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Fruit of Our Labors

by | Nov 3, 2018 | Devotional

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.  Psalm 128:2

Our labors in the Lord Jesus Christ produce fruit unto righteousness. Our reading today in Titus tells us, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). A change in our behavior when once we are saved not the fruit of our labors. Godly behavior is the result of God’s grace. Our behavior would be more akin to the blossoms upon the tree from which the fruit appears. Fruit is consumed by others; and in our verse today, our fruit is also consumed and enjoyed by ourselves. Fruit is pleasing to the taste. Fruit nourishes us. Fruit satisfies our hunger for righteousness. What is the fruit of the labor of our hands?

Fruit of Our LaborsAs the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ is the permanent abiding of the Holy Spirit (John 14:17), the Spirit’s fruit “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). God’s fruit, therefore, is the fruit visible, viable, and verifiable in our lives; fruit we ourselves can enjoy, fruit to be nourished by, fruit with which to be filled and satisfied, and fruit to offer others. When the Spirit produces the fruit in our lives, as we labor because we abide in Christ (John 15:5), the fruit of love extended by our lives is the love of God, for God is love (1 Jn 4:8). The fruit of joy exhibited by our lives is the fullness of joy given us by our Lord and Savior. As we bear the fruit of peace in our lives, we are called peacemakers. And so on….

When we are strengthened by God’s eternal fruit, the fruit of the Spirit offered to others by our witness of the gospel is powerful indeed. Others, therefore, may “taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psa 34:8).

The gospel fruit which we produce
When we toil in the Lord,
Is from the Spirit and He’ll use
It to fulfill His Word.

Today’s Readings, 11/03 – 2 Ki 16; Titus 2; Hosea 9; Psa 126-128

Jon Cardwell writes daily devotionals and sends them out via email for the congregation of Calvary Baptist Church, as well as to anyone who wants to receive them. At this time, the software to send out the emails has a problem so these devotionals will be appearing on our blog for the time being.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture texts marked (KJV) are from The King James Version of the Holy Bible (1769). The King James Version of the Bible is in the public domain.

Get Free Devotionals Like These Daily By Clicking Here.

Elisha’s Double Portion

by | Oct 21, 2018 | Devotional

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven by Gustave Dore

And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 2 Kings 2:9

Jesus told His disciples they would do greater works than He after He ascended to the Father (John 14:12). The greatest work Christ did was proclaim the kingdom through His death upon the cross. As far as our doing greater work, He was speaking of this episode in the passing of the mantle of power from Elijah to Elisha.

Gustave Dore's John the BaptistJohn the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Jesus Himself said that John was Elijah, spiritually speaking (Matt 17:11-13). Moreover, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt 11:11).

Interesting, isn’t it? John the Baptist performed no miracles. His ministry was only six months long after thirty years of preparation as a Nazarite. He preached the kingdom to come and called people to repentance. Most importantly, He pointed to Jesus, ever and always, saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Even in his doubt, while John was imprisoned, he still sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matt 11:2-3). And John’s disciples heard from the Master’s own mouth that He was indeed the Messiah (Matt 11:4-5).

We, who have been saved by God’s grace, have a double portion of John the Baptist’s spirit, just as Elisha received a double portion in the departure of Elijah. Why? Because greater than the catching up of Elijah in the whirlwind is the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The greatest miracle in the world is the Spirit of God working in and through redeemed sinners saved by God’s grace to proclaim Christ’s everlasting gospel in order to raise sinners, dead in trespasses and sins, to newness of life in Christ Jesus.

Elisha got a double dose
Of gospel power when
Elijah did decrease and go
By God’s wind into heav’n.

“Speech Seasoned with Salt” was written by Pastor Jon Cardwell for the congregation of Calvary Baptist Church in Ninilchik, Alaska. He writes devotional thoughts like the one above and sends them via email daily. You can receive these devotionals at no charge whatsoever by CLICKING HERE

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture texts marked (KJV) are from The King James Version of the Holy Bible (1769). The King James Version of the Bible is in the public domain.

Get Free Devotionals Like These Delivered To Your Inbox Daily By CLICKING HERE.

Speech Seasoned with Salt

by | Oct 14, 2018 | Devotional

Speech Seasoned with Salt

 

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6

I read this verse twice each year and am reminded of several passages of scripture every time. I consider Peter’s exhortation, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet 4:11, KJV). There are also many others (Psa 19:14; Eph 4:29; Jas 1:19, 26; 3:1-12).

What does speech seasoned with salt mean?Because of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, our speech should reflect the grace of Christ’s person and work. It’s not automatic. Experience informs us of this flaw; and more than that, God, in His holy Word says so, since He states, “Let your speech always….” It must be both a conscious decision as well as a constant decision.

As we more and more approach the ‘always’ of our text, the habit begins to shape our Christian character and conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. As we become more like Jesus Christ, we begin to “know how [we] ought to answer each person.”

At the same time, we should also recognize this: our speech must be seasoned with salt, not saturated with salt. If I’m not careful, my fleshly fervor may overrun my faith in Christ and constant trust upon Him. If this happens, I will end up prattling on like a pious pig— a hypocrite who appears to be holy, but only oinks from a pen full of fecal filth. Hypocrisy never begets humility.

James tells us that “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (Jas 3:8). In God’s wonderful providence, and by His amazing grace, He has ordained these things to be so the child of God may abandon himself or herself to the pleasure of the Father, by the authority of Christ, through leading and direction of the Holy Spirit. When we are so led, each time we speak of Christ crucified, it becomes a glorious testimony unto God, regardless of where we are in our Christian walk, whether we are babes in Christ or mature ministers of the gospel.

Let’s speak of Jesus and His grace,
Bleeding, dying, on the tree;
We’ll grow in knowledge, giving place
To salted words, most heavenly

“Speech Seasoned with Salt” was written by Pastor Jon Cardwell for the congregation of Calvary Baptist Church in Ninilchik, Alaska. He writes devotional thoughts like the one above and sends them via email daily. You can receive these devotionals at no charge whatsoever by CLICKING HERE

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture texts marked (KJV) are from The King James Version of the Holy Bible (1769). The King James Version of the Bible is in the public domain.

Get Free Devotionals Like These Delivered To Your Inbox Daily By CLICKING HERE.

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