Bunyan: still forgiven

Sunday, July 20, 2025
    Commemoration of Bartolomè de las Casas, Apostle to the Indies, 1566
Meditation:
    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
    —1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Quotation:
    No child of God sins to that degree as to make himself incapable of forgiveness.
    ... John Bunyan (1628-1688), “The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate”, in The Whole Works of John Bunyan, v. I, London: Blackie, 1862, p. 155 (see the book)
    See also 1 John 1:9; Lam. 3:22-23; 1 Tim. 1:15; Heb. 10:23; 1 John 2:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You can correct all my faults and sins. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Inge: active faith

Saturday, July 19, 2025
    Feast of Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, & his sister Macrina, Teachers, c.394 & c.379
Meditation:
    For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
    —Galatians 5:6 (NIV)
Quotation:
    What St. Paul dreads, and protests against in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians, is a baptized Pharisaism which would remain in all essentials pre-Christian. He is determined that Faith shall not lose its new active meaning, as a decisive moral act of trust; he dreads that it may become again Jewish and passive, a mere fidelity to the terms of a covenant. He is fighting for the new content of the word Faith, as a Christian virtue. But it is as a Christian virtue bound up inextricably with the other Christian virtues, and especially with Love, which is its proper activity..., that he claims such importance for it.
    ... William R. Inge (1860-1954), Faith and its Psychology, Scribner, 1910, p. 13 (see the book)
    See also Gal. 5:6; Rom. 10:9; Gal. 5:1-2; 6:15; Jas. 2:18; 1 Pet. 1:8-9; 1 John 4:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your love is the engine of the church. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Brainerd: a glimpse

Friday, July 18, 2025
Meditation:
    In [Christ Jesus] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
    —Ephesians 3:12 (NIV)
Quotation:
    In the evening [I] enjoyed some comfort and satisfaction; and especially had some sweetness in secret prayer. This duty was made so agreeable to me, that I loved to walk abroad, and repeatedly engage in it. Oh, how comfortable is a little glimpse of God!
    ... David Brainerd (1718-1747), Memoirs of the Rev. David Brainerd, New Haven: S. Converse, 1822, p. 377 (see the book)
    See also Eph. 3:12; Mic. 6:8; Eph. 2:13; John 1:18; 1 John 4:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are always present that I may turn to You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Bloesch: prayer, not magic

Thursday, July 17, 2025
Meditation:
    When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
    —James 4:3 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Christian prayer must forever be distinguished from magic. The true God cannot be manipulated or controlled. He cannot be put in a box. He is not at our disposal even in his revelation. There are no guarantees that God will hear our prayers. Even when our prayers are answered, this is to be attributed to his free grace. Sinful mankind is always dependent on his mercy.
    ... Donald G. Bloesch (1928-2010), The Struggle of Prayer, Harper & Row, 1980, p. 46 (see the book)
    See also Jas. 4:3; Job 30:20; Ps. 6:9; John 9:31; Rom. 8:26; Jas. 1:6-7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, my prayer to You relies on Your mercy. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Shoemaker: discipline in the disciple

Wednesday, July 16, 2025
    Commemoration of Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, 1099
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
    —John 14:15 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The surest symbol of a heart not yet fully subdued to God and His will is going to be found in the areas of money, sex, and power; in wanting these things for ourselves. The surest symbol of spiritual earnestness will be the checkbook, the affections, and the ego-drive surrendered to Him. A disciple must have discipline. He must not be afraid of being asked by God for some of the time, the money, and the pleasure he has been in the habit of calling his “own.” This does not mean that there will not be time for the family, and time for some healthy diversion. But it does mean that we are never—on vacation, or wherever we may be—exempt from our primary commitment to Him.
    ... Samuel M. Shoemaker (1893-1963), The Experiment of Faith, New York: Harper, 1957, p. 37-38 (see the book)
    See also John 14:15-17; Matt. 10:32-33; Luke 14:33; Rom. 8:12-13; Gal. 5:5; 2 Tim. 1:7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are my first commitment. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Murray: effort does not avail

Tuesday, July 15, 2025
    Commemoration of Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c.862
    Commemoration of Bonaventure, Franciscan Friar, Bishop, Peacemaker, 1274
Meditation:
    For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
    —Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Do not try to stir and arouse faith from within. How often I have tried to do that, and made a fool of myself! You cannot stir up faith from the depths of your heart. Leave your heart, and look into the face of Christ, and listen to what He tells you about how He will keep you.
    ... Andrew Murray (1828-1917), Absolute Surrender, Bible Institute Colportage Association, 1897, p. 108 (see the book)
    See also Eph. 2:8-9; Isa. 31:1; John 1:17,29; Rom. 3:22-24; Heb. 12:1-2; 1 John 1:1-3
Quiet time reflection:
    True faith comes only from You, Lord. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Keble: Sun of my Soul

Monday, July 14, 2025
    Feast of John Keble, Priest, Poet, Tractarian, 1866
Meditation:
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
    the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.
    —Psalm 84:11 (NIV)
Quotation:
Sun of my soul! Thou Saviour dear,
    It is not night if Thou be near;
O may no earth-born cloud arise
    To hide Thee from thy servant’s eyes.
    ... John Keble (1792-1866), The Christian Year [1827], G. W. Doane, ed., Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard, 1842, p. 20 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 84:11; Mal. 4:2; Eph. 5:8; 1 John 2:8; Rev. 1:16
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, shine on my heart. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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