Text: John 13:13-17

 13 Ye call me Master and Lord:  and ye say well;  for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet;  ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord;  neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.    

Monday, 16^th September 2024

PRUDENCE AND HOLINESS

Text: John 13:13-17

Memory verse: John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Prudence and holiness is to know what we should do, and do what we know. To know what we should do is the wisdom of the serpent; to do what we know is the innocence of the dove. John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Knowledge is a jewel which adorns him who wears it; it is the enriching and decorations of the mind. Knowledge is the eye of the soul to guide it in the right way, but this knowledge must be joined with holy practice. To separate practice from knowledge is to separate the dove from the serpent. Many educated heads can discourse fluently in matters of religion, but they do not live up to their knowledge. This is to have good eyes, but to have the feet cut off. They know they should not defame nor defraud; but they do not practice what they know. Here they separate the dove from the serpent, virtue from knowledge. How vain is knowledge without practice. As if one should know a sovereign medicine, but not apply it. Satan is a knowing spirit; he has enough of the serpent. But that which makes him a devil, is that he lacks the dove. He does not practice the holiness.

To understand worldly affairs is the wisdom of the serpent; yet to not neglect the soul is the innocence of the dove. God has said, "Six days shall you labour," Exodus 20:9. Religion never granted a patent to idleness. There is a lawful care to be heard about secular things. To have knowledge in one's vocation, is a commendable wisdom, but, with this wisdom, join the dove's innocence, follow your vocation, but do not neglect your soul. The soul is a precious thing; it would defeat the angels, to give half the price of a soul. Our greatest care should be to get grace. While you put gold in your bag, do not forget to put oil in your vessel, drive the trade of holiness. "For she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire compares with her!" Proverbs 3:14, 15. Live in a vocation, but especially live by faith. Look to providing for your families, but especially to the saving of your souls.

CGDS HYMN 54: SS&S 582: 

MORE HOLINESS GIVE ME, MORE STRIVINGS WITHIN 

1. More holiness give me, more strivings within ;

More patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin ;

More faith in my Saviour, more

sense of His care ;  

More joy in His service, more purpose in prayer.

2. More gratitude give me, more trust in the Lord ;

More zeal for His glory, more hope in His Word ;

More tears for His sorrows, more

pain at His grief;

More meekness in trial, more praise for relief.

3. More purity give me, more strength

to o'ercome ;

More freedom from earth-stains,

more longings for home ;

More fit for the kingdom, more used

would I be;  

More blessed and holy, more, Saviour, like Thee.

 Prayers 

1.  Lord Jesus, make me holy as You are holy.

2.  LORD God Almighty, by prudence and holiness help me to know what to do and empower me to do then always in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.