Are We Without Excuse?

Niagara Falls, June, 2017

 

And that which fell among thorns are they,
which, when they have heard,
go forth, and are choked with cares,
and riches and pleasures of this life,
and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luke 8:14

Anything allowed in the heart
which is contrary to the will of God,
let it seem ever so insignificant,
or be ever so deeply hidden,
will cause us to fall before our enemies.
Any root of bitterness cherished towards another,
any self-seeking, any harsh judgments indulged in,
any slackness in obeying the voice of the Lord,
any doubtful habits or surroundings,
any one of these things will effectually cripple
and paralyze our spiritual life.

I believe our blessed Guide,
the indwelling Holy Spirit,
is always secretly discovering these things to us
by continual little twinges and pangs of conscience,
so that we are left without excuse.
H. W. SMITH.

Published in: on August 25, 2017 at 4:14 am  Leave a Comment  
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Show Mercy to Receive Mercy

from my devotions:

Matthew 6:14-15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

He who shows mercy to men receives mercy from God.

. . .extract from Mason’s Self-knowledge, page 248, 1755.

“Athenodorus, the philosopher by reason of his old age,
begged leave to retire from the court of Augustus,
which the emperor granted.
In his compliments of leave, he said,
‘Remember, Caesar, whenever thou art angry,
that thou say or do nothing before
thou hast distinctly repeated to thyself
the twenty-four letters of the alphabet.’
On which Caesar caught him by the hand, and said,
‘I have need of thy presence still:’
and kept him a year longer.
This was excellent advice from a heathen;
but a Christian may prescribe to himself a wiser rule.
When thou art angry,
answer not till thou hast repeated
the fifth petition of our Lord’s prayer –
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors:
and our Lord’s comment upon it –
For if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your heavenly father forgive your trespasses.”
Clarke’s Commentary

I liked the reminder
when I would feel hurt or misunderstood, or _____
and my default is to murmur, complain or take on an attitude.
Stop and give the incident to God’s keeping.
My peace is restored
and compassion can be extended.
God’s way is best.

Published in: on August 4, 2017 at 10:56 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Keep All My Commandments Always

Deuteronomy 5:1
And Moses called all Israel,
and said unto them, Hear, O Israel,
the statutes and judgments
which I speak in your ears this day,
that ye may learn them,
and keep, and do them.

1. God speaks to the people.
2. The people are called to hear what God speaks.
3. To learn what they heard, that they may be thoroughly instructed in the will of God.
4. To keep God’s testimonies ever in mind, and to treasure them up in a believing and upright heart.
5. That they might do them – obey the whole will of God, taking his word for the invariable rule of their conduct. Should not all these points be kept in view by every Christian assembly? Clarke’s Commentary

Deuteronomy 5:33
Ye shall walk in all the ways
which the LORD your God hath commanded you,
that ye may live,
and that it may be well with you,
and that ye may prolong your days
in the land which ye shall possess.

God never gave a commandment to man which he did not design that he should obey.
That ye may enjoy life,  . . .that it may be well with you  . . .God will prosper you in all things essential to the welfare of your bodies, and the salvation of your souls.
That ye may arrive at a good old age, and grow more and more meet for the inheritance among the saints in light. Clarke’s Commentary

Deuteronomy 5:29
O that there were such an heart in them,
that they would fear me,
and keep all my commandments always,
that it might be well with them,
and with their children for ever!

Published in: on August 2, 2017 at 4:36 am  Comments (1)  
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