August 9 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 25:24-30:

²⁴Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
²⁵And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
²⁶His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
²⁷Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
²⁹For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Devotional

In the parable of the talents the first two, he who had received five talents and he who had received two talents, did business with their money. He that received five talents gained five talents more, and he that received two talents gained two talents more but the third servant hid his lord's money in the earth, and, of course, without investing it, he gained no interest. When his master re­turned, he gave him his money back with the words: Here you have what is yours. His sin was that he had done nothing with his lord's money. He knew his master's will, but had not done it. So it is also in the kingdom of God. God has given us his Word. His grace has appeared unto all men. His Spirit strives with man. But men refuse to obey, though they be ever so religious, doing their own will. Building on their good works, and trusting in their own righteousness, this does not bring them salvation. In spite of all their activity, they are wicked and slothful servants. The will of God must be done. His truth must be believed, confessed and lived from day to day. This is his (God's) commandment, "That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." Where faith and love are lacking, there are no good works; and without them we are wicked, and slothful, and unprofitable servants, who shall be cast into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Christ said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Prayer

O Lord, keep us from all self-willed works. But may we be diligent in the work which Thou givest us to do. May the holy Scriptures make us wise unto salvation, and may they be pro­fitable unto us for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in­struction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto good works. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Titus 2:11; Gen. 6:3; Isa. 1:10; 1 John 3:23; Matt. 25:30; 7:22, 23.

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