Sermons & Devotionals by William MacDonald Devotions
William MacDonald Devotions
Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?
“Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25) When there are mysteries in life too deep for us to fathom, we can relax in the confidence that the Judge of all the earth is the God of absolute and infinite righteousness. There is the question of the status of children who die before r... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
Show piety at home
“…Show piety at home…” (1 Tim. 5:4) You’ve heard the expression, “A devil at home, a saint abroad.” It describes the horrible tendency to be gracious and outgoing to those in the outside world and yet be harsh and unkind at home. This is a failing that is not confined to any particular class of peop... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
spoke that out of darkness light
“…the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine…has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6, Darby’s translation) “God has shone in…for the shining forth.” Here we learn that we are not meant to be the termi... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
Suffer the little children to come unto me
“Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14) The death of children is always an especially severe trial of the faith of God’s people, and it is important to have some solid moorings to hold us at such a time. The general belief am... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee
“Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shall thou restrain.” (Psa. 76:10) One of the fascinating features of human history is the way in which God makes man’s wrath praise Him. Ever since the Fall, man has shaken the fist against God, against His people and against His ca... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
Take heed therefore how ye hear
“Take heed therefore how ye hear.” (Lu. 8:18) In the Christian life it is a question not only of what we hear but also of how we hear. It is possible to hear the Word of God with an attitude of indifference. We can read the Bible as we would read any other book, seemingly unconcerned that the Almigh... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
Take heed what ye hear
“Take heed what ye hear.” (Mk. 4:24) The Lord Jesus cautions us to be careful what we hear. We are responsible to control what enters through the eargate, and equally responsible to put what we do hear to proper use. We should not listen to what is blatantly false. The cults are spewing out their pr... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21) Twice in His great high priestly prayer, our Lord prayed that His people might be one (verses 21 and 22, 23). This prayer for unity ... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The battle is not yours, but God’s.
“The battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chron. 20:15) If a man is a soldier of the Cross, he can expect to be attacked sooner or later. The more courageously he declares the truth of God and the more accurately he exemplifies the truth in his own life, the more he will be subjected to assault. An o... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The disciple is not above his master
“The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.” (Lu. 6:40) In this passage the Lord Jesus was reminding the Twelve that when they went out to disciple others, they could not expect their disciples to progress further in the spiritual life than they thems... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
the division of soul and spirit
“…the division of soul and spirit.” (Heb. 4:12 NASB) When the Bible speaks of man in his tripartite being, the order is always spirit, soul and body. When men use these terms together, the order almost invariably is body, soul and spirit. Sin has turned God’s order upside down. Now man puts the body... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is love
“The fruit of the Spirit is love…” (Gal. 5:22) The phrase “the fruit of the Spirit” teaches us at the outset that the virtues that follow can be produced only by the Holy Spirit. An unconverted man is incapable of manifesting any of these graces. Even a true believer is powerless to reproduce them b... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the spirit is.. .joy
“The fruit of the spirit is.. .joy.” (Gal. 5:22) Man never finds real joy till he finds the Lord. Then he enters in to what Peter calls “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). Anyone can rejoice when circumstances are favorable, but the joy which is the fruit of the Spirit is not the resul... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is peace
“The fruit of the Spirit is… peace…” (Gal. 5:22) As soon as we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). That means that the hostility between ourselves and God has ceased since Christ has effectively dealt with the cause of that hostility—our sins. We ... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is faith
“The fruit of the Spirit is…faith…” (Gal. 5:22) This fruit of the Spirit is generally understood as being faithfulness. It is not the faith that saves, or the trust we exercise in God day by day (although it may include that). Rather it is our fidelity and dependability in our dealings with the Lord... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is goodness
“The fruit of the Spirit is…goodness…” (Gal. 5:22) Goodness means excellence of character. Someone has defined it as “virtue equipped at every point,” which simply means that the person possessing it is kind, virtuous and righteous in every area of life. Goodness is the opposite of badness. A bad ma... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is kindness
“The fruit of the Spirit is…kindness…” (Gal. 5:22 NASB) The King James Version has the word “gentleness” here but almost all modern versions read “kindness.” “The fruit of the Spirit is…kindness.” Kindness describes the gentle, gracious, generous disposition that results in the doing of favors, the ... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is longsuffering
“The fruit of the Spirit is…longsuffering…” (Gal. 5:22) Longsuffering is the virtue that bears up patiently and even triumphantly under the aggravations of life. While it may refer to a patient response to adverse circumstances, it usually refers to a merciful endurance of the provocations of people... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is meekness
“The fruit of the Spirit is…meekness…” (Gal. 5:23) When we think of meekness, we are apt to think of Caspar Milquetoast, the comic strip character who was the embodiment of timidity and weakness. But this fruit of the Spirit is something very different. It comes from supernatural power, not from wea... Read More
William MacDonald Devotions
The fruit of the Spirit is temperance
“The fruit of the Spirit is…temperance…” (Gal. 5:23) The preferred rendering of this last fruit of the Spirit is self-control. Temperance has become associated particularly with restraint in the use of intoxicating drinks. Self-control carries the thought of moderation or abstinence in every area of... Read More
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His more than over eighty-four works published in North America are characterized by a clarity and economy of words that only comes by a major time investment in the Word of God.
MacDonald graduated with an AB degree from Tufts College (now University) in 1938 and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 1940. During the 1940's he was on active duty in the US Navy for five years.
He was President of Emmaus Bible College, a teacher, preacher, and Plymouth Brethren theologian alongside his ministry as a writer. He was a close friend and worker with O.J. Gibson.
MacDonald last resided in California where he was involved in his writing and preaching ministry. He went to be with the Lord in 2007.