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daily devotional
Evening...
Proverbs 24:33, 34: Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of
the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy
want as an armed man.
The worst of sluggards only ask for a little slumber; they would be indignant
if they were accused of thorough idleness. A little folding of the hands to
sleep is all they crave, and they have a crowd of reasons to show that this
indulgence is a very proper one. Yet by these littles the day ebbs out, and the
time for labour is all gone, and the field is grown over with thorns. It is by
little procrastinations that men ruin their souls. They have no intention to
delay for years-a few months will bring the more convenient season-to-morrow if
you will, they will attend to serious things; but the present hour is so
occupied and altogether so unsuitable, that they beg to be excused. Like sands
from an hour-glass, time passes, life is wasted by driblets, and seasons of
grace lost by little slumbers. Oh, to be wise, to catch the flying hour, to use
the moments on the wing! May the Lord teach us this sacred wisdom, for
otherwise a poverty of the worst sort awaits us, eternal poverty which shall
want even a drop of water, and beg for it in vain. Like a traveller steadily
pursuing his journey, poverty overtakes the slothful, and ruin overthrows the
undecided: each hour brings the dreaded pursuer nearer; he pauses not by the
way, for he is on his master's business and must not tarry. As an armed man
enters with authority and power, so shall want come to the idle, and death to
the impenitent, and there will be no escape. O that men were wise be-times, and
would seek diligently unto the Lord Jesus, or ere the solemn day shall dawn
when it will be too late to plough and to sow, too late to repent and believe.
In harvest, it is vain to lament that the seed time was neglected. As yet,
faith and holy decision are timely. May we obtain them this night.
Morning...
Luke 4.18: To preach deliverance to the captives.
None but Jesus can give deliverance to captives. Real liberty cometh from Him
only. It is a liberty righteously bestowed; for the Son, who is Heir of all
things, has a right to make men free. The saints honour the justice of God,
which now secures their salvation. It is a liberty which has been dearly
purchased. Christ speaks it by His power, but He bought it by His blood. He
makes thee free, but it is by His own bonds. Thou goest clear, because He bare
thy burden for thee: thou art set at liberty, because He has suffered in thy
stead. But, though dearly purchased, He freely gives it. Jesus asks nothing of
us as a preparation for this liberty. He finds us sitting in sackcloth and
ashes, and bids us put on the beautiful array of freedom; He saves us just as
we are, and all without our help or merit. When Jesus sets free, the liberty is
perpetually entailed; no chains can bind again. Let the Master say to me,
"Captive, I have delivered thee," and it is done for ever. Satan may plot to
enslave us, but if the Lor d be on our side, whom shall we fear? The world,
with its temptations, may seek to ensnare us, but mightier is He who is for us
than all they who be against us. The machinations of our own deceitful hearts
may harass and annoy us, but He who hath begun the good work in us will carry
it on and perfect it to the end. The foes of God and the enemies of man may
gather their hosts together, and come with concentrated fury against us, but if
God acquitteth, who is he that condemneth? Not more free is the eagle which
mounts to his rocky eyrie, and afterwards outsoars the clouds, than the soul
which Christ hath delivered. If we are no more under the law, but free from its
curse, let our liberty be practically exhibited in our serving God with
gratitude and delight. "I am Thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: Thou
hast loosed my bonds." "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
Galatians 5:22
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Good is a very versatile word with many uses in everyday English.
It is used as a noun, adjective, and adverb and is the root of the word
"goodness." The common idea in almost all of its uses is that it suggests a
desirable quality, something commendable, reliable, welcome, enjoyable,
beneficent, kind, noble, admirable, propitious, exemplary, and very much
welcome. In the word "goodness," the inner qualities of virtue, excellence of
character, morality, and attitude that we see in a person's behavior come to
the fore.
The Hebrew and Greek uses are similar, but the Hebrew, like the
English, has a broader application. The Greek word, agathosune, at first glance
seems very similar to chrestotes ("kindness"). However, closer examination of
its use in the Scriptures reveals a word indicating zealous activity in doing
good. Kindness or gentleness (chrestotes) is more passive.
William Barclay's Daily Study Bible commentary on Galatians says of
these two words:
It [agathosune] is the widest word for goodness; it is defined as
"virtue equipped at every point." What is the difference? Agathosune might, and
could, rebuke and discipline; chrestotes can only help. Trench says that Jesus
showed agathosune when He cleansed the Temple and drove out those who were
making it a bazaar; but He showed chrestotes when He was kind to the sinning
woman who anointed His feet. The Christian needs that goodness which at the
same time can be kind and strong. (p. 51)
Agathosune is therefore active—even aggressive—goodness. The
English word "goodness" includes many pleasing qualities whereas the Greek word
indicates one particular quality. It is more than an excellence of character;
it is character energized, expressing itself in active good. Agathosune is
goodness, but it does not spare sharpness and rebuke to produce good in others.
Thus God can correct, sometimes very severely, and it is goodness in action.
Thus parents can correct their child, and it is good because it helps produce a
responsible adult.
John W. Ritenbaugh
From The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
.
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daily devotional
Evening...
Philippians 3:10 The power of His resurrection.
The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly precious. The resurrection is
the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone of
the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the streams
of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the resurrection of our
dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that He has risen, and to have
fellowship with Him as such-communing with the risen Saviour by possessing a
risen life-seeing Him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness
ourselves, this is even still more precious. The doctrine is the basis of the
experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the
experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine
itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the dead so as to sing
of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible for you to extract
from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact; but I beseech you, rest not
contented even there. Though you cannot, like the disciples, see Him visibly,
yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith; and though, like
Mary Magdalene, you may not "touch" Him, yet may you be privileged to converse
with Him, and to know that He is risen, you yourselves being risen in Him to
newness of life. To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified all my sins,
is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a risen Saviour as having justified
me, and to realize that He has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be
a new creature through His own newness of life, this is a noble style of
experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both "know Him,
and the power of His resurrection." Why should souls who are quickened with
Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord
is risen
Morning...
1 John 1:6 Fellowship with Him.
When we were united by faith to Christ, we were brought into such complete
fellowship with Him, that we were made one with Him, and His interests and ours
became mutual and identical. We have fellowship with Christ in His love. What
He loves we love. He loves the saints-so do we. He loves sinners-so do we. He
loves the poor perishing race of man, and pants to see earth's deserts
transformed into the garden of the Lord-so do we. We have fellowship with Him
in His desires. He desires the glory of God-we also labour for the same. He
desires that the saints may be with Him where He is-we desire to be with Him
there too. He desires to drive out sin-behold we fight under His banner. He
desires that His Father's name may be loved and adored by all His creatures-we
pray daily, "Let Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth, even as it is
in heaven." We have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings. We are not nailed
to the cross, nor do we die a cruel death, but when He is reproached, we are
reproached; and a very sweet thing it is to be blamed for His sake, to be
despised for following the Master, to have the world against us. The disciple
should not be above His Lord. In our measure we commune with Him in His
labours, ministering to men by the word of truth and by deeds of love. Our meat
and our drink, like His, is to do the will of Him who hath sent us and to
finish His work. We have also fellowship with Christ in His joys. We are happy
in His happiness, we rejoice in His exaltation. Have you ever tasted that joy,
believer? There is no purer or more thrilling delight to be known this side
heaven than that of having Christ's joy fulfilled in us, that our joy may be
full. His glory awaits us to complete our fellowship, for His Church shall sit
with him upon His throne, as His well-beloved bride and queen.
Matthew 22:31-32
(31) But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not
read what was spoken to you by God, saying, (32) 'I am the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the
living."
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
This text is often twisted around and perverted in an attempt to
prove that Abraham is not dead—that he has already gone to his promised reward
without having to be resurrected—just the diametric opposite of what Jesus used
this illustration to point out. Christ states plainly in John 3:13 that "no man
has ascended to heaven"—which would obviously include Abraham!
God is the God of the living, not the dead. Jesus was speaking of
their future resurrection to immortal life! For He plainly said, "As touching
the resurrection of the dead...."
We can now see why Abraham and his children through Christ have
not, as yet, inherited the promises (Hebrews 11:13, 39-40). They simply cannot
come into this eternal inheritance until they receive eternal life (I
Corinthians 15:50-54)! This, as Paul explained, will happen at the resurrection
from the dead!
Without a resurrection, the dead would never live again! (I
Corinthians 15:16, 18.) Therefore, the resurrection of the dead is central to
God's plan. And unless Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all deceased Christians are
resurrected from the grave at Christ's coming, they cannot inherit the promises!
The resurrection of the dead shall occur at the second coming of
Christ—when He comes as the King of kings and the Lord of lords to reign over
and to rule all nations of the earth. When He comes to set up His Kingdom, then
Abraham and his spiritual children in Christ shall be given immortality and
will inherit the Kingdom of God—a world-ruling government headed by and ruled
by Christ, occupying the very land promised to Abraham—the land stretching from
the Nile to the Euphrates River. This Kingdom or government composed of
immortals shall rule over all the nations of earth composed of flesh and blood
mortals. How different the plain truth of God's Word is from the ancient
religious fables and myths which the world embraces today!
From Will You Go to Heaven?
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