Called according to 
His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
God has a very great purpose for His people by 
their eternal calling and by their wonderful redemption. A very great purpose... 
so much greater than the majority of Christians have realized. I do not think I 
am saying a false thing when I say that perhaps the larger number of Christians 
have got little further than to know that they are saved, and to be very glad 
that they are saved, to rejoice in being saved. Comparatively few are really in 
the good of God’s great, great purpose from eternity, “Called according to 
His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). It is not for us now to say what that purpose is, 
to explain it. It is sufficient to state the fact. We are called with a very 
great purpose, not just even to get out of Egypt and the clutches of the devil, 
but with an object, a tremendous object, nothing less than the infinite fullness 
of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and an eternal vocation. It is a great thing to 
which we are called in Christ, but how many Christians are really in it, and if 
they know they are in it, are tasting of the meaning of it: that this Life is an 
inexhaustible Life, that there are new vistas all the time? 
I am not exaggerating. The heavens are opened 
and we see more and more, and ever more, of what it is to which we are called. 
It is just wonderful.... You are not meant just to be saved and get to heaven, to know your sins 
are forgiven and to have a certain number of blessings which come with 
salvation. But there lies before you and reaches out through eternal ages such a 
purpose of God concerning us all that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared 
for them that love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

This devotional contains short daily portions from a selection of Mr. Austin-Sparks' messages. In his own words, “Perhaps this is just like a window opened into heaven. If you get the right window you can see quite a lot. You can see great things and you can see far things. But the best that I can hope is that this has just opened a window, and that as you look through it you are seeing one thing - how superior is Jesus Christ to all else, and how superior is the dispensation into which we have come, and how superior are all the resources at our disposal to all that ever was before!” Open Windows messages have been selected and compiled by Austin-Sparks.Net from the works of T. Austin-Sparks. In some cases they appear in abridged form. The introductory verse and its associated Bible version have been selected by the editor and did not always appear within the original message.

Open Windows

The Cross and the Way of Life - Chapter 8

 The Inexhaustible Life 

It is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. § The Spirit of truth … will tell you things to come. § Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus … For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Evening Daily Light

 The things which will take place after this. 

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. § Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” § Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. We walk by faith, not by sight. § Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

Morning Daily Light

 Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him. § “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. § You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the foundation of life; in Your light we see light. Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

 How great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You. 

Who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? … O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. § Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. § For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. § The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children.

 What god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? 

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. § Now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. § An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. All things are yours: whether … the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. § “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. § Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

 He who overcomes shall inherit all things. 

The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. § We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. My speech and my preaching were … in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God … But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty. § We shall see Him as He is. § In my flesh I shall see God. § I shall be satisfied.

 I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. 

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Therefore you shall be perfect. § Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. There remains … a rest for the people of God. § Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will see the land that is very far off.

 There remains very much land yet to be possessed. 

For Reading and Meditation:      1 Corinthians 2:6-16We have been seeing that by going "into the sanctuary" - the place where God had made provision to meet with His people - the psalmist has put himself in a position where his perspectives can be changed. This section of the psalm is probably the most vital part, for it is here that his thinking begins to change from natural thinking to spiritual thinking. He had been thinking like a natural man, considering life from just one perspective, but in the sanctuary he begins to see life from God's point of view. What is the difference between natural thinking and spiritual thinking? Natural thinking is on the level of the earth - the level of man; spiritual thinking is on a higher level altogether - the level of God. It is surprising that so many Christians think naturally about their problems rather than spiritually. The psalmist was a good and godly man but under the pressure of circumstances he had reverted to thinking naturally about his problem. We will never learn to live effectively until we understand that the whole of life is spiritual, not just parts of it. In the chapter before us today the apostle asks, in effect, why it was that none of the rulers of this world recognised the Lord Jesus Christ when He was here. It was because they looked at Him from a natural perspective - they saw only a carpenter. Without the Holy Spirit operating upon their minds, they just could not understand. Ultimately, the problems and difficulties of life are all spiritual; so the sooner we learn to think spiritually, the better we will be. Gracious and loving heavenly Father, I realise that if I am to become a spiritual thinker I must allow You to think in me. I have given You my heart, help me now to give You my mind. Think in me, dear Lord. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Isaiah 55:1-13</li><li>Romans 12:2</li><li>Jeremiah 29:11</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What did God declare to Israel?</li><li>How can we be transformed?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God " (v. 14) 

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

In 1604, King James I of England authorized that a new translation of the Bible into English be started. It was finished in 1611, just 85 years after the first translation of the New Testament into English appeared (Tyndale, 1526). The Authorized Version, or King James Version, quickly became the standard for English-speaking Protestants. Its flowing language and prose rhythm has had a profound influence on the literature of the past 400 years. The King James Version present on the Bible Gateway matches the 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States.

OT: Masoretic Text, some LXX and Vulgate influence.
NT: Textus Receptus, similar to the Byzantine text-type; some readings derived from the Vulgate.
Apocrypha: Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate.

1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV

1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV

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