February 3

Joshua 14:8

THE greatness of the character of Caleb is expressed in his name. He was not of double heart. Mixed motives had no place in his life. He had settled it years before that he was to be entirely the Lord’s, and ever after he lived up to his name as the “whole-hearted.” Undoubtedly, the cause of much of our failure today is that we are so lacking in this spirit of disinterested devotion to the will of God. Of old, the disciples were exhorted that with purpose of heart they should cleave to the Lord (Acts 11:23²³Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. (Acts 11:23)). Jesus declared, “If... thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light” (Matt. 6:22²²The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. (Matthew 6:22)). When we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts and give Him the place of supreme authority, all controversy is at an end, and the life is entirely under His control. This is the path of victory and blessing. No one can be successful in his Christian life who is endeavoring to have God and the world share his heart (1 John 2:15¹⁵Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)).

“All for Jesus, all for Jesus!

All my being’s ransomed powers,

All my thoughts and words and doings,

All my days and all my hours.

Let my hands perform His bidding,

Let my feet run in His ways,

Let my eyes see Jesus only,

Let my lips speak forth His praise.”

—Mary D James.