Today's encouragement comes from Acts 18:4, where we read these words:
"And [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks."
The New Covenant Sabbath (which is Sunday), much like the Old Cov-enant Sabbath (which was Saturday), is still the first and foremost day on which everyone must be "persuaded" that Jesus is the Christ. The *place* where this happens is the church, (and, even more-specifical-ly, the pulpit).
Once we have done our due diligence there, we are in a position to bring the gospel into the marketplace, the "Areopagus" (if you will). *Every* believer needs to be "re-assured" of the truth of the Christian faith every week. This is because we are weak, and given to doubt and unbelief. Once we are re-energized, we are ready to be effective in God's world.
[Puritan quote of the day: "David committed many sins, but especially those two of adultery and murder, and yet God pardoned Him. But Saul committed far less sins than those and yet God cast him off for-ever." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Remission"]
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Mon., 7/30/12 Devotion (Jer. 26:19b)
Today's encouragement comes from Jeremiah 26:19b, where we read these words:
" . . . Did [Hezekiah] not fear the LORD and seek the LORD'S fa-
vor? . . . "
Here is a good formula to live by: fear the Lord, and seek His favor. To fear the Lord means to be serious about hating sin; and to seek the Lord means to be serious about believing gospel grace. Both of these notions are quite alien to our fallen natures.
This is why those (only) who are given new hearts in Christ can truly fear the Lord, and seek His favor. Perhaps we are religious, but not redeemed. What are we to do? We are to abandon our own works, and alleged righteousness, and seek the Lord. He will be found by all those who truly desire to find Him.
[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 instruc-
tion . . . " --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]
" . . . Did [Hezekiah] not fear the LORD and seek the LORD'S fa-
vor? . . . "
Here is a good formula to live by: fear the Lord, and seek His favor. To fear the Lord means to be serious about hating sin; and to seek the Lord means to be serious about believing gospel grace. Both of these notions are quite alien to our fallen natures.
This is why those (only) who are given new hearts in Christ can truly fear the Lord, and seek His favor. Perhaps we are religious, but not redeemed. What are we to do? We are to abandon our own works, and alleged righteousness, and seek the Lord. He will be found by all those who truly desire to find Him.
[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 instruc-
tion . . . " --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]
Friday, July 27, 2012
Fri.-Sabbath, 7/27-29/12 Devotion
Wahoo--it's almost Sunday again. We *get* to go back to church! In or-der to help us get ready, here is Martin Luther, from his incredible preface to his outstanding commentary on "Galatians." . . .
"Therefore, St. Paul, in this letter, teaches us in order to comfort us and to confirm us in the perfect knowledge of this most Christian and excellent righteousness--for once we lose our belief in justification, all true Christian doctrine is lost. There is no middle ground between the righteousness of the law and Christian righteousness. Anyone who strays from Christian righteousness must fall into the righteousness of the law; in other words, when people lose Christ, they slip back into reliance on their own works.
"That is why we so earnestly repeat this doctrine of faith or Christian righteousness, so that it may be continually exercised and may be plainly distinguished from the active righteousness of the law. Other- wise we should never be able to believe the true theology. The church is founded on, and consists in, this doctrine alone. So if we want to teach and lead other people, we need to pay careful attention to these matters and to note well this distinction between the righteous-ness of the law and the righteousness of Christ. This is easy to de-scribe in words but hard to put into practice, for when we are near death or in other agonies of conscience these two sorts of righteous-ness come closer together than we would wish. So I warn you, espe-cially those of you who will become teachers and guides of conscienc-es, to exercise yourselves continually by study, reading, meditation on the Word, and prayer, so that in time of temptation you may be able to instruct and strengthen both your own conscience and that of other people, and to bring them from the law to grace, from active and working righteousness to passive and received righteousness, from Moses to Christ."
"Therefore, St. Paul, in this letter, teaches us in order to comfort us and to confirm us in the perfect knowledge of this most Christian and excellent righteousness--for once we lose our belief in justification, all true Christian doctrine is lost. There is no middle ground between the righteousness of the law and Christian righteousness. Anyone who strays from Christian righteousness must fall into the righteousness of the law; in other words, when people lose Christ, they slip back into reliance on their own works.
"That is why we so earnestly repeat this doctrine of faith or Christian righteousness, so that it may be continually exercised and may be plainly distinguished from the active righteousness of the law. Other- wise we should never be able to believe the true theology. The church is founded on, and consists in, this doctrine alone. So if we want to teach and lead other people, we need to pay careful attention to these matters and to note well this distinction between the righteous-ness of the law and the righteousness of Christ. This is easy to de-scribe in words but hard to put into practice, for when we are near death or in other agonies of conscience these two sorts of righteous-ness come closer together than we would wish. So I warn you, espe-cially those of you who will become teachers and guides of conscienc-es, to exercise yourselves continually by study, reading, meditation on the Word, and prayer, so that in time of temptation you may be able to instruct and strengthen both your own conscience and that of other people, and to bring them from the law to grace, from active and working righteousness to passive and received righteousness, from Moses to Christ."
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Wed., 7/25/12 Devotion (Mk. 7:15)
Today's encouragement comes from Mark 7:15, where the Lord Jesus said this:
"There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man."
These words lay out a basic difference between the true religion and all false religion. False religion is concerned about externals, first and foremost, and often exclusively. The true religion is focused on the sinful and fallen nature of the heart, and how this problem must be resolved before a Holy God.
False religion is very easy to practice: do a few things, and one can pretend he or she is in God's good standing. True religion requires brokenness for heart sins, repentance, and faith in the only Redeemer of God's elect.
[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a true rule in divinity that the desire for any grace is the grace itself; for to desire to believe is faith, and true desire to repent is repentance, and true desire to mourn for sin is mourning for sin." --Christopher Love, in, "The Dejected Soul's Cure"]
"There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man."
These words lay out a basic difference between the true religion and all false religion. False religion is concerned about externals, first and foremost, and often exclusively. The true religion is focused on the sinful and fallen nature of the heart, and how this problem must be resolved before a Holy God.
False religion is very easy to practice: do a few things, and one can pretend he or she is in God's good standing. True religion requires brokenness for heart sins, repentance, and faith in the only Redeemer of God's elect.
[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a true rule in divinity that the desire for any grace is the grace itself; for to desire to believe is faith, and true desire to repent is repentance, and true desire to mourn for sin is mourning for sin." --Christopher Love, in, "The Dejected Soul's Cure"]
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Tues., 7/24/12 Devotion (Mk. 6:56c)
Today's encouragement comes from Mark 6:56c, where we read these words:
" . . . And as many as touched Him [Jesus] were made well."
Every time a human being touches Jesus Christ in faith, there is heal-ing. The key to everyone's life--be it a Christian or an unbeliever--is to come into contact with Jesus the Savior. This is done by faith; and it is often applied (practically) in prayer. True "wellness" requires "rubbing shoulders" with God--who will only be known in Christ.
Let us boldly come to Christ, in faithful prayer. He is always ready to heal and forgive. He is the giver of life. May our hearts yearn to be with (and near) Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "We would never go to God unless God came to us, such is the stoutness of our hearts." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Reconciliation"]
" . . . And as many as touched Him [Jesus] were made well."
Every time a human being touches Jesus Christ in faith, there is heal-ing. The key to everyone's life--be it a Christian or an unbeliever--is to come into contact with Jesus the Savior. This is done by faith; and it is often applied (practically) in prayer. True "wellness" requires "rubbing shoulders" with God--who will only be known in Christ.
Let us boldly come to Christ, in faithful prayer. He is always ready to heal and forgive. He is the giver of life. May our hearts yearn to be with (and near) Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "We would never go to God unless God came to us, such is the stoutness of our hearts." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Reconciliation"]
Monday, July 23, 2012
Mon., 7/23/12 Devotion (Mk. 5:36c)
Today's encouragement comes from Mark 5:36c, where we read these words:
" . . . 'Do not be afraid; only believe.' "
This is sweet counsel of our Lord Jesus Christ, to all of us, His church family. There are plenty of times that we are tempted to fear--but the antidote is always faith. It is intriguing that the Savior does not say, "Do not be afraid, only be strong"; or, He does not say, "Do not be afraid; only try harder"; or, He does not say, "Do not be afraid; only get more religious."
The man in Mark 5 had plenty of "reason" for fear: his little daughter had just died. But even in those dire straits, the answer is faith. Let us believe the Lord--albeit weakly, if that is our condition--recogniz-ing that it is faith (in any sincere measure) that pleases God (cf. Heb. 11:6).
[Puritan quote of the day: " . . . Man's unrighteousness must usher in Christ's righteousness." --William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]
" . . . 'Do not be afraid; only believe.' "
This is sweet counsel of our Lord Jesus Christ, to all of us, His church family. There are plenty of times that we are tempted to fear--but the antidote is always faith. It is intriguing that the Savior does not say, "Do not be afraid, only be strong"; or, He does not say, "Do not be afraid; only try harder"; or, He does not say, "Do not be afraid; only get more religious."
The man in Mark 5 had plenty of "reason" for fear: his little daughter had just died. But even in those dire straits, the answer is faith. Let us believe the Lord--albeit weakly, if that is our condition--recogniz-ing that it is faith (in any sincere measure) that pleases God (cf. Heb. 11:6).
[Puritan quote of the day: " . . . Man's unrighteousness must usher in Christ's righteousness." --William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]
Friday, July 20, 2012
Fri.-Sabbath, 7/20-22/12 Devotion
Wahoo--Sunday is *almost* here! In order to prepare you for church worship, here is the incomparable Thomas Watson, from his excellent work, "Heaven Taken by Storm":
"The sixth duty wherein we must offer violence to ourselves, is the re-ligious sanctifying of the Lord's day. That there should be a day of holy rest dedicated to God appears from its institution. 'Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.' Our Christian Sabbath comes in the place of the Jewish Sabbath: it is called 'the Lord's day,' (Rev. 1.10)--from Christ the Author of it.
"Our Sabbath is altered by Christ's own appointment. He arose this day out of the grave, and appeared on it often to His disciples, (1 Cor. 16:1)--to intimate to them (says Athanasius) that He transferred the Sabbath to the Lord's day. And St. Augustine says that by Christ's rising on the first day of the week, it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath, in remembrance of His resurrection.
"This day was anciently called 'dies lucis,' 'the day of light,' as Junius observes. The other days of the week would be dark, were it not for the shining of the sun of righteousness on this day. This day has been called by the ancients, 'regina dierum,' 'the queen of days.' And St. Jerome prefers this day above all solemn festivals. The primitive church held this day in high veneration. It was a great badge of their religion; for when the question was asked, 'servasti dominicum?,' 'do you keep the Sabbath?'; the answer was, 'Christianus sum,' 'I am a Christian; I dare not omit the celebration of the Lord's day!' "
"The sixth duty wherein we must offer violence to ourselves, is the re-ligious sanctifying of the Lord's day. That there should be a day of holy rest dedicated to God appears from its institution. 'Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.' Our Christian Sabbath comes in the place of the Jewish Sabbath: it is called 'the Lord's day,' (Rev. 1.10)--from Christ the Author of it.
"Our Sabbath is altered by Christ's own appointment. He arose this day out of the grave, and appeared on it often to His disciples, (1 Cor. 16:1)--to intimate to them (says Athanasius) that He transferred the Sabbath to the Lord's day. And St. Augustine says that by Christ's rising on the first day of the week, it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath, in remembrance of His resurrection.
"This day was anciently called 'dies lucis,' 'the day of light,' as Junius observes. The other days of the week would be dark, were it not for the shining of the sun of righteousness on this day. This day has been called by the ancients, 'regina dierum,' 'the queen of days.' And St. Jerome prefers this day above all solemn festivals. The primitive church held this day in high veneration. It was a great badge of their religion; for when the question was asked, 'servasti dominicum?,' 'do you keep the Sabbath?'; the answer was, 'Christianus sum,' 'I am a Christian; I dare not omit the celebration of the Lord's day!' "
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