Tues., 12/20/11 Devotion (2 Chron. 24:18a)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Chronicles 24:18a, where we read these words:

"Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols . . . "

This verse (above) pretty well sums-up the religious life of professing Christians. So long as we stay close to the Lord, and hence in His "house," we are fine, safe, and secure. Just as soon as we abandon the Lord, and leave His "house," we end up worshipping wood, rocks, sticks, and dirt.

What a contrast: on one hand, we have communion with the God who created all things, and has re-created His saints in the image of Jesus; and on the other hand, we end up bowing down to things infinitely lower than ourselves. Let us all recognize the key and critical import-
ance of staying in God's "house," the holy church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "As there was but one ark to save the world from drowning, so there is but one Jesus to save sinners from damn-
ing." --Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Mon., 12/19/11 Devotion (Zech. 6:12b)

Today's encouragement comes from Zechariah 6:12b, where we read these words:

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: 'Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD.' "

Jesus is the "Branch." Ever since His resurrection, and the pouring-out of the blessed Holy Spirit (at Pentecost), His gospel and church have been "branch[ing] out" all over the globe. The Lord Jesus is "build[ing] the temple" every Lord's Day, as He edifies His church; and, indeed everyday, as He abides with each individual believer.

Let us be thankful for the work of the "Branch"; and let us derive all of our nourishment and fruitfulness from Him.

[Puritan quote of the day: " 'Israel sighed by reason of their bondage,' (Ex. 2:23); but sinners are willing to be slaves, they will not take their freedom; they kiss their fetters." --Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 12/16-18/11 Devotion

Hip, hip, hooray--it's almost Sunday! We *get* to go back to church! In order to help get us ready, here is the Puritan pastor Jeremiah Bur-
roughs, from his, "Gospel Remission" book. . . .

"When God comes to pardon sin, it is such a mercy as comes from the fountain of God's everlasting love. Other mercies do not. Where this is not present, you cannot have evidence of God's eternal love. If God gives you health of body, good voyages at sea, and good [success] in respect of the world, you cannot draw arguments from hence that God bears eternal love to your soul. But when He comes to pardon your sins, it is a certain evidence that God has set His love on you from all eternity.

"If there were a chain let down from heaven and you could take hold but of one link that would certainly bring you there, both ends would come together. In Romans 8:30, there is a chain of many links let down, and if you can catch hold of the link of justification, you may certainly catch hold of predestination, for all hang together. If you are justified, then know for certain that you are a predestined man or woman whom God has set His heart upon from all eternity to do good. And this is a great happiness for a poor creature while he lives in this world, to know that God has set His heart upon him from all eternity to do him good. And, indeed, we can never be at rest until we come to this."

Thurs., 12/15/11 Devotion (Jn. 5:6)

Today's encouragement comes from John 5:6, where we read these words:

"When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?' "

At first glance Christ's question (above) to the lame man seems out of place. After all, doesn't everyone want to be "made well"? Actually, no; and this is why Jesus inquired of the infirm person. A lot of people are comfortable with their maladies--especially as it relates to a life of sin. They literally do *not* "want" to be made well.

It is actually a blessing to desire good things--and health and well-being are some of them. it is one thing to be unwell (in whatever way this may be); but it is quite another thing to be content to be in that state. God would have us desire Christ, wholeness, and all good things--as His beloved church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Sometimes persons live in ways of sin and are not sensible of it because they are blinded by common custom and the examples of others." --Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Ne-
cessity of Self-Examination"]

Wed., 12/14/11 Devotion (Jn. 4:22)

Today's encouragement comes from John 4:22, where we find our Lord Jesus saying these words:

"You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews."

This is a very bold and highly politically-incorrect assertion the Mes-
siah makes here. He is basically teaching that all who worship false gods (or concoctions of the true God--as was the case with the Samar-
itans to whom Jesus said these words) were blind in their devotion, and did not know their deity. Then, Christ has the audacity to affirm that "salvation is of the Jews." It does not come from any other eth-
nicity--because the Person of salvation (Jesus) came from the Jews.

Do we have this kind of courage; or are we reduced to saying stupid things like, "All roads lead to heaven"? Let us follow our Master's lead; and let us do it with love and grace, as His holy church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "A heartless, drooping, and discouraging life and walk is very unbecoming the gospel of Christ." --James Dur-
ham, in, "The Unsearchable Riches of Christ"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 12/2-4/11 Devotion

Yippee--it's almost Sunday again. We *get* to go back to church! In order to help get us ready, here is Richard Sibbes, from his, "The Bruised Reed" classic. . . .

"JUSTIFICATION LEADS TO SANCTIFICATION

"This also shows that those are misled that make Christ to be only righteousness to us and not sanctification, except by imputation, whereas it is a great part of our happiness to be under such a Lord, who was not only born for us, and given to us, but has the government likewise upon His shoulder (Isa. 9:6, 7). He is our Sanctifier as well as our Saviour, our Saviour as well by the effectual power of his Spirit from the power of sin as by the merit of His death from the guilt thereof; provided these things are remembered:

"1. The first and chief ground of our comfort is that Christ as a priest offered Himself as a sacrifice to His Father for us. The guilty soul flies first to Christ crucified, made a curse for us. Thence it is that Christ has right to govern us; thence it is that He gives us His Spirit as our guide to lead us home.

"2. In the course of our life, after we are in a state of grace, if we are overtaken with any sin, we must remember to have recourse first to Christ's mercy to pardon us, and then to the promise of His Spirit to govern us.

"3. And when we feel ourselves cold in affection and duty, the best way is to warm ourselves at this fire of His love and mercy in giving Himself for us.

"4. Again, remember this, that Christ rules us by a spirit of love, from a sense of His love, whereby His commandments are easy to us. He leads us by his free Spirit, a Spirit of liberty. His subjects are volun-
teers. The constraint that He lays upon His subjects is that of love. He draws us sweetly with the cords of love. Yet remember also that He draws us strongly by a Spirit of power, for it is not sufficient that we have motives and encouragements to love and obey Christ from that love of His, whereby He gave Himself for us to justify us; but Christ's Spirit must likewise subdue our hearts, and sanctify them to love Him, without which all motives would be ineffectual."

Thurs., 12/1/11 Devotion (Mic. 6:8)

Today's encouragement comes from Micah 6:8, where we read these great words:

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD re-
quire of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Sometimes the Christian life can be made to seem so busy and clutter-
ed: "Be sure to pray; be sure to read your Bible; be sure to evangelize; be sure to serve others, etc." And though all these things are good (obviously), sometimes we just need to relax and say, "Just *what* is it that You want me to *be* and *do*, Lord?"

Today's Micah text (above) pretty much answers that question. God wants us to live in Jesus, by faith. When we do this, we *will* do "justly," "love mercy," and "walk humbly with our God." Let's concen-
trate on Christ today. He will make us what He wants us (His church) to be.

[Puritan quote of the day: "God is infinitely greater than kings. He is universal King of heaven and earth, the absolute Sovereign of all things." --Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Warnings of Scrip-
ture"]