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November 27

Choose your "cause"

Matthew 6:24-34
"... seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (v.33, NKJV)

    Some people attempt to come into the Christian life at the level of self-control rather than at the level of love, and quickly discover that it does not work. I tried to come into Christianity this way. There was a time in my teens when I was greatly attracted to Christianity, but not willing to make the full surrender which it so clearly demands. Every day I would start out with the thought and purpose that I would do everything in my power to keep myself from sin -- and every night I fell into bed feeling a failure. How could a diseased will heal a diseased soul?Then I surrendered my life to Christ and something wonderful happened -- His love flowed into my heart and as I began to love Him, all lesser loves soon dropped away. A university professor, writing on the subject of loyalty, says an interesting thing: "There is only one way to be an ethical individual and that is to choose your cause and then to serve it. This central loyalty to a cause puts other loyalties in their place as subordinate. Then life as a whole is coordinated because all lesser loyalties are subordinated."Translate his thinking into New Testament language and you find an interesting similarity. The "cause" we choose is Christ and His Kingdom, and when we seek them first, then all other things, including self-control, are added to us. This does not mean, of course, that once we become Christians we automatically become people of supreme self-control. We have the potential for that, but it becomes a reality only as we continually surrender and submit to Christ's control.

Prayer:

    O Father, I am so thankful that when I threw my will on Your side, You threw Your will on my side. I am controlled because I am under control. Amen.

    For Further Study
    1 Cor. 9:19-27; 6:12; Rom. 8:13
    1. What did Paul bring into subjection?
    2. What was the danger if he failed to do so?

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November 28

Danger areas of life

Proverbs 15:1-14
"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." (v.4)

    What are some of the areas of life in which we need to have self-control? Let me select what I consider to be the three most important. The first is the area of sex. Controlled sex is creative; uncontrolled sex is chaotic. I need hardly say that sex outside of marriage is clearly forbidden by Scripture and those who engage in it will find it leads not to fulfilment but to disintegration of the personality. That disintegration may not come right away, but given time -- come it will.

    Within the marriage relationship also there is need for self-control. If one's partner becomes the means of self-gratification, instead of a person to be loved and respected, then again, disintegration sets in. You cannot use another without abusing yourself. Your attitudes toward another become your attitudes toward yourself. If you use another for sex purposes, then sex uses you. Sex is a dedication or it is a desecration, and when it becomes desecration, it becomes degradation. Another area of life in which we need the self-control which the Spirit provides is that of the tongue. James points out that the tongue is an important indicator of how well we control ourselves (James 3:2). There are three stages, we are told, in verbal communication -- impulse, consideration, speech. Many omit the second and jump from impulse to speech. The person who has self-control pauses between impulse and speech and gives himself to consideration. The Holy Spirit -- if we let Him -- comes to our aid to help us be sure that what we say is what we want to say.

Prayer:

    O God, help me to be a disciplined person in thought, word and deed -- especially in thought. And help me to hold my tongue when I should and speak when I should. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    James 3; 1:26; Psa. 34:13; 1 Pet. 3:10
    1. What makes religion worthless?
    2. How is wisdom revealed through us?

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November 29

Bodily indulgence

1 Corinthians 9:19-27
"I beat my body and make it my slave so that ... I myself will not be disqualified ..." (v.27)

    A third area of life in which we need self-control is that which has to do with bodily indulgence. The body, by its very nature, is comfort-loving and too much comfort is debilitating to the soul. The mother of John Wesley is reported to have said: "Whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, however innocent it may be in itself -- that thing is sin to you." David Hill puts it this way: "There is before each one of us an altar of sacrifice, unseen but real and present; and on this altar we are called to offer ourselves. There is some crucifixion of the flesh, some physical self-sacrifice, the abandonment of some bodily indulgence which the spirit of man knows that he is called to make."What are some of the things our bodies clamor for? One is food -- and generally speaking, we eat far more than is good for us. Another thing the body clamors for is sleep. People differ in the amount of sleep that they need, but we must watch that we do not spend more time in bed than is good for us. How delighted, too, the body becomes with the luxuries of life. It has been said that the luxuries of one generation become the bare necessities of the next.

    We must not go too far and see the body as an enemy that has to be continuously afflicted. Self-control helps the Christian to offer to God an obedient personality which is not cloyed by comfort or sluggish from indulgence, but sensitive to guidance and ready for all His perfect will.

Prayer:

    O Father, once again I ask that You dwell deep within me by Your Spirit and help me to be free from the clamoring desires that would cancel out my effectiveness. I ask this in and through Your peerless and precious Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Phil. 3:10-21; Prov. 23:1-3; 25:16
    1. What causes some to backslide?
    2. What are your eating habits like?

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November 30

A portrait of a saint

Colossians 1:15-29
"... the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (v.27)

    The Christian in whom the fruit of the Spirit is fully evident is the best picture of saintliness it is possible to find. How would we go about painting a portrait of a saint? Some sections of the Church say that a saint has to have several qualifications -- faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance -- and all of them in an heroic degree. Others take from Scripture its own catalog of the virtues begotten in the human soul by the Holy Spirit. They see, therefore, in Paul's list an inspired catalogue of the qualities that characterize a saint.

    How then does God go about painting a portrait of a saint? His canvas is the Scriptures -- the Word of God. The colors He puts on His palette are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. The absence of any one of these virtues would be serious, for every one is needed if the portrait is to be a masterpiece. These colors, by the way, are not pastel shades -- every one is deep and rich and vibrant. The model He uses is the peerless example of His own dear Son, in whom every quality is seen to its utmost perfection and wondrously balanced by every other. Even now, as you read these lines, His brush strokes are at work, gently and lovingly caressing into your nature all the lineaments of your Lord's character. All He asks is that you hold still -- that you stop trying and start trusting. Do this -- and in the truest sense of the word, you will become a saint.

Prayer:

    My Father and my God, help me hold still as You go about the task of painting in me the portrait of a saint. Let every brush stroke reflect the beauty and loveliness of Your eternal Son. I ask this in and through His precious Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    1 John 4:1-13; Ezek. 36:27; John 14:16-17; Rom. 8:11
    1. Write out a list of the fruit of the Spirit.
    2. Ask God for a fresh anointing of His Spirit today.

[nChrist]

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December 1

No Fixed Rate

2 Peter 3:1--18
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (v. 18)

    We are going to consider the things we need to know and do in order to gain a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. One of the questions put to me most frequently during the years in which I have been a minister and a counselor is this: "Why does one person seem to have a closer relationship with God than another, even though both have been on the Christian way for the same length of time?" Even the most casual observer of the Christian life cannot help but notice that people do not travel along the road leading to deeper knowledge of God at the same rate. We grow old at the same rate. But progress in spiritual things is not made at a fixed rate. From time to time I meet people who have fewer years of Christian experience than I do, yet they seem to know God more profoundly. They leave me feeling seriously challenged and humbled. You have come across this yourself, haven't you? Surely you have met people who, though younger than you in terms of discipleship, are able to forgive injuries more readily than you, seem to be free of the nasty censoriousness you sometimes struggle with, and are swift to praise others whom they see doing more effectively the things they want to do themselves. Why? This is the issue which over the coming weeks we must make plain. Lovers of Scripture will have no doubt that God wants to move closer to us. The question we have to decide is: Do we want to move closer to Him?

Prayer:

    Father, make this time in my life a time of vision and venture in the things of God. May it become a time of spiritual advancement to a degree I have never before known. I ask all this in Christ's Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    1 Cor. 3:1; 14:20; Eph. 4:1-14
    1. How does Paul describe the Corinthians?
    2. What was Paul's desire for the Ephesians?

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December 2

A Crucial Element

Acts 17:16--34
"... but now [God] commands all people everywhere to repent." (v. 30)

    There are, of course, many reasons why some people move along the path of discipleship at a snail's pace, while others appear to cover twice the distance in half the time. It has much to do with the way we enter the Christian life. Those who have studied the manner in which people become Christians tell us there are two main ways of coming to faith in Christ. One is through a dramatic conversion, whereby a person confronted with the claims of Christ yields to Him in a single moment. The other is when a person moves more slowly into faith, and sometimes cannot even pinpoint the exact moment when he or she made the great surrender. What must be remembered is that both experiences are valid. The best evidence that we are alive is not our birth certificate but the fact we are going about our daily lives as living, breathing people. I myself find no problem when individuals say they do not know the day or hour when they committed themselves to Christ, providing they show evidence that they belong to Him by such proofs as a desire to be alone with Him in prayer, a longing to know Him better through His Word, and an eagerness to meet and have fellowship with other believers. But no matter how one enters the Christian life -- suddenly or slowly -- the most essential element is repentance. I have no hesitation in saying that if we do not understand what is involved in living repentant lives, then regardless of how we start the Christian life there will be no successful continuance.

Prayer:

    My Father and my God, if repentance is so important -- and I see that it is -- then help me understand it more deeply. I am at Your feet. Teach me, dear Lord. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Acts 3:11-20; Luke 13:3; Acts 17:21-32
    1. What was Peter's message to the onlookers?
    2. How important is repentance

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December 3

A Change of Mind

2 Timothy 1:1--12
"... your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice ..." (v. 5)

    Yesterday we said that there are two types of entry into the Christian life -- sudden and gradual. Paul the apostle had one of the most sudden and dramatic conversions in Christian history, yet Paul's disciple Timothy does not seem to have had a similar experience. We cannot tell for sure, but Timothy's coming to faith, a process apparently greatly influenced by his grandmother and mother, seems to have been much more prolonged. We said also (and some may have found this surprising) that without a clear understanding of repentance, and all that it entails, there can be no successful continuance in the Christian life. So what is repentance and why is it vitally important? The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, means "a change of mind." But a change of mind about what? About where life is found. Prior to coming to Christ our minds are shot through with the idea that life depends on such things as self-sufficiency, self-management, and ego-building. The Bible confronts this self-centered approach to living and says that for our lives to work the way God designed them, the ego must be marginal and not central. In other words, Christ must be central, and the ego revolves around Him just as the planets revolve around the sun. This is quite a radical thought for any mind to grapple with, but be sure of this -- if there is no acceptance of it, the soul will not go on to experience a deep and developing relationship with God. No change of mind about where life is to be found -- no spiritual progress. It is as simple as that.

Prayer:

    O Father, help me examine my heart and decide just who is central in my life -- You or me. Show me even more clearly how I can be more Christ-centered and less ego-centered. In the Name of Your Son I ask it. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:6; Col. 2:1--20
    1. In what graphic way did Paul describe repentance?
    2. What concern did Paul have for the Colossians?

[nChrist]

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December 4

How Kind of God

Romans 2:1--16
"... not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" (v. 4)

    One of the places where Christianity parts company with modern-day psychology is over the matter of our ego. The ego is that part of us which contains our sense of individuality -- our self-esteem. Secular psychology says the stronger our ego and the more central it is, the better equipped we are to handle life and to live it to the full. Christianity sees the ego as important and does not (as some critics might suggest) seek to demolish it; rather, it puts it in its proper place -- at the feet of Christ. On August 12, 1973, Charles Colson, President Nixon's right-hand man, was feeling deeply disturbed by the events in which he was involved. He went to see a friend who read to him from C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. Later that evening, he began to sob so deeply that he became quite alarmed. He realized that something spiritual was happening to him and cried out to God: "Take me, take me." That night was the beginning of the period during which this strong, ego-centered man found a new focus for his life -- the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what repentance is all about: it is a change of mind as to where life is to be found -- brought about in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. Real life is not to be found in the pursuit of self-centered goals, but in living out God's will and purposes for one's life. Charles Colson is one of Christ's most powerful modern disciples. He appears to have continued the way he began -- with a mindset that puts Christ first and himself second.

Prayer:

    O God, may I have this same mindset too-- a mindset that puts Your will ahead of my own. Teach me more of what is involved in the act of repentance for I see that without an understanding of it I can make no real spiritual progress. In Christ's Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Matt. 19:16--30; 16:24; Gal. 5:24; Matt. 8:18--22
    1. What requirement did Jesus lay down for following Him?
    2. What was the area of repentance that the young ruler struggled with?

[nChrist]

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December 5

Jesus Christ Is Lord

Matthew 4:12--25
"From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'" (v. 17)

    There is a strange lack of emphasis on repentance in many parts of the church today. Our text tells us that our Lord's very first sermons in His preaching ministry was "Repent." We see from other passages in the Gospels that He stresses this message again and again. Peter took up this same theme on the Day of Pentecost, in the first sermon he ever preached (Acts 2:38 ). Indeed, the word repentance appears in one form or another throughout the whole of the New Testament. Why, then, is repentance such a missing factor (generally speaking) in contemporary Christianity? Is it because in our anxiety to get more converts we avoid the subject of repentance and prefer the quick sales job of getting people to pray the kind of prayer that requires no radical transformation? Once I heard an evangelist tell his converts: "Pray this prayer after me, and you will have a mansion in heaven ... perhaps even have charge of ten cities when Christ returns to this earth to establish His kingdom." The prayer he then invited them to pray went something like this: "O God, make me a Christian ... and grant that I might inherit all that is available to me in Christ." What bothered me about the prayer was not that it was invalid but that it was not based on first principles. The primary thing we have to understand on entering the Christian life is that Jesus Christ is Lord. That means we are no longer lord over our lives -- He is. Happy are those who enter the Christian life with this clear understanding.

Prayer:

    O God, help me put first things first. I see that successful Christian living depends on You being first and me being second. Am I really ready and willing for this? Help me search my soul. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Isa. 55:7; Acts 2:38; 1 John 1:9; Luke 15:11--32
    1. What has God promised to the penitent?
    2. How did the prodigal son display repentance?

[nChrist]

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December 6

Flightless Butterflies

Acts 26:1--20
"... I preached that they should repent and ... prove their repentance by their deeds." (v. 20)

    Some evangelists asked me: "Why don't we see more of the kind of converts coming into today's church that we used to get a few decades ago -- those who from the very start seem 'out and out' for Jesus?" I replied that I thought it had something to do with the way we present the truths of Christianity to potential converts, and I told them the story I heard John White, a Christian psychiatrist, tell. A butterfly, struggling to get out of its chrysalis, was given a helping hand by a well-meaning observer. As a result, however, the butterfly was unable to fly because it is in the struggle to emerge that it develops the strength to soar. The observer, intent on making it easy for the butterfly to leave the chrysalis, inadvertently contributed to its early demise. We do something similar when we help people avoid the struggle that radical repentance invariably brings. The modern-day church (with some exceptions) is like an inexpert midwife bringing damaged children into the world -- damaged by lack of attention to basic principles. To return to the metaphor of the butterfly, in the church today there are many butterflies unable to fly because when they emerged from their spiritual chrysalis someone made it easier for them than they should have. We can do that by wrong statements or incomplete statements or even by a misplaced emphasis. Evangelism is making it easy for men and women to be saved, but we must be careful that we do not make it easier than it should be.

Prayer:

    O Father, stir us as Your church to put the emphasis where You put it -- on the lordship of Christ and the need for complete and utter surrender to Him in the very first moments of conversion. In Christ's Name we pray. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Luke 14:25--35; Mark 10:28; Luke 5:27--28
    1. What was Jesus' message to the crowd who followed Him?
    2. What was Peter able to say?

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December 7

Agreeing with God

Isaiah 30:12--21
"In repentance and rest is your salvation ..." (v. 15)

    A definition of repentance I once heard someone use and which I like very much is this: "Repentance is agreeing with God." When we repent, we adopt the attitude that God is right and we are wrong. When you think about it, there is very little point in disagreeing with God over anything because being God, He is always right. So many problems people have brought to me during the years I have been involved in Christian counseling were rooted in a difficulty they had in their relationship with God. Time and again I have heard people say things such as: "But God can't really expect that of me." " Isn't God being too hard on me in wanting me to yield to Him on this?" "Sometimes God seems to forget that we are human." What underlies all these statements? A difficulty in believing that God is right in everything He says and does. This is why whenever I hear such statements I ask people to tell me something about how they entered the Christian life. Almost always I find that they never underwent a radical repentance when they first became Christians. Because they never knew what it was to agree with God (that is, fully repent) when they first came into the Christian life, subsequently they seemed to want to argue with Him (or at least raise objections) over any issue that appeared to threaten their self-centeredness. Our wills have to capitulate to God's will if we are to develop a deep relationship with the Almighty. And the best moment to understand this is at the moment of conversion.

Prayer:

    Father, forgive me if my response to Your challenge is one of resistance and argumentation. If my ego is not at Your feet then help me put it there today. For the sake of Your Son who gave His life for me. In His Name I pray. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Phil. 3:1--8; Rom. 6:2--11; Col. 3:3
    1. What attitude did Paul take?
    2. How did he describe the result?

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December 8

Failure to "Feel" Saved

2 Corinthians 7:1--16
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret ..." (v. 10)

    Sometimes I am asked: "If a person does not undergo a radical repentance at the time they turn to Christ, does that mean they are not converted and will not go to heaven when they die?" My answer is usually along this line: "It is better if a person experiences a radical repentance at the time of their initial commitment to Christ, as this sets the tilt of the soul in the direction of agreeing with God. But God will come in and live in a person's life by invitation, even though the repentance is not as complete as it should be." The advantage of a radical repentance at the time of one's commitment to Christ is, as I have said, that it bends the ego in God's direction and teaches it right from the start that submission is essential. A major reason for lack of spiritual assurance (people who have committed themselves to Christ not feeling saved) is this issue of incomplete repentance. When repentance is incomplete and there is no "godly sorrow" over sin, the effects of sin (guilt and shame) are not eliminated from the soul. Radical conversion siphons off these things and leaves the soul feeling free. It ensures there are no regrets, no hankering for former things. To change the metaphor, if the soul is not plowed up by radical repentance, the seeds sown by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God will not take deep root. Those who have never fully repented ought to do so now -- without delay. Take time this day to evaluate your spiritual condition. Make Christ Lord.

Prayer:

    O God, help me not to move beyond this day without clarifying my spiritual commitment. Am I first in my life, or are You? May I know the godly sorrow that leads to deep repentance. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Hos. 10:9--13; Pss. 34:18; 51:17; Joel 2:13
    1. What had Israel depended on?
    2. What was God's word to them?

[nChrist]

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December 9

The First and Last Word

Hosea 14:1--9
"... for in you the fatherless find compassion." (v. 3)

    Repentance is commonly thought of as simply an acknowledgment and confession of sin. But the repentance God desires of us is not only contrition for particular sins; it is a daily attitude, an ongoing perspective. Martin Luther started the Reformation when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle church at Wittenburg, and the very first of his statements read thus: "When our Lord Jesus Christ said 'repent' He willed that the entire life of believers be one of repentance." Note that -- "the entire life of believers." Repentance is not a one-time act, it is a process -- the process by which we see ourselves day by day as we really are: sinful, needy, dependent people. It is the process by which we see God as He is: awesome, majestic and holy. Repentance is the ultimate surrender of self. The call to repentance is one of the most consistent themes of the Bible. We must be aware that no matter how radical our repentance at conversion, sinful tendencies remain in varying degrees. Constantly we need to recognize that our carnal nature may surface at any time to disagree with God. We will never be able in move into a deep relationship with God unless we maintain an attitude of repentance. "Every bit of growth in the Christian life," said one theologian, "is based on the re-enactment of the original redemptive occurrence." By that he meant that the way we came into the Christian life is the way we continue in it -- by repentance. Repentance is the first word of the gospel -- and the last.

Prayer:

    Thank You, Father, for spelling out for me the truth that repentance is not merely an act but an attitude. From now on and by Your grace may this forever be the attitude of my soul. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Rom. 12:1--8; Prov. 23:26; 1 Thess. 5:23
    1. What did Paul urge the Romans to do?
    2. What was Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians?

[nChrist]

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December 10

Amazing!

Romans 5:12--21
"... how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace ... reign in life ..." (v. 17)

    If we are to go deeper with God, we need to know how to avail ourselves of God's grace. Our text for today talks about "those who receive God's abundant provision of grace." Though God's grace may be abundant, it is only effective in our lives if it is received. But what do we mean by "grace"? Grace is spoken of in both the Old and New Testaments, and the root meaning of the word is that of kindness and favor. In the New Testament it is used chiefly in connection with God's undeserved mercy in redeeming humankind. Grace, as undeserved favor, is a term still used in business -- especially the world of insurance. Sometimes a representative of a firm will write to a client and say something like this: "In the circumstances you have no claim, we will give you a certain sum as an act of grace." They acknowledge no indebtedness, but out of their kindness (and in hope of business to come) they give the client something to which he has no legal right. A definition of grace I like very much is this: "Grace is the strength God gives us to obey His commands." Grace is not just a kindly attitude but an impartation of power too. We can be sure that the people who seem to know God in a much deeper way than we do have received more of that power which God imparts "unmerited and free." It is by grace that they leap over all the impediments on their onward way. Grace truly is amazing!

Prayer:

    O Father, how can I thank You enough that just as the atmosphere wraps itself around my body so Your grace wraps itself around my soul. May I respond to Your grace as my physical body responds to the atmosphere -- and lives. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Acts 15:1--11; Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:7
    1. What are some of the fruits of grace?
    2. Write out your own definition of grace.

[nChrist]

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December 11

Always More to Follow

James 4:1--17
"'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" (v. 6)

    Why have some Christians received more grace? If, as we said, grace is undeserved favor, does that mean God has favorites? Is there something capricious about the Almighty's allocation of help to His children? Some secular writers have portrayed God as being like men and women, biased in His affections and having an inexplicable preference for one person and disinterest in another. But surely God does not take "a fancy" to some people and not others. There is favor to be found in God, but no favoritism. His favor moves to all who are willing and eager to receive it. But to return to our question: Why do some receive more grace than others? I think the main reason must be this -- they know that there is grace to be had. Sometimes I come across Christians who think that God's only concern is to get us on to the pilgrim way and that He then leaves us to our own devices. You can tell such people by the way they talk about their conversion -- and nothing more. They seem unconcerned about the fact that God's great aim is not simply to bring us into the Christian life but to develop us in it. He is not content with calling us "saints" but making us saints; not simply canceling sin but breaking its power over us. Those who use God's grace are those who know He has plenty to give. Of this they are confident, and thus they keep it in mind all the time. When they have used what they have, they know there is always more to follow.

Prayer:

    O Father, what a comfort it is to know that however much I draw on Your grace there is always more to follow. I cannot draw heavily on many things but I can draw heavily on You. May this be more than an idea; may it be a fact. In Christ's Name. Amen.

    For Further Study
    Rom. 5:1--15; Titus 2:11; 1 Tim. 1:14
    1. To whom did grace overflow?
    2. What was Paul's testimony to Timothy?