Mon., 7/29/19 Devotion (Mk. 11:22)

Today's encouragement comes from Mark 11:22, where we read these words:

"So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God.' "

Of all the blessed utterances that ever fell from our Savior’s gracious lips, this one (above) is among the sweetest. We fail, we are continually imperfect; and if we were to be scored on a performance-basis, we would all flunk. But in the midst of all our spiritual bumblings, Christ says, "Have faith in God." Nothing else really matters to the Lord, if faith is absent.

. . . But its presence is much-pleasing to our Lord; and it brings us enormous benefits. Whereas our works or efforts could *never* make God love us; our faith—which is His own gift to us—fetches Jesus Himself to our souls. Once we have Christ, we have everything. Let us not look to ourselves, but the our Redeemer today—and be encouraged.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The Church is to be increased by the powerful preaching of the gospel. This preaching by all means is to be encouraged, for 'faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God,' (Rom. 10:17).”
—Nathaniel Vincent, in, "A Discourse concerning Love"]