Verse of the day — 2 Corinthians 1:12

For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

2 Corinthians 1:12(NASB)
Open Windows by T. Austin-Sparks

Pride and Its Undoing

Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NIV).

What is the sin of the world? It is pride. You may not think so; you may not see it: but I would ask you to consider again and see if all that is called sin cannot be traced to this, if it is not this in some form of expression. For what is the root of pride? What is pride? It is selfhood come to life, risen up, active that is the root of pride; and the branches and the fruit how many they are! jealousy, covetousness, wrath, and all the rest. How is wrath pride? Well, wrath, if it is not holy, purified, blood-purged wrath like the wrath of the Lamb, if it is wrath which is actuated by ourselves and our interests, is the wrath of selfhood. So often our anger is our self-preservation, our reaction to some threat to our interests or our likes. Rebellion, stubbornness, prejudice, and much of our fear, are all traceable to pride. What are we afraid of? What are we fearing? If we examined our fears, why are we afraid? If we were utterly severed from the personal interest that is, if we could hand entirely over to the Lord and get out of the picture ourselves would not a lot of our fear go? And so we might go on: but we do not want to indulge in a wholesale analysis of human nature or of pride. We have mentioned enough to show that pride is the root and that there are countless fruits traceable to that root....

So may this be a word ofinterpretation as to why the Lord is dealing with us as He hasand does on the one hand, overcoming this evil thing, breaking,emptying, grinding to powder, until there is nothing of us leftin the matter of self-sufficiency; on the other hand, givingHimself, increasing Himself. Now this is not a word, perhaps, of great inspiration, but I feel it to be a word of very great importance. This must be true of us individually. There must also be a corporate humility. This is the way along which the Lord will commit Himself. He will never give us anything to feed our flesh, to enlarge and strengthen our natural life. He will hold us to the way that keeps us safe where that is concerned. How wonderfully the Bible becomes alive when you look at it in this way!

Bible verses: John 1:29
Morning Daily Light by Samuel Bagster

God will wipe away every tear . . . ; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow. . . . For the former things have passed away.

He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken. § Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. § The inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity. § The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. § Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! § The last enemy that will be destroyed is death… Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

The things which are not seen are eternal.

Rev. 21:4;  Isa. 25:8;   Isa. 60:20;   Isa. 33:24;  Isa. 65:19;  Is. 35:10;  Hos. 13:14;  1 Cor. 15:26,54;  2 Cor. 4:18
Bible verses: Revelation 21:4
Evening Daily Light by Samuel Bagster

[God] raised us up together . . . in Christ Jesus.

Do not be afraid; … I am He who lives. § Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am. We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. § He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. § You are complete in Him, who is the head.

Inasmuch . . . as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Eph. 2:6;  Rev. 1:17,18;  John 17:24;  Eph. 5:30;  Col. 1:18;  Col. 2:10;  Heb. 2:14,15;  1 Cor. 15:53,54
Bible verses: Ephesians 2:6
Topics: Jesus
None but the Hungry Heart by Miles Stanford

The First Cause

A man's goings are established of Jehovah; and he delighteth in His way" (Ps. 37:23, ASV.) .

Throughout time and eternity the God of circumstances has every situation planned for our good and for His glory (Rom. 8:28, 29). That is all that should matter to us. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee" "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (Ps. 76:10; 2 Cor. 4:15).

"What the other person said or did to you was undoubtedly wrong and cannot be justified. Nor did he do it at God's direction; but God permitted him to do it for some wise reason which will yet prove to have been abundantly worthwhile for you. By the time that action reached you it had become the will of God for you, since to a yielded believer there are no second causes.

"He believes the Psalmist's declaration that every step of his life's pathway has been ordered by the Lord. No trial or affliction can reach you who are abiding in Him, without His permission. You can, therefore, be confident in every circumstance of life, however baffling, that it has been permitted in your own best interest by the wisest and most loving of fathers, who knows our load-limit' (1 Cor. 10:13)." -O.S.

"All that we pass through is that we may get a fresh view of the Lord Jesus, or a deepening of a former one; but often we are so occupied with ourselves and the circumstances, that we fail to behold the glory of the Lord.'" -C.T.

"If the external plannings of men or Satan further God's plans, they succeed; if not, they come to nothing." -J.N.D.

"Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand" (Ps. 37:24).

Devotional Studies by Elizabeth Haworth

Service to God, Standards of Good - Man’s Nature and Destiny (7)

A Study:- Man’s Nature and Destiny

Threefold Life

The Christian life is a three-fold experience – three phases, planned by the Trinity. 1) Salvation : 2) Sanctification : 3) Service.  FIRST: we come to Christ for salvation. Our sins are forgiven. We are born from above and become a new man. He becomes related to US.  SECOND: we live in Christ for sanctification.. to be made like unto Him. Our entire life from then on is being conformed into His image, as we die to self, and we grow from babyhood to maturity, as He trains us through it.  THIRD: we work for Christ in service, but we work His way and not ours. We are to be ambassadors of the cross, for it is to be Him that lives in works thru us.. to live and work for Him good pleasure, to the praise of God the Father.

Saved to Serve

Many sincere Christians start out their Christian life determined to serve the Lord. They believe they’re ‘saved to serve‘ and indeed it’s true. We are all saved to serve. We become the Lord’s representative on earth and this is His will and His desire. It was better that Jesus went away, so that His Spirit could become an internal presence. Had Christ not gone away – He could have been no more than an external presence.

Ineffective Service

But even Christ’s physical presence was not sufficient for His disciples to have faith in Him. How often did He warn them: Oh ye of little faith. They did not really know Him. Even after three long years, the disciples were little influenced by His physical presence, for they all forsook Him and fled. They all denied their Lord, and just like Israel, these dear disciples became an example to the body of Christ. Christ may be with us, but unless He lives through us we too will be ineffective. How true must be His plea to us all: ye in Me and I in you…. But many in the Church today seek

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Bible verses: John 6:29
Knowing Jesus Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth

God Is Speaking

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27

Do Not Be Troubled

FRET NOT :
I give My perfect peace to you – no matter what happens …. BE STILL : 
I love you. I have loved you with an everlasting love.  REST in ME :
Patiently endure, and let My patience have her perfect work in you.
Psalm 37:1 Isaiah 26:3,  Psalm 46:10 Jeremiah 31:3.  Matthew 11:28 James 1:4

God With You

Never think of things as overwhelming – I AM with you. How can you be overwhelmed when I AM with you? Do not feel the strain of life – I AM with you. There is no strain for MY children, because I AM with you. Do you not see that I AM a Master Instrument-Maker? Have I not fashioned each part of you? Would I, your Maker ask of you what could not be sustained through Me? Is not My grace all-sufficient for you? Do I not know exactly what each can bear, without a strain? Yes indeed! The strain is only when you are serving another master.. Serving SELF.. serving the world; the flesh; the devil – SELF. Serving MAN.. fame; applause; the good opinions of others; MAN. Serving WANTS – this thing; that thing; the other thing; -WANTS.
Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 139:13, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Matthew 6:34

Cast Your Care On Me

The strain is only when you try to carry two days’ burdens for the one day.. when you try to carry your burdens alone. Cast all your burdens upon Me. Let not your heart be troubled, believe in Me. Trust Me and believe My many precious promises – for they are all yes and amen in Me. I go to prepare a place for you – and I will come again.
1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22, 2 Peter 1:4, John 14:3

God Has Spoken

Behold I come quickly – even so Come Lord Jesus.. Rev.22:12