Chesterton: the paradox of charity

Saturday, June 13, 2015
    Commemoration of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Apologist and Writer, 1936
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”
    —Matthew 5:46-47 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Charity is a paradox, like modesty and courage. Stated baldly, charity certainly means one of two things—pardoning unpardonable acts, or loving unlovable people.
    ... Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936), Orthodoxy, London, New York: John Lane Company, 1909, p. 174 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 5:46-47; 9:10-11; Luke 6:32-35; 15:1; 19:7; 1 Cor. 6:11
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, enlarge my heart. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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MacDonald: theory vs. following

Friday, June 12, 2015
Meditation:
    “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”
    —Hebrews 10:38 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Jesus is the creating and saving lord of our intellects as well as of our more precious hearts; nothing that he does not think, is worth thinking; no man can think as he thinks, except he be pure like him; no man can be pure like him, except he go with him, and learn from him. To put off obeying him till we find a credible theory concerning him, is to set aside the potion we know it our duty to drink, for the study of the various schools of therapy. You know what Christ requires of you is right.
    ... George MacDonald (1824-1905), “Justice”, in Unspoken Sermons, Third Series, London: Longmans, Green, 1889, p. 152 (see the book)
    See also Heb. 10:38; Ps. 85:8; Matt. 11:29-30; 13:22; 19:21-22; Mark10:21-22; Luke 18:22-23; Jas. 1:6-8; 2 Pet. 2:20-21
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I will delay no longer in following You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Scofield: seeking the lost

Thursday, June 11, 2015
    Feast of Barnabas the Apostle
Meditation:
    So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
    —Romans 11:5-6 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Grace is not looking for good men whom it may approve, for it is not grace but mere justice to approve goodness. But it is looking for condemned, guilty, speechless and helpless men whom it may save through faith, then sanctify and glorify.
    ... C. I. Scofield (1843-1921), “The Grace of God”, in The Fundamentals: The Famous Sourcebook of Foundational Biblical Truths, ed. R. A. Torrey, Kregel Academic, 1990, p. 402 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 41:4; 147:3; Matt. 9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 19:10; Rom. 4:4-5; 7:12; 11:5-6; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rev. 3:17
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I seek You because I am without excuse. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Owen: the reason for divisions

Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Meditation:
    Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
    —Colossians 3:13-15 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Were Christians duly instructed how many lesser differences, in mind, and judgment, and practice, are really consistent with the nature, ends, and genuine fruit of the unity that Christ requires among them, it would undoubtedly prevail with them so as to manage themselves in their differences, by mutual forbearance and condescension in their love, as not to contract the guilt of being disturbers or breakers of it... To speak plainly, among all the churches in the world which are free from idolatry and persecution, it is not different opinions, nor a difference in judgment about revealed truths, nor a different practice in sacred administrations, but pride, self-interest, love of honour, reputation, and dominion, with the influence of civil or political intrigues and considerations, that are the true cause of that defect of evangelical unity that is at this day amongst them.
    ... John Owen (1616-1683), A Discourse Concerning Evangelical Love [1672], in Works of John Owen, v. XV, London: Johnson & Hunter, 1851, P. 113 (see the book)
    See also Rom. 12:4-5; Eph. 4:3-6; 5:29-30; Col. 3:13-15
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, lead Your people to put away our pride. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Allen: quenching the Spirit?

Tuesday, June 9, 2015
    Feast of Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597
    Commemoration of Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Hymnographer, Teacher, 373
Meditation:
    Quench not the Spirit.
    —1 Thessalonians 5:19 (KJV)
Quotation:
    [Continued from yesterday]
    The reason of our failure is, I believe, largely due to the fact that we quench that Spirit. We educate our converts to think... that none but duly appointed ministers may preach. We dread the possible mistakes of individual zeal. The result is that our converts hesitate to speak of religion to others. They throw the responsibility on the licensed evangelist and “the mission”...
    We need to begin again to teach ourselves and our people what Spirit we are of, and to give liberty that the word of the Lord may have free course. When we do that, the Church will again reveal itself in its true character and become self-propagating.
    ... Roland Allen (1869-1947), Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or ours?, London: World Dominion Press, 1927, reprinted, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1962, p. 126 (see the book)
    See also 1 Thess. 5:19; Ps. 51:11; Eph. 4:30; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6-8
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant that may I never ignore the prompting of the Spirit. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Allen: no need for exhortation to missions

Monday, June 8, 2015
    Feast of Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath & Wells, Hymnographer, 1711
    Commemoration of Roland Allen, Mission Strategist, 1947
Meditation:
    The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it...
    —1 Thessalonians 1:8 (NIV)
Quotation:
    It seems strange to us that there should be no exhortations to missionary zeal in the Epistles of St. Paul. There is one sentence of approval, “From you sounded out the word of the Lord,” but there is no insistence on the command of Christ to preach the Gospel... The Christians of the Four Provinces were certainly zealous in propagating the faith, and apparently needed no exhortation on the subject... Christians receive the Spirit of Jesus, and the Spirit of Jesus is a missionary spirit, the Spirit of Him Who came into the world to bring back lost souls to the Father. Naturally, when they receive that Spirit they begin to seek to bring back others, even as He did. [Continued tomorrow]
    ... Roland Allen (1869-1947), Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or ours?, London: World Dominion Press, 1927, reprinted, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1962, p. 125-126 (see the book)
    See also 1 Thess. 1:8; Isa. 52:7; 66:19; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:14-18; 2 Thess. 3:1
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant Your Spirit to energize Your people. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Morgan: the really good news

Sunday, June 7, 2015
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “Blessed...”
    —Matthew 5:3 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The very first word that falls from His lips is a revelation of the will of God for man. “Blessed.” “Happy.” That is the Divine thought and intention for us. Sorrow, tears, pain, disappointment, all these may be, and are, of inestimable value in the Father’s discipline; but they are means to an end, made necessary by man’s sin. The end, in the purpose of God is blessedness. Happiness is that after which all men in every age seek, and the first note in the Saviour’s teaching reveals it, as what God is seeking also.
    ... G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945), Discipleship, New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1897, p. 24 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 5:3-12; Ps. 1:1; 32:1-2; 84:12; Luke 6:20-26; 11:28
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You shower blessing on Your people. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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