W.B. Crumpton and Associates
January 23
THE MAINTENANCE OF GOOD WORKS.-This is a faithful saying, and these
things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have
believed in God be careful to maintain good works. These things are
good and profitable unto men. Titus 3: 8.
As the body apart from the Spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead. James 2: 26.
MEDITATION.-There can be no doubt that while we are justified before
God by faith we are justified before the world by works. Actions here
speak louder than words. The world must judge us by what we are
externally and by what we do. Besides, we ourselves ought to know from
the good Book that there is such a thing as a dead faith, that the
faith which is without works is dead; and so we dare not wish our hope
to rest on so false a ground. Works then are a part of our own
confirmation. And still further, if good works did not fulfill any of
these functions, they are well pleasing to our God, essential to our
development in divine life and to the promotion of the cause. The
children of the kingdom must be better than the children of the world,
but the children of the world know to do good. Our Lord himself set us
an example here that we should follow in his footsteps. The call to
righteousness, to love, to charity, to philanthropy, is ever with us,
and must be heard. The life given over to the proper exhibition of the
faith in holiness and the service of others is the most beautiful life
that can be lived on earth, and such a life gathereth wages unto life
eternal.
SUGGESTION FOR PRAYER-By righteous living and holy service may we
prove our faith, O God. Keep the burden of good works on our hearts.
May we go about our duty both in the love and in the fear of our Lord,
knowing that in his own time we will be called to give an account of
our stewardship. In Jesus' name.
HYMN.-- So let our lips and lives express
The holy gospel we profess;
So let our work and virtues shine,
To prove the doctrine all divine.
SCRIPTURE READING.-James 2: 12-18
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These daily devotions come from an old book by Rev. Washington Bryan
Crumpton, 1842-1926. The book is called DAILY DEVOTION and was first
published in 1923 by the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention.
This book is now extremely rare. These daily meditations are copied
exactly from a precious copy the Lord led me to. There is but one copy
now known to be available in an in depth search of the Internet,
although Rev. Crumpton wrote other books, one of which, ADVENTURES OF
TWO ALABAMA BOYS, can still be obtained for hundreds of dollars, or
can be downloaded free from the internet.
More information on W.B. Crumpton, including a picture of himself and
his brother, can be found at this URL:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/crumpton/illustr2.html
A search of google.com will also glean tidbits about the role of Rev.
Crumpton in the history of the Southern Baptist church.
May you find as much joy, comfort, and love in these old fashioned
devotions as I have. God bless you all.
Love,
Anonymous.
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