Morning, November 24
<< Morning, November 24 >>
They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
Insight
Why is it so tempting to “love pleasure rather than God”? Pleasure is something we can control; God cannot be controlled. Most pleasures can be obtained easily; love for God requires effort and sometimes sacrifice. Pleasure benefits us now; the benefits of loving God are often in the future. Pleasure has a narcotic effect; it takes our minds off ourselves and our problems. Love for God reminds us of our needs and our responsiblities. Pleasure cooperates with pride. It makes us feel good when we look good in the eyes of others.
Challenge
To love God we must lay aside our pride and our accomplishments. Have you chosen to love pleasure, or to love God? How do you know?
Isaiah 33:21  The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams.

Broad rivers and streams produce fertility, and abundance in the land. Places near broad rivers are remarkable for the variety of their plants and their plentiful harvests. God is all this to his Church. Having God she has abundance. What can she ask for that he will not give her? What want can she mention which he will not supply? "In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things." Want ye the bread of life? It drops like manna from the sky. Want ye refreshing streams? The rock follows you, and that Rock is Christ. If you suffer any want it is your own fault; if you are straitened you are not straitened in him, but in your own bowels. Broad rivers and streams also point to commerce. Our glorious Lord is to us a place of heavenly merchandise. Through our Redeemer we have commerce with the past; the wealth of Calvary, the treasures of the covenant, the riches of the ancient days of election, the stores of eternity, all come to us down the broad stream of our gracious Lord. We have commerce, too, with the future. What galleys, laden to the water's edge, come to us from the millennium! What visions we have of the days of heaven upon earth! Through our glorious Lord we have commerce with angels; communion with the bright spirits washed in blood, who sing before the throne; nay, better still, we have fellowship with the Infinite One. Broad rivers and streams are specially intended to set forth the idea of security. Rivers were of old a defence. Oh! beloved, what a defence is God to his Church! The devil cannot cross this broad river of God. How he wishes he could turn the current, but fear not, for God abideth immutably the same. Satan may worry, but he cannot destroy us; no galley with oars shall invade our river, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.


Luke 8:21  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Hebrews 2:11,12  For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, • saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE."

Galatians 5:6  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

John 15:14  "You are My friends if you do what I command you.

Luke 11:28  But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

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.

John 4:34  Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

1 John 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

1 John 2:5  but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:

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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