DAY 274 Read John 5; Luke 4:14-30; Matthew 4:12-22; Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11.
Today's reading: Christ's early ministry in Judea ends as He begins a year of work in Galilee. "He came unto his own, and his own [people] received him not" (John 1:11).
Memory gem: "He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" (Isaiah 61:1).
Thought for today:
On the Sabbath morning in the Nazareth synagogue, our Saviour read from the prophet Isaiah and applied the prophecy to Himself. He was opening the prison to set people free.
Do you believe that? Why shouldn't we believe it? If that scripture is true and Jesus told the truth--and He did, for He is the truth--on that very Sabbath day in old Nazareth the prison doors were flung open, and the spirits in prison came out free men (see 1 Peter 3:18, 20). That's the prison Jesus was talking about--the prison house of sin.
He was opening the doors that Sabbath day, not somewhere inside the earth to disembodied souls or spirits, but to people with the chains of sin clanging about them, people whose lives were fettered with evil, people like us, conscience-smitten, who knew the right but often did not do it. He was talking to spirits in prison, people who had been under the control of the devil for years, people with the chains of habit upon them. Right then and there they were free--"This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
Friend, it can happen to you this day, this moment. You can go free and leave the prison behind you forever. Not only will He raise you from the dead if you fall asleep in Christ, but He will raise you from the death of sin right now. From that prison house you will be delivered. Doors will open. The chains will fall.
Just now, do you desire freedom from this prisonhouse of habit and of evil? Jesus says: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
Nothing is too hard for Him. If you desire it, this freedom is for you now in Christ.
Today's reading: Christ's early ministry in Judea ends as He begins a year of work in Galilee. "He came unto his own, and his own [people] received him not" (John 1:11).
Memory gem: "He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" (Isaiah 61:1).
Thought for today:
On the Sabbath morning in the Nazareth synagogue, our Saviour read from the prophet Isaiah and applied the prophecy to Himself. He was opening the prison to set people free.
Do you believe that? Why shouldn't we believe it? If that scripture is true and Jesus told the truth--and He did, for He is the truth--on that very Sabbath day in old Nazareth the prison doors were flung open, and the spirits in prison came out free men (see 1 Peter 3:18, 20). That's the prison Jesus was talking about--the prison house of sin.
He was opening the doors that Sabbath day, not somewhere inside the earth to disembodied souls or spirits, but to people with the chains of sin clanging about them, people whose lives were fettered with evil, people like us, conscience-smitten, who knew the right but often did not do it. He was talking to spirits in prison, people who had been under the control of the devil for years, people with the chains of habit upon them. Right then and there they were free--"This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
Friend, it can happen to you this day, this moment. You can go free and leave the prison behind you forever. Not only will He raise you from the dead if you fall asleep in Christ, but He will raise you from the death of sin right now. From that prison house you will be delivered. Doors will open. The chains will fall.
Just now, do you desire freedom from this prisonhouse of habit and of evil? Jesus says: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
Nothing is too hard for Him. If you desire it, this freedom is for you now in Christ.
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