Devotional for July 11

The Lord Is a Friend to Those Who Fear Him

12 Who are those who fear the Lord?
    He will show them the path they should choose.
13 They will live in prosperity,
    and their children will inherit the land.
14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.
    He teaches them his covenant.
15 My eyes are always on the Lord,
    for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies. Psalm 25:11-14 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

One of the surest roads to unhappiness for a Christian is to want to live for Christ and still allow self to take pleasure in sin. Having been cleansed from past sins by the precious blood of Christ, never allow yourself to look back with fondness at any of the sins in your former way of life. To do so allows the adversary of our soul to gain a foothold. Accepting a single wrong thought in the mind seems like a little thing, but great wild fires often start with a single spark. This is why Scripture instructs us to be diligent about guarding our hearts. Guard the heart by using conformity to the Word of God as the standard to determine the rightness or wrongness of every thought. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Accept what is good, cast away what is not. This is the narrow road of the joyful Christian life.

Question

Why is the Holy Bible so important?

Answer

Because it is just what it says it is (…). God has magnified His word above all (…). Rather than listening to the fiery darts from the wicked (…), make Satan listen to your high sounding praises to God (…). Temporary physical symptoms and current circumstances amount to lying vanities when they stand contrary to faith in the word of God (…). Let what God has said settle it every time (…). That’s what father Abraham did (…). Abraham refused to dwell on the physical facts that he was nearly a hundred years old and Sarah was well past childbearing age (…). Instead, he focused on God and believed His promise (…). Hinder not the grace of God by unbelief (…). Pray knowing that you are bringing your request to the King of kings and Lord of lords (…). The greatness of His power and grace is so far beyond what we can imagine that you cannot ask too much (…). 

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

O God, you have taught me to keep all your commandments by loving you and my neighbor: Grant me the grace of your Holy Spirit, that I may be devoted to you with my whole heart, and united to others with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.