Head: a warrior still

Saturday, October 27, 2018
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
    —John 15:8 (NIV)
Quotation:
    [As from David:] Did not I, through faith, conquer kingdoms, apply justice, obtain promises, stop the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escape the edge of the sword, win strength out of weakness, become valiant in war, and put foreign armies to flight?
    Was I not a man of faith and a man of action in one skin? Why are the faithful so afraid of deeds, for fear they should fall into ‘justification by works’? And why is Thy Church so uncomfortable with its men of action? And why do men of spirit so often have to work apart from, and even against it? Are there no longer kingdoms to be conquered, injustice to be destroyed, promises to be obtained?
    The Son of David is a warrior still. Must He tread the winepress alone?
    ... David Head, Shout for Joy, New York: MacMillan Co., 1962, p. 58 (see the book)
    See also John 15:8; Isa. 63:1-5; Matt.26:31; Mark 14:50; Heb. 11:32-34
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, show me the work that I must do for Your glory. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Tillotson: errors in belief

Friday, October 26, 2018
    Feast of Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, Scholar, 899
    Commemoration of Cedd, Founding Abbot of Lastingham, Bishop of the East Saxons, 664
Meditation:
    The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
    He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
    —Matthew 16:1-4 (NIV)
Quotation:
    All the revelations of God, as well as the laws of men, go upon this presumption, that men are not stark fools; but that they will consider their interest, and have some regard to the great concernment of their eternal salvation. And this is as much to secure men from mistake in matters of belief, as God hath afforded to keep men from sin in matters of practice. He hath made no effectual and infallible provision that men shall not sin; and yet it would puzzle any man to give a good reason, why God should take more care to secure men against errors in belief, than against sin and wickedness in their lives.
    ... John Tillotson (1630-1694), Works of Dr. John Tillotson, v. II, London: J. F. Dove, for R. Priestley, 1820, Sermon XXI, p. 276-277 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 16:1-4; Pr. 16:10-21; Matt. 7:13; 5:25-26; Luke 14:28-32; 1 John 4:1
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, only You can correct my belief. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Carmichael: taking Christ's place

Thursday, October 25, 2018
    Commemoration of Crispin & Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c.285
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
    —Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
Quotation:
    If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
    ... Amy Carmichael (1867-1951), If [1938], London: SPCK, 1961, p. 58 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 6:33; 16:24-26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25; Gal. 2:20; 5:12; Rev. 17:14
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, make me always point to You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Donne: evangelism

Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Meditation:
    The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
    —Psalm 97:1 (KJV)
Quotation:
    Christ came... in a purpose, ... to manifest himself in the Christian Religion, to all the nations of the world; and therefore, says David, The Lord reigneth, let the island rejoice—the island who by reason of their situation, provision, and trading, have most means of conveying Christ Jesus over the world. He hath carried us up to heaven, and set us at the right hand of God, and shall not we endeavour to carry him to those nations, who have not yet heard of his name? Shall we still brag that we have brought our clothes, and our hatchets, and our knives, and bread to this and this value and estimation amongst those poor ignorant Souls, and shall we never glory that we have brought the name, and Religion of Christ Jesus in estimation amongst them? Shall we stay till other nations have planted a false Christ among them? And then either continue in our sloth, or take more pains in rooting out a false Christ than would have planted the true?
    ... John Donne (1573-1631), Works of John Donne, vol. V, London: John W. Parker, 1839, Sermon CXLV, p. 592 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 97:1-12; 96; Luke 24:46,47; 1 John 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:15
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, help me to send the treasure of Christ in me to those who do not have it. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Van Dyke: Who seeks for heaven alone

Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Meditation:
    The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
    —1 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)
Quotation:
Who seeks for heaven alone to save his soul,
May keep the path, but will not reach the goal;
While he who walks in love may wander far,
But God will bring him where the Blessed are.
    ... Henry van Dyke (1852-1933), The Poems of Henry Van Dyke, New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1920, p. 275 (see the book)
    See also 1 Tim. 1:5; Ps. 16:11; Matt. 19:16-20; John 5:39-40,46
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, place Your love in my heart. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Laubach: listening to God

Monday, October 22, 2018
Meditation:
I will listen to what God the LORD will say;
    he promises peace to his people, his saints—
    but let them not return to folly.
    —Psalm 85:8 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The trouble with nearly everybody who prays is that he says “Amen” and runs away before God has a chance to reply. Listening to God is far more important than giving Him your ideas.
    ... Frank C. Laubach (1884-1970), in Frank C. Laubach, Teacher of Millions, David E. Mason, Minneapolis: T. S. Denison & Co., 1967, p. 120
    See also Ps. 85:8; 119:98; Hab. 2:1; Heb. 12:25; Matt. 17:5; Eph. 2:17
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, I hear Your voice. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Lightner: the irrational answer

Sunday, October 21, 2018
Meditation:
    Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
    —1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The doctrine of the blessed Trinity is a reminder of the supernaturalness of biblical Christianity. The doctrine defies rationalization, yet it provides for the believer the answer to the unity and diversity of the world.
    ... Robert P. Lightner (1931-2018), The God of the Bible [1973], Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1978, formerly published as The First Fundamental: God, p. 69 (see the book)
    See also 1 Pet. 1:1-2; Isa. 11:1-2; Matt. 28:19; John 14:16-17; 15:26; Acts 2:33; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 13:14; Gal. 4:4-6; 1 Tim. 3:16; Tit. 3:4-7; Heb. 9:14; 1 John 5:6
Quiet time reflection:
    Creator Lord, You have known us, inside and out. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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