[Sample]
Daily Devotional Materials
for the
Week of the
Eighth Sunday after Trinity
– Thursday –
Devotion
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:19.
“God was in Christ” – for Christ was and is God, who became man. “And reconciled the world unto Himself.” God has reconciled the world to Himself through Christ. As far as God is concerned, the old relations of love that obtained before the fall are reestablished. The righteous wrath of God, which had been kindled against sinful and ungodly mankind, was appeased. All punishment is done away with. God is reconciled. “Not imputing their trespasses unto them.” Since God is reconciled unto the world, He, self-evidently, no longer imputes their trespasses unto them. How could He be reconciled and still impute sin? “And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Through His Word, which He has committed to us, God now informs us that He was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. And God not merely informs us of such reconciliation, but He also offers it to us, and actually presents it to us, chartered and sealed, through His Word. And now we must be reconciled to God; we must accept this reconciliation. Yes, and God most kindly invites and with a loving heart and powerfully persuades us by means of His Word, and the Holy Spirit graciously operating through this Word, to accept this reconciliation. He that accepts it has it, and in time and eternity he enjoys its blessed fruits. He that rejects it remains under the wrath of God by his own fault and is lost forever.
PRAYER. – Great God, what wondrous compassion Thou hast bestowed on me! Me – the sinner and Thy enemy – Thou hast reconciled unto Thyself, and have not imputed my sins to me, but to Christ. And to this reconciliation Thou dost invite me through Thy Word and Holy Spirit. Help me, O Lord, that I may always follow this gracious invitation, and through faith rest in Thy fatherly bosom. Amen.
By grace His Son, on earth appearing,
Vouchsafed beneath thy woe to bend;
Hadst thou, damnation justly fearing,
done aught to render Him thy friend?
Was’t not that He thy welfare sought,
And but by grace deliverance wrought?
Hymn 311, 4. (ELHB)
Bible Readings
MORNING:
2 Corinthians 1:1-24
2 Co 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
EVENING:
1 Chronicles 28:1-21
28:1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. 2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. 4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:5 And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. 8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: 13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:17 Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.
Additional Materials
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Posted in 3 DAILY DEVOTIONS, 8-Trinity---Thursday, 8-Trinity--Week