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them, and of us, T am glorified in them.* Even we, with all our failures and faults can glorify our Lord. ‘For of him, _and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory forever.’ W e ought to be the highest expression of His glory.” — An Unknown Christian. SEPTEMBER 22 Scripture: II Corinthians 5:9 “We are ambitious, that, whether present or absent, we may be well pleasing to him" (marginal reading). Life has held many ambitions for each of us. As we grow older, we cease to change from one ambition to another. And as we grow spiritually, we tend more and more to one ambition: laboring, striving to know that our lives are “ accepted of him.” Today is all we have. May it, then, find me well pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ, “ whose I am, and whom I serve.” SEPTEMBER 23 Scripture: II Corinthians 6:16*18 “ Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” How wise and pertinent to human need are God’s promises and provisions! Here are words to encourage submission to His will, and to make us know the enjoyment of His presence. He dwells and walks among His own às Father, and we who own His pres ence, are to Him sons and daughters. This truth is spoken by the Lord Almighty, the Lord who is enough. “ There is therefore no want to them that fear him.” SEPTEMBER 24 Scripture: II Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh wnd spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” - Dr. William Evans says, “ It is not enough to pluck up thorns, we must plant flowers. Our hearts yearn to be cleansed from sin, either of flesh or spirit. The exhortation in this Scripture urges a positive as well as a negative reaction to the promises m the foregoing verses. L et us cleanse ourselves, “ perfecting holiness.” There is only one way of cleansing—by confession to God of our faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. So there is only one way of “ perfecting holi ness”—by ‘ obedience to His Word through SEPTEMBER 25 Scripture: II Corinthians 8:4 “Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” ' .. To minister to one of God’s children is the kind of fellowship of which the world knows nothing “ Love does not Calculate what it can spare. No earthly incentive, no pressure of agents, no rivalry of donations is here. It is the grace of God given from first to last ” The grace of giving comes from Him, redounds in glory to Him, and creates the sense of comradeship among us that arouses deep gratitude in our hearts. SEPTEMBER 26 Scripture: II Corinthians 9:8,11 “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work . . . which causeth through us thanksgiv ing to God.” Let us recognize that God’s ability is never lessened. His grace enables us to trust in His power for ourselves, and for others to whom He would minister through us. Not only do we have all sufficiency, but He enriches us unto that bountifulness in every thing which causes thanksgiving unto Him.
edge. Let each seek the gift God planned to fit his personality. Then the results will glorify God, and receive approval from our Lord Jesus Christ. SEPTEMBER 13 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.93 Physical adulthood does not always imply complete development, or spiritual maturi ty. We are often reminded in Scripture that spiritual babyhood is possible after years of spiritual life. Not every born-again Christian grows up. May we ponder the dif ference between childhood and maturity in spiritual and emotional conduct. In sincere desire let .us wait upon .God that His- Spirit may lead us to “ put away childish things,” that we may walk as men. SEPTEMBER 14 Scripture: I Corinthians 14:33 “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.9 God'-is not honored by confusion Whether it be physical or mental. He is the author of orderliness, of peace. Even the stars speak to us of His method,' arrangement, system. When His peace reigns in the as sembly of His saved ones, there is no con fusion therein. So, too, when His peace reigns in the heart of the Christian there is quiet,; orderly thinking. “ Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” SEPTEMBER 15 . Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:57 “Thanks be to God', which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." In the midst of a people filled with anxiety, in a world from which security seems to have vanished, can one really be thankful? Yes. Because Christ Jesus rose from the dead. The hope of the resurrection brings peace to the •soul. Death loses its sting because victory over it is found in Jesus' Christ our Lord. Through our resur rected Saviour, victory over physical and spiritual death is ours. In this triumph, the redeemed soul can sing joyfully and speak positively. SEPTEMBER 16 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:17/ 18 “They have refreshed my spirit." . W jll: anyone say at the. close of .this .day that--my presence has refreshed his spirit? Little is known of Stephanas and Fortu- natus, yet the mention of them in this Scripture is a challenge to all who love the Lord. In the midst of heathenism, supersti tion, misunderstanding and opposition, the presence of these two believers refreshed the saints. Lord Jesus, make us refreshing Christians today. SEPTEMBER 17 Scripture: II Corinthians 1:10 “Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.” Past, 'present, and future—all are in the hands of God! The past is a cause for thanksgiving, because we have known deliv erances; the present is an occasion for quietness, because He is delivering us from the working of death; the future is an op portunity for faith because the resurrection power of God will always work triumphantly in our behalf. W e should not trust in our selves, but in God who has delivered, who is delivering, and who will deliver us. SEPTEMBER 18 Scripture: II Corinthians 2:9 “For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things." ■ This, three-letter word/‘all,” is'seeking to impinge on our consciousness that we may stop, consider and understand. Obedience in many things is simple and easy. Obedience
Dr. lone Lowman in some few cases comes only after prayer to God, and surrender to His will. In some minor details obedience is lacking because indifference or thoughtlessness has kept the question in the background. Yet, “ all things” includes obedience in trivial as well as large, minor as well as major life transac tions. Nothing is trivial or minor that af fects Christian witness. “ To this end,” the Lord seeks “ the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” SEPTEMBER 19 Scripture: II Corinthians 3:10 “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth." An unknown Christian in the book, The Glory Christian, has this word for us; “ Glory is a word that has escaped from Heaven; for glory, like its Author, the King of Glory, cannot be hid. Paul may be called, ‘Glory Christian,’ but this glory is for us also. The Lord Jesus desires every one of us to be ‘to the praise of His glory.’ Let us pray that each of us may also receive a fresh vision of that glory that we may be ‘changed into the same image from glory to glory’.” SEPTEMBER 20 Scripture: II Corinthians 4:5 “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord." There is no need for hesitancy or apology in our testimony. W e are not encouraged or commanded to tell others of ourselves, of our friends, or of our leaders; the subject of our message is One who needs no de fending. The theme of our song is His love, beyond expression. The purpose of our words is to introduce to those without Him, the Lord Jesus Christ. W e can remain hidden, for we speak not of ourselves, but of Christ Jesus our Lord. SEPTEMBER 21 Scripture: II Corinthians 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” “ The Lord Jesus offers us glory here and now; and to all who accept His gift. He promises an ‘eternal weight of glory.’ What ever glory was given to our Saviour, He gave to His disciples and to us. He says of
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