Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: July 25th

Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which Is to come. 1 Timothy 4:7-8.

In order to attain "godliness" you must be in God and God in you. Love is certainly God-like, for it abides in God and God abides in it. Therefore, love God with all your heart and you shall at once experience what it means to be godly. Seek His grace and the forgiveness of your sins through your Savior. Or, if you have already received this great benefit, remain in Him who has forgiven you and delight yourself in Him, and you shall be unspeakably blessed and enjoy a gladness and a peace which no man can take from you. That which serves to maintain and increase this joy is something in which you must exercise yourself. What should make you more godly than the child-like communion with Him in the spirit and a life active in love to your neighbor? God, Christ, is godliness itself, the fountain of all godliness. He who with all his heart keeps himself near this fountain, always exercises himself in drawing near to this fountain, who thirsts and longs for it, shall receive abundantly to drink from it; he shall be satisfied with the fatness of the house of God (Psalms 36:8). In addition to this, every one who, feeling his blessedness in God, tries to make others partakers in this joy also, and to lead them to this fountain, becomes all the more blessed, in that the joy of others becomes his own joy and adds to his joy. Thus godliness has the promise that both here and hereafter it shall bring a gain so great that no benefit or good fortune on earth can bring anything like it. Godliness is blessed, ever blessed, in life and in death, in this world and in the world to come. For nothing can separate it from God, its origin and source.

Love in loving finds employ.

In obedience all her joy;

Ever new that joy will be.

Loving Him who first loved me.