Devotional for November 4

In the Light of the Living

10 In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word.
11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? Psalm 56:10-13 (KJV)

Morning Exhortation

It does no good to be born with world-class speed if you don’t develop it. In the same way, simply being born again is not enough. We must be willing to make our election sure by growing up into our salvation. Not from a compulsion to obey the rules, but voluntarily as love must be. We love because God first loved us. God proved His love for us by giving His only begotten Son to die for us when were lost in sin. Come to Christ just as you are, but don’t stay that way. The baby Christian can be slapped about by strong winds and easily deceived by the candy-coated poisons of this world. Our God is the God of all comfort, but a Christian who keeps one foot in the world and one foot in Christ will find much discomfort. Maturity comes from learning to stand firm in faith by believing the Word of God. Happiness comes from a childlike faith that reads “God is love” and then simply believes and affirms the truth through all the ups and downs of current circumstances. His yoke is truly easy when we maintain a total dependence on God for everything. Jesus Christ is the Captain of our soul. No captain can ferry a passenger across the sea if that passenger refuses to let go of the shore and get completely on board the ship. Let go of the land of unbelief and take your assigned place fully on the ark of Christ with the only acceptable boarding pass of simple child-like faith. Christ won our eternal salvation for us with His humility and dependence on God the Father, and in like manner it is by our child-like humility and dependence on God that we grow up in our salvation.

Today’s Bible Reading

2 Kings 17; Titus 3

Hosea 10; Psalm 129-131

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

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, I may purify myself as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, I may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.