Morning, July 15
<< Morning, July 15 >>
John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't in our group.”
        But Jesus said, “Don't stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”
Insight
The disciples were jealous. Nine of them together were unable to drive out a single evil spirit, but when they saw a man who was not one of their group driving out demons, they told him to stop.
Challenge
Our pride is hurt when someone else succeeds where we have failed, but Jesus says there is no room for such jealousy in the spiritual warfare of his kingdom. Share Jesus' open-arms attitude to Christian workers outside your group.
Leviticus 6:13  The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

Keep the altar of private prayer burning. This is the very life of all piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, therefore let this burn well. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion.

Burn here the fat of your sacrifices. Let your closet seasons be, if possible, regular, frequent, and undisturbed. Effectual prayer availeth much. Have you nothing to pray for? Let us suggest the Church, the ministry, your own soul, your children, your relations, your neighbours, your country, and the cause of God and truth throughout the world. Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Let us set apart special seasons for extraordinary prayer. For if this fire should be smothered beneath the ashes of a worldly conformity, it will dim the fire on the family altar, and lessen our influence both in the Church and in the world.

The text will also apply to the altar of the heart. This is a golden altar indeed. God loves to see the hearts of his people glowing towards himself. Let us give to God our hearts, all blazing with love, and seek his grace, that the fire may never be quenched; for it will not burn if the Lord does not keep it burning. Many foes will attempt to extinguish it; but if the unseen hand behind the wall pour thereon the sacred oil, it will blaze higher and higher. Let us use texts of Scripture as fuel for our heart's fire, they are live coals; let us attend sermons, but above all, let us be much alone with Jesus.


Matthew 6:10  'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

Psalm 103:20,21  Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! • Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.

John 6:38  "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Psalm 40:8  I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart."

Matthew 26:42  He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."

Matthew 7:21  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Romans 2:13  for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

John 13:17  "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

James 4:17  Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ? 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

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