Devotional for July 7

The Glory of God Is Our Refuge

9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48:9-14 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

Money is paper thin, people will let you down, and appearances are deceiving. The hyphenated sins of the self-life are full of hard to see jagged edges and dangerous high clefts. Self-reliance, self-confidence, self-esteem, and the like are highly prized by the natural man with no knowledge of God. To trust in self though, is to be led by the blind constantly in danger of a great fall. Let the one who is to be wise first learn to trust in the Word of God. Our only place of safety is in Christ. Sometimes God allows us to be knocked down and skinned up. Such pain is always for the higher purpose of bringing us to the end of our reliance on our human strength, intelligence, and physical resources. We only realize our great need for  Jesus Christ after we reached the end of self. The cup full of our own strength must be poured out if we are to be filled to overflowing with the joy and power of the Spirit.

Question

What is prosperity?

Answer

Ture prosperity has more to do with the state of our soul and our general health than our social influence and wealth (3 John 2; Psalm 118:25-27; Provers 30:8-9; Isaiah 40:28-31). The love of money and the deceitfulness of riches shipwreck many (James 4:1-4; Matthew 19:16-24; 1 Timothy 6:7-10; Mark 4:18-19). Prosperous relationships are more important than wealth (Genesis 2:18; Ephesians 4:1-3; Romans 12:4-5). Our right relationship to God and to others is far more important than wealth (Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 12:13-21; 1 Timothy 6:11-12). Emotional prosperity is also much more important than financial prosperity (John 14:23-27; Matthew 11:28-30; Ephesians 5:18-20; Deuteronomy 31:8; Colossians 3:2; Philippians 4:8). And lastly, once the prosperity of our soul and body are rightly ordered (2 Timothy 1:7, 2:1-7; 1 Corinthians 9:23-27), then our financial prosperity is only important as a means to bless others (Ecclesiastes 9:14-16; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Jude 1:17-23; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

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

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant that all of us may be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.