9 Trinity – Monday – Concordia Lutheran Conference (CLC)

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Daily Devotional Materials

for the

Week of the

Ninth Sunday after Trinity

– Monday –

Devotion

I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39.

Mark well how confident the Apostle Paul was of possessing the grace and love of God and of obtaining eternal salvation! His was a confidence that excluded all doubt whatsoever. So unshakable was his confidence that many expositors of Scripture think he must have had a special revelation. But just see what he said! Does he speak only of himself? Does he not say “us“? Does he, therefore, not speak of all Christians? Certainly, he does. Every Christian may and must be just as sure of the forgiveness of his sins and of eternal salvation as St. Paul was. Every Christian, I say. I am not speaking of unbelievers. And what must such confidence be founded on? On God’s Word and promise. God says that for Christ’s sake He daily and richly forgives all your sins to you. You know that God says so. Does God lie? That is impossible. Hence you may and must be altogether sure of the forgiveness of your sins. And where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. Hence you may and must be altogether sure of your salvation. But, do you say, what if I fall from faith? Indeed, if you fall from faith, you are lost. But God has promised and assured you that He will keep you in true faith. “Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” says the Holy Ghost. (1 Peter 1:5.) Read once more what the Holy Spirit has inspired Paul to write in the text above. So you must be altogether sure, my dear Christian, that God will preserve your faith. Such confidence, alas! is often clouded within us by the diffidence of our flesh. But always consider again the Word and promise of God. Then this confidence will ever again burst forth like a light; you wilt always regain the assurance of the forgiveness of your sins and of your salvation.

PRAYER. – My God! It is certain that for Christ’s sake Thou dost forgive my sins and Thou dost save me. For Thou sayest it and Thou promisest it. Therefore, give to me, I implore Thee, Thy Holy Spirit, that I may have full assurance of the same. Help me to have regard to nothing else than solely to Thy sure Word and promise. And comfort me and fill my soul with joy over this blessed assurance, so that I may gladly walk in newness of life. Amen.

Jesus, Shepherd of the sheep, Who Thy Father’s flock dost keep,

Safe we wake and safe we sleep, Guarded still by Thee.

In Thy promise firm we stand, None can pluck us from Thy hand,

Speak – we hear – at Thy command, We will follow Thee.

By Thy blood our souls were bought, By Thy life salvation wrought,

By Thy light our feet are taught, Lord, to follow Thee.

Father, draw us to Thy Son; We with joy will follow on,

Till the work of grace is done, And from sin set free –

We in robes of glory dressed, Join th’ assembly of the blest,

Gathered to eternal rest, In the fold with Thee.

Hymn 356.(ELHB)

Bible Readings

MORNING:

2 Corinthians 8:1-24

8:1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: 20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. 23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

EVENING:

1 Kings 3 :16-28

16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.19 And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

Additional Materials

Source materials used for these Daily Devotions
Read the KJV Bible Online
Read the book of Psalms

Comments / Suggestions / Corrections