“For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
(Ephesians 2:8)
“Through faith,” this is the agent. Faith is simply the hand that lays hold of the gift that God presents to me.
Believing the gospel, I am saved.
Some people, I think, are in danger of making a saviour of their faith, for they say, “Well, if I could only believe firmly enough, if I could believe in the right way, I think I would be saved.”
It is not a question of how you believe; it is a question of whom you believe.
“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).
Do not make a saviour of your faith. The Saviour is Christ, and faith lays hold of Him. Then lest there should be any idea in the mind of the redeemed one that in some sense at any rate he deserves credit for coming to Christ and believing this message, the apostle immediately adds,
“And that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
(H. A. Ironside)
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June 11
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed;
for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea,
I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
thee with the right hand of
My righteousness.”
(Isaiah 41:10)
Instead of a river, God often give us a brook—
which may be running today, and dried up tomorrow.
Why? - To teach us not to rest in our blessings—but in the
Blesser Himself.
"Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe!” (Psalm 119:117)
(Arthur Pink - 1886-1952) (Daily Devotions - R.L.)
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June 12
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time—are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us!”
(Romans 8:18)
Whether from trouble of mind, sickness of body, trials in business, family difficulties,
or persecution for Christ’s sake—all suffer, and most believers suffer much!
But compare their present sufferings—with their future glory:
Glory which will exclude all pain and suffering, all sin and sorrow!
Glory beyond the reach of all foes and the cause of all trouble!
Glory which includes happiness—perfect, perpetual, never ending happiness!
Glory which includes honour—the highest, holiest, and most satisfying honour!
Glory, or splendour—which will fill the soul, clothe the body, and dignify the entire person forever!
“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9)
(Adapted - Daily Devotions - R. L.)
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June 13
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
(2 Peter 1:21)
The writings of these inspired men are the record of divine revelation.
What God revealed, they recorded.
The persons receiving it could not have discovered it by human means. In many instances, the writers confessed that they did not fully understand the full meaning of the message, but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit they recorded it.
In the providence and protection of God we have in our hands and hopefully in our hearts, all that we need to live for the glory of the One who gave His life for us.
(Drew Craig)
Holy Bible, book divine, precious treasure, Thou art mine;
Mine to tell me whence I came, mine to teach me what I am.
(John Burton)
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June 14
“A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: But by sorrow
of heart the spirit is broken.”
(Proverbs 15:13)
The happy man is the one who has a heart at rest, and who can therefore rejoice at all times. Such a one is the soul who has found in Christ not only a Saviour,
but a daily portion.
He who casts all cares upon Him, who has learned to commit all his affairs into His hand, will ever have a glad heart and a cheerful countenance.
A burdened heart is the portion of the one who tries to carry his own sorrows and daily cares, and fails to turn all over to Him who so delights to bear them for us.
Nothing breaks the spirit like hidden grief; but such need not be the portion of any saint who will allow the Lord Jesus to be not only his Sin-bearer, but his Burden-bearer too.
(H. A. Ironside - Notes on Proverbs)
June 15
“. . . giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue knowledge . . . ” (2 Peter 1:5)
The apostle turns here in verse 5 to the practical state of the believers.
Having given them what would comfort and refresh their hearts,
he says, That is not all, now I look at
your own state practically.
"Besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue;
and to virtue knowledge.”
He knew how easy it was to get slothful,
and so he exhorts them to give all diligence in thus adding.
Virtue is that energy and courage of soul, that knows how to refuse,
as well as to choose, like Moses,
who “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s
daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,” and so we read, "Add to your faith, virtue.”
You have the faith that connects you with God, and you believe in
what as yet you do not see, but now you must add virtue, that courage,
which knows how to say “No” to the thousand things that come up day by day,
and to press on unswervingly in the pathway that is set before us.
(Simon Peter - W. T. P. Wolston)
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June 16
“While I was speaking in prayer, even the [angel] Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.”
(Daniel 9:21)
It is said that in one of Spurgeon’s prayer meetings,
a little boy rose and asked prayer that his father might read the Bible.
After prayer was offered Mr. Spurgeon looked for the boy and could not find him.
At the conclusion of the meeting he saw the lad and asked him why he had left the meeting.
He replied, “After you prayed for my father to read the Bible,
I ran home to see him do it.”
"Did he do it?” Mr Spurgeon asked.
“Yes, there he was reading it; and I came back to tell you.”
God makes a promise, Faith believes it,
Hope anticipates it, Patience quietly awaits it.
(Traveling Toward Sunrise)
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June 17
“For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (helped) thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
(2 Corinthians 6:2)
As an emergency room physician, I saw patients soon after they were injured. "What happened?” I would ask. Commonly they responded: “Well, it was so stupid, I was just . . . “ In other words, they knew better, but did not take the time or care to prevent an injury.
How tragic and terrible would it be for one who knew Christ died for their sins, and who knew that accepting Him as Saviour and Lord would mean eternal life; how tragic indeed for such a one to be cast into the lake of fire.
Forever.
(David Logan)
Come to the Saviour, make no delay;
Here in His Word, He’s shown us the way.
(George F. Root)
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June 18
“For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the, storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is a storm against the wall.” (Isaiah 25:4)
How often in the loneliness and strain of our work, when foes, seen and unseen, beset us,
we have been conscious of an invisible wall, the angel of the Lord encamping round about us to deliver us.
Often we have been helpless, with no strength of our own against the enemy.
Yet we have been able to lie down and sleep, conscious that our Keeper never slumbers.
"The wall” is a good figure, for we need not be roofed in overhead.
Satan can surround us but he cannot roof us over, and we need the upward look unobstructed.
Never has God’s wall broken down, nor has the adversary breached it.
Because it is invisible, the devil would have us fear it is not there;
but it is. He can come so far but no farther.
If ever we needed a wall, it is now.
The hosts of evil are making their worst mad assaults,
and no ramparts of our own can avail.
But we have a fortress, a hiding place, a Rock of Ages.
Are you hid with Christ in God?
(Day by Day with Vance Havner)
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June 19
“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was
about me forever: yet hast Thou brought up my life
from corruption, O Lord my God.”
(Jonah 2:6)
Jonah had gone down of his own accord, down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into the sides of the ship: three sad steps down, God had brought him down into the sea, then down into the fish, and now God brings him down further still:
“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains.”
Now Jonah was down about as far as he could go.
It is well for us when we are down.
“I was brought low, and He saved me" (Psalm 116:6).
It is when we are brought down, when our pride is brought low, that He is able to save us. As soon as Jonah got down to the very bottom, he said,
“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the bars of the earth closed upon me forever;”
Then, immediately we read, “But Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O Jehovah my God.”
Jonah’s pride was broken; he was just as low as he could get. It was then Jehovah, his God, brought up his life from the pit.
(Lessons from Jonah the Prophet - G. C. Willis)
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June 20
“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fastings, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God . . . We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Thy precepts and from Thy judgments . . .”
(Daniel 9:3-5)
Daniel was a man of prayer. . .he paid for his consistent prayer life, even to being cast into the den of lions. In Daniel chapter 9, we have a rare insight into Daniel at prayer.
There are so many things we can learn, as we see how he approached prayer,
the basis upon which he made his petitions, and the manner
in which his prayers were answered.
Prayer is is one of the most neglected exercises of the church of God today.
It is easier to read, to study, to write articles or to preach,
than it is to pray.
Prayer is foreign to our old nature and whenever we exercise ourselves in this way,
we meet with resistance.
Satan is the “Prince of the Power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), so when saints pray,
he is there to interrupt the communication with heaven wherever he can.
Prayer puts us into conflict with spiritual forces that are intent on keeping us from
being on our knees, and so we often succumb.
(William Burnett)
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June 21
“See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.”
(Ephesians 5:15)
“Circumspectly” means “looking all around,” like one who is walking in a very dangerous place.
There are pitfalls on this side, quagmires on that side, traps and snares all about.
And so this person as he walks is constantly observing where he should next place his feet.
That is a circumspect walk, a walk looking all around.
Christian, your path leads you through a world of sin, a world of folly,
a world where you are exposed to all kinds of temptations and unholy influences.
Snares and traps abound for your unwary feet. Therefore, walk circumspectly,
be careful where you put down your feet, be careful as to the company
you keep, be careful as to your behaviour in any company, so that
there be that which will bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Walk not as fools, not as simple ones, not as those who are still darkness,
but walk as wise men—made wise by the wisdom of God.
(H. A. Ironside)
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June 22
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