Salem Rd Baptist Church

July 12

Eternal Truth, Present Fact

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1.

Faith sometimes means a calm, quiet, passive, humble confidence that goes on its way, resting not in itself but in the Faithful One. But there is the other aspect, when faith becomes “an affirmation and an act that bids eternal truth be present fact.” There is a reckless, almost fierce, faith that laughs in the teeth of circumstance and shouts, like Paul in the storm, “I believe God,” and affirms, though a legion of demons mock, “Let God be true but every man a liar.”
The affirmation and act that bids eternal truth be present fact is no dainty, hothouse sort of thing. Present fact can be awfully stubborn, and things as they are look woefully unlike what God says they may be. “A sense of things real comes doubly strong” sometimes. Bidding eternal truth be present fact may seem the wildest of fancies. But all children of Abraham do well to remember that he “hoped against hope” and considered not the impossible.
If present fact looks hopeless and eternal truth seems far removed, remember that Abraham saw them become one because “he believed God.”

Vance Havner, Day by Day: A Book of Bible Devotions (Baker Publishing Group, 1953), 147.

July 9

Hurt Before Healing

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18.

There can be no normal Father-and-son fellowship until sin has been dealt with and put away. It is all very well to talk of just leading a normal daily Christian life without having to be “revived,” but most Christians are not ready to lead such a life. One might as well tell a sick man to get out in the sunshine and follow his usual habits. We are subnormal and abnormal, and sometimes drastic measures are necessary before we can be normal Christians again. Even surgery may be indicated and the offending eye or foot or hand must be removed. We let Christians and churches go on in their sick condition rather than remove infection and employ spiritual catharsis. Sometimes radical procedure is necessary, and it may be disturbing to sick souls who prefer to be unmolested, but there can be no recovery without it.
Paul followed this course with the Corinthians, and our Lord called for repentance among the ailing churches of Asia. Sometimes we must feel worse before we can feel better. Hurt often must come before healing.

Vance Havner, Day by Day: A Book of Bible Devotions (Baker Publishing Group, 1953), 145.

July 7

Why Trouble the Master?

Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? Mark 5:35.

“The little girl is dead. It is too late now. Why bother the Master and take up His time?”
Have you come to a place where the case seems hopeless, where the prospect is “dead”? That loved one for whom you have prayed so long seems in direr straits than ever. The hope long deferred now seems impossible.
But Jesus had no funerals. And when the world says the issue is as dead as a co**se, remember that Jesus can break up funerals. We are so prone to give up and attend the interment of our hopes when God would raise the dead.
Jesus said to the ruler, “Be not afraid, only believe.” And so He says to you. When ordinary logic, when undiscerning friends say, “It is too late,” be not afraid to “trouble the Master.”

Only believe.…
All things are possible,
Only believe!

Vance Havner, Day by Day: A Book of Bible Devotions (Baker Publishing Group, 1953), 143–144.