September 18 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

1 John 5:

¹Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
⁶This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
⁷For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
⁸And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
⁹If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
¹⁰He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
¹¹And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
¹²He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
¹³These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
¹⁶If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
¹⁷All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
¹⁸We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
¹⁹And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
²⁰And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Devotional

The scribes and Pharisees bound "heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders." Jesus came to remove heavy burdens from the shoulders of men. He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The council at Jerusalem gave heed to the words of Peter, not to put "a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither (said he) our fathers nor we are able to bear."

But does not Jesus say, "If ye love me, keep my command­ments;" and again, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me;" and yet again, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Yes, but do you not see the difference? Keeping the command­ments of Christ because we love him, is something altogether different than trying to earn our salvation by the works of the law. No man can be justified by the works of the law. But when we are "justified by faith, we have peace with God." Then we "delight in the law of God after the inward man." Surely when the love of Christ constraineth us, it is not hard to do his will; then his commandments are not grievous, but we delight our­selves in them. They are our life.

Prayer

Eternal God our heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy revealed truth. We would extol Thy law: the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, en­lightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. May we desire them more than gold and much fine gold. May they be sweeter to us than honey and the honeycomb. May they be effective in our hearts to produce what is pleasing in Thy sight. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Matt. 23:4; 11:28; Acts 15:10: John 14:15, 21, 23; Rom. 3:20; 5:1; Rom 7:22; 2 Cor. 5:14; Ps. 119:47; Deut. 32:47.

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