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Bowen's Daily Meditations
Devotional: May 16th

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"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." - James 1:17.

Temptation is not of God. What constitutes a thing tempting is something in the man or woman that looks upon it, namely, a disposition more or less active to transgress, and take what is forbidden. The fruit is suspended on the tree for an admirable purpose; namely that men may have an opportunity of evincing their fidelity towards God, and thus may obtain a crown of life. The same thing is to one man a temptation, to another a good gift of God, by means of which his walk of righteousness is made more steadfast and honorable. What ever cometh down from above is good, unexceptionably good; whatever evil thing exists, it has its origin elsewhere. Sin is the devourer of the gifts of God, and the uncompromising enemy of his beneficence.

It is not enough that God has created a thing. Has he given it to you, to me, is the question. His gifts are perfect - that is, all their tendencies are good. And if we find some of the tendencies of certain things are not good, we may conclude that this is not one of God’s gifts to us.

But all gifts are useless, if we have not the gift of the Holy Ghost. By this we are enabled rightly to judge of other things called gifts, and to know which are really sent us from above. Without this we know not the proper use of anything, and are sure to appropriate heaven’s bounties to inferior ends. We are to covet earnestly the best gifts. We are often permitted to make our choice among the collections of precious things on exhibition around us. Now, the wise man will say, These are all very good, but the blessing connected with each one depends upon the character of the chooser and the circumstances in which it is to be used; I need to know which among all these will be of highest profit to me, and this by my own wisdom I cannot know; wherefore I ask God to tell me which is the perfect gift designed for me.

Innumerable objects of luxury attract the attention even of the Christian, in this day; and he is ready to say, " My Father hath bestowed these; let me take them in all gratitude." But first ask thy Father, if these be the best, the perfect gifts; if thy circumstances and thy profession make these most desirable.

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