Manton: knowledge as of the blind

Saturday, June 21, 2014
Meditation:
    My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
    —Colossians 2:2-3 (NIV)
Quotation:
    We know God but as men born blind know the fire; they know there is such a thing as fire, for they feel it warm them, but what it is they know not; so that there is a God we know, but what He is we know little, and indeed we can never search Him out to perfection; a finite creature can never fully comprehend that which is infinite.
    ... Thomas Manton (1620-1677), The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, v. 7, London: Nisbet & Co., 1872, p. 469 (see the book)
    See also Col. 2:2-3; Ps. 9:10; 119:97; Hos. 6:3; Matt. 13:11,35; Mark 4:11-12; Luke 8:10; 1 Cor. 2:7-10; Eph. 3:2-11; Col. 1:25-27; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet. 1:10-12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your glory and greatness stops my thoughts. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Packer: test the impressions

Friday, June 20, 2014
Meditation:
    For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
    —Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Mere confidence that one’s impressions are God-given is no guarantee at all that this is really so, even when, as sometimes happens when they are bound up with noble purposes, they persist and grow stronger through long seasons of prayer. To follow impressions, however much they are bound up with the holy concerns of evangelism, intercession, piety, and revival, is not the way to be Spirit-led. Bible-based wisdom must judge them.
    ... James I. Packer (b. 1926), Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Vine Books, 1995, p. 64 (see the book)
    See also Heb. 4:12; Matt. 4:1; Luke 11:28; 24:45; John 12:48; Acts 5:32; 15:28; 17:11; Rom. 2:13-16; 15:4; Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:14-15; Jas. 1:22; 2 Pet. 3:15-16
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, let Your word speak to me. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Singh: heavenly strings

Thursday, June 19, 2014
    Commemoration of Sundar Singh of India, Sadhu, Evangelist, Teacher, 1929
Meditation:
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and flute,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
    praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
    —Psalm 150:3-6 (NIV)
Quotation:
    This fitness of the heart and thoughts of man is like that of the strings of a guitar or violin. When these are tightened and made to harmonize, then by the touch of the plectrum or the bow the most charming music is produced; but if that is not done the touch of the bow only produces discords. And the production of sweet sounds when the strings all harmonize is again dependent on the air, by the force and motion of which sound is carried into the ear. In the same way, to harmonize the thoughts and imaginations of men the presence of the stimulating breath of the Holy Spirit is necessary. When that is present there will be produced heavenly airs and joyous harmonies in men’s hearts, both in this life and in heaven.
    ... Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929), At the Master’s Feet, Fleming H. Revell, 1922, p. 86-87 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 150:3-6; 33:1-3; 57:8-9; 68:4; 81:1-3; 92:1-3; 98:4-6; 104:33; 144:9-10; Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:16; Rev. 14:2-3
Quiet time reflection:
    Spirit of God, You are the singer in my soul. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Piper: love for the light

Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
    —John 3:19-21 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The reason people do not come to the light is because they do not love it. Love for the light is not caused by coming to the light. We come because we love it. Otherwise, our coming is no honor to the light. Could there be any holy motivation to believe in Christ where there is no taste for the beauty of Christ? To be sure, we could be motivated by the desire to escape hell or the desire to have material riches or the desire to rejoin a departed loved one. But how does it honor the light when the only reason we come to the light is to find those things that we loved in the dark?
    ... John S. Piper (b. 1946), Desiring God, Portland: Multnomah Press, 1986, reprint, Random House Digital, Inc., 2011, p. 72 (see the book)
    See also John 3:19-21; Isa. 9:2; 42:6-7; 60:1-3; Mal. 4:2; Matt. 4:13-16; Luke 1:76-79; 2:30-32; John 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35; Acts 13:47; 26:22-23
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, drive all the darkness from my life. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Pascal: knowing our sin

Tuesday, June 17, 2014
    Commemoration of Samuel & Henrietta Barnett, Social Reformers, 1913 & 1936
Meditation:
    Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
    Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
    Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
    —John 9:39-41 (NIV)
Quotation:
    God is none other than the Saviour of our wretchedness. So we can only know God well by knowing our iniquities. Therefore those who have known God without knowing their wretchedness, have not glorified him, but have glorified themselves.
    ... Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Pensées (Thoughts) [1660], P.F. Collier & Son, 1910, #547. p. 177 (see the book)
    See also John 9:39-41; 6:53-58; Rom. 7:24-25; 1 Cor. 1:18-24; 1 Pet. 2:7-8; Rev. 3:17
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I am certain of my unworthiness. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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de Caussade: personal surrender

Monday, June 16, 2014
    Feast of Richard of Chichester, Bishop, 1253
    Commemoration of Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, Moral Philosopher, 1752
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
    —Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Since God offers to manage our affairs for us, let us once and for all hand them over to His infinite wisdom, in order to occupy ourselves only with Himself and what belongs to Him.
    ... Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751), Abandonment to Divine Providence, II.ii.1 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 6:31-34; Ps. 55:22; Pr. 3:9-10; Matt. 4:4; Luke 12:29-31; John 6:27,51; 1 Pet. 5:7;
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I yield my cares to You, trusting in Your goodness. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Baillie: to the Trinity

Sunday, June 15, 2014
    Trinity Sunday
    Feast of Evelyn Underhill, Mystical Writer, 1941
Meditation:
    “But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?”
    Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
    —Matthew 16:15-16 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Dear Lord, if at this evening hour I think only of myself and my own condition and my own day’s record of service, then I can find no peace before I go to sleep, but only bitterness of spirit and miserable despair. Therefore, O Father, let me think rather of Thee and rejoice that Thy love is great enough to blot out all my sins. And, O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, let me think of Thee, and lean upon Thy heavenly righteousness, taking no pleasure in what I am before Thee but only in what Thou art for me and in my stead. And, O Holy Spirit, do Thou think within me, and so move within my mind and will that as the days go by I may be more and more conformed to the righteousness of Jesus Christ my Lord; to Whom be glory forever. Amen.
    ... John Baillie (1886-1960) & Donald M. Baillie (1887-1954), A Diary of Private Prayer, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1939, p. 111 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 16:15-16; 1 Cor. 2:9-11; 2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 4:6-8; Eph. 3:16-19; 1 Thess. 5:21; Tit. 3:4-7
Quiet time reflection:
    Father, increase my likeness to Your Son, by Your Spirit. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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