December 26 Daily Devotional

BIble Readings

John 15:1-2, 4-5, 8, 16, King James Version:
¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
²Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit....
⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing....
⁸Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples....
¹⁶Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

1 Corinthians 1:4-5, KJV:
⁴I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
⁵That in every thing ye are enriched by [in] him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge....
1 Corinthians 1:4-5, New American Standard Bible:
⁴I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge....
1 Corinthians 1:4-5, New International Version:
⁴I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. ⁵For in him you have been enriched in every way-in all your speaking and in all your knowledge....
1 Corinthians 1:4-5, English Standard Version:
⁴I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge....
John Calvin, Commentary on 1 Cor. 1:5:
"The phrase in ipso (in him) I have preferred to retain, rather than render it per ipsum (by him,) because it has in my opinion more expressiveness and force. For we are enriched in Christ, inasmuch as we are members of his body, and are engrafted into him: nay more, being made one with him, he makes us share with him in every thing that he has received from the Father."

Ephesians 1:3-14, KJV:
³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
⁸Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
⁹Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
¹²That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2:4-10, KJV:
⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
⁵Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
⁶And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
⁷That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Devotional

The world's history has been the record of the lives of great men and women. Now and then a Plato or a Lincoln appears on the world's stage and leaves an indelible impression of greatness in the minds of later generations. Among heathen peoples and among those blessed with God's revelation there have arisen brilliant personalities. The world cannot pass them by with indifference. Yet there has been only one person who has ever lived among men who demands more than plaudits. Jesus of Nazareth demands that men commit themselves to Him in personal trust and devotion.

But do not simply pay tribute to His teaching and example of sacrificial love. Do not merely extol His lowliness of mind. Do not applaud His contribution to "religion." That is not enough. That is "cold treatment" of Him. He who looks at the Christ from afar, even with great admiration for Him, fails to appreciate Christ's mission and importance to men. The Savior places Himself before men as that One to whom they must be related in mystical union before they can see God.

What is the necessity for this union? The answer comes from Jesus' lips. "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me" (John 15:4). Fruit-bearing life which glorifies God exists only where an individual is related to Christ by faith.

Turn then, oh world, from your hero worship, to Him whose person and work are effective unto spiritual life. For without Him ye can do nothing.

We are very happy to make available to you this month these devotionals by the late Rev. LeRoy B. Oliver. They originally appeared in The Presbyerian Guardian during the late 1940's.

The description of his "Your Family Altar" page in The Presbyterian Guardian also fits this Web page: "The page is designed for both private and family use, whichever is most convenient in your case. If you do not have family worship in your home, we hope you will begin, and suggest using these readings. They should not, however, take the place of reading books of the Bible, or the Bible itself, through in regular course." It is those who abide (continue) in the Word who are truly Christ's disciples, who know the truth, and who experience freedom in Him (John 8:31-32). May these devotionals be used for the building up of God's people and to the glory of God.