Our ignorance as to how and when God will use our service should prompt us to be tireless in buying up opportunities. The Lord often works when we least expect it, and He works in an infinite number of novel ways.A Christian sailor, stationed at a naval air base, was standing near the corner of a hangar, witnessing to a buddy. A third sailor, out of sight around the corner, heard the Gospel, became convicted of his sins, and was soundly converted. The fellow to whom the message was directly addressed did not respond.A preacher, checking the acoustics of a new auditorium, boomed out the words of John 1:29, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." To all appearance there was no one listening. Again he sounded out the timeless words of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." The main floor was empty but a workman in the first balcony was smitten by the message and turned to the Lamb of God for forgiveness and new life.An American Bible teacher spoke to a young American tourist in a railroad station in Paris. (Both came from the same city in the States and from the same neighborhood in that city). The young man was irritated to be confronted. He said, "Do you think you're going to save me in a Paris railroad station?" The Bible teacher replied, "No, I can't save you. But nothing happens by chance in life. It was no accident that we met here. I think that God is speaking to you and that you'd better listen." In the days that followed, a Christian gave the traveler a ride to Vienna, witnessing to him on the way. Back in the States, that same believer invited him to a Christian ranch in Colorado. On the last day of his stay at the ranch, the fellow was standing alone in the swimming pool. Soon another guest joined him in the water, spoke to him quietly about the Lord, and had the great joy of leading him to the Savior. Years later the American Bible teacher was introduced to an earnest young disciple at the close of a meeting. The name sounded faintly familiar. Then he remembered. It was the tourist he had spoken to in a railroad station in Paris.The moral, of course, is that we should be diligent for Christ in the morning and evening, in season and out of season. We never know which blow will break the granite or which word will be the life-giving one.

With reverence, humor and skill, William MacDonald wove a daily devotional tapestry that challenges the reader to think deeply and Biblically, and apply God's Word to their lives.

Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time

"In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." (Ecclesiastes 11:6)

John 1:19-34John was a good witness. He had a strange training. He was brought up, not in any school with human teachers - but in God's school, in the wilderness, away from men. At last he came out ready to begin his work. His preaching had tremendous power. From near and far, the people came in throngs to hear him, and they were deeply impressed by his words.The effect produced by the Baptist's work was so great, that the authorities at Jerusalem felt it necessary to send a delegation to inquire into it. They claimed to have direction of the religious affairs of the nation, and wished to know the meaning of John's work. These men asked John, "Who are you?" There was a general unrest at the time, with much feverish excitement concerning the coming of the Messiah. There was a widespread feeling that this even was near at hand. The impression that John made upon the people was so great, that many thought that he might be the Messiah. If John had been so disposed, he might have claimed to be the One who was to come, and would have had a great following. But his loyalty to truth and to his Master forbade this, and he eagerly and with grief at the suggestion replied, "No, no! I am not the Messiah." They thought then that he must be some other great personage - Elijah, who was expected by the Jews as the forerunner of the Messiah, or "the prophet" - that is, the prophet "like unto Moses," promised and vaguely looked for it. It was felt at least that this preacher by the Jordan was no ordinary man, He was a very great man, and his power as a preacher was startling.The way John met these questions showed the kind of man he was. If he had been weak and ambitious, he would have been tempted to encourage the people's thoughts about him and to accept the homage they wanted to pay him, and to which he knew that he was not entitled. He shrank with pain from all such offers of honor not rightly his, and instead eagerly turned all the expectation and enthusiasm of the people - to Jesus. This showed nobleness in John worthy of his mission. He sought only to honor Christ. He hid himself way out of sight, that nothing in him might win any eye from his Master. This is a lesson we all need to learn.When asked again to tell who he really was, if not the Messiah nor one of the great men prophesied of, he said that he was only a voice. He sought no honor for himself. He had been sent with a message which it was essential that the people should hear, while the personality of the messenger was unimportant. "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness."Thus he identified himself with a well-known Messianic prophecy - but in his lowliness he had no care to have his own name known. He was only a voice, speaking a word for God, delivering a divine message to men. It is honor enough for anyone to be a voice - a voice uttering heavenly words, words of divine comfort or cheer or hope to those who are weary, discouraged, and lonely or in disrepair. Titles and degrees and earthly honors, which some men strive so hard to win, are pitiably empty - in comparison with the distinction of being a clear, true voice speaking God's messages to men.In this part of the story of John, we learn two beautiful lessons. One is the splendor of humility. Humility is the loveliest of the virtues, and yet it is the most divine. Nothing so shows the greatness of the Baptist, as his lowliness in declining human honor and praise. The other lesson is, that we should be sure we are really a voice, with a message from God, in this world, speaking out distinctly for God. Too many lives mean nothing, stand for nothing, declare nothing to others, and make no impression of beauty, of cheer, of holiness. The voice of John's life is heard yet throughout the world - and the world is better, truer, and holier, because of it. We should be a voice with unmistakable note, a voice that shall be heard wherever we go, whose sound will make men happier, stronger, braver, kinder, more like God - and that shall prepare the way for Christ into men's hearts.John's message was important. It called men to prepare the way for the great Coming One. "Make straight the way of the Lord!" "Among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." So John turned all thoughts and all eyes away from himself as not worthy even to do this lowest service for Him whose way he had come to prepare. Thus he honored Christ and set Him high above all men - One worthy to receive the deepest worship and the highest praise. John's humility was not pretended. He was so conscious of the real glory of Christ, that he felt himself as truly unworthy to perform even the lowliest service for Him. No matter how lofty the place one occupies, Christ is infinitely higher - and it should be our joy to serve Him in the lowliest ways.John's witness to Jesus continued next day. He was standing among the crowds when a young man was approaching him. Pointing to Him, John said to the people, "Behold the Lamb of God - who takes away the sin of the world!" This was a distinct declaration that Jesus was the Messiah who had been foretold as a lamb led to the slaughter, as the Paschal Lamb, as the sin-atoning sacrifice. This part of the witness of John concerning Jesus must not be overlooked. He saw Him as the Lamb of God. It is not enough to think of the name "lamb" as referring to His gentleness, His meekness, His steadfastness in enduring wrong. The chief thought in the name is that of sacrifice. The paschal lamb prefigured Christ, who was thus foretold as the world's sin - bearer. We must see Christ first as our Savior. In heaven the song of the redeemed is, "worthy is the Lamb who was slain." Until we see Him as Savior - He can be nothing else to us.John witnesses also to the divine anointing of Jesus as the Messiah. "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him." This was infallible testimony. John had not the slightest doubt of the Messiahship of Jesus. "I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God!" In these days, when so many people are doubting and trying to pout doubts into the minds of others - it is well that we have such a testimony as this which tells us positively that He in whom we trust as our Savior and Lord - is indeed the Son of God. It gives us an impregnable rock on which to build, in which to find our refuge.Every Christian should, first, be a witness of Christ in his own life, and secondly, should bear witness to Christ in his confession of the blessed Name, wherever he goes.

A unique type of devotional from the writings of James Russell Miller, published between 1908 and 1913.

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

John 1:19-34

The Witness of John to Jesus

Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NIV).










What is the sin of the 
world? It is pride. You may not think so; you may not see it: but I would ask 
you to consider again and see if all that is called sin cannot be traced to 
this, if it is not this in some form of expression. For what is the root of 
pride? What is pride? It is selfhood come to life, risen up, active – 
that is the root of pride; and the branches and the fruit – how many they are! – 
jealousy, covetousness, wrath, and all the rest. How is wrath pride? Well, 
wrath, if it is not holy, purified, blood-purged wrath like the wrath of the 
Lamb, if it is wrath which is actuated by ourselves and our interests, is the 
wrath of selfhood. So often our anger is our self-preservation, our reaction to 
some threat to our interests or our likes. Rebellion, stubbornness, prejudice, 
and much of our fear, are all traceable to pride. What are we afraid of? What 
are we fearing? If we examined our fears, why are we afraid? If we were utterly 
severed from the personal interest – that is, if we could hand entirely over to 
the Lord and get out of the picture ourselves – would not a lot of our fear go? 
And so we might go on: but we do not want to indulge in a wholesale analysis of 
human nature or of pride. We have mentioned enough to show that pride is the 
root and that there are countless fruits traceable to that root.... 











So may this be a word of
interpretation as to why the Lord is dealing with us as He has
and does – on the one hand, overcoming this evil thing, breaking,
emptying, grinding to powder, until there is nothing of us left
in the matter of self-sufficiency; on the other hand, giving
Himself, increasing Himself. Now this is not a word, perhaps, of great 
inspiration, but I feel it to be a word of very great importance. This must be 
true of us individually. There must also be a corporate humility. This is the 
way along which the Lord will commit Himself. He will never give us anything to 
feed our flesh, to enlarge and strengthen our natural life. He will hold us to 
the way that keeps us safe where that is concerned. How wonderfully the Bible 
becomes alive when you look at it in this way!

This devotional contains short daily portions from a selection of Mr. Austin-Sparks' messages. In his own words, “Perhaps this is just like a window opened into heaven. If you get the right window you can see quite a lot. You can see great things and you can see far things. But the best that I can hope is that this has just opened a window, and that as you look through it you are seeing one thing - how superior is Jesus Christ to all else, and how superior is the dispensation into which we have come, and how superior are all the resources at our disposal to all that ever was before!” Open Windows messages have been selected and compiled by Austin-Sparks.Net from the works of T. Austin-Sparks. In some cases they appear in abridged form. The introductory verse and its associated Bible version have been selected by the editor and did not always appear within the original message.

Open Windows

Pride and Its Undoing

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! § The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. § For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.” … By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Abel … brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering. § Christ … has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. § [Have] boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Morning Daily Light

 The blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. 

 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord. He 

It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come– in the volume of the book it is written of Me– to do Your will, O God.” § He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not his mouth. You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold … but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was … manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God … that your faith and hope are in God. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!

 Behold! The Lamb of God. 

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! § The blood of the Lamb. § The precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. § Without shedding of blood there is no remission. § The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. § Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, … let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. 

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. § “In those days and in that time,” says the Lord, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; for I will pardon those whom I preserve.” § You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. § Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity? All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. § He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. § The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

 The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. 

<h3>John Testifies About Jesus</h3> 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,<cr>1</cr> who takes away the sin of the world!<cr>2</cr>

 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,   who takes away the sin of the world!  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,   who takes away the sin of the world!  

Bible Verse of the Day

December 13, 2020

John 1:29 NIV

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