Mon., 12/9/13 Devotion (Lk. 23:12)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 23:12, where we read these words:

"That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other."

Have you ever considered that the devil does quite well at holding his forces together? (God's people could learn a lesson from this fact. We ought to be infinitely *more* united around Jesus, and His church's doctrine, than Satan and his followers are, around their hatred for Christ.)

What made Herod and Pilate like each other? Not their affinity for Jeru-salem's restaurants. Instead, they stood arm-in-arm in opposition to the stated Kingship of Jesus. This is why even today we find Christian hypocrites "in bed" with Muslims, atheists, perverts, and all other un-believers. They are united in their resistance to our unconquerable Sov-ereign, Christ the Lord.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The work and business of ministers of the gospel is, as it were, that of servants: to wash and cleanse the souls of men; for this is done by the preaching of the Word, which is their main business." --Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "Christ the Example of Ministers"]