A Devotional for such a time as this: - from: Wilberforce, W., & Belmonte, K. (2006). 365 Days with Wilberforce (p. 101). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications. _____________________________________ ‘The debt of gratitude’ ‘bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 10:5 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Ephesians 6:7 Servile, and base, and mercenary, is the notion of Christian practice among the bulk of nominal Christians. They give no more than they dare not withhold; they abstain from nothing but what they must not practice. When you state to them the doubtful quality of any action, and the consequent obligation to desist from it, they reply to you in the very spirit of Shylock, ‘they cannot find it in the bond.’ In short, they know Christianity only as a system of restraints. She is despoiled of every liberal and generous principle: she is rendered almost unfit for the social intercourses of life, and is only suited to the gloomy walls of that cloister, in which they would confine her. But true Christians consider themselves not as satisfying some rigorous creditor, but as discharging a debt of gratitude. Theirs is accordingly not the stinted return of a constrained obedience, but the large and liberal measure of a voluntary service. FOR MEDITATION: Psalm 100:2 tells us that we ought to ‘Serve the Lord with gladness,’ and ‘come before his presence with singing.’ What else can we learn from the Scriptures about how we ought to serve God? In Psalm 119:124–25 we learn that we are to pray that God will teach us his ways, in order that we might better serve him: ‘Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy,’ the psalmist asks, ‘and teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.’ REFERENCE: A Practical View of Christianity (1797) - via Logos 5 #devotionalforsuchatimeasthis #christjesus #vineofchristministries #theword #studyscripture #god #biblestudy #bible #jesus #faith
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 02:36:30 +0000
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