Thurs., 2/29/24 Devotion (Lk. 15:32)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 15:32, where we read these words:

"It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found."

There are some very appropriate times to rejoice, and celebrate. At the top of this list is the salvation of a soul. The older brother (in this "Prodigal Son" nar-rative) refused to party with his father, because he (the older son) could not accept the concept of grace and forgiveness. At heart, he was all about works, and self-righteousness.

May we be very glad when the Lord calls sinners to Himself and puts them into His church, through the grace-filled gospel of Christ; and may we renew our own love for and amazement at the God who does such wonderful things.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Love to Jesus Christ and believing in Jesus Christ fills the souls with joy and glory in this life.” —Christopher Love, in his sermon on Gal. 5:17]

Wed., 2/28/24 Devotion (Ex. 12:13b)

Today's encouragement comes from Exodus 12:13b, where we read these words:

" . . . And when I see the blood, I will pass over you . . . "

The angel of death still stalks all those who are out of covenant with Christ, His Gospel, and His church. But those redeemed souls whose hearts are sprinkled by the blood of Jesus are safe: God passes over them; while His wrath righteously hangs over all who reject His gracious good news (Jn. 3:36b).

It is not *our* "righteousness," *our* religiosity, *our* civility, nor *our* morality that causes God to pass over us, and spare us from judgment, hell, and dam-nation. Instead, it is only the blood righteousness of Jesus, the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," (Jn. 1:29b). This righteousness of Christ is legally imputed to the hearts of sinners, by grace through faith in Him.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Make it your main business, your chief study, your greatest care, to 'make your calling and election sure,' says the apostle.”
—Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]

Tues., 2/27/24 Devotion (1 Cor. 14:33)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Corinthians 14:33, where we read these words:

"For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

Sadly, there is a lot of confusion in a lot of Christian congregations today, (as there always has been, to one extent or another). But none of this befuddle-ment is ever from God. The Lord has laid-out enough content doctrine, theo-logy, knowledge, and understanding in the canonical Scriptures for faithful pastors and elders to quite sufficiently lead the flocks of God into fields of life, clarity, plenty, and peace—by always focusing on our Lord Jesus Christ.

The problem is not and never is with God—it is always with us sinful humans who craft our own false deities and gospels, and who spurn the one and only true God. Let us, by sovereign grace, sincerely cling to Jesus, and enjoy by faith the benefits of life and order in the covenant of His elect and redeemed church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "To have grace, and to be sure that we have grace, is glory upon the throne, it is heaven on this side of heaven.” —Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 2/9-11/24 Devotion

Thank God—it is almost Sunday! In order to help get us ready for church, here are words from Thomas Watson's, "The Lord's Prayer” book. . . .

"True faith is wrought by the ministry of the word. 'Faith comes by hearing,' (Rom. 10:17). Peter let down the net of his ministry, and at one draught caught three thousand souls. Let us examine how our faith was wrought. Did God in the ministry of the word humble us? Did He break up the fallow ground of our heart, and then cast in the seed of faith? A good sign; but, if you know not how you came by your faith, suspect yourselves; as we suspect men to have stolen goods, when they know not how they came by them.

"True faith is at first small, like a grain of mustard seed; it is full of doubts and fears; it is smoking flax: it smokes with desire, but does not flame with com-fort. It is so small that a Christian can hardly discern whether he has faith or not.

"True faith is joined with sanctity. . . . Though faith does but touch Christ, it fetches a healing virtue from Him. Justifying faith does in a spiritual sense that which miraculous faith does: it removes the mountains of sin, and casts them into the sea of Christ's blood."

Thurs., 2/8/24 Devotion (Gen. 41:42)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 41:42, where we read these words:

"Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck."

Jacob, Joseph's father, had put a beautiful robe on his favored son (Joseph). Potiphar's wife, seeking to frame Joseph, had kept his garment as alleged evidence of wrongdoing. In prison, Joseph wore clothing unworthy of the pharaoh's audience. But now, the king of Egypt puts royal attire on Joseph.

So it is for all of us who are God's churched children. Our Father's intention is to present us before the whole creation, garbed in Christ and His perfect righteousness. But, before this demonstration, we have to learn the hard les-sons of sin, repentance, and perseverance. Like Joseph, our cross precedes our resurrections in Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Men void of grace are dead; they have breath, yet lack life. They are walking ghosts, (Eph. 2:1).” —Thomas Watson, in his ser-mon, "The Beauty of Grace"]

Wed., 2/7/24 Devotion (Mk. 10:35)

Today's encouragement comes from Mark 10:35, where we read these words:

"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to [Jesus], saying, 'Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.’ “

Is there anything wrong with asking God to, “do for us whatever we ask”? Act-ually, no. Our Lord Jesus never rebuked James and John for their boldness and audacity. Our Redeemer later explained carefully to them what would be involved should their request be granted.

Our Heavenly Father wants us to be totally honest and passionate in our pe-titions to Him. Even if our desires are a bit misguided, this is no reason for us to be half-hearted in prayer. Let us come to our Triune God with our souls full of zeal for good things, and leave the results with Him—all in and through Jesus, our Mediator, alone.

[Puritan quote of the day: "There is nothing in the world more uneasy than the heart of a wicked man made to listen to spiritual instruction . . . “ —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]

Tues., 2/6/24 Devotion (Gen. 39:2, 23)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 39:2 & 23, which say this:

"The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. . . . The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.”

God is "with" His children, and blesses us, no matter where we are. Joseph was a slave to Potiphar, which was not the most enviable position in the world, and yet God was there with him, strengthening him. Joseph was a prisoner in a dungeon, having done nothing wrong, which is again not a good situation in which to find oneself, but God was standing by him, anointing everything he did.

. . . So, let us not so much look at our circumstances, as to The One who put us there. Circumstances are always first in line, to seek to govern our feel-ings; but faith looks beyond them to the God who is with us in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

[Edwards quote of the day: "The true God perfectly knows the circumstances of everyone who prays to Him throughout the world.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Most High a Prayer-Hearing God"]

Mon., 2/5/24 Devotion (Job 4:17)

Today's encouragement comes from Job 4:17, where we read these words from the lips of Eliphaz, one of Job's "comforters":

"Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?"

Eliphaz, whose diagnosis of the reasons for Job's sufferings was misguided and wrong, nevertheless asks a good two-pronged question here. It is a pe-culiar perversion of the Fall, that we sinners think—as I like to say it—that we can "Out-God" God. In other words, if the Lord says to do “A"; we, in our self-righteousness say, "Let's do A, and require B, C, & D, etc., too.”

No mortal can be more righteous than God; neither can anyone be more pure than his Maker. In Christ, however, the regenerated Christian churchman is made perfectly acceptable to The Holy God; and is welcomed into His em-braces.

[Augustine quote of the day: “God is more ancient than all things because He is before them all; and newer than all things because He is also after them all.” —from, “The Literal Meaning of Genesis,” Bk. 8.]

Fri.-Sabbath, 2/2-4/24 Devotion

Praise God—Sunday is *almost* here! We GET to go to church! Here is an amazing (slightly edited) quote from Martin Luther, in his remarkable book, entitled, "Commentary on Galatians," (an all-time favorite tome of mine). . . .

"To be brief, all the enemies which before tormented and oppressed me, Christ Jesus has brought to nothing: He has ruined them, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by His cross (Col. 2:15), in such a way that they can now no longer ever rule and reign over me; but are now con-strained to obey me.

"By this we may plainly see that there is nothing here for us to do. The only thing for us to do is to hear that these things have been wrought and done in this way; and by faith to apprehend the same. Now when I have thus appre-hended Christ by faith, and through Him am dead to the law, then I do good works: I love God, I give thanks to Him, I exercise charity towards my neigh-bors. But this charity or works follows my faith; it does not form or adorn my faith, but my faith forms and adorns charity.

"This is our doctrine, which seems strange and marvelous, or rather, foolish to carnal reason: namely, that I am not only blind and deaf to the law; yes, de-livered and freed from the law, but also wholly dead unto the same."

Thurs., 2/1/24 Devotion (Mk. 4:40-41a)

Today's encouragement comes from Mark 4:40 & 41a, where we read these words:

"But [Jesus] said to them [the disciples], 'Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?' And they feared exceedingly . . . "

Here we see two types of fear: one bad (an atheistic fear of nature); and one good (a fear of God, based on what He can do). Fear of man (or danger, etc.) is always accompanied with a lack of sincere and real faith in Christ. Fear of God is a result of real faith in Christ.

This is not to suggest that genuine churched believers might not be "fearful," or "alarmed," from time-to-time. But once we see Who is in the "boat" with us, our hearts are to be stilled and comforted again.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ did not need subjects, He has legions of angels ministering to Him; but in His love He has honored you to make you His subjects.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]