Wed., 10/4/17 Devotion (Ezek. 37:4-5)

Today's encouragement comes from Ezekiel 37:4 & 5, where these words are found:

"Again He [God] said to me, 'Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, "O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.' " ' "

Let us behold the amazing power of the preached word of God—as the gos-pel of grace is proclaimed in the Lord Jesus Christ. God brought life to the valley of dry bones through the agency of His prophet’s preaching. The Lord still does this very same thing every Sunday, from faithful pulpits. What an odd way to gain glory. Non-regenerate people never comprehend the primacy of preaching.

Today—just as it has always been—there are many false and futile substi-tutes for preaching, all claiming to be able to make dry bones live. The faithful in Christ will never fall for any of them. They would rather listen to the word of God, as it is proclaimed in the true church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "He who thinks anything less than God will suffice [for satisfaction in life] does not understand the soul; and he who wants any-thing more than God does not understand God.” —Richard Alleine, in, "Heav-en Opened"]