Mon., 3/12/18 Devotion (Ex. 23:1a, 2a, 3)

Today's encouragement comes from the words of Exodus 23:1a, 2a, & 3:

"You shall not circulate a false report. . . . You shall not follow a crowd to do evil . . . You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute."

Let us take notice of how our default sinful reaction is always to do these things (mentioned above). Our flesh and the world expects us to slander oth-ers, mindlessly follow fools, and to be politically-correct (at the expense of the truth). It takes a conscious gospel effort to offset this propensity; and this is successful only with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us not go down the stream with so many, who are on their way to perdi-tion. Instead, let us swim against the tide, by the grace of Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The power that is given to the church is given for edification, not destruction.” —Richard Sibbes, in. "The Bruised Reed"]