Tues., 2/9/10 Devotion (Mk. 12:34a)

Today's encouragement comes from Mark 12:34a, where we read these words:

"Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to [the scribe], 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' "

I wonder how many people we will speak with today are "not far from the kingdom of God." The Holy Spirit starts a work in souls, often
long before they are regenerated. Let all churchmen recognize this fact, and act in accord with it. In other words, some people with whom we are doing evangelism--though they are not "in" the kingdom of God yet--may not be far from it.

Clearly, proximity to the kingdom has something to do with doctrinal understanding. But it must also have something to do with human love and patience. Let us be those who encourage others who are "not far" away; and not be those who discourage them.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Grace is necessary for a Christian; others things are but inconveniences." --Christopher Love, in his sermon, "Uses of Instruction and Trial"]

Mon., 2/8/10 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 set Joseph up, had kept his gar-
ment 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 God's churchmen, in this life. The Lord's good inten-
tion to crown them is always there. But they have to learn the hard lessons of sin, repentance, and perseverance, before experiencing the resurrected life, as regal children. (In other words, the cross precedes the resurrection.)

[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 sermon, "The Beauty of Grace"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 2/5-7/10 Devotion

Wahoo--Sunday is almost here. All Christians *get* to go to church! Here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Plea for the Godly" book:

"A righteous man serves God out of a principle of love. Grace now biases the heart and carries it strongly towards God in ardent affec-
tion. A righteous man serving God is not by constraint but consent. It is heaven to him to serve God! He mounts up in the fiery chariot of love and breathes forth his soul into his Savior's bosom. Love is the 'shibboleth' that differentiates a righteous man from others. The carnal man says, 'What a weariness is it to serve the Lord!,' (Malachi 1:13). The righteous man says, 'What a pleasure is it!' 'I delight in the law of God in the inner man,' (Romans 7:22).

"As the bee delights to suck the flower, so a holy person delights to obey God. He does duty out of love to duty; he prays out of love to prayer. When he sings, he makes melody in his heart to the Lord. Love lines the yoke of religion and makes it easy. As a bride delights in putting on her jewels, as a musician delights in playing on his violin, so a gracious soul delights in obeying God. Love to duty is better than duty; serving God with delight is angelic. The seraphims are described as having wings, (Isaiah 6:2), to show their cheerfulness as well as their ability in God's service."

Thurs., 2/4/10 Devotion (Gen. 37:31)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 37:31, where we read these words:

"So they [Joseph's brothers] took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood."

Joseph's "coat of many colors" was impressive in itself; but once it had been "defiled" by blood, it became an emblem of something much greater: the atonement of sinners, wrought by the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Like Joseph's brothers, in our fallen states, we hate the One (Christ) who is uniquely endowed with God's favor; and we willingly put Him (Jesus) on the cross.

But the very blood we shed became for us, the church, the only means of our justification, or right standing with God. Now, the "Lamb of God," Christ, is our highest love, and the Object of our worship and
praise. Only God could effect such a remarkable transformation!

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a sin to dwell on sin and turmoil our thoughts about it, when we are called to thankfulness." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict with Itself"]

Wed., 2/3/10 Devotion (Mk. 6:34)

Today's encouragement comes from Mark 6:34, where we read these words:

"And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things."

This text (above) is very instructive, because in it we see what com-
passionate "shepherds" do. Instead of psychoanalyzing people, good church shepherds follow the lead of the church's Chief Shepherd (Jesus), and they *teach* people. Why is this the key to shepherding? Because good instruction, in the context of the church, leads to good order in the lives of people.

When these folks left the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ that day,
they went home with a perspective and an understanding that they had lacked, before they found Him. Now, their lives would never be the same, since they had been perfectly "shepherded" by the Lamb of God.

[Puritan quote of the day: "He that is at peace in himself, will be peaceable to others, peaceable in his family, peaceable in the church,
peaceable in the state." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict with Itself"]

Tues., 2/2/10 Devotion (Rom. 5:2)

Today's encouragement comes from Romans 5:2, where we read these words:

" . . . through whom [Jesus Christ] also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Verse 2 of Romans, ch. 5 often gets overshadowed by the amazing
v. 1. But here (above) we learn that churchmen have continuous access (by faith) to the very same grace that delivered us from sin (in the first place). In other words, through Jesus, and through faith in Him, believers get to *experience* afresh and anew what is already (and always) true of them: namely, that they are justified by faith, that they have peace with God (all from v. 1); and that they stand, and rejoice in their sure hope of glory.

What more could anyone want? Nothing that the world offers us can compare to this. Only our ignorance, flesh, and sin can "clog" this remarkable "pipeline" of happiness. May all the church enjoy her Savior and His blessings today--by faith!

[Puritan quote of the day: "Therefore what we are afraid to do before men, we should be afraid to think before God." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict with Itself"]

Mon., 2/1/10 Devotion (Rom. 4:5)

Today's encouragement comes from Romans 4:5, where we read these words:

"But to him who does not work but believes on Him [Christ] who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness . . . "

Romans, ch. 4, is undoubtedly one of the clearest accounts of the gospel of grace. Paul is saying here (above) that those who continue to insist on working for (or earning) their salvation will never receive it at all, no matter how much effort they put into their project. But those who, instead of working, *believe* in Christ, *do* receive justification, as Jesus' righteousness gets imputed to their account, and into their souls.

This message is impossible for unregenerate people to accept. It grates against their desire to get some "credit" for their (alleged) right standing with God. But the Lord rejects works-righteousness, and hates it. Wouldn't you, if you had sent your one and only Son to the earth, and sinners thought they could add something to His work?

[Puritan quote of the day: "He that is little in his own eyes will not be troubled to be little in the eyes of others." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict with Itself"]