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Quote for the Day
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Today's Devotion
Walk Worthy
Scripture
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph 4:1 NKJV).
Devotion
Paul up to this point, in his letter to the Ephesians, has been laying down doctrinal truths as he is accustomed to do. Now he turns his attention more to the application of those doctrines already established. In the coming days we shall look at the grounds and proper means he gives for accomplishing this task, but today let us focus on the calling.
Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. Other translations use the word vocation instead of calling, but the idea is the same. We are accountable to God to live our lives in a way that no harm would come to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like David who failed with Bathsheba, killing Uriah, we may bring a good deal of damage to the name of Christ if we fail in our behavior.
“So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [who is] born to you shall surely die.” (2Sa 12:13-14 NKJV)
Nothing can compare with the blessings of grace in salvation. To be a recipient of such divine favor, and return to wallow in mire is tantamount to adultery. “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (Jas 4:4 NKJV)
My dear friends let us walk worthy of our calling. There is more at stake here than your comfort. The name of Christ is at stake.
Sometimes I think of sins I have committed after salvation, and I am overwhelmed by grief. Knowing that someday I will stand before Christ to give an account, I fall before Him in shame. Our only recourse in these times of clarity is to have faith in the mercies of God. Like David who committed a great sin and was spared his life, we too may trust in the grace of God.
As the Lord has said, “[The righteous] cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD [is] near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” (Ps 34:17-22 NKJV)
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (1Jo 5:21 NKJV)
Spurgeon's Devotion
March 11-Morning {Daily Reading: #De 29:1-31:30} {Quick Study: #Jos 1:1-2:24}
Sin…exceeding sinful. {#Ro 7:13}
Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young converts have a holy timidity, a godly fear lest they should offend against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world: the sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in after life, too pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him does not alarm him in the least. By degrees men get familiar with sin. The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, ‘Is it not a little one?’ Then there comes another, larger, and then another, until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill; and then follows an unholy presumption: ‘We have not fallen into open sin. True, we tripped a little, but we stood upright in the main. We may have uttered one unholy word, but as for the most of our conversation, it has been consistent.’ So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we call it by dainty names. Christian, beware how thou thinkest lightly of sin. Take heed lest thou fall by little and little. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little thing? Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes? Doth not the tiny coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings wear away stones? Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer’s head with thorns, and pierced his heart! It made him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity, you would flee from it as from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all sin as that which crucified the Saviour, and you will see it to be ‘exceeding sinful.’
Reading
Something from Heaven an Article about Revival
A
Blow at Self-Righteousness by C. H. Spurgeon
The Rich Young Ruler
by Kevin Caldwell
Preaching that Hinders Revival by Richard Owen Roberts
What You Should Know About Salvation
Salvation is a term used to refer to the change of state. Prior to
salvation men are lost and dead in trespasses and sin. After salvation men
are made alive in Christ . . . .(read
more)
Spiritual Warfare
Warfare Is a Common Theme in Scripture. Many people are told that the
Christian life is all grand and glorious and well it is, but those glorious
moments do not come without many trials and difficulties along the way. . . . (read more)