Kurosaki: moving towards spiritual unity

Saturday, October 23, 2021
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
    —Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
Quotation:
    I believe God is moving to reveal to all Christians what the true center of the Christian faith is, and that the inevitable spiritual unity which will surely result will be one of the major steps toward the fulfillment of God’s full purpose—His “eternal purpose.” All Christians are one Body in Christ—we cannot create this, but only recognize it. However, we must recognize it and then fearlessly practice it, disregarding our differences in doctrine, forms and interpretations of the Bible. We must receive one another on the ground of a mutual fellowship with God in living union with Christ in the Spirit.
    ... Kokichi Kurosaki (1886-1970), One Body in Christ, Kobe, Japan: Eternal Life Press, 1954, ch. 5 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 18:20; John 17:22-23; Rom. 12:4-5; 14:5-6; 15:5-7; 1 Cor. 1:10; 10:17; 12:12-13; 2 Cor. 3:5-6; Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Tim. 3:14-15; 1 Pet. 3:8
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, hasten the day of unity. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Gossip: salvation

Friday, October 22, 2021
Meditation:
    A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
    So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
    When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
    All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”
    But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
    Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
    —Luke 19:2-10 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Christ did not throw about that great word Salvation. But once, in the heart of an angry crowd, their enthusiasm soured suddenly into a growling muttering. He applied it confidently to a man who, under the inspiration of His friendship, had broken with his sorry past and his old selfish, unclean ways, and was doing what he could to put things right. Now that, He said, is what I call a saved man. Very solemnly He tells us that on the Day of Judgment we shall not be asked the questions we are expecting, but others that will puzzle and startle us. Those folk on the left hand were, as far as we hear, respectable folk; their business books were straight, their home life was kindly, they themselves were clean-living men and women: nothing whatever is laid to their charge excepting this, that they lived in a world needing their help and were too absorbed in something—what it was, we are not told; it may have been their souls—to give what aid t hey could.
    ... A. J. Gossip (1873-1954), From the Edge of the Crowd, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1924, p. 23-24 (see the book)
    See also Luke 19:2-10; Matt. 11:15; 25:31-46
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, lead me to true repentance. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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M'Cheyne: the offence of the Cross

Thursday, October 21, 2021
Meditation:
    Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
    —Galatians 5:11 (NIV)
Quotation:
    A natural heart is offended every day at the preaching of the Cross... The preaching of another’s righteousness—that you must have it or perish—many, I have no doubt, are often enraged at this in their hearts. Many, I doubt not, have left this church on account of it, and many more, I doubt not, will follow. All the offence of the Cross is not ceased. But a broken heart cannot be offended. Ministers cannot speak too plainly for a broken heart. A broken heart would sit for ever to hear of the righteousness without works.
    ... Robert Murray M’Cheyne (1813-1843), Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Dundee: W. Middleton, 1845, p. 395 (see the book)
    See also Gal. 5:11; Ps. 51:17; Rom. 8:6-7; Jude 1:17-19
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your gospel is for the lost. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Ryle: clothed with humility

Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Meditation:
    A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
    —1 Corinthians 11:28-29 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Right reception of the Lord’s Supper has a humbling effect on the soul. The sight of the emblems of Christ’s body and blood, reminds us how sinful sin must be, if nothing less than the death of God’s own Son could make satisfaction for it, or redeem us from its guilt. Never, surely, ought we to be so “clothed with humility,” as when we kneel at the Communion rail.
    ... J. C. Ryle (1816-1900), Principles for Churchmen, London: William Hunt, 1884, p. 269 (see the book)
    See also 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; Col. 1:19-20; Heb. 10:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-19
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, send away my pride and haughtiness by Your body and blood. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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de Sales: where our troubles come from

Tuesday, October 19, 2021
    Feast of Henry Martyn, Translator of the Scriptures, Missionary in India & Persia, 1812
Meditation:
It was good for me to be afflicted
    so that I might learn your decrees.
The law from your mouth is more precious to me
    than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
    —Psalm 119:71-72 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Look well whence the trial comes, for we are often ourselves the cause of our own dryness and barrenness. A mother refuses sugar to her sickly child, and so God deprives us of consolations when they do but feed self-complacency or presumption.
    ... François de Sales (1567-1622), Introduction to the Devout Life [1609], London: Rivingtons, 1876, IV.xiv, p. 333 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 119:67,71-72; 1 Cor. 10:13; Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:6
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, help me to persevere in the trials ahead. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Wilberforce: his calling

Monday, October 18, 2021
    Feast of Luke the Evangelist
Meditation:
    [The LORD:] “You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.”
    —Amos 5:11 (NIV)
Quotation:
    God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners [i.e. morals].
    ... William Wilberforce (1759-1833), diary entry for Sunday, October 28, 1787, William Wilberforce: Greatest Works, Bridge Logos Foundation, 2007, p. 10 (see the book)
    See also Amos 5:11; Ps. 9:9; 72:4; Isa. 1:15-17; Jas. 5:4
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your are establishing righteousness in the world. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Tillotson: no conscience about divisions

Sunday, October 17, 2021
    Feast of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107
Meditation:
    What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
    —1 Corinthians 1:12-13 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Many men’s scruples lie almost wholly about obedience to authority and compliance with indifferent customs, but very seldom about the dangers of disobedience and unpeaceableness, and rending in pieces the Church of Christ, by needless separations and endless divisions.
    ... John Tillotson (1630-1694), Works of Dr. John Tillotson, v. VIII, London: J. F. Dove, for R. Priestley, 1820, Sermon CLXXXVIII, p. 247 (see the book)
    See also 1 Cor. 1:12-13; Matt. 22:21; John 14:27; 17:20-23; Rom. 15:5-7; 1 Pet. 2:21
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, may I never be the cause of division in Your Body. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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