Devotional for June 19

Planted in the House of the Lord

92 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:
2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands..
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
15 To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Six-pack abs are nice, but what’s inside the package will always be of far greater importance than the outside wrapping. Physical beauty and physical strength are certainly desirable in this world, but the fruits of the Spirit are of far more value in the life that now is and the one to come. Though it is completely natural to get older and older each year until we die, yet the fruits of the Spirit will shine forth brighter and brighter until the full day of eternity. It is vain to set one’s hope on physical beauty or physical strength when they are but grass. Let them be as servants and not as masters of the heart. Seek to know His righteousness and worship God with all your heart. Pray and wait on the Lord continuously. Enhance physical heath and improve physical strength for whatever good work God has called you to do, and be content with the beauty and strength that God grants you. Envy not others who seem to exceed you, nor look down on those who seem to be less than you. Both envy and conceit grow from the same sinful root of pride. Deny self and learn to rest in your proper abode: Christ in you, you in Christ, and Christ in the Father.  

Question

Why do we need to take His yoke upon us?

Answer

Because no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24; John 8:31-34). Our first parents fumbled the ball in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6), which caused us all to be born as slaves in the camp of enemy of our souls (Romans 7:24-25; 1 John 3:8; Galatians 5:16-23). What the first Adam lost (Romans 5:12-19), Jesus Christ has won back for us (John 1:1-12; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 2:8-15; John 3:16). Taking His yoke upon us means fully submitting ourselves to His authority (Matthew 11:28-30, 16:21-25). Jesus Christ reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 17:14; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Revelation 19:16). To those who willing place themselves under the authority of Christ (1 Timothy 6:15), He has delegated His authority and given the right to call on the power of His name (Acts 19:13-17; John 16:24; 2 Corinthians 1:20). All the promises of God are “yes and yes” for all those called by love to place His yoke upon their heart (John 15:8-17; Psalm 18:1-2; John 14:15-27; Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 28:18-20).

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

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace each of us may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and fore ever. Amen.