Daily Devotional

August 13, 2018

Being Alive Unto God

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matt. 10:32, 33.

How is it? Are we confessing Christ in our daily life? Do we confess Him in our dress, adorning ourselves with plain and modest apparel? Is our adorning that of the meek and quiet spirit which is of so great price in the sight of God? Are we seeking to advance the cause of the Master? Is the line of demarcation between you and the world distinct, or are you seeking to follow the fashions of this degenerate age? Is there no difference between you and the worldling? Does the same spirit work in you that works in the children of disobedience?

If we are Christians, we shall follow Christ, even though the path in which we are to walk cuts right across our natural inclinations. There is no use in telling you that you must not wear this or that, for if the love of these vain things is in your heart, your laying off your adornments will only be like cutting the foliage off a tree. The inclinations of the natural heart would again assert themselves. You must have a conscience of your own.

O, did we remember that Christ became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich, would we not seek to honor His name, and advance His cause? We are to abide in Him as the branch abides in the vine. Jesus says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. . . . Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:5-8).

If we fulfilled this command of our Lord, there would be a different state of affairs in our churches, and we should know what it is to have the deep movings of the Spirit of God. What we want is to have the ax laid at the root of the tree. We want to be dead to the world, dead to self, and alive unto God. Our life must be his with Christ in God, that when He shall appear, we also may appear with Him in glory. We need to come close to Christ, that men may know that we have been with Christ and learned of Him. . . . Keep your eye fixed upon Christ. With humility of mind seek for a nearness to God. In words, in conduct, in life, confess Christ.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 233, 234.

Daily Devotional

August 12, 2018

Essentials Of Salvation

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. Eph. 5:8.

He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness sheds light into the mind of every one who will properly behold Him, loving Him supremely, showing unswerving faith and trust in Him. His light shines into the chambers of the mind and into the soul temple. The heart is filled with the light of the knowledge of the glory that shines in the face of Jesus Christ. And with this light comes spiritual discernment. . . .

Yielding willingly to the evidence of truth, and walking in the light that shines in our pathway, we receive still greater light. Through the power of the manifestation of divine glory, we constantly advance in spiritual understanding.

Christ’s knowledge of truth was direct, positive, without a shadow. The closer the acquaintance a man has with Jesus Christ, the more careful he will be to treat his fellow men respectfully, courteously, righteously. He has learned of Christ, and he follows His example in word and action. By faith he is united with Christ. “We are labourers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9). . . .

Christ’s prayer was for unity among His followers. This unity is the evidence that is to convince the world that God sent His Son to save sinners. We serve Christ by revealing true, pure, holy love for one another. Those who are chosen to connect with the Lord’s institutions are to be devoted, self-denying, self-sacrificing men, living not to please themselves, but to please the Master. These are the men who will do honor to the Lord’s institutions.

A knowledge of God and of Christ is positively essential to salvation. We lose much every day that we do not learn more of the meekness and lowliness of Christ. Those who learn of Christ obtain the very highest class of education. Through faith and dependence on the saving grace of Christ, they increase in knowledge and wisdom. They love and praise the Saviour. . . .

Those who are saved must in this life make it their daily business to receive grace from God, not to hoard in selfishness, but to impart for the blessing of those connected with them, to aid them in obtaining an education in spiritual things.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, pp. 232, 233.

Daily Devotional

August 11, 2018

Living The New Life

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matt 7:12.

Christ came to teach us, not only what we ought to know and believe, but also what we ought to do in our relations with God and with our fellow men. The golden rule of equity demands that we do unto others as we would they should do unto us. We are to keep their eternal interests in view, saying to ourselves, “They are the purchase of the Saviour’s blood, bought with a price.”

In all our dealing with our fellow men, whether they be believers or unbelievers, we are to treat them as Christ would treat them were He in our place. If it is for our present and eternal good to obey the law of God, it will be for their present and eternal good also to do this. Our highest aim is to be to them medical missionary workers after Christ’s order. . . .

All who enter through the pearly gates into the city of God must have set forth Christ in all their dealings. It is this that constitutes them the messengers of Christ, His witnesses. They are to bear a plain, decided testimony against all evil practices, pointing them to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He gives to all who receive Him, power to become the sons of God.

Regeneration is the only path by which we can reach the holy city. It is narrow and the gate by which we enter is strait, but along it we are to lead men and women and children, teaching them that in order to be saved, they must have a new heart and a new spirit. The old hereditary traits of character are to be overcome. The natural desires of the soul must be changed. All deception, all falsifying, all evil-speaking must be put away. The new life, which makes men and women Christlike, is to be lived. We are, as it were, to swim against the current of evil.

The way to heaven is narrow, hedged in by the divine law of Jehovah. Those who follow this way must constantly deny self. They must obey the teachings of Christ. . . . Let us not trust in man, but in Jesus Christ, who died that He might win us to righteousness.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 232.

Daily Devotional

August 10, 2018

Heavenly Guarantee

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matt. 7:7.

Oh, if every one would only know by personal experience how much of heaven’s promised rest can be secured to the soul, even now, by sincere prayer. If one has not learned this lesson, every other lesson of life [had] better not be learned till he shall learn in the school of Christ how to master this lesson.

As Christians we want a new and living experience every day. We want to learn how to trust Jesus, to believe in Him and confide everything to Him. Jacob was raised from a man of feebleness and defects, through faith in God in prayer, to be a prince with God. He prevailed through faith. God is omnipotent. Man is finite. In converse with God, we may lay the most secret thing of the soul open to Him—for He knows it all—but not to man. . . .

Do not become careless and separate from the Source of your strength. Watch your thoughts, watch your words, and in all things you seek to do, seek to glorify God. The more closely you lie at the foot of the cross, the more clearly will you see the matchless charms of Jesus and the unparalleled love He has evidenced for fallen man. . . .

Let not the pressure of business separate you from God, for if you ever need counsel and clear forethought and sharp ideas, it is when you have much work on your hands. It is then that you need to take time to pray, to have increased faith and implicit trust in the counsel of the Physician in Chief. Ask Him to help you. Pray the oftener the more critical the work you have to do. . . .

Oh what a theme to contemplate that man, depraved and lost in his natural condition, may be renewed and saved by the gracious help that Christ gives him in the gospel. The love of Jesus in the soul will drive out the enemy who is seeking to take possession of man. Every trial patiently borne, every blessing thankfully received, every temptation faithfully resisted, will make you a strong man in Jesus Christ. All this grace may be gained in the prayer of faith. . . .

Lay hold upon strength from above. Even Jesus, when preparing for some great trial, would resort to the solitude of the mountains and spend the night in prayer to His Father.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 231.

Daily Devotional

August 9, 2018

Assurance Of Victory

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. Gal. 1:4.

By giving His life for the life of the world, Christ bridged the gulf that sin had made, joining this sin-cursed earth to the universe of heaven as a province. God chose this world to be the theater of His mighty works of grace. While the sentence of condemnation was suspended over it because of the rebellion of its inhabitants, while the clouds of wrath were accumulating because of the transgression of the law of God, a mysterious voice was heard in heaven, “Lo, I come. . . to do thy will, O God” (Ps. 40:7, 8). Our substitute and surety came from heaven declaring that He had brought with Him the vast and inestimable donation of eternal life. Pardon is offered to all who will return their allegiance to the law of God. But there are those who refuse to accept a “thus saith the Lord.” They will not reverence and respect His law. They make rigorous human enactments in opposition to a “thus saith the Lord,” and by precept and example lead men, women, and children into sin. They exalt human enactments above the divine law. But the condemnation and wrath of God are suspended over the disobedient. The clouds of God’s justice are gathering. The material of destruction has been piled up for ages; and still apostasy, rebellion, and disloyalty against God is continually increasing. The remnant people of God, who keep His commandments, will understand the word spoken by Daniel, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Dan. 12:10).

Satan has called this world his territory. Here his seat is, and he holds in allegiance to himself all who refuse to keep God’s commandments, who reject a plain, “thus saith the Lord.” They stand under the enemy’s banner; for there are but two parties in the world. All rank either under the banner of the obedient or under the banner of the disobedient.

Jesus is now sending His message to a fallen world. He delights to take apparently hopeless material, those through whom Satan has worked, and make them the subjects of His grace. He rejoices to deliver them from the wrath which is to fall upon the disobedient.

From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 230.