Devotion of the Day

Two Lost Words

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Matthew 28:18-20.

Here is our Saviour’s prerogative: He claims all power; our Saviour’s program: discipling, baptizing, teaching; our Saviour’s promise: to be with us all the days, even to the consummation of the age.

What a set-up! All the world before us, all power behind us, the All-powerful One with us!

In the teaching phase of our Saviour’s program, we do not read, “teaching them all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Much of our teaching today is just that, the dissemination of information. It says, “teaching them to observe…” Here are the two lost words of the Great Commission. Throughout the Word of God the accent is on doing, observing, keeping the commandments of the Lord. Today we teach them, but we do not teach people to do them. The Word is hid in the head but not in the heart. It is the Word hidden in the heart that keeps from sin. You can have a head full of Scripture and a heart full of sin.

The daily devotions are from Day by Day by Vance Havner. Fleming H. Revell Company, 1953.

Quote of the Day

I have read of a dilapidated little shop whose owner was about to go out of business. The floor was unswept, the windows unwashed, the goods in disorder, the proprietor careless and untidy. One day the king came by, saw the wretched condition of the place, and said to the shopkeeper, “If you will do as I say, I will let you put over the door the sign APPROVED BY THE KING.” The proprietor gladly consented. Everything was changed-the floors swept, the windows washed, the goods put in order, the keeper himself cleaned up. Soon customers began to come and money rang in the till because over the door was written the approval of the king.

Have you ever let the King take over? Has your prayer ever been:

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let the King take over the little shop of your life and there will be customers! You will be a blessing to others and a work-man approved unto Him.

The daily devotions are from Pepper ‘n Salt by Vance Havner. Fleming H. Revell Company, 1966.