BJU Press Blog

Stewart Custer

GODLINESS

by

Holiness and godliness are first cousins. There won’t be one without the other. The former is a state of being and the latter relates to behavior. Our Lord, because He was holy, was the perfect example of godly behavior during His earthly life. By studying Him, I can learn to “live godly in Christ Jesus.”

cover image of Wonderful Words
“I exhort therefore, that . . . prayers . . . be made for all men, . . . that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:1–2). “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). “Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things” (1 Timothy 4:7–8). “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). “But thou, O man of God . . . follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:11). “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith . . . godliness” (2 Peter 1:5–6). “Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Godliness with contentment is great gain.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (March 30 reading).]

GIFT

by

God’s gifts cover a very broad range of blessing. We thank Him for the food we eat, the clothes on our backs, and the roofs over our heads. But if these temporal blessings were all that we received, there would be no enjoying them. They would be thoroughly overshadowed by a soul-withering sense of endless darkness to follow. The verses below, however, remind us of His unspeakable gift—that GIFT that eclipses all others and casts the bright rays of eternal redemption over them all.

cover image of Wonderful Words

Paul often writes of the gift of God. “Much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (Romans 5:15). “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift ” (II Corinthians 9:15). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Paul also wrote, “I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power” (Ephesians 3:7). “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7). James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

GOLDEN THOUGHT : Every good gift is from above.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (March 23 reading).]

FRIEND

by

The label “fair weather friend” is one no conscientious person would desire. It carries the implications of an opportunist at best and traitor-in-disguise at worst. The Lord Jesus called His betrayer “Friend” as He received his signal kiss in the Garden. Judas was the worst of fair-weather friends. Christ said in John 15:14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” Abraham was called the friend of God because he believed His word. The commandment of our Lord is “believe also in me.” I praise God that Jesus seeks, saves, and makes friends of all He enables to believe.

cover image of Wonderful Words

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). Solomon also said, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Jesus said, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee” (Mark 5:19). His enemies charged the Lord Jesus Christ with being “a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” (Luke 7:34). But that is His true glory, for He came to seek and to save the lost. It is different when someone desires to be like the world. James warned, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (March 16 reading).]

FEAR, REVERENCE

by

Reverential fear is an essential characteristic of the Christian and may well be the litmus test as to whether a person has genuine faith. It knows no boundaries of age or status. In Psalm 115:13, the psalmist wrote “He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.” Without fear we deem God to be our equal. But when we revere Him we find Him to be very great indeed.

cover image of Wonderful Words

“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever” (Psalm 19:9). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). “The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened” (Proverbs 10:27). “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27). “Servants, obey in all things your masters . . . not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God” (Colossians 3:22). “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28). “Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great” (Revelation 19:5).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: Let us serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (March 2 reading).]

EYE

by

Cast out. Homeless. Destitute. With child. Hagar, Abraham’s servant-mistress was utterly alone. Then “the angel” found her, bringing direction, assurance, promise. “Thou God seest me.” God’s eye was enough for her. It is enough for me.

cover image of Wonderful Words

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy” (Psalm 33:18). “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalm 34:15). “He that formed the eye, shall he not see?” (Psalm 94:9). “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling” (Ephesians 1:18). “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7). “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns” (Revelation 19:12). “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (February 24 reading).]