May 21

“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” Isaiah 57:15

As God’s people we may think, erroneously, that we need a contrite spirit only when we first repent and believe in the Lord, or when we subsequently fall into sin. We should know, however, that God looks in us for a state of contrition at all times.

Even if we do not sin daily, we are none the less required by him to be of a humble spirit, remembering that we have a sinful nature that may be stirred up again at any moment.

The fact that as believers we have been joined to the Lord in one spirit does not mean that forever afterwards we are infallible. As we come to know ourselves, we realize how undependable are our ideas, how treacherous our feelings and desires.

We dare not trust ourselves, but acknowledge that unless sustained by God we will certainly fall. This is contrition of spirit. With this man God dwells.

May 20

“Lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3

Before a man can receive a new heart from God, he needs to have a change of mind. This is what happens at conversion. Even after this, however, the believer’s mind is not exempt from the assaults of Satan.

The same apostle who affirmed that the god of this world had blinded the minds of unbelievers was also concerned lest Satan should deceive and corrupt the thoughts of those who had experienced this change of mind.

In deceiving Eve by his craftiness, Satan first put doubting thoughts into her mind. At that time her heart was sinless. Yet she allowed her thoughts to he distorted, so forfeiting her reason and spoiling her relationship with God.

Let us be careful of boasting about the sincerity of our hearts while being careless concerning our thought-life. Transformation depends on the renewing of the mind.

May 19

“In lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself.” Philippians 2:3     

An elderly Christian who had served the Lord for many decades was once asked,

“What is the most difficult to achieve of all Christian virtues?"

“Lowliness of mind,” was the answer. “To count the other better than myself is the problem.”

“Then what do you do?”

There is only one thing to do. When I consider myself, I look at my ‘old man’ as Paul calls it; but when I consider another, I look at his ‘new man’—the new creation he is in Christ.”

How readily we criticize others! Our expectations of them are even higher than the Lord’s, who demands little and forgives much. What we see are their obvious failures, but what the Lord sees are their hidden victories.

My brother’s failures lie on the surface, but the victories he has won in secret may exceed any I have experienced myself or ever dreamed of.

May 18

“In Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 4:15

Abraham, so we are told, is the father of all them that believe. This is an interesting expression, for it shows us that all true spirituality is based on birth and not on preaching, Men are not changed by listening to doctrine or by following a course of instructive teaching. They are changed by birth.

First God chose one man who believed, and from him were born the many. When an unbeliever meets a man who has been saved by believing, he becomes aware that this man has something he does not possess. That something is not just information; it is life. He has been born again.

Those who have this seed of life in them should, like Abraham, be giving birth to others. Paul’s words here about his sons in the faith show that he was not merely their preacher or counselor, but their spiritual father.

May 17

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham.” Galatians 3:8

Paul reminds us that grace does not begin with the New Testament. What God gave to Abraham was not the law but the promise of the gospel.

According to Galatians, today‘s gospel is based upon the gospel spoken to Abraham: our blessing is founded upon the blessing of Abraham; the promise we have today is traced back to God’s promise to Abraham; and even the Christ we receive is the seed of Abraham. Paul demonstrates to us that the Old Testament and the New form a straight line.

To put it differently: God has not at one time given us grace and at another time law; neither has he bestowed the promise and then demanded work for a while. The grace we receive today is not something new, but is the same grace which Abraham received. Thus the promise at first, the law in between, and the finished work of Christ afterwards all fall into one straight line.

May 16

“Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon

the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24

Man sins through his body and in that body enjoys the temporary pleasure of sin. The body must accordingly bear the judgment due to sin. This partly explains the physical sufferings of our Savior. His sufferings in his body are clearly foretold in the messianic writings. His hands, his feet, his brow, his side, his heart were all pierced at Calvary; pierced not only by sinful men but pierced for sinful humanity.

The hands must be nailed, for the hands love to sin. The mouth must become parched, for it is so often an instrument of sin. The feet must be transfixed, for they lead into sin. The brow must be pierced by a thorny crown, for it too loves to sin. All that the human body needed to suffer was executed upon his holy body. It was within his power to avoid these sufferings, yet he willingly offered his body to endure immeasurable pains for us, only dismissing his spirit when he was sure that all had been accomplished.