Wahoo--it's almost Sunday! We GET to go back to church! Here is TW, from his "The Beatitudes" book. . . .
"Great is the honour we bring to Christ and the gospel by suffering. It was an honour to Caesar that he had such soldiers as were able to fight with hunger and cold and endure hardship in their marches. It is an honour to Christ that He has such listed under Him as will leave all for Him. It proclaims Him to be a good Master when His servants will wear his uniform though it be sullied with disgrace and lined with blood. Paul's iron chain made the gospel wear a golden chain. Tertul-lian says of the saints in his time that they took their sufferings more kindly than if they had had deliverance. Oh, what a glory was this to the truth, when they would embrace it in the flame! And as the saints' sufferings adorn the gospel, so they propagate it. Basil says, the zeal and constancy of the martyrs in the primitive times made some of the heathens to be Christianized. 'The Church is founded in blood and by blood it increases.' The showers of blood have ever made the church fruitful. Paul's being bound made the truth more enlarged (Php. 1:13). The gospel has always flourished in the ashes of martyrs.
"Consider who it is that we have engaged ourselves to in baptism. There we took our press-money. We solemnly vowed that we would be true to Christ's interest and fight it out under His banner to the death. And how often have we in the blessed supper taken the oath of alleg-iance to Jesus Christ that we would be His servants and that death should not part us! Now if when being called to it, we refuse to suffer persecution for His name, Christ will bring our baptism as an indict-ment against us. Christ is called 'the Captain of our salvation' (Heb. 2:10). We have listed ourselves by name under this Captain. Now if, for fear, we shall fly from our colours, it is perjury in the highest de-gree, and how shall we be able to look Christ in the face another day? That oath which is not kept inviolably shall be punished infallibly. Where does the 'flying roll' of curses light, but in the house of him that 'swears falsely' (Zech. 5:4)?"
Friday, May 25, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Thurs., 5/24/12 Devotion (1 Jn. 3:8b)
Today's encouragement comes from 1 John 3:8b, where the apostle wrote these words:
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might de-stroy the works of the devil."
If the devil had not done his best to foul up the world--especially by tempting human beings to sin--there would have been no reason for the Son of God to appear, as a Redeemer. Though sin is to be abomin-ated in all its forms, it is still the case that it made the way for God to demonstrate the full gamut of His wonderful characteristics--in-cluding love, forgiveness, atonement, mercy, grace, righteousness, justification, and patience.
Has the devil left some of his work on us? Let us be encouraged: Christ is in the sanctification process of destroying it, and building us up, in our growing love for Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "If we love God, our hearts ache for the dishonor done to God by wicked men." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might de-stroy the works of the devil."
If the devil had not done his best to foul up the world--especially by tempting human beings to sin--there would have been no reason for the Son of God to appear, as a Redeemer. Though sin is to be abomin-ated in all its forms, it is still the case that it made the way for God to demonstrate the full gamut of His wonderful characteristics--in-cluding love, forgiveness, atonement, mercy, grace, righteousness, justification, and patience.
Has the devil left some of his work on us? Let us be encouraged: Christ is in the sanctification process of destroying it, and building us up, in our growing love for Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "If we love God, our hearts ache for the dishonor done to God by wicked men." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Wed., 5/23/12 Devotion (Ps. 77:13)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 77:13, where Asaph wrote these words:
"Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?"
God always operates from His sanctuary. The Old Covenant sanctuary was a type of heaven, (cf. Heb. 8:4-5). In the heavenly sanctuary to-day, the Son of God intercedes for His saints by virtue of His atoning death, (cf. Heb. 7:25). The gathered church in Sunday worship consti-tutes the place of God's sanctuary, (cf. 1 Pet. 2:4-5). And finally, the individual hearts of the regenerate are also the place of His sanctu-ary, (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16).
*From* God's sanctuary goes forth praise of Christ, and the evangelism of the world. Let us be thankful that the true God is the God of the sanctuary: the place of worship and rest.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Here is a pillar of support to every soul who has broken off sin and espoused holiness. This is an undoubted evidence that you are a true child of God." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Mischief of Sin"]
"Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?"
God always operates from His sanctuary. The Old Covenant sanctuary was a type of heaven, (cf. Heb. 8:4-5). In the heavenly sanctuary to-day, the Son of God intercedes for His saints by virtue of His atoning death, (cf. Heb. 7:25). The gathered church in Sunday worship consti-tutes the place of God's sanctuary, (cf. 1 Pet. 2:4-5). And finally, the individual hearts of the regenerate are also the place of His sanctu-ary, (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16).
*From* God's sanctuary goes forth praise of Christ, and the evangelism of the world. Let us be thankful that the true God is the God of the sanctuary: the place of worship and rest.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Here is a pillar of support to every soul who has broken off sin and espoused holiness. This is an undoubted evidence that you are a true child of God." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Mischief of Sin"]
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Tues., 5/22/12 Devotion (1 Jn. 1:10)
Today's encouragement comes from 1 John 1:10, where we read these words:
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him [God] a liar, and His word is not in us."
Sin is an insidious thing. If we acknowledge it, we must confess it and repent of it. If we do not acknowledge it, we sin even worse (by pre-tending it does not exist). The best thing to do, in confessing sin, is to be as honest with God as we possibly can be. This requires God's as-sistance.
Confession of sin usually has these two temptations attached to it: 1) to say things to God that we do not really mean (just to ease our con-science); or, 2) to confess things to God which (in themselves) are really not sin at all. Again: the key is candor. May the Lord help us know our hearts well enough, in order to make good confession to Him.
[Puritan quote of the week: "The eyes of our souls cannot be towards Him [God] unless He has cast a gracious look upon us first." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him [God] a liar, and His word is not in us."
Sin is an insidious thing. If we acknowledge it, we must confess it and repent of it. If we do not acknowledge it, we sin even worse (by pre-tending it does not exist). The best thing to do, in confessing sin, is to be as honest with God as we possibly can be. This requires God's as-sistance.
Confession of sin usually has these two temptations attached to it: 1) to say things to God that we do not really mean (just to ease our con-science); or, 2) to confess things to God which (in themselves) are really not sin at all. Again: the key is candor. May the Lord help us know our hearts well enough, in order to make good confession to Him.
[Puritan quote of the week: "The eyes of our souls cannot be towards Him [God] unless He has cast a gracious look upon us first." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]
Monday, May 21, 2012
Mon., 5/21/12 Devotion (Ps. 74:20)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 74:20, where we read these words:
"Have respect to the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty."
This is a neat verse; and it really hit me this morning, as I read it. (I'm not sure I ever took note of it before.) The saints are to ask God to keep the covenant of grace ever before Him--as this covenant is sealed in Jesus' blood atonement of His church. One of the reasons for this need is that "the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty."
We do not need to look far, to see the truth of the psalmist's concern. Our culture is proud of its dark haunts of cruelty. And yet, the church is still always secure, because God is infinitely stronger than all His enemies, (no matter how much fuss they make).
[Puritan quote of the day: "A child of God thinks he has enough in that he has God with him . . . " --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]
"Have respect to the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty."
This is a neat verse; and it really hit me this morning, as I read it. (I'm not sure I ever took note of it before.) The saints are to ask God to keep the covenant of grace ever before Him--as this covenant is sealed in Jesus' blood atonement of His church. One of the reasons for this need is that "the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty."
We do not need to look far, to see the truth of the psalmist's concern. Our culture is proud of its dark haunts of cruelty. And yet, the church is still always secure, because God is infinitely stronger than all His enemies, (no matter how much fuss they make).
[Puritan quote of the day: "A child of God thinks he has enough in that he has God with him . . . " --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]
Friday, May 18, 2012
Fri.-Sabbath, 5/18-20/12 Devotion
Yippee--it's almost Sunday!! Here is TW, from his, "A Plea for the Godly" book. . . .
"A righteous man has more excellent freedom [than an unbeliever]. 'And I will walk at liberty,' (Psalm 119:45). Another is capable of civil freedom; he may be a Roman born, but he is still enslaved to his lusts. But a righteous person is God's freeman, (1 Corinthians 7:22). His neck is out of the devil's yoke. He is 'free from the law of sin,' (Ro-mans 8:2). He has God's free Spirit, (Psalm 51:12), which makes him free and cheerful in his obedience. The will is not compelled but changed. A regenerate person is drawn indeed by the Spirit, but sweetly, as one is drawn into a garden of spices by the fragrance of their smell. He is drawn to Christ as one is drawn with another's beauty. He is free; a righteous soul chooses the ways of God, (Psalm 119:30), and what greater act of freedom is there than an act of choice? And a saint cannot have his spiritual freedom taken from him. While be suffers in prison, his conscience is most free. In short, he is made free to enjoy 'the innumerable company of angels,' (Hebrews 12:22).
"A righteous man has more excellent food [than an unbeliever]. Car-nal men feed only on earthly provision; the righteous feeds on heav-enly. He tastes how sweet the Lord is, (Psalm 34:8). He feeds on God's love; this is the hidden manna. He eats Christ's flesh, which not only begets life, (John 6:33), but prevents death. 'This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die,' (John 6:50)--that is, not die the second death. Other bread may nauseate or cause bloating, but there is no excess here. We cannot eat too much of the Bread of Life. We cannot have too much of Christ, as one cannot have too much of health. Oh, what excellent food is this! God Himself is in this cheer!"
"A righteous man has more excellent freedom [than an unbeliever]. 'And I will walk at liberty,' (Psalm 119:45). Another is capable of civil freedom; he may be a Roman born, but he is still enslaved to his lusts. But a righteous person is God's freeman, (1 Corinthians 7:22). His neck is out of the devil's yoke. He is 'free from the law of sin,' (Ro-mans 8:2). He has God's free Spirit, (Psalm 51:12), which makes him free and cheerful in his obedience. The will is not compelled but changed. A regenerate person is drawn indeed by the Spirit, but sweetly, as one is drawn into a garden of spices by the fragrance of their smell. He is drawn to Christ as one is drawn with another's beauty. He is free; a righteous soul chooses the ways of God, (Psalm 119:30), and what greater act of freedom is there than an act of choice? And a saint cannot have his spiritual freedom taken from him. While be suffers in prison, his conscience is most free. In short, he is made free to enjoy 'the innumerable company of angels,' (Hebrews 12:22).
"A righteous man has more excellent food [than an unbeliever]. Car-nal men feed only on earthly provision; the righteous feeds on heav-enly. He tastes how sweet the Lord is, (Psalm 34:8). He feeds on God's love; this is the hidden manna. He eats Christ's flesh, which not only begets life, (John 6:33), but prevents death. 'This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die,' (John 6:50)--that is, not die the second death. Other bread may nauseate or cause bloating, but there is no excess here. We cannot eat too much of the Bread of Life. We cannot have too much of Christ, as one cannot have too much of health. Oh, what excellent food is this! God Himself is in this cheer!"
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Thurs., 5/17/12 Devotion (1 Pet. 4:19)
Today's encouragement comes from 1 Peter 4:19, where we read these words:
"Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."
Suffering is never fun; but it is good for the saints. It has a cleansing effect on our souls; and it draws us back to Christ. If we are going to suffer, let us do so for doing good, or for insisting on God's ways. Committing our souls to God means that we do what is right, and leave the consequences and results with the Lord.
It is interesting that Peter refers to God as a faithful "Creator," at the end of this verse--rather than a Redeemer. God's creation covers everything in the universe: those things that positively affect our obe-dience, and those things that "negatively" affect it.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Satan tempts to sin under a pretense of re-ligion. He is most to be feared when he transforms himself into an angel of light." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
"Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."
Suffering is never fun; but it is good for the saints. It has a cleansing effect on our souls; and it draws us back to Christ. If we are going to suffer, let us do so for doing good, or for insisting on God's ways. Committing our souls to God means that we do what is right, and leave the consequences and results with the Lord.
It is interesting that Peter refers to God as a faithful "Creator," at the end of this verse--rather than a Redeemer. God's creation covers everything in the universe: those things that positively affect our obe-dience, and those things that "negatively" affect it.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Satan tempts to sin under a pretense of re-ligion. He is most to be feared when he transforms himself into an angel of light." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
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