The Daily Devotionals of The Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States for Saturday, 24 September 2016Today, Please pray for:
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Garden City Nueva Evangelica UMC
Dodge City District
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Greensburg UMC
Dodge City District
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This Week's Lectionary
18th Sunday after Pentecost/in Kingdomtide – Green
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Lectionary Readings for Sunday, 18 September 2016
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13
Scripture Text for Jeremiah 8:18 My grief has no cure, I am sick at heart.
19 Listen to my people’s cry of distress
out of a distant land:
“Is Adonai no longer in Tziyon?
Is her king no longer there?”
“Why do they provoke me with their idols
and their futile foreign gods?”
20 “The harvest has passed, the summer is over,
and still we are not saved.”
21 The daughter of my people is broken,
and it’s tearing me to pieces;
everything looks dark to me,
horror seizes me.
22 Has Gil‘ad exhausted its healing resin?
Is no physician there?
If there is, then why is the daughter of my people
so slow to recover her health?
23 (9:1) I wish my head were made of water
and my eyes were a fountain of tears,
so that I could cry day and night
over the slain of the daughter of my people!
9:1 (2) I wish I were out in the desert,
in some travelers’ lodge —
then I could get away from my people
and distance myself from them!
“Indeed they are all adulterers,
a band of traitors is what they are.
Psalm 79:(0) A psalm of Asaf:
(1) God, the pagans have entered your heritage.
They have defiled your holy temple
and turned Yerushalayim into rubble.
2 They have given the corpses of your servants
as food for the birds in the air,
yes, the flesh of those faithful to you
for the wild animals of the earth.
3 All around Yerushalayim
they have shed their blood like water,
and no one is left to bury them.
4 We suffer the taunts of our neighbors,
we are mocked and scorned by those around us.
5 How long, Adonai?
Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you,
on the kingdoms that don’t call out your name;
7 for they have devoured Ya‘akov
and left his home a waste.
8 Don’t count past iniquities against us,
but let your compassion come quickly to meet us,
for we have been brought very low.
9 Help us, God of our salvation,
for the sake of the glory of your name.
Deliver us, forgive our sins,
for your name’s sake.
1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I counsel that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all human beings, 2 including kings and all in positions of prominence; so that we may lead quiet and peaceful lives, being godly and upright in everything. 3 This is what God, our Deliverer, regards as good; this is what meets his approval.
4 He wants all humanity to be delivered and come to full knowledge of the truth. 5 For God is one;[1 Timothy 2:5 Deuteronomy 6:4] and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human, 6 who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all, thus providing testimony to God’s purpose at just the right time. 7 This is why I myself was appointed a proclaimer, even an emissary — I am telling the truth, not lying! — a trustworthy and truthful teacher of the Goyim.
Luke 16:1 Speaking to the talmidim, Yeshua said: “There was a wealthy man who employed a general manager. Charges were brought to him that his manager was squandering his resources. 2 So he summoned him and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in your accounts, for you can no longer be manager.’
3 “‘What am I to do?’ said the manager to himself. ‘My boss is firing me, I’m not strong enough to dig ditches, and I’m ashamed to go begging. 4 Aha! I know what I’ll do — something that will make people welcome me into their homes after I’ve lost my job here!’
5 “So, after making appointments with each of his employer’s debtors, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my boss?’ 6 ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. ‘Take your note back,’ he told him. ‘Now, quickly! Sit down and write one for four hundred!’ 7 To the next he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your note back and write one for eight hundred.’
8 “And the employer of this dishonest manager applauded him for acting so shrewdly! For the worldly have more sekhel than those who have received the light — in dealing with their own kind of people!
9 “Now what I say to you is this: use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it gives out, you may be welcomed into the eternal home. 10 Someone who is trustworthy in a small matter is also trustworthy in large ones, and someone who is dishonest in a small matter is also dishonest in large ones. 11 So if you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who is going to trust you with the real thing? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what ought to belong to you? 13 No servant can be slave to two masters, for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.”
The John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Verse 8
[8] How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
How — These things considered where is your wisdom? He speaks to the whole body of the people.
The Lord — This may have a more special eye to the priests.
In vain — For any use they made of it; neither need it ever have been copied out by the scribe. A scribe was a teacher, one well versed in the scripture, or esteemed to be so.
Verse 13
[13] I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
Pass away — Shall be taken away by their enemies.
Verse 14
[14] Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
Why — The people at length seem to bethink themselves, and thus to bespeak each other.
Silent — Keep close within our walls.
Verse 16
[16] The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
The snorting — The fury of the Chaldeans march is described by the snorting of their horses, which is a noise they make through their nostrils.
Heard — Even to Jerusalem.
Have devoured — It is spoken in a prophetical style, who use to express the certainty of what shall be, as if it actually were already.
Verse 17
[17] For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
Shall bite — There will be no appeasing their fury by any method.
Verse 18
[18] When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
Sorrow — The prophet now seems to speak, how greatly the calamity of this people affected him.
Verse 19
[19] Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
Why — As if God should seem to reply; let them not think it strange, seeing they have turned their backs upon me, and trusted to idols.
Verse 21
[21] For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Am I hurt — The prophet here shews how deeply he is affected with the peoples misery.
Black — I am as those that are clad in deep mourning.
Psalm 79:1-9
Verse 8
[8] O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
Prevent — Prevent our utter extirpation.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Verse 1
[1] I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
I exhort therefore — Seeing God is so gracious. In this chapter he gives directions, 1. With regard to public prayers 2. With regard to doctrine. Supplication is here the imploring help in time of need: prayer is any kind of offering up our desires to God. But true prayer is the vehemency of holy zeal, the ardour of divine love, arising from a calm, undisturbed soul, moved upon by the Spirit of God. Intercession is prayer for others. We may likewise give thanks for all men, in the full sense of the word, for that God "willeth all men to be saved," and Christ is the Mediator of all.
Verse 2
[2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For all that are in authority — Seeing even the lowest country magistrates frequently do much good or much harm. God supports the power of magistracy for the sake of his own people, when, in the present state of men, it could not otherwise be kept up in any nation whatever.
Godliness — Inward religion; the true worship of God.
Honesty — A comprehensive word taking in the whole duty we owe to our neighbour.
Verse 3
[3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
For this — That we pray for all men. Do you ask, "Why are not more converted?" We do not pray enough.
Is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour — Who has actually saved us that believe, and willeth all men to be saved. It is strange that any whom he has actually saved should doubt the universality of his grace!
Verse 4
[4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Who willeth seriously all men - Not a part only, much less the smallest part.
To be saved — Eternally. This is treated of, 1 Timothy 2:5,6. And, in order thereto, to come - They are not compelled.
To the knowledge of the truth — Which brings salvation. This is treated of, 1 Timothy 2:6,7.
Verse 5
[5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
For — The fourth verse is proved by the fifth; the first, by the fourth.
There is one God — And they who have not him, through the one Mediator, have no God.
One mediator also — We could not rejoice that there is a God, were there not a mediator also; one who stands between God and men, to reconcile man to God, and to transact the whole affair of our salvation. This excludes all other mediators, as saints and angels, whom the Papists set up and idolatrously worship as such: just as the heathens of old set up many mediators, to pacify their superior gods.
The man — Therefore all men are to apply to this mediator, "who gave himself for all."
Verse 6
[6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Who gave himself a ransom for all — Such a ransom, the word signifies, wherein a like or equal is given; as an eye for an eye, or life for life: and this ransom, from the dignity of the person redeeming, was more than equivalent to all mankind.
To be testified of in due season — Literally, in his own seasons; those chosen by his own wisdom.
Luke 16:1-13
Verse 3
[3] Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
To beg I am ashamed — But not ashamed to cheat! This was likewise a sense of honour! "By men called honour, but by angels pride."
Verse 4
[4] I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
I know — That is, I am resolved, what to do.
Verse 8
[8] And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
And the lord commended the unjust steward — Namely, in this respect, because he had used timely precaution: so that though the dishonesty of such a servant be detestable, yet his foresight, care, and contrivance, about the interests of this life, deserve our imitation, with regard to the more important affairs of another.
The children of this world — Those who seek no other portion than this world: Are wiser - Not absolutely, for they are, one and all, egregious fools; but they are more consistent with themselves; they are truer to their principles; they more steadily pursue their end; they are wiser in their generation - That is, in their own way, than the children of light - The children of God, whose light shines on their hearts.
Verse 9
[9] And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
And I say to you — Be good stewards even of the lowest talents wherewith God hath intrusted you. Mammon means riches or money. It is termed the mammon of unrighteousness, because of the manner wherein it is commonly either procured or employed. Make yourselves friends of this, by doing all possible good, particularly to the children of God: that when ye fail, when your flesh and your heart faileth, when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, those of them who have gone before may receive, may welcome you into the everlasting habitations.
Verse 10
[10] He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
And whether ye have more or less, see that ye be faithful as well as wise stewards. He that is faithful in what is meanest of all, worldly substance, is also faithful in things of a higher nature; and he that uses these lowest gifts unfaithfully, is likewise unfaithful in spiritual things.
Verse 11
[11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Who will intrust you with the true riches? — How should God intrust you with spiritual and eternal, which alone are true riches?
Verse 12
[12] And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
If ye have not been faithful in that which was another's — None of these temporal things are yours: you are only stewards of them, not proprietors: God is the proprietor of all; he lodges them in your hands for a season: but still they are his property. Rich men, understand and consider this. If your steward uses any part of your estate (so called in the language of men) any farther or any otherwise than you direct, he is a knave: he has neither conscience nor honour. Neither have you either one or the other, if you use any part of that estate, which is in truth God's, not yours, any otherwise than he directs.
That which is your own — Heaven, which when you have it, will be your own for ever.
Verse 13
[13] No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
And you cannot be faithful to God, if you trim between God and the world, if you do not serve him alone. Matthew 6:24.
-------
The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 34000419 Listen to my people’s cry of distress
out of a distant land:
“Is Adonai no longer in Tziyon?
Is her king no longer there?”
“Why do they provoke me with their idols
and their futile foreign gods?”
20 “The harvest has passed, the summer is over,
and still we are not saved.”
21 The daughter of my people is broken,
and it’s tearing me to pieces;
everything looks dark to me,
horror seizes me.
22 Has Gil‘ad exhausted its healing resin?
Is no physician there?
If there is, then why is the daughter of my people
so slow to recover her health?
23 (9:1) I wish my head were made of water
and my eyes were a fountain of tears,
so that I could cry day and night
over the slain of the daughter of my people!
9:1 (2) I wish I were out in the desert,
in some travelers’ lodge —
then I could get away from my people
and distance myself from them!
“Indeed they are all adulterers,
a band of traitors is what they are.
Psalm 79:(0) A psalm of Asaf:
(1) God, the pagans have entered your heritage.
They have defiled your holy temple
and turned Yerushalayim into rubble.
2 They have given the corpses of your servants
as food for the birds in the air,
yes, the flesh of those faithful to you
for the wild animals of the earth.
3 All around Yerushalayim
they have shed their blood like water,
and no one is left to bury them.
4 We suffer the taunts of our neighbors,
we are mocked and scorned by those around us.
5 How long, Adonai?
Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you,
on the kingdoms that don’t call out your name;
7 for they have devoured Ya‘akov
and left his home a waste.
8 Don’t count past iniquities against us,
but let your compassion come quickly to meet us,
for we have been brought very low.
9 Help us, God of our salvation,
for the sake of the glory of your name.
Deliver us, forgive our sins,
for your name’s sake.
1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I counsel that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all human beings, 2 including kings and all in positions of prominence; so that we may lead quiet and peaceful lives, being godly and upright in everything. 3 This is what God, our Deliverer, regards as good; this is what meets his approval.
4 He wants all humanity to be delivered and come to full knowledge of the truth. 5 For God is one;[1 Timothy 2:5 Deuteronomy 6:4] and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human, 6 who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all, thus providing testimony to God’s purpose at just the right time. 7 This is why I myself was appointed a proclaimer, even an emissary — I am telling the truth, not lying! — a trustworthy and truthful teacher of the Goyim.
Luke 16:1 Speaking to the talmidim, Yeshua said: “There was a wealthy man who employed a general manager. Charges were brought to him that his manager was squandering his resources. 2 So he summoned him and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in your accounts, for you can no longer be manager.’
3 “‘What am I to do?’ said the manager to himself. ‘My boss is firing me, I’m not strong enough to dig ditches, and I’m ashamed to go begging. 4 Aha! I know what I’ll do — something that will make people welcome me into their homes after I’ve lost my job here!’
5 “So, after making appointments with each of his employer’s debtors, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my boss?’ 6 ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. ‘Take your note back,’ he told him. ‘Now, quickly! Sit down and write one for four hundred!’ 7 To the next he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your note back and write one for eight hundred.’
8 “And the employer of this dishonest manager applauded him for acting so shrewdly! For the worldly have more sekhel than those who have received the light — in dealing with their own kind of people!
9 “Now what I say to you is this: use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it gives out, you may be welcomed into the eternal home. 10 Someone who is trustworthy in a small matter is also trustworthy in large ones, and someone who is dishonest in a small matter is also dishonest in large ones. 11 So if you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who is going to trust you with the real thing? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what ought to belong to you? 13 No servant can be slave to two masters, for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.”
The John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Verse 8
[8] How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
How — These things considered where is your wisdom? He speaks to the whole body of the people.
The Lord — This may have a more special eye to the priests.
In vain — For any use they made of it; neither need it ever have been copied out by the scribe. A scribe was a teacher, one well versed in the scripture, or esteemed to be so.
Verse 13
[13] I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
Pass away — Shall be taken away by their enemies.
Verse 14
[14] Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
Why — The people at length seem to bethink themselves, and thus to bespeak each other.
Silent — Keep close within our walls.
Verse 16
[16] The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
The snorting — The fury of the Chaldeans march is described by the snorting of their horses, which is a noise they make through their nostrils.
Heard — Even to Jerusalem.
Have devoured — It is spoken in a prophetical style, who use to express the certainty of what shall be, as if it actually were already.
Verse 17
[17] For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
Shall bite — There will be no appeasing their fury by any method.
Verse 18
[18] When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
Sorrow — The prophet now seems to speak, how greatly the calamity of this people affected him.
Verse 19
[19] Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
Why — As if God should seem to reply; let them not think it strange, seeing they have turned their backs upon me, and trusted to idols.
Verse 21
[21] For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Am I hurt — The prophet here shews how deeply he is affected with the peoples misery.
Black — I am as those that are clad in deep mourning.
Psalm 79:1-9
Verse 8
[8] O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
Prevent — Prevent our utter extirpation.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Verse 1
[1] I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
I exhort therefore — Seeing God is so gracious. In this chapter he gives directions, 1. With regard to public prayers 2. With regard to doctrine. Supplication is here the imploring help in time of need: prayer is any kind of offering up our desires to God. But true prayer is the vehemency of holy zeal, the ardour of divine love, arising from a calm, undisturbed soul, moved upon by the Spirit of God. Intercession is prayer for others. We may likewise give thanks for all men, in the full sense of the word, for that God "willeth all men to be saved," and Christ is the Mediator of all.
Verse 2
[2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For all that are in authority — Seeing even the lowest country magistrates frequently do much good or much harm. God supports the power of magistracy for the sake of his own people, when, in the present state of men, it could not otherwise be kept up in any nation whatever.
Godliness — Inward religion; the true worship of God.
Honesty — A comprehensive word taking in the whole duty we owe to our neighbour.
Verse 3
[3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
For this — That we pray for all men. Do you ask, "Why are not more converted?" We do not pray enough.
Is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour — Who has actually saved us that believe, and willeth all men to be saved. It is strange that any whom he has actually saved should doubt the universality of his grace!
Verse 4
[4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Who willeth seriously all men - Not a part only, much less the smallest part.
To be saved — Eternally. This is treated of, 1 Timothy 2:5,6. And, in order thereto, to come - They are not compelled.
To the knowledge of the truth — Which brings salvation. This is treated of, 1 Timothy 2:6,7.
Verse 5
[5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
For — The fourth verse is proved by the fifth; the first, by the fourth.
There is one God — And they who have not him, through the one Mediator, have no God.
One mediator also — We could not rejoice that there is a God, were there not a mediator also; one who stands between God and men, to reconcile man to God, and to transact the whole affair of our salvation. This excludes all other mediators, as saints and angels, whom the Papists set up and idolatrously worship as such: just as the heathens of old set up many mediators, to pacify their superior gods.
The man — Therefore all men are to apply to this mediator, "who gave himself for all."
Verse 6
[6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Who gave himself a ransom for all — Such a ransom, the word signifies, wherein a like or equal is given; as an eye for an eye, or life for life: and this ransom, from the dignity of the person redeeming, was more than equivalent to all mankind.
To be testified of in due season — Literally, in his own seasons; those chosen by his own wisdom.
Luke 16:1-13
Verse 3
[3] Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
To beg I am ashamed — But not ashamed to cheat! This was likewise a sense of honour! "By men called honour, but by angels pride."
Verse 4
[4] I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
I know — That is, I am resolved, what to do.
Verse 8
[8] And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
And the lord commended the unjust steward — Namely, in this respect, because he had used timely precaution: so that though the dishonesty of such a servant be detestable, yet his foresight, care, and contrivance, about the interests of this life, deserve our imitation, with regard to the more important affairs of another.
The children of this world — Those who seek no other portion than this world: Are wiser - Not absolutely, for they are, one and all, egregious fools; but they are more consistent with themselves; they are truer to their principles; they more steadily pursue their end; they are wiser in their generation - That is, in their own way, than the children of light - The children of God, whose light shines on their hearts.
Verse 9
[9] And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
And I say to you — Be good stewards even of the lowest talents wherewith God hath intrusted you. Mammon means riches or money. It is termed the mammon of unrighteousness, because of the manner wherein it is commonly either procured or employed. Make yourselves friends of this, by doing all possible good, particularly to the children of God: that when ye fail, when your flesh and your heart faileth, when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, those of them who have gone before may receive, may welcome you into the everlasting habitations.
Verse 10
[10] He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
And whether ye have more or less, see that ye be faithful as well as wise stewards. He that is faithful in what is meanest of all, worldly substance, is also faithful in things of a higher nature; and he that uses these lowest gifts unfaithfully, is likewise unfaithful in spiritual things.
Verse 11
[11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Who will intrust you with the true riches? — How should God intrust you with spiritual and eternal, which alone are true riches?
Verse 12
[12] And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
If ye have not been faithful in that which was another's — None of these temporal things are yours: you are only stewards of them, not proprietors: God is the proprietor of all; he lodges them in your hands for a season: but still they are his property. Rich men, understand and consider this. If your steward uses any part of your estate (so called in the language of men) any farther or any otherwise than you direct, he is a knave: he has neither conscience nor honour. Neither have you either one or the other, if you use any part of that estate, which is in truth God's, not yours, any otherwise than he directs.
That which is your own — Heaven, which when you have it, will be your own for ever.
Verse 13
[13] No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
And you cannot be faithful to God, if you trim between God and the world, if you do not serve him alone. Matthew 6:24.
-------
The Upper Room Ministries
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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Today's Devotional Scripture:
Romans 10:12 That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — Adonai is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, 13 since everyone who calls on the name of Adonai will be delivered.[Romans 10:13 Joel 3:5(2:32)]
14 But how can they call on someone if they haven’t trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven’t heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? 15 And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? — as the Tanakh puts it, “How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!”[Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7]
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Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 East Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
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info@greatplainsumc.org
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