Mon., 8/6/12 Devotion (Acts 24:16)

Today's encouragement comes from Paul's words, found in Acts 24:16:

"This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without of-fense toward God and men."

God's churchmen ought to do everything in their power to faithfully please Christ; and, in so doing, to not unduly offend sinners either. Sometimes this is impossible. Doing what God commands *will*, in some cases, upset people. In this case, it is always best to honor God, and let sinners be in a tizzy about it.

But, having said that, the rule to go by is this: faithfulness to Christ is *always* in *every* human beings' best interest, (even though the un-regenerate do not realize, nor accept this). Let us seek to keep our consciences clean, by walking by faith, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Truth is truth, and error, error, and that which is unlawful is unlawful, whether men think so or not." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]