Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”- 1 Peter 5:6-7

Daily Devotion:

Rose among Thorns

"God knows the way I take;after He has tried me I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10)

We are too busy at times to listen to God that He is forced to send us some difficulties in order to get our attention to Him. It is well worth to undergo some bitter experiences, to learn new spiritual lessons. If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace you may expect Him to honour you with stricter discipline and greater suffering than many are called to endure. Peter, whom God allowed to be "sifted as wheat" by Satan, explains it thus: "You are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise...at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 1:5-7).

Faith needs to be tried by fiery trials. A faith that is not tested cannot be trusted. We pass through flooded rivers and burning furnaces. Neither the waters overflow us nor are we scorched by the fire, for the God of circumstances is in control (Isa 43:2). Though for a moment we are forsaken, with great mercies He gathers us to His bosom (Isa 54:7). Sometimes we feel that God does not hear our cries of grief and the call for help. At such times we should exercise our faith and patiently wait for Him (Js 1:2-4). Suffering is inevitable in the perfecting work of our faith. So let it not make us bitter and cynical but increase our faith in God. Think of the perseverance and patience of Job and take him as an example. He asserted, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).

The fear of death should be out of a believer's vocabulary. As a college student in 1969, I had the privilege of listening to Bro. Selwyn Hughes the author of the daily devotional, Every Day With Jesus, in a Ministers Conference in Chennai. I never forget what he said: "Dear believer, you will not die before God's time, for any reason, come what may. Nothing can put an end to you until God decides that it is time for you to be at home with Him." The ship in which Paul once sailed was caught up in a tempestuous wind. Disaster and loss dismayed everyone and all gave up hope. But Paul trusted in the Lord to whom he belonged and declared, "I believe God, that it will be just as it was told me" (Acts 27:25). He was the one who passed through perils of waters, perils of shipwrecks, perils of robbers, perils of Gentiles, perils in the city and perils in the wilderness. But he was sure that nothing could kill him before God's time.

Prayer:

To Be Humble in Spirit

Father, I'm praying for all to know the importance of humbling ourselves.

May we choose to humble ourselves before You and before Christ, for we know You detest the proud of heart. You live in a high and holy place and with those who are contrite and humble. May we desire to be like Christ, gentle and humble in heart, living in harmony with one another, compassionate and sympathetic, loving each other—not trying to pay back hurts or insults but instead responding with blessings.

Your Word says You will guide us in what is right and teach us Your way, giving us grace and esteeming us in Your sight. Help us to show true humility toward all people, to clothe ourselves with humility.In the power of the Spirit, may they choose humility over pride at every turn. In Jesus' name, Amen