JANUARY DAILY DEVOTIONS
DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
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.
JANUARY 1
“Hope itself is like a star- not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. “
Charles Spurgeon
This is a quote that gives such an accurate and beautiful picture of hope in our lives. When things are going our way and the blessings of God are shining down upon us our hope in the Lord blends with our faith and is so established as a reality that we sometimes fail to notice or perceive it in our thoughts as something distinguishable from our experience. But when trials, hardships and struggles appear on the scene, hope in the Lord is sometimes the only thing that we can lock our spiritual eyes on. The darkness of tribulations and the blackness of suffering can sometimes be overwhelming unless we perceive the bright hope of the Lord in our life. The contrast between this godly hope and our difficult situation is a stark one and this hope keeps us faithful as we trust in our loving Heavenly Father.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?”
Galatians 3:5
God desires us to observe the law and the precepts in His Word, but without belief in these precepts and truths and a commitment to loving our Lord there is a lack of fellowship and power in our lives. Anyone can observe the law or obey scripture outwardly. Spiritual belief resides in the heart, mind and soul and this is what is most valuable to our Lord. Outward obedience can be a manifestation of an inward commitment, but not always. Our inner dedication to our Heavenly Father should result in an outward observance of the law. Let us not fool ourselves or others with outward observance of laws and rules if we have not first believed wholeheartedly in our inner being with what God has said in His Word.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 2
“Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.”
Saint Augustine
God grants us abundance in life even when we feel that we do not have enough. This abundant supply might be in love given us, material possessions, spiritual strength, courage, faith or a plethora of other provisions. We always have more than we need, the skill is recognizing this and how we can give the surplus to others. Possibly the reason we do not realize we have abundance for what we need is we have difficulty in understanding what a need and a want is. God grant us the ability to discern this difference and give out of our abundance.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4:13
Peter and John were as most of us are, unschooled and ordinary. This short verse implies the amazing things God can accomplish if unschooled and ordinary people seek to serve God and depend on the Lord, His Word and prayer. Peter and John simply relied upon the Lord and through this strength and faith were able to astonish people because God was working through them. This truth should encourage all of us who think we are insignificant to have a change of heart and mind and accept the fact that we are significant because we know the Creator of the Universe on a personal level, we know and serve Jesus Christ as our Savior and the Holy Spirit lives within us who empowers us to do amazing things.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 3
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”
Martin Luther
This is godly optimism, to be so faithful in the Lord that despite whatever the future might hold, even the worst we could dream of, that faith to continue remains steadfast. This optimism is not foolish, it is based on the truth that God is always in control and the end is according to His will. Our task is to keep on going and live with a mature faith in our Heavenly Father. This optimism is not a waste of time, for we must continue to live the truth, minister to those in need and go about the business of living as a servant of the Lord till the last minute and second we draw breath. The world is going to pieces…let us plant some apple trees tomorrow!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Colossians 4:6
We find ourselves in awkward situations at times, not knowing how to reply to people, confront them with some issue or respond to their words of criticism or judgment. But Colossians instructs us that we can speak as we live and handle any situation. If our lives are full of grace because we are close to the Lord and seasoned with salt because we live by the Word of the Lord we will be able to answer and converse with anyone because of the love, truth, wisdom and tact that comes from being discipled by God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 4
“In all your studies, you must be careful that they are not for your amusement, but for the service of the church of Christ. Those who seek in scholarship nothing more than an honored occupation with which to beguile the tedium of idleness I would compare with those who pass their lives looking at paintings”
John Calvin
John Calvin makes a very critical point in this quotation. We can at times find ourselves studying the Bible for only our own enjoyment. While reading, meditating and studying scripture is commendable, if that is all that comes from it we have failed in perceiving one major purpose of God’s Word. We are to study the Word to grow in knowledge so we can teach others. We are to meditate on the Word so that we can grow in faith and minister to others. We are to study to better handle the “Sword of the Spirit” so we can defend those who are being led astray by false teachers. Studying Holy Scripture is not an end it itself, it is a means by which we can serve our Lord and Savior by ministering to others, helping Him build His church and spread the gospel to all nations. Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”
Titus 3:1-2
Titus was discipled by Paul and here we see Paul instructing Titus in what he should teach those under his leadership. Paul’s instruction to Titus applies to us as well. We must remember that part of God’s will for our lives is to be subject to those who rule over us, this means the President, Senators and other Representatives in the government. It does not mean we do not speak out and exercise our right to vote, but we should, as Believers, obey the laws of the land. Further instruction here tells us that we must be ever ready to do good, speak ill of no one, spread no gossip, to be peaceable with others, even those who are difficult, to be considerate of the wishes and needs of others and always, and this means ALWAYS, be gentle towards everyone, even our enemies. This does not mean we are to be doormats to be abused and walked upon, but it does mean we respond with mature courageous gentleness in our relationships.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 5
“The first duty of love is to listen.”
Paul Tillich
Often we seek to love others in ways that are easiest for us. While this demonstrates love at times and sometimes appropriately, often we miss the mark in demonstrating our love because we are not offering what people need most and many times this is someone to listen. A listening ear in times of pain and suffering does wonders for the soul of the person in torment. A listening ear does just that, it listens, not interrupting what is shared, it just listens intently and compassionately. A listening ear is interested and attentive, not enduring what is spoken or wandering in thought as feelings are shared, but concentrating on every syllable of concern discerned in the words that pour forth from the mouth of someone desperately needing someone to listen. A listening ear comes naturally to some but often has to be trained in most of us. Let us seek to train ourselves to have listening ears that demonstrate love, concern, compassion, empathy and respect.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,”
2 Corinthians 1:1
Paul opened many of his letters to early Christians with his qualifications as an apostle and servant of Christ. Here we see him expressing this and he substantiates this by stating, “by the will of God.” Have you ever thought that even though you are not an apostle, it was God’s will that you became a Christian and there is a certain degree of authority that goes along with this identification? You are a child of the King and adopted into His holy family. You are a member of the royal priesthood and can minister to others and pray for them. You are a student of the Word and are qualified to share the gospel and serve those in need. You have a holy calling and this is verified by the fact that you became a Christian “by the will of God.” So seek to live each day, fulfilling your title of “Christian” by living according to the model of Jesus, sharing the gospel and encouraging the saints.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 6
“Grace, like water, flows to the lowest part.”
Philip Yancey
We all receive God’s gift of grace when we accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior. We live under this grace continually, but there are numerous times in our life when we need this grace dramatically. Sometimes we sin and disobey, and when we repent we once again experience God’s grace flowing upon us in His forgiveness. Sometimes we suffer pain, hardship or heartbreak and again God’s healing grace can pour over us to mend our breaking heart, comfort our broken body or heal any wounds of the soul. No matter how far we fall or are thrown into the depths of despair and pain, God’s grace flows to us. When we hit bottom, God’s grace is there to life us up and restore us. Praise God for His marvelous grace!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.”
1 John 1:6
It is easy to claim to know Jesus Christ, but what does the word “know” mean when we say it. To “know” Christ in the Biblical sense means we believe in His saving work, adhering to His teachings and committing ourselves to a holy life. When we say we know Him and have fellowship with Him but continue to lead a life that is full of darkness and sin we are proven to be a liar. We are not practicing the truth if we simply utter the words “I have fellowship with Jesus.” These words must be proven by how we think and live. Our thought life and our behavior is the “proof in the pudding” as to whether what we say is true or not. Let’s back up what we say by how we live, knowing that we live righteous holy lives by relying upon the strength and power provided by our Heavenly Father.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 7
“Christians … love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life. They are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.”
Letter to Diognetus, A.D. 80 – 200
This is an amazing testimony in this ancient letter testifying to the witness of early Christians. I suggest all of us who claim to love the Lord and walk as He walked read this letter intently and compare this witness with our own. In areas we may be lacking we should ask God for strength and power to walk worthy of our calling. In areas where we are similar or excel, let us give glory to God for empowering us to walk according to the witness of these first century Christians who modeled their lives intimately with our Savior.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Like obedient children, do not comply with evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who call you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, because I am holy.’”
1 Peter 1:14-16
We are children of the King and being adopted into the family of God we should be obedient in all areas of our lives. We all had evil urges that we fulfilled and entertained in our former non-Christian life but we were ignorant and unaware of this fact in many areas. Once we accept Christ as Savior we are a new creation and have the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth and holy living. Let us strive to be holy in our lives as commanded here as our Heavenly Father is holy. Children model their lives after their parents and spiritually we should do the same, living our lives with the Lord’s help seeking to be holy as He is holy.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 8
“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.
JANUARY 9
“A man is what he is on his knees before God, and nothing more.”
Robert Murray M’Cheyne
Mr. M’Cheyne boils down our importance and significance to a crystallized truth. When we come before our Lord and bare our heart, the heart God already knows to the deepest degree, we are the most and the least we can ever be before Him. Titles, riches, popularity, not anything matters, except who we are in our heart, mind and soul before our Lord. The man, or woman, we are before our Lord is what matters most to our Heavenly Father and this should matter most to us as well. We can strive for recognition in this life or financial success and even a well-known reputation but who we are on our knees before our Lord in worship and prayer is what true eternal reality is in the great scheme of things. Have you considered who you are before the Lord in prayer? Meditate on that and talk to the Lord about it.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”
Philippians 2:3
Oh such a short verse yet so hard to live by each moment of the day. Yes, we can obey this scripture at times when we are motivated to do so, when we are dealing with friends we care about, when we are in a good mood and well. But can we do this w when we are distracted by things we want to do or accomplish, when we are busy, when we are dealing with people that are difficult to deal with, when we are ill or in a bad mood? This verse spells out when we should behave in this manner by the words, “do nothing,” that means never. It also instructs us how to accomplish this with the words, “in humility.” When we lay our lives before our Heavenly Father in all humility and let His power and strength fill us, we are then able to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” We die to self and value others above ourselves. That is the mark of a true Christian.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 10
“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and he never did me any injury; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior.”
Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John, and Bishop of Smyrna
These words were uttered by Polycarp when asked to renounce his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Because he would not deny Jesus as Lord he was burned at the stake. It is said that the flames built to kill him refused to burn him, and that when he was stabbed to death, so much blood issued from his body that it quenched the flames around him. It is rare, if ever in America, that we are called upon to witness in such a fashion, but we have the constant opportunity to denounce our Savior by unholy living, disobeying His Word and compromising our faith. May we seek to submit to our Lord and humbly serve Him by relying upon power and strength from God to live a holy life, obey the Word and live out our faith. We must also pray for the Christian martyrs in other countries and nations that put their lives at risk every moment of every day because they live under persecution for their faith. People still die because they follow the example of Polycarp.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”
Ephesians 6:10
Often we attempt to be “strong in ourselves” and stumble. We can be strong in ourselves in our intellect, our own wisdom, our judgment or our compassion. If we are strong in the Lord we live by the Word that gives us great discernment in intelligently judging situations. Scripture also gives us wisdom for living godly lives and ministering to others. The Holy Bible improves our judgment of how to deal with the struggles of life and live in our personal relationships properly. God’s Word also gives us great humility and compassion as we take its instruction to heart. God empowers us with His Holy Spirit to make His Living Word evident in our lives as we submit to Him. Our Heavenly Father will mold and form our own intellect, wisdom, judgment and compassion into that of His own. May we seek to be strong in the Lord and His mighty power!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 11
“Let me remark that being “led by the Spirit of God” is a remarkable expression. It does not say, “As many as are driven by the Spirit of God.” No, the devil is a driver, and when he enters either into men or into hogs he drives them furiously.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
What a beautiful and insightful perception Charles Spurgeon has here. We are led by the Spirit like a farmer leads his cow to pasture, as a young boy leads his puppy to play on the noonday lawn, as a woman leads her children to the dinner table to obtain nourishment, as a man leads comrades into battle. The Holy Spirit does not push, drive, coerce and badger us. He gently leads us and encourages us to live the life of a servant of God. He will convict us of sin and lead us to a more holy obedient Christian life if we allow Him. What a wise and loving Heavenly Father we have who places the Holy Spirit within us at conversion to lead us in godly living. We are not driven by a whip or club, but by the strong and loving guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.”
Galatians 4:17
Here Paul is warning of the tenacious pull that worldly individuals can have over us at times. Many times close friends sometimes without knowing it and sometimes on purpose will attempt to drag us into habits and lifestyles that are not only bad for us but also our spiritual well-being. They can be persistent and persuasive in their arguments but their behaviors and interests are not good for them or us. If we succumb to their temptation and distraction we can be not only alienated from other Believers we can be alienated from God Himself. We transform from being god-believing truth-honoring, truth-centered men and women to individuals having a zeal for the things of this world and the promoters of a worldly lifestyle. Let us heed Paul’s warning for the Christians in Galatia for this warning is just as valid for us today.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 12
”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.
JANUARY 13
“Maturity starts with the willingness to give oneself.”
Elizabeth Elliot
A truly mature individual has outgrown the selfish tendency to require the world to revolve around them. They see life with eyes of compassion and desire to give to others rather than themselves. They realize that there are needs much more important than their own and that there is pleasure and fulfillment in serving others. This self-sacrificial attitude was perfectly exhibited in Jesus Christ and those who really know Him as their Savior model His behavior. May we as Christians demonstrate this holy attitude of maturity as we come in contact with people in our lives, be they relatives, friends, church acquaintances or even strangers. This spiritual maturity expressed, will bring joy to those we minister to and bring glory and honor to our Heavenly Father.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2
This is a tough verse at times. It is easy to pray for those we love and care about. It is not even hard to pray for those we don’t know, but who are suffering or undergoing trials. But to pray for those that irritate and annoy us is another matter. But we are called to pray here in 1 Timothy for “all people.” We are even called to pray for our leaders, be they in local, state or national government positions. Often these elected officials seem to be one of the very hardest people to pray for, but we must do this as instructed by this verse. This assures that we truly understand that God calls us to submit to them and that we trust that God will answer our prayers and not only protect these representatives, but also give them guidance in how to govern. Let us not shirk from our godly duty of praying for “all people.”
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 14
“Just pray for a tough hide and a tender heart.”
Ruth Graham
Many times this is about all you can pray for when dealing with all that life throws at you. Trials, hardships and struggles strive to turn your heart bitter, your mind dull and your spirit resentful, but if we rely upon the Lord and pray that he gives us a tender heart we will not become hardened from the inside out. I don’t think Ruth Graham is implying that a tough hide would help us be insensitive to what we have to learn in life nor callous to people we know and love. I believe she is trying to say that we can endure the storms of life in an enduring way through the strength of God and still retain tenderness towards God, people and even difficult circumstances. May God grant us the wisdom to know how to be tough in bad situations yet retain a tenderness of spirit.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Colossians 3:2
We live in the world and are surrounded by all sorts of sordid and unclean things. These attempt to draw us into the base things of the world. But we are also surrounded by things of this world that can also distract us from the more important things of life, especially living for Christ. Earthly things are not always evil in themselves, but anything can be a distraction and possibly a temptation if we obsess about it or allow it to rule over our heart, mind and soul. This scripture is directing us to set our minds on things above, to focus on the heavenly, to commit and to dedicate the most important aspects of our abilities and energies to serving our Lord. May we discern with godly wisdom how to avoid setting our minds on the base things of the world and also the common things of this world. Let us be heavenly minded.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 15
“Prayer does not mean that I am to bring God down to my thoughts and my purposes, and bend his government according to my foolish, silly, and sometimes sinful notions. Prayer means that I am to be raised up into feeling, into union and design with him; that I am to enter into his counsel and carry out his purpose fully….”
D. L. Moody
I wonder how many of us when we pray fail to consider how much we are asking for our will rather than God’s will. Are we praying for our needs and desires but only in accordance with the will of God? God wants to hear our petitions and requests, but I’m sure He would love to have them sprinkled with a heartfelt submission to what He would think best and in the timing of His choosing.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
”You were running a good race.”
Galatians 5:7
Ouch! That must have hurt to hear. Has anyone ever pulled you aside and called into question your Christian walk. I mean a situation where you knew you were not doing what you should be doing. You had either slowed down in your Christian race or stopped altogether. As a Christian we must run the race that God has set before us. So pick up those feet and walk the talk, no, I think I’ll say RUN!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 16
“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.”
One thing is assured in life, we will always be questions. These questions are as numerous as there are grains of sand on a beach. Sometimes we receive answers but most of the hard questions seem to elude us. Elisabeth Elliot tells us that our Christian faith may not always eliminate these questions but it can tell us where to take them, directly to the Lord in prayer. Even on our knees with head bowed God may not always answer these questions when we desire, but our faith enables us to trust Him with our questions. To trust God with our questions means we lay them at His feet and ask for Him to grant us the patience to wait for His godly answer whenever it may come.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”
Romans 8:5
This verse summarizes the two basic lifestyle choices we have as Christians. We can live according to our old sin nature, the flesh or we can choose to live according to the new nature that we have in Christ. Our calling as Christians is to live by what the Holy Spirit desires when is godly, pure, holy and righteous. There is no greater enjoyment and fulfillment in life than to live by what the Spirit desires and there is no greater bondage and oppression than to live by the flesh. Let us let the truth set us free by living by the desires of the Spirit.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 17
“God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.”
D. L. Moody
D.L. Moody has a way of stating the truth sometimes in a very blunt manner. His point here is that God welcomes anyone with open arms, but He has no time for egotistical selfish me-centered individuals. He welcomes a broken spirit, a humble request for assistance, a meek and mild petition for help, a contrite heart and an honest question to clear up an unclear mind. Those who come full of themselves with a selfish agenda, a demanding demeanor, a cold heart and proud spirit will not find an audience with the Lord. He will attempt to work in this person’s life in numerous ways to soften their heart, convict their mind and draw them to Himself, but if they continue to be full of themselves He will not strive with them forever.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.”
1 John 2:3
The proof is in the pudding as well as in our obedience. If we really know Christ as Savior and Lord we will live according to God’s Word. In other words, when our lifestyle is in line with the Holy Scriptures it is evidence that we have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is living the Christian life, “inside out.” Our inside commitment is manifested outwardly in our actions and behaviors. This is not to be confused with trying to live a Christian life “outside in.” Outward observances of the Word, good deeds and works do not save us internally, only a commitment of our heart, mind and soul to the work of Christ on the cross does that.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 18
“True intimacy with God always brings humility.”
Beth Moore
When we come before the Lord in prayer or in reading His Word you can’t help but be humbled if you are experiencing His presence. In prayer you are awed by how attentive He is to the words you speak or think. You never doubt that He hears everything you say and understands what it means to you. You are humbled because in this busy world your Heavenly Father, who oversees the operation of the entire Universe, has the time to listen as if you were the only person on earth. When you read His Word, you are humbled by how it describes His character and the complexity of His being. You are humbled by how He has written it through the use of His servants. His Word cuts through everything and speaks to your heart, mind and soul. In the intimate times of prayer and study of the Living Word humility is a common experience. Praise God that He desires to be intimate with us and may we look forward to Heaven where our intimacy will be even more humbling.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”
1 Corinthians 4:20
Many people can talk a good talk, but God is more than talk. He backs up everything He says with divine power. His divine power can change the hearts of men. It can intervene in the lives of people dramatically. It can heal the sick. It can restore broken relationships. It can convert the souls of sinners and make them saints. His power is not a bunch of hot air or an empty shell. God’s power is great and magnificent. It radiates from His character and purity. This power He makes available to us, His children, to live holy lives and to help build His Kingdom. Never may we say that God just talks, and never takes action. He backs up everything He says in His Word with His power above all other powers.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 19
“The Lord showed me, so that I did see clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men had commanded and set up, but in people’s hearts… his people were his temple, and he dwelt in them.”
George Fox
This personal revelation is in line with Holy Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19 we are told the Holy Spirit resides in our bodies that are temples of God. Many people are confused about this concept. People think God lives in structures built by man and we must go to church to worship Him and fellowship with Him, when in reality God lives in us in the form of the Holy Spirit and we can worship Him any moment of the day. This truth from God’s Word means we are always in the presence of God so care must be taken where we go, what we allow our eyes to see and what we lend our ears to hear.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
Isaiah 9:2
This is a prophecy of the Light of the World that was yet to come, Jesus Christ. It is very descriptive of the truth that before accepting Christ we walk in darkness. But much like a moth attracted to a bright lantern, when we see the love of God manifested in the life, sacrifice and resurrection of Christ we are drawn to this love, compassion and grace. When Christ was born a bright light dawned and the hope for all of mankind was made available to all. May those still walking in darkness see the light so that they too can share in what we have in Christ as well.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 20
“Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.”
D. L. Moody
We are in regular need of spiritual food and this we find when we study and feed on Holy Scripture, but we are also in need of regular spiritual fellowship and this we find in church. But there are other numerous benefits from attending church in addition to fellowship. Here we can feed on the food of sermons based on the Living Word. We can express worship to our Heavenly Father. We can serve others and be served by others. We can hold others accountable for their walk in the Christian life and we can also be accountable to others for our walk as well. We can express the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon us and benefit from their expression towards us by our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us not shrink from finding a local fellowship and regularly attending so that we may grow in spiritual maturity as we help build the Kingdom of the Lord.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8
When we contemplate our Heavenly Father we are overwhelmed by His complex nature, His holy character, His eternal existence and His persistent penetrating love. He has always existed and has no beginning or end. It is equally amazing that such a limitless being would seek to have a relationship with any one of us and that He would feel compelled to allow His only Son to die for us so that this relationship could be made possible. When you meditate on this truth, you can’t help but pray a prayer of thanksgiving and worship Him in thought and deed.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 21
“Prayer is essentially a partnership of the redeemed child of God working hand in hand with God toward the realization of His redemptive purposes on earth.”
Jack Hayford
Sometimes we think that prayer is a one way street. We pray to God and hope He hears us. But we must trust that God always hears our prayers because He is attentive, compassionate and loving and is very interested in all that we have to say in our prayers. He knows each word we pray and in concerned about what we pray about because, as Jack Hayford states here, we are in partnership with God to redeem the earth. Redemption of the earth involves not only saving the souls of men, but of also asking for strength to deal with struggles and trials in a godly manner, petitioning the Lord for strength to influence society for good and imploring Him to heal and mend physical ailments and broken hearts. We are in a partnership with God to minister to those in need, overcome the difficulties we face and reach out to lost souls. It is a privilege and honor to know we are on God’s ministry team.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Romans 5:5
What a blessing to know that God in His mercy and grace has given us eternal life and saved us from our sins, but in addition to that, He has given us the Holy Spirit and poured out His love upon our hearts. Let us receive these generous gifts from Heaven and experience the fact that we will never be disappointed in the hope our Heavenly Father has so generously given us. This hope is established, stable, eternal, sure, steadfast and consistent. What a blessing!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 22
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”
Saint Augustine
Faith in our Heavenly Father is hard for us as created beings at times because we are so used to trusting what we see and hear before we believe and have faith. Christian faith is not relying upon our senses, our own reasoning or our emotions to believe. It requires trusting in our Lord and His Word because both are reliable, trustworthy, dependable and sufficient for all faith to be placed in them. Once we step out and have the smallest faith, God will reward that faith at times where we see, hear or experience a validation of our faith. But there are other times when He will either delay verification of our faith or may postpone the reward for our faith for His divine purposes. This again, is part of faith, having the patience and trust to wait for God’s timing in having our faith validated. Faith grows through the reward of seeing what we believe, but also through the patience of waiting for what we hope to see.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalms 37:4
This is not a verse that gives us a blank check to acquire anything we might want as long as we take delight in the Lord. The key phrase is “take delight in the Lord.” Truly delighting in the Lord means we love Him and who He is. We desire to worship Him with all our being. We place Him first in our lives and want what He wants for us. We love reading and meditating on His Word and have a passion for obeying what we read and learn. We seek to tell others of His grace and mercy and help the Lord build His Kingdom on this earth. When we “delight in the Lord” our desires will be His desires and He will give us what we wish for in our hearts. Let us seek to delight in the Lord and see how He transforms our selfish desires into His desires. Then we will receive the blessings of the desires of our heart.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 23
“Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.”
St. Francis of Assisi
It is true that one of the gifts God grants us when we give ourselves to Him as we accept His Son as our Lord and Savior is the ability and power to overcome ourselves. God accepts us in His grace as we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way. He gives us His Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sin and guides us in the process of becoming holy, as He is holy. We could never do this on our own, even though we mistakenly attempt this at times. We must realize that overcoming ourselves can only be done in the power of His Spirit and with the guidance of His Word.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
John 14:2
It is sometimes difficult to imagine that God has prepared a “place,” a most glorious “place” for us to reside when we arrive in Heaven. Can you imagine what this “place” must be like? I doubt any of us can. This “place” is being designed, constructed, decorated and laid out specifically for you and me by the all-powerful, omniscient, wise, loving and gracious Creator of the Universe. We are overwhelmed by God’s mercy and grace to grant us eternal life. We constantly are blessed by His patience and love towards us in this life on the earth. But to contemplate that He is also preparing a “place” for us to live for eternity is beyond comprehension. What a GREAT God we have!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 24
” When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart.”
John Bunyan
What John Bunyan is addressing here is the situation when we pray without our heart behind our words. It’s when we feel we can impress others or God with the words in our prayer. It’s when there is a disconnect between our heart and what we are praying. It’s when our heart is far from the Lord and our relationship with Him and more on ourselves and our concerns for our life. Having a heart for the Lord is the basic necessity when we come to prayer. We may not even be able to express what is in our heart and those are the times we can remain silent, letting God minister to us and letting the Holy Spirit intercede. Let us be more concerned with opening our heart to God in our prayers rather than how we say what we wish to communicated. God knows not just our hearts but our thoughts and prayers can take place without a word spoken. This is the blessed intimacy we have with our Heavenly Father as a Christian if we lay our hearts before Him. We must understand we can’t hide our hearts from Him, but as we willingly lay them in His loving hands, it does us a ton of good.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“ For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:12
I can’t imagine what it would be like in my life if the Lord had not died for my sins. It is a horrible thought if the Lord had not done this for all of mankind. Can you imagine what the world would be like if there were no Christians at all on the planet. No Christian is perfect and sometimes Christians do horrible things in the name of the Lord, but to have no godly influence in the world that God works through would make the world an even more evil place than it is already. Because we have been so blessed to be saved from our sins, we should be convicted and motivated by a appreciative love for the Lord to live as we are called, minister to those in need and share the gospel with others.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 25
“You’re born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there’s a loophole.”
Billy Graham
Funny but true. God has provided a loophole from the predicament in which we live. For the atheist there is no loophole because they do not believe in God or His plan for salvation. For those that seek the Lord the loophole is God’s gracious mercy which provides a Savior for us in His Son Jesus Christ. It’s a loophole that we can only enter through Jesus Christ. Through this loophole we are given eternal life that begins here on this earth. We experience forgiveness of sins, joy unspeakable and the blessings of worshiping and serving the Lord. We also have the privilege of helping others find the loophole. May we go about the business or proclaiming the “loophole” God has made possible.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.”
Proverbs 28:5
Those who rebel against the Lord have no idea what is morally correct at times. They continue to walk a path blindly bruising themselves and others. They often feel that they have a life “made in heaven” but it is temporary and fleeting. Those who seek the Lord are aware of right and wrong and strive to obey their Lord and Master Jesus Christ. From this obedience comes a path straight and narrow that is full of protection, joy and fulfillment. Discernment of right and wrong matures and grows as one seeks the Lord. Blessings flow upon them, not always in material possessions, but in eternal and more invaluable ways. Theirs is a life of true meaning and full of truth. Let us seek to help those who don’t know the Lord come to understand what is right in His will.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 26
“Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.”
Fanny Crosby (Author of over 8,000 hymns though blind from birth)
Things have a tendency to break in our life and we can take them awfully hard at times. Health is often unstable, finances elude us, relationships sometimes fail and we often feel broken and damaged from such experiences. We may experience intensive hurt, overwhelming depression, stabbing fear or just some very deep blues, but Fanny Crosby here gives us hope that comes from the truth of God’s Word. As long as we have the Lord in our life we can overcome and our “chords” of who we are in Christ, will “vibrate” once more. The Lord never gives up on us and neither should we. He never abandons us and we should not abandon ourselves either. He offers us hope and we need to receive it as a blessing from our Heavenly Father. Never, Never Give Up! The Lord will give you strength and a loving arm to lean on be it His or that of a close friend.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.”
Psalms 7:14
What a warning this is for us who believe and especially for those who do not. Evil sin can take over our lives and permeate all nooks and crannies of our existence. It’s deceptive and illusive at first, but once we entertain and nourish it, trouble is conceived and an evil growth begins. If left unchecked and unconfessed it will give birth not only to disillusionment, but also all sorts of perversities, troubles and strife.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 27
“We shall not be able to adore God on the highest of occasions if we have learned no habit of doing so on the lowest…Joy is the serious business of heaven.”
C.S. Lewis
It is easy to adore and praise God when things are good and going our way. We feel naturally thankful and pleasant about worshipping Him in these moments. It is in the lowest of situations when things are difficult and hard that our faith is tested and our worship is proven as true. To worship our Heavenly Father in the hard moments of life proves to Him, and us, that we truly are a servant dedicated to His will. We don’t praise and worship Him because He allows difficulties to come into our lives, but we celebrate His lordship over our lives despite the hardships. There is something about worshipping the Lord during a tremendous storm of life that humbles your soul and draws you ever closer to His divine character. May we worship the Lord in the good times and bad and let it be truthfully from the depths of our soul.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“The Lord reigns.”
1 Chronicles 16:31
This short three word sentence is a most powerful statement. In the mess of the world today we might call into question whether God really reigns or not, but He really does. He reigns despite whether we can make sense of life and why evil is allowed to persist. He reigns because in His grace He is waiting to carry out His will in the future as He waits for His will to be done in the present. His will is perfect and His reign is complete. There is nothing that happens that does not fall under His powerful ability to reign over all of creation. He reigns over the just and the unjust, the righteous and the unrighteous. He reigns over all nations and all people. His Word and will is final and cannot be contested. God has reigned, is reigning and will forever reign as Lord and King over all. May we bow down in humble worship and praise of He who reigns!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 28
“Love is that ardent desire continually nourished by devout hope, which inspires the constant practice of goodness in the expectation of the divine presence.”
Jean-Pierre De Caussade
The godly hope we have in the Lord nourishes the love we have for Him and others. This hope, if nurtured and cultivated in ones life through Bible study, prayer and obedience will inspire a lifestyle consistent with holiness and goodness. This life lived will be filled with an expectation of God’s presence in it. May we all seek to be nourished by the hope we have in the Lord so that it will affect our thought life as well as our behavior and thus we will not only expect, but also experience God’s divine presence in our lives.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
This verse is rather simple yet so profound. It tells us that there was a beginning to creation and that God existed before our world’s creation. It states that in His wisdom and power as well with His extreme creativity He made all that exists, both on the earth and in the heavens. It tells us that He is God and we are not. He creates life and matter and no other being can make this claim. It is a concise statement that communicates all we really need to know is that God has the capability of creating massive and complex things. It implies that He also manages and holds these creations in His hands and they operate in harmony due to His oversight and ability. Science, from a human’s perspective, needs to be grounded on this one simple verse otherwise it will walk down all sorts of shadowy paths that are full of bad assumptions and horrible moral choices.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 29
“We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.”
Oswald Chambers
I wonder how much we are missing when we only pray for things for ourselves. God does want us to ask in prayer for ourselves, but prayer is so much more than this. It involves worshipping God. It is a place to experience His peace. It is for petitioning God for the needs of others and asking Him to intervene in their lives. It is to listen for what God wants to say to us. It is a time to meditate on His word and recite it to Him with a commitment to obey it. It is a time to draw close to Him and know that He is God.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8
What an overwhelming and powerful word choice to humble us in this verse. The Lord God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. Everything comes from Him and all things end with Him. He has always existed and always will and this is encompassed in the words, “who is, and who was, and who is to come.” The “who is to come” is especially encouraging because it communicates to us that the Lord will return to claim His own and establish His Kingdom. May we memorize these words and remember them. I believe if we meditated on these words and repeated them each day we very likely would live differently because we would remind ourselves why we exist and the purpose we are here on this earth.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 30
“To confess your sins to God is not to tell him anything he doesn’t already know. Until you confess them, however, they are the abyss between you. When you confess them, they become the Golden Gate bridge.”
Frederick Buechner
God knows all that we do and think. It is correct that we tell God nothing new when we confess our sins, but when we confess we draw close to God and repent of our wrongdoing. It is so comforting to know He is always willing to hear our prayers of confession and that we will always be received with love and forgiveness. The imagery of Frederick Buechner’s analogy to the Golden Gate Bridge is very descriptive. When we confess our faults and short-comings we open up the gates to fellowship with our Heavenly Father and the path to a closer relationship with our Savior. May we keep short accounts of our failings and faults so that we might abide in Him continually.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.”
1 Timothy 2:1
Are we selective at times in who we pray for? I wonder if we need to expand our prayer lists to include those individuals we have disagreements with, those irregular people that are difficult for us to love, and those individuals who make us mad and always seem to anger us. I wonder if possibly we are the real problem at times. This verse commands us to pray for ALL people, not just those we get along with, those we love and those whom we consider precious. Let’s pray for everyone, no matter what, and if we must confess our own sins before we can do this, so much the better.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
JANUARY 31
“Here lies the tremendous mystery – that God should be all-powerful, yet refuse to coerce. He summons us to cooperation. We are honored in being given the opportunity to participate in his good deeds. Remember how He asked for help in performing his miracles: Fill the water pots, stretch out your hand, distribute the loaves.”
Elisabeth Elliot
This is amazing. God has power to do anything He wishes to do, but in His power He asks us to serve Him. He asks us to be His hands and feet to serve others. He asks us to worship Him. He asks us to accept His Son. We have a free choice to reject His wishes, but if we do so we miss out on a blessing and if we reject His request for us to accept His son we suffer the consequences. What a magnificent God who asks us in love rather than coerces us with His all-mighty power.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 8:1
It brings great comfort that we do not live under the heavy hand of a vengeful God. When we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord we have moved from under the judgment of God to under the shadow of His wings. We no longer belong to the Evil One but are a precious possession of our Heavenly Father. We no longer are cursed to live in bondage to sin, but now are able to live a life of godly righteousness. May we live obedient lives as Believers because we realize that we are no longer under the condemnation of our sin, but under the forgiveness of our sins made possible by the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Let us show our love through our obedience and service.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.