Haines: fellowship for clergy

Sunday, January 12, 2025
    Feast of Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167
    Commemoration of Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, Scholar, 689
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
    —Luke 22:32 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The discovery of warm, mutual Christian fellowship is especially difficult for the minister. For how can a minister break loose from the role of religious leader to which he is accustomed and which he is expected to assume, and become a member of a small group fellowship? And, unless he does, how can he guide others into something which he has not himself experienced? That is why many ministers find their initial participation in a group with other ministers, where the distinction between clergymen and laymen can be avoided.
    ... Howard B. Haines (1911-2000), “Fellowship Groups: ‘Intercessory Love’”, in Spiritual Renewal through Personal Groups, John L. Casteel, ed., NY: Association Press, 1957, p. 121 (see the book)
    See also Luke 22:32; Rom. 1:11-12; 14:17-19; Col. 3:16; 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 10:24; Jas. 5:16; 1 John 1:3,7
Quiet time reflection:
    Help us, Lord, as we pray for the strengthening of ministers. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth

Brooks: the worth of Christ

Saturday, January 11, 2025
    Commemoration of Mary Slessor, Missionary in West Africa, 1915
Meditation:
    And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
    —Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
Quotation:
    [Christ] is a jewel more worth than a thousand worlds, as all know who have him. Get him, and get all; miss him, and miss all.
    ... Thomas Brooks (1608-1680), The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks, v. III, Ediburgh: James Nichol, 1866, p. 203 (see the book)
    See also Phil. 4:19; Ps. 31:9; Matt. 6:19-21; 13:44-46; 19:21; Luke 12:33; Eph. 3:8-9; Col. 1:27; 2:2-3
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are the treasure incomparable. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth

Toplady: The Work, which his Goodness began

Friday, January 10, 2025
Meditation:
    In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
    —Philippians 1:4-6 (NIV)
Quotation:
The Work, which his Goodness began,
    The Arm of his Strength will complete;
His Promise is Yea and Amen,
    And never was forfeited yet:
Things future, nor things that are now,
    Not all things below nor above,
Can make him his Purpose forego,
    Or sever my Soul from his Love.
    ... Augustus Toplady (1740-1778), Hymns and Sacred Poems, London: D. Sedgwick, 1860, p. 140 (see the book)
    See also Phil. 1:4-6; John 6:29; Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 1:11; Phil. 2:12-13; 1 Thess. 1:3; Tit. 3:4-6
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have marked Your people with a indelible guarantee. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth

Capon: All God needs...

Thursday, January 9, 2025
Meditation:
    The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?”
    Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.”
    —John 7:15-16 (NIV)
Quotation:
    All God needs to make a universe is nothing; all he needs to make a preacher is a nobody.
    ... Robert Farrar Capon (1925-2013), The Foolishness of Preaching, Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997, p. 26 (see the book)
    See also John 7:15-16; Gen. 1:2; Amos 7:14-15; Matt. 11:25; Acts 4:13; 1 Cor. 1:27
Quiet time reflection:
    Sovereign Lord, You raise up Your servants as You will. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth

Elliot: to be weak

Wednesday, January 8, 2025
    29th anniversary of CQOD
    Commemoration of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, and Pete Fleming, martyrs, Ecuador, 1956
Meditation:
    You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
    —Hebrews 10:34 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Father, let me be weak that I might loose my clutch on everything temporal. My life, my reputation, my possessions, Lord, let me loose the tension of the grasping hand... Rather, open my hand to receive the nail of Calvary, as Christ’s was opened—that I, releasing all, might be released, unleashed from all that binds me now.
    ... Jim Elliot (1927-1956), Shadow of the Almighty: the life & testament of Jim Elliot, Elisabeth Elliot, Harper, 1958, p. 59 (see the book)
    See also Heb. 10:34; Matt. 6:19-21,24; 19:21; Luke 12:22-23; 16:13; Rom. 6:16; 2 Cor. 12:10; 13:4; Eph. 6:10; Phil. 4:11-13; 1 Tim. 6:4-6; 1 Pet. 5:2-3
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, may my possessions have no power over me. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth

Jones: Christ and healing

Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Meditation:
    When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick... So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
    —Luke 9:1-2,6 (NIV)
Quotation:
    When the main stream of Christian faith accepted a dualism in life and began to confine itself largely to the “spiritual,” then physical health was relegated to the cults. This was to the credit of the cults and to the discredit of the orthodox. For healing has been in the Christian movement from the beginning; it was in the person of its Founder. Jesus cured disease as an integral part of the coming of the Kingdom; it was the Kingdom active within the body.
    ... E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973), The Christ of the American Road, Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1944, p. 163 (see the book)
    See also Luke 9:1-6; Jer. 33:6; Mal. 4:2; Matt. 4:23; 9:20-22; 14:14; Luke 6:17-19; John 7:23; 1 Cor. 12:28; Rev. 22:1-2
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are the cure for all that ails me. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth

Nee: the Answer

Monday, January 6, 2025
    EPIPHANY
Meditation:
    Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
    —Luke 2:25-26 (NIV)
Quotation:
    God will answer all our questions in one way and one way only. Namely, by showing us more of his Son.
    ... Watchman Nee (1903-1972), The Normal Christian Life, Tyndale House Publishers, 1977, p. 12 (see the book)
    See also Luke 2:25-26; 1 Cor. 1:7; Eph. 3:4; 1 Pet. 1:20
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, show me more of my Savior. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
    search    script    mobile
sub    fb    twt    inst    Jonah    ; Ruth