Today's Soul Food — August  10 

 

Golden Words

 


The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 3:13 (NIV)

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It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels he is worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.

— Abraham Lincoln

 


Daily Meditations by  Pat Nordman ©

 


August 10

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you...Do not let your hearts be troubled..." (John 14:27).

"The more quietly and peaceably we all get on the betterthe better for ourselves [and] for our neighbors. In nine cases out of ten the wisest policy is, if a man cheats you, quit dealing with him; if he is abusive, quit his company; if he slanders you, take care to live so that nobody will believe him: no matter who he is, or how he misuses you, the wisest way is generally to let him alone; for there is nothing better than this cool, calm, quiet way of dealing with the wrongs we meet with." Bishop Patrick.


Pat Nordman ©

 

 

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions

Spurgeon's Morning for August 10

Spurgeon's Evening for August 10

 

"Christ, who is our life."

– Colossians 3:4

 

"The Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins."

- Matthew 9:6


It is by his life that we live; he is in us, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought which moves every other thought. Christ is the sustenance of our life.


Behold one of the great Physician's mightiest arts: he has power to forgive sin! While here he lived below, before the ransom had been paid, before the blood had been literally sprinkled on the mercy-seat, he had power to forgive sin.

 

 

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August 10 Isa 47:1 - 51:23

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM 

 

Current Bible Question



What was the name of the man who slept in the land of Nod?
 


Previous question and Answer:

Who said,"Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?"

Goliath (1 Samuel 17:43)


 

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Today's  Devotion
 

 

But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)

 

 

Freedom

by Cathy Vinson

 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not let yourselves be burdened with the yoke of slavery."

(Galatians 5:1)


This is not always easy, especially for the brethren with the weak conscience, those who walk a very narrow path hewn in both sides by guilt and self-criticism. Life must follow predetermined actions. Any fluctuation opens up to the wide playing field of guilt.

We might be those who watch others and try as they to laugh freely, speak freely, eat freely, spend freely, but do so with difficulty.

There is always a yoke of slavery nearby. We may try hard to fit in a church or group by following written and unwritten norms, to be acceptable to a stern God, a demanding leader we idolize, or to just live up to the dictates of a weak conscience.

Another way is to say we are legalistic. As the Pharisee, we tend to meet situations with "Is it lawful...?" We can limit life to a series of decisions between good and evil. Our life is described as "the man who does these things shall live IN them" (Gal 3:12). We search for life in our deeds rather than faith.

What is our hope for the freedom Jesus brought? Our deliverance begins with knowing how much Jesus wants to set us free..."Come unto Me you who labor and are heavy laden..." (Think of how Galatians and Romans 7-8 were written with us in mind.) We already know we cannot stack up. The schoolmaster of the law has done his job well; we are ripened; we are ready for the sweet deliverance from ourselves through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 7:24).

"It is GOOD for our heart to be strengthened by grace..." (Heb 13:9). We need a change of diet. We need to be fed and strengthed by grace rather than our works. Grace will teach us about the One who loves us not according to what we deserve.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free..." Freedom was a worthy goal in which to set our feet. It provides a roomy stance. Stand in it and stay in it as we "do not let ourselves be burdened" again.

Cathy Vinson©

 


Send a note to Cathy Vinson , the writer of this devotion.

 

We might be those who watch others and try as they to laugh freely, speak freely, eat freely, spend freely, but do so with difficulty.

 


Other Whispers from the Wilderness Devotions are found HERE

 

 

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~ Forgiveness is Costly ~

There is one eternal principle which will be valid as long as the world lasts. The principle is--Forgiveness is a costly thing. Human forgiveness is costly. A son or a daughter may go wrong; a father or a mother may forgive; but forgiveness has brought tears. ... There was the price of a broken heart to pay.

Divine forgiveness is costly. God is love, but God is holiness. God, least of all, can break the great moral laws on which the universe is built. Sin must have its punishment or the very structure of life disintegrates. And God alone can pay the terrible price that is necessary before men can be forgiven. Forgiveness is never a case of saying: "It's all right; it doesn't matter." Forgiveness is the most costly thing in the world.

-- William Barclay in The Letter to Hebrews. Christianity Today, Vol. 36, no. 11.n


 


All the Rest for August 10


History for August 10

 


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