Hope for Today: A Daily Devotion from Reasons for Hope*Jesus
“Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all impurity with greediness.” Ephesians 4:18-19
If a man be naturally dead, though the sunshine in his face, he sees not its splendor, nor feels its warmth. Offer him rich presents; he receives them not; he has no eye to see them, no heart to desire them, no hand to grasp them. Thus it is with one that is spiritually dead; let the sunshine of the gospel blaze out ever so clearly, he sees it not because he is in darkness; though he live under plentiful means and rich dispensations — yet he is blind and poor; offer him the rich pearls of the gospel, the rich treasures of grace in Christ Jesus — yet he has no heart to them, no hand of faith to lay hold upon them; so blind, stupid, and senseless is he, that, though these rich treasures, these graces, these pearls of the gospel, be conveyed unto him in earthen vessels, in a plain and familiar manner — yet he does not, he cannot apprehend them; judgments do not affright him, and mercies cannot allure and persuade him. In the mean time, this creature is all life in the element of sin: he loves it; he pleads for it, he commits it with greediness. This is Paul’s account of the unconverted Gentiles, and how many such have we under a Christian name! O Lord, exert Your great power and quicken all that are thus dead in trespasses and sins. Carry on also Your work in my heart, that I may be holy in word and deed.
Devotion by Karl Heinrich von Bogatzky (1690—1774)
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***A Hidden Message in Psalm 23?***
Hidden in the six verses of Psalm 23 are 11 names for Jesus. When you subscribe to our newsletter, we’ll send you The Names of God in Psalm 23 PDF that reveals all 11 names and Scripture verses of comfort and hope (link will be sent in your confirmation email).
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There is much to be learned from those who have gone before us in the faith. Check out our Cloud of Witnesses category that features the words of departed saints who are now with the Lord in glory. Their words equip and encourage us even to this day. Take a few minutes to hear...
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