GOD’S WORD FOR JUNE 23

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES:

JESUS, YOU……….. WON’T WITHHOLD ANY GOOD THING FROM THEM WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY…PS 84:11

JESUS, YOU………..WILL GIVE GRACE AND GLORY  ….PS 84:11

JESUS, YOUR….. FAITHFULNESS AND MERCY ARE IN HEAVEN AND EARTH…PS 36:5

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As  we finish the chapter  “Obeying His Commandments” in Andrew Murray’s classic book, Abide in Christ, our Word for today is:

THE WORD FOR TODAY

Psalm 119:106

“I have sworn and confirmed  that I will keep Your righteous judgments.”

Do not imagine that entire consecration is the end – it is only the beginning – of the truly holy life.  See how Paul, after having taught believers to lay themselves upon the altar, whole and holy burnt offerings to their God (Romans 12:1), at once proceeded to tell them what the true altar life is: being ever more and more renewed in their minds to prove what is the good and perfect and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:2).    The progressive renewal of the Holy Spirit leads to growing like-mindedness as Christ; then comes a delicate power of spiritual perception – a holy instinct – by which the soul knows to recognize the meaning and application of the Lord’s commands to daily life in a way that remains hidden to the ordinary Christian. 

Keep them dwelling richly within you, hide them within your heart, and you will taste the blessedness of the man whose “delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law does he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:2).

Love will assimilate into your inmost being the commands as food from heaven.  They will no longer come to you as a law standing outside and against you but as  the living power that has transformed your will into perfect harmony with all your Lord requires.

Keep them in the obedience of your life.  It has been your solemn vow—no longer to tolerate even a single sin: 

“I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep Your righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:106).

Labor earnestly in prayer to “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” (Colossians 4:12).

Ask earnestly for the discovery of every secret sin – of anything that is not in perfect harmony with the will of God.  Walk up to the light you have, faithfully and tenderly yielding yourself in an unreserved surrender to obey all that the Lord has spoken.  When Israel took that vow in Exodus 19:8 and 24:7, it was only to break it all too soon.  The New Covenant gives the grace to make the vow and to keep it too (Jeremiah 31:31-34). 

Be careful of disobedience even in little things.  It dulls the conscience, darkens the soul, deadens the spiritual energies; therefore, keep the commandments of Christ with implicit obedience.  Be a soldier who asks for nothing but the orders of the commander.

If even for a moment the commandments appear grievous, just remember whose they are.  They are the commandments of Him who loves you.  They are all love;  they come from His love;  they lead to His love.  Each new surrender to keep the commandments, each new sacrifice in keeping them, leads to deeper union with the will, the Spirit, and the love of the Savior.

The double recompense of reward will be yours – a fuller entrance into the mystery of His love, a fuller conformity to His own blessed life.  You will learn to prize these words as among your choicest treasures:

“If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”

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