Wed., 1/31/18 Devotion (Gen. 32:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 32:1, where we read these words:

"So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him."

Sometimes, as we believers are simply walking "on [our] way," the "angels of God meet [us]." Jacob was not doing anything particularly "spiritual" or “reli-gious”—he was merely going about his business. The angels' meeting with Jacob did not portend easy days ahead. As a matter of fact, in this very chap-ter Jacob would have to face his long-estranged brother Esau. But there can be no doubt but that the angels assisted him (Jacob).

As the church walks through the world today—looking forward to the next Sunday—let us recognize our particular need to be "met" by God's "angels." Some of them are in human flesh. Others of them are celestial. All of them will point us to Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Is it not comfortable being in heaven? He that en-joys much of God in this life carries heaven about him.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Tues., 1/30/18 Devotion (Gen. 31:16b)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 31:16b, where we read these words:

" . . . whatever God has said to you, do it."

These words (above) of Jacob's wives, to him, are pretty good. How encour-aging is it, when other Christians urge us on in our holy faith, and the loving demands it puts on us? This is especially true, when what we are called upon to do, by God, is not easy, and it grates against our natural tendencies.

Let all the faithful church be found saying to one another: "Whatever God has said to you, do it." And what is it that God would have us always do? To be united to Jesus, by grace through faith. When this is the case, we can do any-thing the Lord calls upon us to do. When this is not happening, we can do nothing of any eternal value whatsoever.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What is it to enjoy good health, a brave [big] es-tate, and not to enjoy God?” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Mon., 1/29/18 Devotion (Gen. 30:2b)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 30:2b, which says this:

" . . . And [Jacob] said, 'Am I in the place of God . . . ?' "

Whenever anyone fails to look to Christ for the fullest level of life and satis-faction, the inevitable consequence is the "deification of man." This is a com-mon form of idolatry. The simple fact is that no human being (who is not di-vine) can fully satisfy us. This would be true, even if this (non-divine) person was without sin.

Jacob could not give Rachel what she wanted (in the Genesis context above). Only God could do that. Let us be careful not to ascribe to anybody what only belongs to Christ alone: namely, the ability to make us supremely happy, content, full, and free.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Let us labor to cherish union and hate division.”
—Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]

Thurs., 1/25/18 Devotion (Gen. 26:18)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 26:18, where we read these words:

"And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them."

The ongoing life of the church—from generation to generation—is to practice (in principle) precisely what Isaac did here (above) relative to the old wells his father Abraham had dug: namely, open them up again, derive refreshing benefit from Christ through them, and name them their original names (again). There is nothing "new" under the sun worth pursuing. Everything of true value has already been revealed to the church (in Jesus); and our job is to go *back* to the "old" and "good" paths (of Jer. 6:16a).

Therefore, let all faithful churchmen look back, to the cross and resurrection of Christ; and may we imitate the father of our faith, Abraham (Isa. 51:1-2a)—who was justified by faith in Christ alone.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Sincerity is gospel perfection. . . . Though a Chris-tian is full of infirmities and, like a child that is put out to nurse, weak and feeble, God still looks on him as if he were completely righteous.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]

Wed., 1/24/18 Devotion (Acts 24:14)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 24:14, which finds Paul saying this:

"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets."

This is a pretty bold statement by a former super-strict pharisee, regarding the comprehensive primacy of the New Covenant church's worship and life. Whatever Paul still did in those pre-70 AD days, in reference to the old temple and the old forms, it was done, not out of the vitals of true worship, but as a civil nod to a passe, eclipsed system. The apostle viewed the New Covenant church’s Sunday worship of and in Christ as the genuine fulfillment of all the law and the prophets.

May we do the same as Paul; and have his gracious attitude. To lose God's worship, is to lose everything.

[Puritan quote of the day: "[God] calls upon us from time to time in HIs Word. He is calling us by His written Word and by His preached Word from Sabbath to Sabbath.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "It is Well for us that God is Not as we are"]

Tues., 1/23/18 Devotion (Gen. 24:3a)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 24:3a, where we read these words:

"And I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth . . . "

I like this phrase: "The God of heaven and the God of the earth.” Let us focus on the "earth" part. Are we ever tempted to think that God runs heaven; but that the devil, or maybe sinners have control over the earth? If we are inclined to think that way, our error is shared by many others. The truth is that God is the supreme governor of the earth, (as well as heaven). Jesus Christ is the crowned King, not only of His church, but of the whole universe (which was created through Him).

The Triune God put the earth under man's feet; and we are His vice-regents, to steward and tend it. But, in the greatest sense, the Lord *Himself* is "God of the earth." Let us be thankful for this fact; and commit ourselves to serving under Him well.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Whoever is set up on earth, they are set up by our Lord. 'By Me,' says He, 'kings reign, and princes decree justice.’ “ —John Bunyan, in, "All Loves Excelling"]

Mon., 1/22/18 Devotion (Neh. 12:43)

Today's encouragement comes from Nehemiah 12:43, where we read these words:

"Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off."

God-honoring Sabbath (today, Sunday) church worship will inevitably lead to a great deal of joy. This heartfelt celebration will be so profound, that those outside the church will hear it (and be impacted by it).  Life is not all sweet-ness and light—but there *are* special times when God Himself "[makes us] rejoice with great joy," (even as today's text avers).

Let us never give up on our potential for a very high degree of happiness (in this world). So long as we seek it in Jesus as His faithful church, there is every reason for us to believe that our joy will be made full in Him, (cf. Jn. 10:10).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ and all good things are stored in the gospel; that is the rich mine.” —Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 1/19-21/18 Devotion

Hurray—Sunday is almost here! In order to help us get ready for the Lord's Day church services, here is Thomas Watspm, from, "A Body of Divinity":

"You that are Christians, believe that all God’s providence shall conspire for your good at last. The providences of God are sometimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them; but when we cannot unrid-dle providence, let us believe that it will work together for the good of the elect, (Rom 8:28). The wheels in a clock seem to move contrary one to the other, but they help forward the motion of the clock, and make the larum strike: so the providences of God seem to be cross wheels; but for all that, they shall carry on the good of the elect. . . . Therefore, Christians, believe that God loves you, and that He will make the most cross providences to promote His glory and your good."

Thurs., 1/18/18 Devotion (Acts 18:8b)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 18:8b, where we read these words:

" . . . And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized."

What a beautiful phrase this is (above). People in Corinth were notoriously immoral and corrupt, (much like our own culture today). And yet God saved "many" of them. Note the lovely progression: they "heard" the gospel of grace in the Lord Jesus Christ; they "believed" it; and then they were "baptized" into Christ and His church.

Is there hope for the nations of the world today—including our own? Of course there is. But this exact pattern (as above) must be followed: preach-ing, hearing, faith, baptism, and church membership and life.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Joy, courage, and zeal, being smiled upon by faith, are made invincible and unconquerable.” —Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]

Wed., 1/17/18 Devotion (Gen. 18:14a)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 18:14a, where we read these great words:

"Is anything too hard for the LORD? . . . "

Usually, when we think of this well-known phrase from the Bible (above), we do not think of it in high enough terms. We might be asking, "Could God give me a Maserati?"; when, in fact, we ought to be mulling over the great ques-tion, "Could God actually save a sinner, who is hopelessly lost in and of him-self?"

Nothing is too hard for God because no amount of glory is too great for the honor and majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who has miraculously provided atonement through His blood for all the people of His church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It never came into God's thoughts to make a new covenant upon terms of worthiness. If God should show mercy to none but such as are worthy, then must He show mercy to none.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Tues., 1/16/18 Devotion (Gen. 17:3)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 17:3, where we read these words:

"Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying . . . "

This little verse (above) contains a sweet principle: as the Christian church-man humbles him- or herself before God, the Lord speaks to him (or her). Our hearts are in a good frame to hear from God when we are empty of our-selves, and full of the Person and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Closet” prayer throughout the week is precious. “Covenant” prayer in the church’s Sunday Services ushers us into it (“closet” prayer). But both contexts for prayer should find us in a humble state of mind and heart. After all: we have no righteousness of our own. *All* of our righteousness is of Christ alone. This should embolden us; but it also ought to keep us low (in our own eyes).

[Puritan quote of the day: "You cannot gratify Satan more, nor injure your-selves more, than by living without assurance [of God's favor in Christ].”
—Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 1/12-14/18 Devotion

Yippee—it is almost Sunday! In order to help us get ready for church, here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Body of Divinity" book. . . .

"If God be a Spirit, then He is impassible; He is not capable of being hurt. Wicked men set up their banners, and bend their forces against God; they are said to fight against God, (Acts 5:39). But what will this fighting avail? What hurt can they do to the Deity? God is a Spirit, and therefore cannot receive any hurtful impression. Wicked men may imagine evil against the Lord. Na-hum 1:9: 'What do you imagine against the Lord?’ But God being a Spirit is impenetrable. The wicked may eclipse His glory, but cannot touch His es-sence. God can hurt His enemies, but they cannot hurt Him.

"Julian might throw up his dagger into the air against Heaven, but could not touch the Deity. God is a Spirit, invisible. How can the wicked with all their forces hurt Him, when they cannot see Him? Hence all the attempts of the wicked against God are foolish, and prove abortive. Psa. 2:2, 4: 'The kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and against His anointed. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh.’ God is a Spirit, He can wound them, but they cannot touch Him."

Thurs., 1/11/18 Devotion (Acts 11:18)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 11:18, where we read these words:

"When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, 'Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.' "

The giving of the gospel to the Gentiles was such a dramatic event in re-demptive history that some people used to the Old Covenant way found it almost impossible to believe. But, once the ultimate Jew (Peter) told his fel-low-Jewish Christian churchmen what God had done among the Gentiles, the believing Jews also rejoiced.

Let us not be limiting the Lord's power to save in our own thinking. We may look at someone, or some group of people, and say, "God would never [or even could never] save them." The fact that many Gentiles entered the church in the first century is a great encouragement to us with regard to what the Lord can do among people today (in the twenty-first century).

[Puritan quote of the day: "All the heathen have had some religion, because they had some conscience to trouble them.” —Thomas Shepard, in, "The Sincere Convert"]

Wed., 1/10/18 Devotion (Ezra 10:2)

Today's encouragement comes from Ezra 10:2, where we read these words:

"And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, 'We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.' "

When all looked dark and hopeless, an otherwise obscure Old Covenant churchman (Shechaniah) comes alongside the despondent leader Ezra, and offers this encouragement (above). The reality is that there is always hope for us in our Lord Jesus Christ, so long as we are still alive. No matter how much discouragement and disappointment anyone in the church faces—all as a re-sult of (someone’s) sin—there is still [quote], “Hope in Israel in spite of this."

That is what happened in ancient Israel’s Old Covenant church, as the pagan wife issue had to be dealt with. Are we encountering anything that would al-most cause us to despair? So long as we have access to Jesus, by grace through faith in Him, we always have hope.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Whatever may be wished for in an all-sufficient Comforter is all to be found in Christ.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]

Tues., 1/9/18 Devotion (Matt. 9:13b)

Today's encouragement comes from Matthew 9:13b, where we read these words from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ:

"For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

It is intriguing that the Messiah came to earth to call and save sinners, and not “righteous,” i.e. self-righteous people. Our ordinary way of thinking—driven by our fallen flesh—is to imagine that God is interested in “good,” “re-spectable,” folk who can do the “religious" thing on their own. Based on this error, we are then tempted to think that, if we could just get "good enough," God might possibly cast a merciful eye upon us.

But none of this is the Christian gospel, at all. The gospel teaches us that Jesus came to save those who have and present *no* resources, as "pay-ment" for their sin. Christ *only* helps those who know they cannot help themselves. Let us believe this blessed truth; and enjoy the benefits of our Blessed Savior's redemption of us.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What is the glory of the times we live in, but God's face revealed in Christ?” —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]

Mon., 1/8/18 Devotion (Acts 8:8)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 8:8, where we read these words:

"And there was great joy in that city."

The only time any city, state, or nation ever possesses real and solid joy, is when the church brings the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to it; and the Holy Spirit uses that preaching, as He regenerates and calls sinners unto the Triune God. Here, Philip had conveyed the good news to Samaria, a largely-despised place; and it [Samaria] got transformed, and very happy.

The genuineness of revival will always be manifested in the culture. It starts in the church, but it is not possible for it to be contained there. Let us pray for the Lord to raise up His officers and parishioners in His churches, who will proclaim the life of Jesus to every part of this fallen planet.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Wherever there is truth there will be victory.”
—Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 1/5-7/18 Devotion

Yippee—it is almost Sunday!! Here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Body of Divinity" book. Pastor Watson is addressing Christ's incarnation (below). . . .

"Why was Jesus Christ made flesh?

"The 'causa prima,' and impulsive cause, was free grace. It was love in God the Father to send Christ, and love in Christ that He came to be incarnate. Love was the intrinsic motive. Christ is God-Man, because He is a lover of man. Christ came out of pity and indulgence to us. Augustine wrote, 'Not our deserts, but our misery, made Christ take flesh.' Christ's taking flesh was a plot of free grace, and a pure design of love. God Himself, though Almighty, was overcome with love. Christ incarnate is nothing but love covered with flesh. As Christ's assuming our human nature was a masterpiece of wisdom, so it was a monument of free grace.

"Christ took our flesh upon Him, that He might take our sins upon Him. . . . He took our flesh that He might take our sins, and so appease God's wrath.

"Christ took our flesh that He might make the human nature appear lovely to God, and the divine nature appear lovely to man."

Thurs., 1/4/18 Devotion (Ezra 4:4-5a)

Today's encouragement comes from Ezra 4:4 & 5a, where we read these words:

"Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose . . . "

Are we doing anything worthwhile with our lives? If we are, then we are build-ing up the church, the body of Christ. This effort will be fiercely opposed—not only by the devil and his fallen angelic minions, but by wicked men as well. To top it all off, even our own flesh fights against us.

Nothing truly good or valuable is accomplished in this world for Christ, His gospel, or His church without the determined resistance of God's enemies. But let us not be discouraged by this. It is in the fight, and the effort, that we become strong and resolute (in Christ).

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is not how much we do, but how much we love.” —Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]

Wed., 1/3/18 Devotion (Matt. 3:15)

Today's encouragement comes from Matthew 3:15, where we see these words:

"But Jesus answered and said to him [John the Baptist], 'Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he [John] al-lowed Him."

This is an amazing text. The holy, perfect, and pristine Son of God deigns to be baptized, and to identify Himself fully with His church; and, in the process of doing so, He joins Himself to His ministers, and says, "It is fitting for *us* to fulfill all righteousness."

Let us marvel that God is SO committed to us, His church, that He not only condescends to us, in sending His precious Son Jesus; but that He (through Christ) also *binds* Himself to us, in holy covenant.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What Satan did in tempting man to fall is made an occasion of the contrary to what he intended in that it gave occasion for God to glorify Himself all the more, and gives occasion for the elect being brought to higher happiness.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Wisdom of God"]

Tues., 1/2/18 Devotion (Acts 2:21)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 2:21, where we read these words:

"And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

These words above (spoken by Peter) are good news for all of us, and for everyone else as well. Salvation is had by those who simply ask for it, and who really want it. Redemption does not require labor, but it does require de-sire. Our problem—as fallen sinners in Adam—is that we think we have to work for God's forgiveness, or add something to what Jesus has already done for us. Such thoughts—though understandable in sinners—are highly-dishonoring to our good and gracious God.

Are we in any kind of difficult straits today? We should earnestly call upon the Lord Jesus. God is true to all of His promises in Christ; and He will not (and cannot) fail to keep His word.

[Puritan quote of the day: "God does not bring His people into troubles, and leave them there.” —Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]

Mon., 1/1/18 Devotion (Gen. 1:1)

Happy New Year!

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 1:1, where we read these words:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Being is better than non-existence. Are we not glad that God made us, and that He created the whole rest of the world? The creative genius and wonder of God is good news for all of us. But the Lord's *re*-creative work, when He regenerates even one dead heart, is a greater marvel than the crafting of all the far-flung universe.

The very nature of reality profoundly changed forever, when God created the world. God now "shares" existence with all that is; and He has a special eye toward His church, His most amazing creation.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Morality shoots short of heaven.  It is only nature refined. A moral man is but old Adam dressed in fine clothes.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]