Mon., 6/25/12 Devotion (Deut. 30:14)

Today's encouragement comes from Deuteronomy 30:14, which says this:

"But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."

The availability or nearness of God is never the problem--despite the false claims of some people. The real issue is our hearts' sinful and fallen unwillingness to receive Christ's Person and God's gifts. The gos-pel is received by faith--and faith is simply believing what God said to be true, and accepting Christ as a free gift of grace.

All who are in hell were as close to heaven as their own mouths, and hearts. All they ever had to do was to eat freely of the feast the Lord put before them (Isa. 55:1). There are no works, and no self-right-eousnesses added to this equation--and that is the reason proud sin-ners reject God's goods.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a great honor to be a servant of the blessed God, and to be acknowledged so by God Himself." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]