DAY 317 Read James.
Today's reading: Many Bible students believe that this is the first of the general epistles to be written. The author was probably the James who presided at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), one of Christ's stepbrothers.
Memory gem: "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).
Thought for today:
The greatest sinner in town may be a preacher; he may be a Sunday School teacher or the leading businessman. He may or may not be a professed Christian. This greatest sinner may be an old man or an old woman, a young man or a young woman. Oh, friend, the solemn truth is that the greatest sinner in this town is the person who has had the greatest light but fails to walk in it. And our memory gem for today proves that statement.
You say, "I know those things are true. I know I should walk in the light I have heard--in church, in reading my Bible, over the radio--and I plan to do it; but it is not convenient now. Don't push me, preacher! I will do it when I get ready. I really will."
But friend, don't you know that every day, every hour, every second, that you fail to walk in the recognized light, you are piling up a load of sin on your record? You believe that message you have heard, yet you are holding back. You still cherish that secret sin, that unfaithfulness, that dishonesty. You are still clinging to that liquor bottle. You are a slave to that pipe, that cigar, that cut of tobacco, that sin. God knows all about it--and probably more people know than you think.
Every man and woman who knows to do good and does it not, "to him it is sin." The Bible says so. There is no middle ground. Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30).
There is only one way to be ready to face God in the judgment, and that is to fall on your knees and say right now, "God, forgive me! In Christ's name give me a new life and help me to live right before my children. Help me to be true and to follow the light I know." God will forgive you, and you will be surprised to find that your friends will forgive you too!
Today's reading: Many Bible students believe that this is the first of the general epistles to be written. The author was probably the James who presided at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), one of Christ's stepbrothers.
Memory gem: "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).
Thought for today:
The greatest sinner in town may be a preacher; he may be a Sunday School teacher or the leading businessman. He may or may not be a professed Christian. This greatest sinner may be an old man or an old woman, a young man or a young woman. Oh, friend, the solemn truth is that the greatest sinner in this town is the person who has had the greatest light but fails to walk in it. And our memory gem for today proves that statement.
You say, "I know those things are true. I know I should walk in the light I have heard--in church, in reading my Bible, over the radio--and I plan to do it; but it is not convenient now. Don't push me, preacher! I will do it when I get ready. I really will."
But friend, don't you know that every day, every hour, every second, that you fail to walk in the recognized light, you are piling up a load of sin on your record? You believe that message you have heard, yet you are holding back. You still cherish that secret sin, that unfaithfulness, that dishonesty. You are still clinging to that liquor bottle. You are a slave to that pipe, that cigar, that cut of tobacco, that sin. God knows all about it--and probably more people know than you think.
Every man and woman who knows to do good and does it not, "to him it is sin." The Bible says so. There is no middle ground. Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30).
There is only one way to be ready to face God in the judgment, and that is to fall on your knees and say right now, "God, forgive me! In Christ's name give me a new life and help me to live right before my children. Help me to be true and to follow the light I know." God will forgive you, and you will be surprised to find that your friends will forgive you too!
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