Ithaca Devotions

Wednesday August 20, 2025

[1] Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. [2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. [4] Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, [5] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; [6] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; [7] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. [8] Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. [9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. [10] But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. [11] When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. [12] For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. [13] And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Exceeding Great & Precious Promise

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:4

By these – by obedience to them....Oh, how wonderful that the great Creator should condescend not only to redeem sinners but to urge, to entice them to receive His bounties and blessings! R3059,c1,p4
The exceeding great and precious promises are unfolded to us gradually, as we prove faithful and go on, in order that by these – by the strength and courage which they infuse – we may be enabled so to run as to obtain the prize. C220,p2

Daily Heavenly Manna (August 20)

Whom therefore, ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you. Acts 17:23

THE apostle's method is worthy of imitation. All wise people distrust novelty, and incline to say that whatever is valuable has long been. We, like the apostle, should endeavor to show that the true gospel is not a new theology, but the old theology; not a new gospel, but the old gospel, – the one foretold to Abraham;...the one declared by the Lord Jesus Himself and by all His apostles. In proportion as we would show that errors prevail today, which had their origin in the "dark ages", we must show that we are not forging a new theory equally erroneous, but that we have discarded the errors of the dark ages, and have gone back to the first principles and precepts and instructions of the gospel, as announced by the Lord and His authorized representatives, the apostles. Z.'03-29 R3139:4

Weekly Manna (August 14)

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household? Matthew 10:25

HOWEVER graciously stated, the Truth is a sword which penetrates in every direction, and which as our Lord foretold, frequently sets parents against children and children against parents, because the darkness hateth the light and opposeth it in every possible manner....In view of the Lord's teachings regarding this subject, and of how the wisest presentation of it may be ultimately misconstrued, it behooves every one who would serve the Truth faithfully to be as careful as possible not to be misunderstood; – to let it be clearly understood that we neither participate in nor advocate anarchy of any kind; but on the contrary, are standing for righteousness and the highest of laws, the divine law. Z.'03-13 R3131:3, 5