August 31 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

2 Timothy 2:1-13:

¹Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
²And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
³Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
⁴No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
⁵And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
⁶The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
⁷Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
⁸Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
⁹Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
¹¹It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
¹²If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
¹³If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Devotional

Christ speaks of the glory which He had with the Father before the world was. He left this glory and came into this world of sin and woe. He "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men . . . He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." Glory followed suffering.

As it was with Christ, so it is with the Christian. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." Be­lievers are partakers of Christ's sufferings, but also of his glory. "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." "The glory which thou gavest me I have given them." "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." "These are they which came out of great tribulation . . . therefore are they before the throne of God." Shall we not glory in tribulation, in expectation of the heavenly glory?

Prayer

Our Father, Thou knowest how we fear suffering, and how we shrink from it. But Thou hast taught us in Thy Word, that believers must be partakers of Christ's suffering. We pray Thee, that it may be given unto us, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. May we suffer willingly and gladly for Christ's sake, being mindful of the fact: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him, and share in his glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: John 17:5; Phil. 2:6-10; 1 Pet. 2:21; 2 Cor. 1:7; 1 Pet. 4-13; 5:6; 1 Tim 2-12; John 17:22; Rom. 8:18; Rev. 7:14, 15; Rom. 5:3.

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