Happy Friday! Today is September 23, 2022. We are visiting the St. Thomas church in Dresden, Germany, where Bach and Mozart performed. Martin Luther preached here in 1539. Luther was convinced that we were not saved by works but by God’s grace alone, something with which the Catholic Church took issue. Soon a death warrant would be issued, and he’d go into hiding, but he never wavered from his dedication to the Word of God! Read on …
Today's Reading:
Daniel 11,12; Luke 6
Scripture
“And why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)
Observation
There are two kinds of people in the world — the ones who know what to do and the others who do what they know.
Pharisees make up the first bunch. They have lots of knowledge but without appropriate follow-through. They feel that “knowing” exonerates them, but it doesn’t. I can “know” all there is to know about planting a vegetable garden and pride myself in that knowledge, but I’ll still starve to death unless I am willing to work my hands in the dirt!
Others will often find how much knowledge you have and be enamored with your “ability,” but it’s not “ability” until it is applied. For example, you aren’t able to garden until your garden is growing and vegetables are harvested and edible.
Until that point, you don’t have the “ability.” You may have the potential and knowledge to be able, but until you do it, you are not really able!
Now, some pseudo-spiritual people may say, “Oh, bless God. It’s not me that’s able anyway. He is able!” And they are right. He is able, and they are NOT.
Application
God's ability begins to work when I put my hands into the dirt daily and have to dig mud out from under my fingernails nightly.
James says, "Saying you are spiritual without actually working your hands in the soil...stinks." That's right. He says it a little more civilly, but it's the same meaning — "Faith without works is dead!"
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to be a man of Your ability — not just knowledge. Help me to build an enduring house on the bedrock of applying what You’ve told me to do. So then, when You take me by the hand, may I still have mud under my fingernails. I pray this in the precious name of Him, whose hands were pierced for me.
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