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JULY: The Kingdom of God

July 23

"WITHOUT WRATH"

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Timothy 2:8

The second condition about prayer laid down by the apostle Paul is "without wrath." It is most important that we should realize the exact meaning of this word "wrath." It does not mean what is usually suggested to us by the common usage of that word. It does not mean so much anger or the expression or manifestation of anger as an unloving disposition--not a violent outburst of temper, but rather a settled condition of ill will and resentment. Here the emphasis is not upon the way in which a man regards God and approaches Him, but on the way in which he approaches and regards his fellowmen, his neighbors. Added to this, perhaps, is the whole question of a man's spirit--not only his actions, but also his outlook and his attitude toward others and toward life. How vitally important this is! And how tragically we all tend to fail at this point.

Often there is a feeling of resentment in our hearts even against God while we are praying to Him. We feel that we have a real grudge and a genuine complaint. We feel that we have been wronged. And yet we feel that we are dependent upon God; so we ask Him for favors. We feel that He is against us, that He is not fair to us, and yet in that state and condition we ask Him to bless us, and we expect Him to do so. God says to the children of Israel, "This people...honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (Matthew 15:8).

This same spirit also shows itself in our attitude toward our fellows. If we have enemies, we must not hate them, but love them. The rule is, "love your enemies." "Without wrath."

A Thought to Ponder
The emphasis is not upon the way in which a man regards God, but on the way in which he regards his fellowmen.

From Why Does God Allow War? pp. 28-30.




Today’s devo is taken from Walking with God Day by Day © 2003 by Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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