Ithaca Devotions

Thursday April 25, 2024

Devotions
A Vow Unto the Lord

Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. May Thy rule come into my heart more and more, and Thy will be done in my mortal body. Relying on the assistance of Thy promised grace to help in every time of need, through Jesus Christ our Lord, I register this Vow.

Daily will I remember at the Throne of Heavenly Grace the general interests of the harvest work, and particularly the share which I myself am privileged to enjoy in that work, and the dear co-laborers everywhere.

I vow to still more carefully, if possible, scrutinize my thoughts and words and doings, to the intent that I may be the better enabled to serve Thee, and Thy dear flock.

I vow to Thee that I will be on the alert to resist everything akin to Spiritism and Occultism, and, remembering that there are but the two masters, I shall resist these snares in all reasonable ways as being of the adversary.

I further vow, that with the exceptions below, I will at all times and in all places, conduct myself toward those of the opposite sex in private exactly as I would do with them in public – in the presence of a congregation of the Lord's people.

And, so far as reasonably possible, I will avoid being in the same room with any of the opposite sex alone, unless the door to the room stand wide open.

Exceptions in the case of Brethren – wife, children, mother and natural sisters: in the case of Sisters – husband, children, father and natural brothers.

Exceeding Great & Precious Promise

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Cor. 4:17

While an exceeding and eternal weight of glory is to be the inheritance of all of the elect body of Christ who are now laying up treasure in Heaven, the Apostle clearly intimates here that that treasure may be augmented by special zeal and faithfulness under the peculiar trials of the present time. R1821,c1,p3
When we remember that the closer we come to Him in the present trials and experiences and sufferings...the closer we will be to Him in the future, it explains to us the meaning of the Apostle's words when speaking of his severe trials – (in our text above). R3362,c2,p5

Daily Heavenly Manna (April 25)

Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

"ACCORDING to thy faith be it unto thee," would seem to be the Lord's method of dealing with all who are His disciples, from first to last of their Christian walk and experience....faith when He seems not to notice us; faith when things seem to be going prosperously with us in our spiritual affairs and in our temporal affairs; and faith equally strong when the currents and forces seem all to be against us. The victory that overcometh the world is the faith that in all conditions is able to look up to the Lord with absolute confidence in His goodness and faithfulness, and to realize that according to His promise, eventually all things will work together for good to us because we are His people. `Z.'00-139` R2627:4

Weekly Manna (April 18)

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12,13

IN an unfriendly world we can expect to receive only the reproaches of our Master, for the servant is not above his Lord. The world, the flesh and the devil oppose our way: there are fightings within and fears without, and many are the arrows and fiery darts aimed at the righteous. But what is the safe attitude of the soul under afflictions and severe testings? Is it not in silence before God, waiting and watching first to see His leading, His will, in every matter before presuming to touch things that often involve so much? So the Psalmist suggests, saying, "I was dumb with silence: I held my peace, even from good." [even from doing or saying what seemed good in my own sight]. `Z.'96-31` R1937:4