Devotional for June 16

The Omnipotence and Omniscience of the Lord Comforts Me

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23:1-6 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

He who is made strong by God must first learn to rejoice in his own weakness with fear and trembling. Give us a wise heart, Lord, that we may understand. Denying self has two parts. The first is the turning away from the self-gratifying desires of the flesh, and the second is the less considered need to deny the self-reliance that comes forth so easily from our own natural strength. All power belongs to God. To claim that our own hand has done this or that is to steal glory due only to God. We must abide fully in Christ to bear the fruits of the Spirit. Understanding the fact that apart from Christ we can do nothing is a source of great joy. The “abide in Me’ is both a command and a promise. With the command of Jesus to “rise and take up your bed,” the lame man jumped up with joy and carried away his bed. Our God is not like Pharaoh, who commanded the Hebrews to make bricks without giving them straw. Whatever our God commands, He graciously gives the power and the means to perform. Hear then the Spirit of Christ speaking directly to your soul “be still and abide in Me.” Receive the Word, pray for grace, and you can be sure He will enable it.

Question

What is faith?

Answer

Faith is a rock on which to set our sure hope in God (Hebrews 11:1-6). Faith is something the will chooses to do now (Romans 1:16-17). Not because of what we see or feel (2 Corinthians 5:7), rather because of the hope that is set before us (Mark 11:22-24; Luke 11:27-28; Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22). Faith works only because He who stands behind the promise that it will work is forever faithful and true (Matthew 7:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Revelation 19:9-16; Matthew 7:24-29). Faith is the trumpet blown by the authority of the King of Kings that calls forth the power of Almighty God (Jeremiah 32:27; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14; Habakkuk 2: 1-2; 1 Corinthians 14:8; Hebrews 10:35-39; Matthew 28:18-20).

The Prayer Appointed for This Week from the Book of Common Prayer

O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration I may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.