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 Morning, October 22 Go To Evening Reading

"I will love them freely."

—Hosea 14:4

This sentence is a body of divinity in miniature. He who understands its meaning is a theologian, and he who can dive into its fulness is a true master in Israel. It condenses the glorious message of salvation in Christ Jesus our Redeemer. The sense hinges upon the word "freely." This is magnificent, "he said, the divine way love streams from heaven to earth, a spontaneous love flowing forth to those who neither deserved it, purchased it, nor sought it. It is the only way in which God can love us as we are. The text is a death blow to all sorts of fitness: "I will love them freely." "If any fitness was necessary for us, then He would not love us freely; at least, this would be a mitigation and a drawback to its freeness. But it stands, "I will love you freely." We compare, "Lord, my heart is sad." "Between thou feelings I need of Christ as I could wish." "I will not love you because of your need; I will love you freely." "I do not feel that softening of spirit which I could desire." Remember, the softening of Spirit is not a condition, for there are no conditions; the covenant of grace has no conditionality whatever, so that we without any fitness may venture upon the promise of God which was made to us in Christ Jesus, when he said, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned." It is blessed to know that the Word of God is accessible to us at all times, without preparation, fitness, money, or price! "I will love them freely." These "words invite backsliders "to "return; indeed, the text was specially written for such—"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely." Backslider! Indeed, the promise "generosity will break a promise, and you will return and seek your injured Father's.

Go To Morning ReFReFather'seningctober 22

"He" shall take of mine and shall "sh" w it unto you."

—"on 16:15

There are times when "all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no avail unless a gracious hand shall apply them to us. We are thirsty but too faint to crawl to the water-brook. When a soldier is wounded in battle, it is of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who can bind up his wounds and medicines there to ease all the pains that he now suffers: what he needs is to be carried thither, and to have the remedies applied. It is thus with our souls, and to meet this need, there is one, even the Spirit of truth, who takes the things of Jesus and applies them to us. Think not that Christ hath placed his joys on heavenly shelves so that we may climb up to them for ourselves, but he draws near and sheds his peace abroad in our hearts. O Christian, if thou art tonight laboring under deep distresses, thy Father does not give thee promises and then leave thee to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a well, but the promises he has written in the Word he will write anew on your heart. He will manifest his love to you and, by his blessed Spirit, dispel your cares and troubles. Be it known unto thee, O mourner, that it is God's prerogative to wipe every teGteGod'some eye of his people. The good Samaritan did not say, "He is the wine, and here is the "oi" for you"; "e poured in the oil and the wi "e. "So Jesus gives you the sweet wine of the promise, holds the golden chalice to your lips, and pours the lifeblood into your mouth. The poor, sick, way-worn pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk but is borne on eagle wings. Glorious gospel! whewheagles'videserything for the helpless, which draws nigh to us when we cannot reach after it—brings us grace before we seek grace! Here is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy people who have the Holy Ghost to get Jesus to them.

 C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening: Daily Readings (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1896).

October 22: The New Jerusalem

Ezekiel 43:1–44:31; Revelation 21:9–27; Job 39:1–10

We are being made new. God is working in us now, and He will one day complete His work. Scripture speaks of the ultimate hope of this renewal: our reunion with God. For the first-century Jews, the new Jerusalem signified God again dwelling with His people.

In his revelation, John describes the relationship between God and His people when He completes His work in us: "Be" old, the dwelling of God is with humanity, and he will take up residence with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any longer, and mourning or wailing or pain will not exist any longer. The former things have passed away" (Ev. 21:3–4).

The Lamb of God has "achieved this picture of new creation and dwelling in God's presence. His light is throughout the imagery: "And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon, that they shine on it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (EV. 21:23). Because of the Lamb's sacrifice, the former thing Lamb' seed away.

God will make you completely new—free from sin, suffering, and pain. You are in transformation right now; He is shining His light in your life, exposing the darkness and separating it from the light. Someday, you will stand before Him without fear of sin, pain, death, or sorrow—a work of new creation. Like the recipients of John's revelation, how are you living expecting John's made new?

How is God making you new today? What area of your life needs to reflect His work in you?

Rebecca Van Noord

 John D. Barry and Rebecca Kruyswijk, Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).

October 22

The witness of the Spirit

The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our Spirit… Romans 8:16 (R.V.).

We are in danger of getting the barter spirit when we come to God, we want the witness before we have done what God tells us to do. 'Wh' does not God reveal Himself to' m'?' He cannot; it is not that He will not, but He cannot because you are on the road as long as you won't abandon Him absolutely. ImmImmewon'tlyu do, God witnesses to Himself; He cannot witness to you but instantly to His own nature in you. If you had the witness before the reality, it would end in sentimental emotion. Immediately you transact on the Redemption and stop the impertinence of debate, God gives you the witness. As soon as you abandon reasoning and argument, God witnesses what He has done, and you are amazed at your impertinence in having kept Him waiting. If you debate whether God can deliver from sin, let Him do it or tell Him He cannot. Do not quote this and that person; try Matthew 11:28—"Co" e unto Me." C" me, if you are w "ar" and heavy "la "en; ask if you know you are evil (Luke 11:13).

The simplicity that comes from our natural, commonsense decisions is apt to be mistaken for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature and to the work of Redemption, never to our reason. If we try to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder we are in darkness and perplexity. Fling it all overboard, trust in God, and He will give the witness.

 Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest: Selections for the Year (Grand Rapids, MI: Oswald Chambers Publications; Marshall Pickering, 1986).

October 22

Flee into Egypt

Matt. 2:13

Why? Because there is a cruel king who seeks young children.

Is Christ born in the child like that manger—precious as a casket because of what it holds? Then have a care, for craftier and more unscrupulous than Herod, the destroyer of souls will seek to destroy thee.

There is a day coming when they shall say, "They are dead which sought the young child's life." G" ace shall survive children, and "we "shall yet return to enjoy the comforts of life with no Herod to threaten us. After all, it is a short-lived sin, for goodness shall flourish when the evil one is chained up forever.

Thos. Champness

 Samuel G. Hardman and Dwight Lyman Moody, Thoughts for the Quiet Hour (Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997).