Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18

Daily Devotion:

Why stop with Sky?

"I continue to press forward towards the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14)

 

The Biblical antidote for backsliding is that we must go on to perfection, leaving the elementary principles of Christ and not laying again the foundation (Heb 6:1,2).

This passage (Heb6:1-6) calls Repentance, Faith, Baptisms, Gifts of the Spirit, Resurrection and Judgement as the "elementary principles" or the "foundation." In the Primary School we studied 1+1=2; 1x1=1; 1-1=0; and so on. This is the foundation. This is important. One cannot afford to forget this as he passes into the higher classes. At the same time, isn't it unprofitable to study only these fundamentals again and again? As much as the elementary or foundational principles are important, moving from them onto higher and deeper truths is necessary. We should "go on to perfection." Just because the foundation is important for a building, should the foundation be laid again and again?! We must go on to the superstructure! How can we be protected from sun and rain unless the superstructure is built? We Christians are so backslidden that those who preach the above six principles are called as "full" Gospel preachers! Are we so blind to call the foundation the building?

Apostle Paul testifies of his life which is a challenge for our consistent and continuous progress in life: "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on... that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" (Phil 3:12). His interest was "the knowledge of Christ," "the power of His Resurrection" and "the fellowship of His sufferings." To put it briefly, Christ's purpose for Paul was Paul's purpose in Christ. We must be ambitious spiritually. Higher and higher. Deeper and deeper. Wider and wider. Nearer and nearer. This should be our aim. For a Christian the sky is not the limit. Because, he has the "Heavenward call of God in Christ Jesus!" (Phil 3:14).

Spend as much time on knees and with an open Bible. It's not enough if you study How to Pray, How to Worship, How to Minister, and so on. You must also search from the Scriptures How not to Pray, How not to Worship, and How not to Minister. Do not stop climbing. If you stop you are sure to slide down. Forwarding prevents backsliding!

More about Jesus would I know, more of His grace to others show;

More of His saving fullness see, more of His love who died for me! (E.E. Hewitt, 1851-1920)

Prayer: 

Blessed be the Lord our God forever and ever. Watch, dear Lord, with those who cannot sleep

and those who weep this night.Tend the sick,give rest to the weary and bless the dying.

Relieve those who are suffering,have pity on those in great distress,and shield those who are happy.Amen.

Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

““Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

Daily Devotion:

Old but not Cold!

"Since my youth, O God, You have taught me;I will declare Your marvellous deeds in all the days to come" (Psa 71:17)

 

Mr. Caleb at 85, referring to an incident that happened fortyfive years before, testified, "I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in" (Josh 14:11). This confession he made exactly on his 85th birthday (v10c). For his birthday he desired not a sponge cake but a steep mountain (v12)! All this was because he refused to join the pessimistic majority (Num 13:30-33). Overcautiousness is typical of old age whereas young people are known for venturing and taking risks. Risking is a companion of faith.

It is said, "We spend the first half of our lives trying to understand the older generation, and the second half trying to understand the younger generation!" In the early 1970s, during the formative years of the Blessing Youth Mission in India, we used to send teams of college students during Summer Vacation to hills and jungles to see pioneering missionary work firsthand. One such team visited Kolli Hills in Tamilnadu where Mother Brand (1879-1975), the godly mother of the famous leprologist Dr. Paul Brand (1914-2003), was labouring for the Gospel after the death of her husband. The time our youngsters spent with this dear lady, who was too old to even walk normally, revolutionized them thoroughly and some of them took up fulltime missionary career.

Years ago an old professor took me aside after I preached in an evening service and told me, "Stanley, I'm glad God has taken you in His hand. Let simple living and high thinking be your aim." Perhaps but for this timely counsel, I would have been siphoned into the materialminded ministerial stream that runs full these days. The conversation with George Verwer, the Founder of Operation Mobilisation, one evening gave me an unforgettable warning to discern between leadership that is self-assumed and God-appointed. The few hours I spent with the saintly prophet Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) in his humble home intensified my burden for revival more than all his revival classics that I have read. I can go on listing the indelible impressions that God's seasoned men have left on my heart.

Sir, Madam, Uncle, Aunty,

salutes to you on behalf of youngsters!

Prayer: 

Take, Lord, all my liberty.Receive my memory, my understanding, and my whole will.Whatever I have and possess,  you have given to me; to you I will restore it wholly, and to your will I utterly surrender it for my direction. Give me the love of you only, with your grace, and I shall be rich enough; nor do I ask anything besides,Amen.

Word Of God:

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

Daily Devotion:

Affliction becomes Adoration!

"Rejoice, in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings" (1 Pet 4:13)

Sufferings in life normally develop grumbling in the lips and bitterness in the heart. Sometimes they seal the grieving sufferer's mouth in dead silence. But facing those sufferings courageously and embracing them cheerfully would transform suffering into worship (Acts 5:41).

Accepting injustice and ill-treatment patiently and pleasantly is worship. Hear Peter in 1 Peter 4:14-16, "If any one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter." If those who crucified Jesus would brag that they had murdered Him, Jesus would say that He had offered Himself "as a pleasant aromatic sacrifice to God." Yes, Jesus offered Himself at His own free will. It was a voluntary sacrifice!

Every stone pelted at us can become a bowl of incense offered to God provided we do not retaliate or murmur (Acts 6:12,15). When Stephen died as a martyr, he endured suffering in the spirit of worship. His angelic face; open heavens; vision of the glory of God; Jesus standing up to pay tribute to the first martyr of the Church; a sweet martyrdom entwined with forgiveness to his killers!

Now let us peep into Heaven to see the multitude of white-robed worshippers. Who are these beautiful people? "They are the ones who came out of great tribulations! .... They are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple" (Rev 7:9-15).

Going through the list of the heroes of faith we find on one side those who had done exemplary valorous deeds (Heb 11:33-37); on the other side we meet those who, expecting a glorious resurrection, embraced torturous deaths. Blessed are those who accept brickbats thrown at them as bouquet showered on God! Watchman Nee (1903-1972) in China was arrested and persecuted for his faith in the Gospel. Even when death was at the threshold, he refused to renounce his faith. All these men and women built sanctuaries with the stones pelted at them!

Praise Him for the trials sent as cords of love,

Binding us more closely to the things above;

For the faith that conquers, hope, that naught can dim,

For the land where loved ones gather unto Him! - (E.E. Hewitt, 1851-1920)

Prayer:

Father, fill our hearts with deep compassion for those who suffer, and may the day come quickly of your kingdom of justice and truth. Amen.

Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Daily Devotion:

Rock & Sand

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9)

Christian life begins with obedience to the Gospel. From beginning to end Christian life is a life of obedience. That's why unbelievers are called the "children of disobedience" (Eph 5:6). No doubt obedience to God is difficult, but it is not a drudgery. This was made clear in one of the very early discourses of Jesus: "My yoke is easy... My burden is light" (Mt 11:28-30). To this the dear most disciple of Jesus, even John, said Amen when he testified at the end of his six decade of Christian life, "God's commandments are not burdensome" (1 Jn 5:3b).

Obedience becomes easy when we think of the future rewards God has promised to those who obey Him. "There remains a rest for the people of God... Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience" (Heb 4:9,11). Obedience may be a struggle now, but this struggle will be over in eternity. When we enter the heavenly rest, we would cease from our works — struggles and efforts—as God did from His! (v10). One day of rest in God's literal presence will be worth all the efforts we took for thousands of days on earth to walk in obedience before Him!

Jesus spoke about two buildings in His Sermon on the Mount. One was built by a wise man and that was on a rock, the other by someone foolish and that was on sand. The wise man was one who lived and worked in obedience to God's will revealed in His Word. His building withstood all storms and floods. But the building of the disobedient man was washed away (Mt 7:24,25). This illustration was the conclusion of Christ's longest recorded sermon. It was a warning against disobedience, more so a motivation for obedience! If I believe in life after death I must choose to obey God in life before death. There may be some immediate gains if we choose the way of the world; but the ultimate rewards are only to those who stick to the principles of the Word of God.

A promise from the Old Testament is a great motivator for obedience: Deuteronomy 28:13, "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, and are careful to observe them!"

Firm as a rock, though surges dash around us!

Firm as a rock, though trials dark may fall!

Yet shall we cling to Him, the Rock of Ages,

Jesus, the Holy One, our All in All! (Fanny J. Crosby, 1823-1915)

Prayer: Psalm 139

Father and lover of life, you know the depths of my innermost self, and you understand me.

You protect me on every side, shielding me from all harm.

When you put me together in my mother’s womb, you knew all about me. I thank you for the wonder of myself, and I stand in awe at all that you have made.

As you know and love me, so may I come to know and love you. Guide me in your ways.

Amen.