayer, ever ready to share the gospel, constantly wiling to serve others and strong in commitment to the Word. If we live in such a way, let others feel we have a temperature if they wish, and if we are burning hot with zeal for God, so be it!

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.”

1 Chronicles 20:6-7

 

Here we see in scripture an account of a strange deformed soldier of the Philistines make fun of and taunt the nation of Israel. It is interesting that the Philistines, an enemy of Israel, had so many unique men fight for them. Goliath was another massive man who taunted and fought against God’s chosen people but also fell dead in battle. There will be times as Christians we may face strange hardships, situations of difficulty that are deformed and twisted and we may possibly even deal with individuals that are hostile to the gospel and taunt our beliefs. But the Lord is on our side as He was with David when he faced Goliath and here when Jonathan faced this huge man with twenty-four appendages. In order for Truth to be the victor there sometimes needs to be a God-directed confrontation. This means our oppressive hardships are allowed so God’s power can be demonstrated through us. This also means the difficult confrontational discussions with individuals who are critical of our faith are opportunities for the gospel to be proclaimed. Let us be as bold as David and Jonathan as we face what God lays before us as opportunities to give Him glory and honor.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 10

 

“Light is the first of painters. There is no object so foul that intense light will not make it beautiful.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

The intense holy light of our Heavenly Father can make beautiful the most sinful tainted soul when saved by the blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. May we consider this significant work that God has accomplished in our lives as Christians. May we be empowered by this thought to share this light of the Gospel with others so they to can be made beautiful through and through. May we also be challenged to live according to this light each and every day.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:8-9

 

We were all once blinded by the darkness of our sin and ignorant of the saving light of Jesus Christ. Those of us who responded to God’s grace through Christ’s work on the cross are now in the light of the Lord. Let us not return to the dark domain of our former way of life as a non-believer, but press on in the race we have as Children of the light. Let us bear much godly fruit in the light we live in, a life full of goodness and righteousness based upon the truth of God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 11

 

“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 I.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

 

March 12

 

“One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests.”

Peter Marshall

 

We may be interested in Christianity but that is not the same as BELIEVING in it. IF we truly believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior AND IF we truly believe the Bible is the Word of God, then we will LIVE it every day and the force of ONE is then greater than ninety-nine who have just an interest in “religion.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“A friend loves at all times.”

Proverbs 17:17

 

We all have “friends” but a true friend is one who loves you no matter what and in whatever happens. They forgive you, help you, confront you and pray for you. People around us have too few true friends, why not be one to someone.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 13

 

“Reproaches from those who have been intimate with us, and trusted by us, cut us to the quick; and they are usually so well acquainted with our peculiar weaknesses that they know how to touch us where we are most sensitive, and to speak so as to do us most damage.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 

This can happen between friends, coworkers, spouses and relatives as well as Christian brothers and sisters. May each of us be cautious and careful about not using the knowledge we have about others to be critical of them, make fun of them or gossip about them. These actions are like stabbing someone with a sharp knife blade to cause serious emotional harm.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct.”

Proverbs 10:23

 

No one wants to be called a fool but how many times have we done stupid sinful things and found pleasure in them and then regretted them later because we realized how foolish we were. God calls Christians to be SMART not foolish. Let us walk the righteous path of the “Smart Ones” rather than the evil path of the “Foolish Ones.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 14

 

“You have not fulfilled every duty, unless you have fulfilled that of being pleasant.”

Charles Buxton

 

Often we feel we give all of ourselves in a job, at home or even in a relationship, but we withhold the grace of being pleasant. We work hard at our job but gripe and complain while we do it because we feel our employer or our employees should be satisfied with our hard work alone. We help around the house, do chores and assist with tasks but express irritation or go around in a huff because we would rather be doing something to serve ourselves and feel our help and assistance is enough. We can even seem to be building a relationship with a friend or relative by giving of our time and talents, but frustrate intimacy because we are unpleasant in demeanor. Many things we do are done out of duty, but we have not fulfilled every duty and obligation as a Christian unless we have done it all with an attitude of pleasantness. This is easier said than done, but this is the call of the Christian none-the-less. Let us be filled with the Spirit so we can accomplish all of our duties with pleasantness.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2

 

Most of us strive to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, but we many times hold back something for ourselves. Some of us also place ourselves on the spiritual altar of life only to crawl back off the sacrificial stone. Our true, proper and complete worship of the Lord involves giving of all of ourselves to our Heavenly Father’s service. We are called to be transformed and this can only happen if we allow our flesh to be crucified daily. This means a dying to self that includes giving up not only the bad habits, but even some “good” things that simply get in the way of what God wants us to do. Once we fully commit to avoid conforming to this world and allow God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to renew our mind we can be assured we will know God’s will and we will be doing it as well. His will is good, pleasing and perfect and while we often doubt that it is because we think we know better, His will really is the best.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 15

 

“Applaud us when we run, console us when we fall, cheer us when we recover, but for God’s sake, let us pass on!”

Edmund Burke

 

When we read this quote we grab the first three statements quickly and hold them dear to us but I wonder if we forget the last one. The first statement is the necessity for praise and commendation when we excel and succeed. This should not encourage our pride, but should simply be the reward for a good job well done with the Lord’s strength. We all need praise and encouragement for our successes and we in turn should give God the glory. The second statement is the necessity for us to be comforted and ministered to when we fall. These are hard times when we stumble in our own weakness or when life pushes down hard upon us. We all need a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on at times and God works through these to minister to us as well. The third statement is the necessity for encouragement after we have overcome a hardship or trial. This gives us an extra boost of resolve to continue to rely upon the Lord as we advance into our future after we have recovered from a setback. Finally we have the fourth statement that has impact on all the other statements. We need to let the applause, consolation and cheering pass. Applause is good for us but too much and our sinful pride can get the best of us. Consolation is good for us as well but too much and we are tempted to wallow in the comfort and never progress further. Finally cheering is good to receive as an encouragement but too much cheering and we begin to think that it is only ourselves who is responsible for the victory. This dishonors God who was instrumental in working in our situation and through others to help us recover. Let us receive the applause, the consolation and cheers, but let us pass on beyond this in a humble life of obedience to the Lord.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptationhas overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

1 Corinthians 12-13

 

We can become too confident in our own abilities and skills at times and think our foundation of stability is in ourselves rather than the Lord. We can even think that God has placed us under His protection so thoroughly that He will never allow anything bad or horrible to happen to us. When this happens we can quickly stumble because we have put confidence in ourselves or we have began to dictate to God what He can and cannot do with our lives. Cautious humility balanced with utter dependence and the Lord and a submission to His will can prevent us from falling. Sometimes we think we are trapped by a temptation that no one else has ever experienced and feel that God cannot understand the strength of the potential sin. We must remember in such situations that our sin is not unique, others have experienced the same evil suggestion or temptation. God knows what every temptation is all about and knows exactly how much you can endure in your own strength and in His as well. He will always, and I mean ALWAYS, provide a way out of the predicament or the strength to endure it. We can never say, “I couldn’t help myself.”

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 16

 

“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live, taking the form of a readiness to die.”

G.K. Chesterton

 

Mr. Chesterton makes a very astute observation. When we think of someone who has demonstrated courage we assume that they put all hopes or desires of living aside to give their life for others. But the reality is, courage is demonstrated when someone is ready to risk death because they desire to survive a situation or they are willing to risk death because they wish life for someone else. This is demonstrated currently by those in Japan who are willing to enter the nuclear reactors that are out of control in an attempt to prevent a core melt-down. They are ready to die, so their families and others can live with the hope that they too may survive as well. May we see such examples of courage as a motivation for having courage in our own lives as we face our day to day struggles, trials and hardships. God is in the business of giving courage to all who desire it.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

 

^“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

2 Timothy 4:1-4

 

Here Paul is giving commands to his young disciple Timothy in his ministry. These commands are given with the audience of God and Christ Jesus and are therefore verified as godly commands. These commands are given with the hope of what will appear in the form of God’s kingdom on earth. His commands to Timothy and to us as well are to preach and teach the Truth of God’s Word and to be ever ready to correct error, rebuke sinful behavior and encourage the discouraged. This must all be done with great godly patience and careful and accurate instruction. These commands are given by Paul because the time would come for Timothy and is presently surrounding us in modern day when people turn from the stable verified instruction in the Holy Scriptures. They seek their own version of the gospel, modified to fit their own lifestyles and goals. They seek to follow only those that will tell them what they want to hear. They seek falsehood and lies and allow themselves to be deceived because they listen to their flesh and wish to gratify their earthly wishes. Let us take these commands to Timothy to heart and apply them to our own hearts for this modern day.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 17

 

“I am so weak that I can hardly write, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot even pray, I can only lie still in God’s arms like a little child, and trust.”

Hudson Taylor

 

These are the last words that Hudson Taylor ever spoke. He served 51 years as a missionary to China and dedicated his life to bringing the gospel to others. Here he is so weak he barely can move a pencil. His eyes are dim and hard to open. His mind cannot form words to even pray so the Holy Spirit very likely interceded for him at this moment. But one thing he could do was rest in the arms of His Lord and wait for his final breath. His last act before death was to trust His Heavenly Father for his eternal destiny. His words do not denote fear or concern, nor desperation or nervousness, just calm trust in his loving Lord. May we all have last words that reflect this peaceful commitment to our God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”

Psalms 7:1-2

 

Our natural tendency is to be fearful of evil vicious people and envious of those who seem to profit from their wrong behavior. But in this scripture we are commanded to, “not fret.” We are not to fear because devious individuals will not be allowed to express their evil forever or to enjoy any benefits from their wrongdoing. There will come a day when they will fade like grass in a summer heat wave because of the judgment of our God. They will reap what they have sown. Earthly pleasures and riches gained through sinful means also wither and fade away. Let us take joy in the Lord, thank Him for what He provides for us and place greatest value on the free gift of salvation that allows us to count our Creator as our Savior, Lord and friend.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 18

 

“One great power of sin is that it blinds men so that they do not recognize its true character.”

Andrew Murray

 

Every day is Halloween for sin. It always disguises itself as something good, pleasurable, beneficial and necessary. The costumes it wears are tailored to appeal to the desires of our flesh. As we grow in faith and in our knowledge of the truth in God’s Word we can see through the outward appearance of sin and can discern the deceptive way it works. But when we rest on our laurels, fail to study scripture, avoid fellowshipping with other saints and grow weak in prayer, our eyes become clouded and we are at risk of failing to see the true nature of sin. Let us open our eyes wide open and clarify their spiritual sight by submitting consistently to instruction from the Bible and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.”

Psalms 119:1-4

 

There are blessings when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but there are even more blessings that come. Blessings are bestowed upon us as we walk in obedience to our Heavenly Father. When we walk according to the instruction of Holy Scriptures we can walk blameless before our Savior. When we seek God with all our heart we are blessed with all sorts of spiritual manifestations of the fruits of the Spirit. God has been very clear about what we must do to live a godly life and therefore be blessed. We can do no wrong if we follow His ways. Let us be about the business of Christian obedience and let the blessing pour upon our lives.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 19

 

“The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.”

D. L. Moody

 

The world seems to be obsessed about finding happiness, but people forget that happiness will always be transient, that’s its nature. Joy is a deeper, lasting and substantial experience that is grounded in one’s relationship with the Lord as you obey the will of the Lord in your life and walk as Jesus walked which is keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. This explains why a follower of Christ can have joy in the midst of pain, sorrow and tragedy. They have the ever present awareness of God working in their life, strengthening them during trials and as they face adversities.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Let another praise you and not your own mouth.”

Proverbs 27:2

 

When we boast and praise ourselves we become the smallest cheering section for selfishness and the value of such praise is basically worthless. On the other hand, when we let praise and honor come from the mouths of others the veracity and value of such praise is beyond compare.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 20

 

“We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.”

Oswald Chambers

 

When we pray with our focus on our struggles we fail to see the provision God can provide. God is always bigger than our hardships, but we fail to see His power, strength and majesty when we bow to the traumas we face. Our strength comes from our Heaven Father when we focus on Him. Our strength is diminished when we let the storms of life drain us of the spiritual empowerment God gives us through the power of His Holy Spirit.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”

Titus 3:3

 

There are times when we forget who we were before we accepted Christ as our Savior, Lord and Master. This reduces our thankfulness for the gift of salvation and can often allow a spirit of pride to grow within us. A humble reminder of where we were before we were saved from our sins helps us not only appreciate what Jesus Christ saved us from, it also is a benchmark to indicate how much we are growing in Christ and how often we are seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are not to wallow in past condition we were in, but to remember from where we were rescued is helpful to keep us on the straight and narrow and help us relate to those who are still in that state of judgment.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 21

 

“Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.”

Henry Ward Beecher

 

Friends support us, serve us and love us, but they can at times fail us. No one is perfect and it hurts deeper sometimes when a friend fails us. Henry Ward Beecher reminds us here of the necessity of forgiveness and that means burying the faults of our friends. Once buried, faults should remain buried unless they are a constant irritation and then we may need to reevaluate the friendship. We must also remember that we are friends of others and sometimes we fail them as well. Hopefully they bury our faults in their own cemetery. Let us be quick to forgive and quick to befriend others.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified:”

1 Thessalonians 4:3

 

God’s will is that every Christian grow in sanctification, that is, purity and holiness. We cannot accomplish this without the help of our Heavenly Father and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the intercessory prayer of Jesus our Savior. May we do our part by working out our salvation with fear and trembling and let God do His work in us. As we grow in faith and consistent obedience, sanctification naturally follows.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 22

 

“The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.”

John Stott

 

Every Christian is a leader in some fashion or form. Pastors, Elders and Deacons come to mind first, but when you think of it, Fathers and Mothers, Grandfathers and Grandmothers are also Christian leaders. If you keep thinking creatively every Christian is a leader wherever they are, at work, at play and even as a person standing in line. You are a leader because you are a representative of Christ no matter where you are. As leaders, every Christian should lead in love not power as they relate to others. They should show by example their godly behavior. They should be reasonable in discussions not coercive and pushy. You have the power of God wherever you go, but this power and knowledge of God’s Word should be wielded in a humble and tactful manner. Be the leader God wants you to be with a confidence that God can use you as a leader wherever you are in the world and in whatever you are doing.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“EAGERLY PURSUE and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).”

1 Corinthians 14:1

 

Here we are strongly encouraged as Believers to intensely seek to desire and cultivate spiritual gifts, especially the gift of teaching and preaching. Often we fail to seek the gifts the Holy Spirit have given us. God’s Spirit distributes to each Christian the spiritual gifts He deems necessary for the specific ministry of that person in their life. We are challenged here in this verse to cultivate and use our spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts, like plants and flowers must be used, nurtured and developed. God does this through us as we use them, explore them and allow God to develop them in us. While not all of us may have the spiritual gift of teaching and preaching, we should all be able to share the basics of the gospel to bring others to Christ for we are all called to witness in our life and by our words. Those of us who have been given the gift of teaching and preaching should not neglect our attention to it, for we have a responsibility to encourage others in the Word of God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 23

 

“Beauty is but the sensible image of the Infinite. Like truth and justice it lives within us; like virtue and the moral law it is a companion of the soul.” Charles W. H. Bancroft

 

Beauty can be found in us because we were created in the image of God. When we are close to the Lord, truth and justice can be found living within our soul. Christian virtue and the moral laws we abide by emanate from a soul dedicated to Christ Jesus and God’s Word. But while all of us are made in the image of God, when sin entered, it contaminated the human race. When rebellion and fleshly sin is found within a soul and allowed to persist all manner of evil can result. Only a soul cleansed and purged of sin reflects the truest image of our Creator. Let the painting of our soul reflect the love and holiness of our loving Heavenly Father. Let truth and justice be seen in the way we live as a Christian. Let the beauty of the Lord be seen in all we do and say.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

” Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day,”

Genesis 3:8

 

Can you imagine what it would be like to be wandering in a flower garden or a lush green forest and hear the sound of God walking near you? Possibly we can imagine a glimpse of this experience if we meditate on the Lord as we casually walk through a colorful spring flower garden full of blooms and smells. Possibly we might hear the rustle of the wind through the green limbs of trees as we traverse a soft dirt trail overlaid with pine needles and consider that God is heard in the whisper of the wind. But imagine what it would be like to know for sure that the sound of God’s presence was right by your side! What an experience that would be and what a sense we would have of the closeness of our Heavenly Father. One day we will have that sensation as we live eternally with our great God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 24

 

“The best men know that they are very far from what they ought to be; and the very worst think that, if they were a very little better, they should be as good as they need be.”

James Anthony Froude

 

There is always improvement needed in our lives as Christians. We know we are far from where we should be in holiness, obedience, service to others and the holy habit of prayer, but we are also aware that God is patient with us as we grow in faith and obedience. There are others though, who feel they are very satisfied with where they are in living life without Christ and if they were just a wee bit better that would be adequate to be accepted by God. Let us not be discouraged how far we have to go to be Christ-like. Let us do what we can to grow in faith and leave the rest up to the Lord as He works in our lives. Let us warn those who are comfortable in their inadequate view of what God requires for salvation and strongly encourage them to consider accepting Christ as Lord and Savior for wide is the gate to destruction.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

 

“Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’…Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’ Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you “

Isaiah 47:8

 

There is nothing wrong with enjoying, in an godly manner, the pleasures of life as long as they are within righteous boundaries. It is when we love these pleasures that we cross over the line. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul. When we love pleasures of this world we have begun to worship an idol and possibly even ourselves. If we lounge in our own security and claim independence from the Lord we begin to place ourselves on the pedestal of our lives. Isaiah here warns that such a person loving the pleasures of the world instead of God and declaring dependence upon themselves will meet with disaster and calamity. Enjoy the blessings and pleasures that God grants you within godly boundaries, but always remember to love the Lord God with all your heart, mind and soul. Be thankful for what He blesses you with and always remember you are utterly dependent on Him, your loving Heavenly Father for the very breath you breathe.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 25

 

“The Bible never says believe, it says believe on Jesus Christ.”

Howard Hendricks

 

The point that Howard Hendricks is making here is that your faith is only as good as the object of your faith. You can believe with all your heart in something, but if it is not dependable, reliable, trustworthy and established, your belief is deficient. Our salvation rests on Jesus Christ. He has existed forever and took on the form of man so that the debt for sin could be paid for with His death. His resurrection proved that He was reliable, not only in word, but also in deed. This sturdy foundation upon which we believe, Jesus Christ, establishes the validity of our faith in God.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”

Psalms 119:9

 

This verse poses a most significant question and gives a most truthful answer. Hopefully we often ask ourselves, “How can I stay on the path of purity, in my work, in my relationships with others, in how I treat people, in how I respond to God, in how I deal with temptation and in how I spend my recreational time? The answer is to live according to the Word of God. This does not mean just reading it, nor even studying its contents. It does not mean going to church, although that is a good habit to practice. It means we must live what we read. Practice what we study and express it when we fellowship with others. Let us persistently and consistently stay on the path of purity.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 26

 

“It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.”

 Jeremy Taylor

 

All of us will face situations in life that will tempt us to despair, but if we remember our Heavenly Father is omnipotent we will never let despair overwhelm us. Omnipotence is power beyond our imagination. It is greater than the most horrible tornado. It is greater than the most massive earthquake. It is greater than the most powerful tidal wave. Omnipotence is power so great that nothing can compare to it and that is what our Heavenly Father is like. With this kind of God on our side, why would we ever fall into despair? Possibly only because we do not know Him as we should. Let us seek the Lord, so we may know Him intimately and perceive His omnipotence.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

1 Corinthians 9:25

 

The game we compete in is called “life.” We are in the strictest of training for it is based on the Word of God and it is done in the hardest of arenas, the world. We face temptations of all sorts. We endure temptations from the flesh and accusations from the devil. Our body is weak, but our spirit with God’s Spirit is strong. The life of a Christian is tough but the rewards are worth it. Sacrifice to the athlete is a necessary cost for the victory desired and that should be our motto as well. Let us run the race so that we might claim the everlasting crown so that in the end we cast it before our loving Heavenly Father for whom we run.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 27

 

“An inner voice that warns us somebody is looking.”

H.L. Mencken

 

H.L Mencken is speaking of the conscience here. Our inner voice speaks to us when we are doing wrong or have done wrong. It is a conviction based on an innate moral code. Our sensitivity to this code can become callous if we fail to accept Christ as our Savior. It grows more sensitive when we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, read the Bible and seek the Lord. Our inner voice or conscience with the help of the Holy Spirit will warn us when we have or are about to do something wrong. It will remind us that God is always looking and watching…ALWAYS!

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”

1 Timothy 2:8

 

This commandment from the Lord written down by the Apostle Paul is instruction in how we are to worship our Heavenly Father. We worship God when we pray. We praise God when we life up holy hands. But if we attempt these actions while angry at our brother or when we are in the midst of an ungodly dispute with another person, something is wrong. We are to keep short accounts with all people. We are not to let anger persist in our Christian life. We are to seek resolution of a dispute quickly and in a loving manner and with godly wisdom. When anger and disputing is present, we cannot praise and worship our God because our heart is in turmoil, our demeanor is disturbed and our relationship with the Lord is tainted. Let us pray and life up holy hands in praise to God because we are angry towards no one and are in a practice of either avoiding disputes or resolving them in a godly manner.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 28

 

“A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.” Alexander Pope

 

We all make mistakes and those of us who can admit we have misspoken, acted wrong or done something in error are wiser than we were, because hopefully we will learn from the mistake. Those of us who let our pride rule our lives will not own up to our mistakes. We will therefore wound and insult people by our silence and delude ourselves into thinking we are better than we really are. Those of us who humble ourselves before God and others will become better people and better Christians as well. Let us learn from our mistakes and admit them when we commit them. Let us also learn from our mistakes, because if we do not, we are condemned to repeat such errors.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

 

“LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind,”

Jeremiah 20:12

 

Do you realize that God examines the lives of all Christians. He is consistently and persistently evaluating the way we live, but not in an oppressive or invasive way. He has our best interests at heart. He wants us to have joy, contentment, peace and to be strong in our faith. These come as we obey Him and seek to have His Word in our hearts and minds. He examines Christians to monitor their obedience, their thought life and their intentions in all activities. The Holy Spirit lives within each Christian and assists them in living a godly life. He will not force Himself upon us but is there to be a guide and a strength. Because God is omniscient, He also know the hearts and minds of all people, even non-believers. I know we could not handle having the knowledge of what everyone else thought in their hearts and minds, but God can. He can be aware of the love and dedication we have towards Him, but He is also aware of the sinful thoughts of those that rebel against Him. Let us take to heart the concept that God is always aware of every single thought we have because He probes our hearts and minds. Nothing is ever hidden from Him.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 29

 

“A fault, opportunely rebuked, is like a cure timely taken.”

Arthur Chapel

 

We all have faults and it is often hard to accept correction for them, but when the rebuke is done in love and for our best interest it is easier to swallow. Let us not be full of pride and reject such loving confrontations of our imperfections. Such information given to us is a cure for us to be used to better ourselves, improve our behavior and change our course to a better path. Even critical and poorly timed rebukes can be of assistance in helping us improve on our lives, but we may need to have a forgiving spirit in such situations because of the potential irritation we may feel. Let us also be willing to confront others of their faults, but do it with the spirit of Christ in a loving manner looking out for the best interest of the person and attempting to preserve our relationship with them.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Revelation 14:6-7

 

Here in Revelation we see numerous truths proclaimed by one of the three angels mentioned in Revelation 14. The eternal gospel is proclaimed. The gospel we believe, live and tell to others is eternal and forever. That is a prime characteristic of the real truth, it lasts forever and never changes for all eternity. The gospel is summed up here by the words of the angel. We are to fear and respect God. We are to give Him glory for who He is and what He has done. At this time in history the time for judgment has come and those who have accepted Him will be rewarded and those who have rejected Him will receive their punishment. What a glorious experience this will be to hear an angel of the Lord proclaim, “Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Nothing will hold us back when we are encouraged by an angel, a holy heavenly worship leader, to praise our Heavenly Father, our Savior Jesus Christ and the loving Holy Spirit. Let us be anxious for this experience and in the mean time serve our Savior, obey our Father and let the Holy Spirit lead our steps.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 30

 

“A man may lose the good things of this life against his will; but if he loses the eternal blessings, he does so with his own consent.”

Augustine

 

So many times we lose things in this life that are precious to us. Usually this occurs against our will and wishes. We would never wish to lose a spouse or a friend. We would never consent to losing a job or our financial security. But we can lose the blessings of God because we fail to respond to our Heavenly Father in obedience to His Word and therefore give our consent to the loss. Whether it is simple disobedience or outright rebellion, we give our consent when we would rather be independent and live our life according to our own desire and will. Let us avoid losing the blessing God so lovingly wishes to bestow upon us by consenting to His will, not our own.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.”

1 Samuel 3:19

 

This is a strange expression in this verse until you begin to think about it. Our words fall to the ground and are lost when they are devoid of truth, meaning and ministry. Samuel was chosen by God, used by God and loved by God. Samuel loved his Heavenly Father, sought His counsel and submitted to His will. That is the key to having none of your words fall to the ground. If you seek the Lord, love Him with all your heart, mind and soul, your words will never fall to the ground. They will be grasped by the ears of others and pondered. They will be grabbed by the hearts of others and cherished. They will be accepted by the mind of others and applied. Let all our words never fall useless to the ground because we are so close to our loving Lord.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

March 31

 

“My conscience is captive to the Word of God.”

Martin Luther

 

Our conscience is imperfect without the moderating holy influence of the Word of God. Our conscience can be bad and fail to convict us of sin. Our conscience can be limiting and cause us not to do things we really should. Our conscience left on its own will be stimulated and motivated by our flesh and imperfections. But our conscience transformed by the pure truth of God’s Word will be refined and purified so that it functions with righteous efficiency. When our conscience is taken captive by the Word of God it is in sync with the Holy Spirit that lives within us as Christians. What a gift to be able to offer non-believers, a transformed life, soul, heart and conscience through the saving blood of Jesus Christ that purifies us from all sin.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

 

We draw our spiritual sustenance from the Lord Jesus Christ. We are branches that draw our nourishment from the central vine of the Son of God. If we remain in fellowship with the Lord, He remains in us. Out of this intimate stimulating relationship spiritual fruit is produced. This fruit is manifested in the form of the fruits of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Other fruit is the fruit of new-believers that come to faith by our witness and the ministry we perform as we serve those in need. When you consider dependence that we must have on our Lord Jesus, we are totally dependent upon Him to accomplish anything in life. Let us rest in His power, providence and purity and go about the business of living for Him.

Michael K. Farrar, O.D.