DAILY READINGS IN LIFE OF CHRIST - J.R. Miller (1890)

April 30. True Charity

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth!" Matthew 6:3

There are some people who want every good thing they do, to be well advertised. If they give money to some good cause — they want to have it noticed in the papers. If they are kind to the poor or relieve some case of distress — they are particular that the matter should be duly published. They take pains that their charities shall not fail to be credited to themselves.

But this is not the kind of spirit our Lord enjoined on His disciples. He told them that seeking publicity marred the beauty of their charities; that instead of announcing to others what they had done — they should not even let their own left hand know that their right hand had been doing commendable things.

Of course, Christ did not mean that we should never give to charities — except where the act would be absolutely secret. It is the heart-motive that Christ was enforcing. His disciples should never give for the sake of men's praise. Our good works instantly lose all their value — when any motive but the honor of God and desire for His approval, is in our heart. We should not even think about our charities ourselves — but should forget them, as the tree forgets the fruits it drops.

We should train ourselves therefore to do our good deeds — without seeking the praise or recognition of men. We should not be so anxious to have our name posted on every gift we send. We ought to be willing to do good, and let Christ have all the glory — while we stay back unknown and unrecognized.

Florence Nightingale, having gone like an angel of mercy among the hospitals in the Crimea until her name was enshrined in every soldier's heart — asked to be excused from having her picture taken — that she might be forgotten, and that Christ alone might be remembered as the author of all the blessings which her hand had distributed!

THE FINGER OF GOD BY BISHOP OGLES 

https://youtu.be/Tywm9JMCPgM?si=n4kw5IBjpMmTLu6N

 ARTICLE XVI - Of Sin after Baptism.

Not every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

https://youtu.be/L9mCqIuAd-k

DAILY BREAD

Why Must the Law be Preached in All Its Severity?

"I had not known sin but by .the Law; for I had not known lust except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Rom. 7:7.

Do we always appreciate and estimate at its correct value what we are permitted to hear in our dear Lutheran Church; even this, that in our Church the Law is proclaimed in its fulness and severity? Many wish to hear fine, pretty sermons. Some of our members leave us to join congregations in which they can hear that for which their ears are itching; or they demand that their own minister tread softly in reproving sin. But how foolish they are! For no true conversion can be effected unless the Law is preached in all its severity; nor can Christians learn as they should how to lead a life pleasing to God if it is not pointed out to them by the proper preaching of the Law.

Many ministers preach against murder, drunkenness, coarse forms of unchastity, and the like, but pay little attention to the sinful thoughts leading to these sins. They vehemently condemn the sins which public opinion condemns; but those which it cherishes are overlooked. Such preaching of the Law will never lead to true conversion.

However, if the Law is preached in all its severity, if the pastor makes clear that also hatred of the heart is murder in the sight of God, that malicious judging and condemning makes a man just as liable to be eternally damned as wilful murder, who then can avoid seeing the true condition of his sinful heart, the utter corruption which sin has wrought in him? If these sins’ damn, who can escape damnation? In whom can he who has come to see his true self in the mirror of the Law find hope except in Jesus, who alone has suffered all the punishment to be inflicted on the damned, suffered it for him, as his Substitute?

With such preaching of the Law a superficial, sham contrition and conversion is out of the question. If, however, the Law is not preached in all its severity, this not only prevents true conversion, but it is also harmful to the new life of a Christian. He will gradually be led to look more to his outward than to his inner life. The result is hypocrisy. The pure heart will be supplanted by a polite outward bearing.

 THE FAMILY ALTAR

April 29.

So says our risen Lord to Thomas and rebukes him for his

unbelief. It was a great sin in Thomas not to believe his fellow-

disciples when they told him of the Lord's resurrection and stub-

bornly to say: "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the

nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust

my hand into His side, I will not believe." With his unbelief

he not only doubted the word of his fellow-disciples, but also the

word of His Lord and Savior, who had expressly told him that

He would rise again the third day. But this unbelief was also

great folly in Thomas. While his fellow-disciples were filled with

unspeakable joy and happiness, knowing that their crucified and

buried Lord was really alive again, he deprived himself of all

this bliss and joy and remained full of fear and despondency.

Alas ! there are so many nowadays who deprive themselves not

only for eight days, as did Thomas, but for a whole lifetime of

all the blessed joy which faith in the risen Savior brings to the

believing heart. But is it not folly to say: I will not believe

in Jesus unless I see Him ? The scribes, and Pharisees, and thou-

sands of Jews saw the Savior with their bodily eyes, and yet they

did not believe in Him. Again, it was not their having seen

Jesus with their bodily eyes that made the disciples so happy and

blessed, but that they saw Jesus with the eyes of faith. If the Lord

Jesus should walk visibly through our country to-day, millions

would see Him, but none of these millions would thereby be brought

to faith in Him as their personal God and Savior from sin and

death. But faith does accept Him thus; and no visible sight of

the Lord ever worked that faith in the heart of man. That was

done, is done, and always will be done, alone by the faith-working

Word of Jesus, by His blessed Gospel.

Lord, have I not, like Thomas, doubted Thee?

Doubted Thy power, Thy goodness, and Thy love;

Doubted that Thou from sin couldst set me free;

Doubted the voice that called me from above?

Melt my hard heart and break my stubborn will,

Wean me from thoughts that trouble and deceive;

0 let mine be the blessing promised still

To those who, having seen not, yet believe.