Devotions

“If all else fails—read the directions.”

Without directions, Noah and his company would have faced the 40-day flood in a vessel built from his own devices; Moses would have watched the Hebrew people sink further into lawlessness; the walls of Jericho would not have fallen; and Solomon’s temple would have been comprised of his own ideas. Our Lord has hidden nothing from us that we need to know for our good and His glory. What rich advice to us Christians, to look into God’s Word BEFORE we follow our own notions and fail.

“According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle . . . even so shall ye make it” (Exodus 25:9). “I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:16). “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works” (Titus 2:7). “As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount” (Hebrews 8:5). “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these” (Hebrews 9:23).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: In all things, showing yourself a pattern of good works.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 27 reading).]

“. . . who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 9:5

Here we see the simple declaration that Christ is over all. However, we may feel at times that He is neither engaged nor in charge─we must take His word on faith. Were He to suspend His rule for a moment, the Universe would completely disintegrate. Its existence is abiding proof to us of His uninterrupted oversight. We need only to look around us to be reminded that no matter what comes into our lives, He has it covered.

“There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). At the crucifixion “there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour” (Luke 23:44). Paul wrote of the Israelites, “Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 9:5). “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we” (Hebrews 3:6). “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12). Jesus said, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron” (Revelation 2:26–27).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 20 reading).]

Our Lord would have due reverence given to “old” things. He instructs us, for instance, that departure from time-honored truth is perilous in any generation. The devil’s bandwagon is always ready and waiting with tantalizing new trends, and his sales tactics are clever. Jeremiah 6:16 offers this command:

“Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”

However weak or irrelevant the old paths or old persons may appear, we must not regard them as a hindrance to progress. They may well be our surest means of avoiding a by-path meadow.

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth” (Psalm 71:9). “Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not” (Psalm 71:18). “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age” (Psalm 92:14). “Children’s children are the crown of old men” (Proverbs 17:6). “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge. . . . But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:5, 9).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: They shall still bring forth fruit in old age.

Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 13 reading).

One of the most venerable aspects of the life of our Lord is His perfect obedience. It is one thing for Him never to have visibly stumbled. But when we consider His utterly chaste, perfectly God-honoring thoughts, we are completely enthralled. In the purity of His motives and His inward holiness, we see most vividly the great gulf between the Redeemer and His redeemed.

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men” (Romans 16:19). “He remembereth the obedience of you all”
(2 Corinthians 7:15). “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God . . . bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5). “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). “Be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance” (2 Peter 1:13–14).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Be sober as obedient children.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 6 reading).]

“behold, all things are become new”

This is a remarkable observation we find recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:17. I have seen it on the face of the brand new convert─surpassing joy and a euphoria born of the Spirit’s work of regeneration. The world looks different to him now, and he looks different to the world. It is good to be around newly born-again babes in Christ.

“He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psalm 40:3). “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34). “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:23–24). “He [Jesus] is the mediator of the new testament” (Hebrews 9:15). “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Put on the new man.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (June 29 reading).]