Category: Devotion of the Day

Publicizing Our Piety

Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:16

There is no holiness in a hair shirt or godliness in gunny-sack garments. “To be all out for God you don’t have to look all in.“ The man who advertises his devotional life has not learned the most elementary rule of the devotional life-that it is a strictly private affair between him and his God.

Wearing cheap clothes if one can wear a good suit that will look better and last twice as long is false economy and not even good sense, let alone a mark of deeper holiness. God is not honored by penny-wise and pound-foolish living. We ought not to attract attention either by extravagance or negligence. A man may be trying to publicize his piety by faded garments, while he rails at the brother in fancy garb.

“Moses wist not that his face shone.“ The hypocrites were conscious of a sad face; Moses was unconscious of a shining face. Think it over.

Get Through To Jesus!

If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
Mark 5:28

In the maze of present-day confusion, the chaos of conflicting voices, how often have we wished that we might just press through and touch Jesus as in the day of His flesh. They were not bewildered then by scholars and sectarians, each claiming the only perfect right to introduce anyone to Him. This poor sick woman came all by herself and for herself and it worked. Whether she had pure, unadulterated, unalloyed faith I know not, but she got through to Jesus!

Are you troubled and dizzy with a dozen voices shouting in your ears? Have you, like the father of the demonized boy, brought your problem to the disciples-this church or preach-to find that “they could not“? Don=t go away. Jesus is saying, “Bring your problem to me.”

Push through the crowd and touch Him for yourself. You need no middleman to present you. As many as touch Him are made whole.

“Be whole of thy plague,” He told the woman. Bring your plague to Him. Let no one stop you short of Him. “As many as touched Him….”