Sure Tests

"I am the Lord that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images" (Isaiah 42:8)

One vital test of all religious experience is how it affects our relation to God, our concept of God and our attitude toward Him.

God being who He is must always be the supreme arbiter of all things religious. The universe came into existence as a medium through which the Creator might show forth His perfections to all moral and intellectual beings: "I am the LORD; that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another" (Isaiah 42:8). "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11).

The health and balance of the universe require that in all things God should be magnified. "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3). God acts only for His glory and whatever comes from Him must be to His own high honor. Any doctrine, any experience that serves to magnify Him is likely to be inspired by Him. Conversely, anything that veils His glory or makes Him appear less wonderful is sure to be of the flesh or the devil.

Lord, may I clearly see Your glory today. May I not be fooled by any experience or thought that does not magnify You, and may You be pleased with my worship this day. Amen

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Not What I Want to Be

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6)

There comes a time when the true believer must take his stand on the oath and covenant of God and refuse to be shaken. He must lift high his happy affirmation, not in arrogance, but in faith and in deep humility. Perhaps his declaration of independence will go something like this:

I am not yet perfect, but I thank God and my Lord Jesus Christ that I am done with the past and I do now trust in my Saviour for full deliverance from all sins. I cannot pray like Daniel, but I shall never cease to praise God for He inclines His ear to me. I am not as wise as Solomon, but I glory in this, that "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). I have not the gifts of Moses or Isaiah or John, but I'll be everlastingly grateful that I have been given the moral perception to understand and appreciate such men as these. I am not what I want to be, but thanks be to God that I do want to be better than I am; and I am sure that "he which hath begun a good work in [me] will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

Here I stand. I can do nothing else, so help me God.

Lord, do the work that must be done in Your power, through Your Holy Spirit, to bring Your work to completion in my life. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~