Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 44:30b, which says this:
" . . . Since his life is bound up in the lad’s life . . . "
The reference (above) is Jacob's life being entwined around his youngest son's (Benjamin's) life. I would like to do a bit of gospel extrapolation, and note that Jesus Christ's life is bound up with that of His redeemed church (collectively), and with every individual saint within her (individually).
This is how close God is to those who are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone: what happens to them means *everything* to Him. The church is the "apple of God's eye"; therefore, let us be ever-mindful of how much the Lord loves us, and takes to heart what happens to us—be it good or bad.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “Let your freedom assert its rights against the unclean spirits who have placed upon you the obligation of solemnly exhibit-ing their shame as though it were a holy thing.” —from, “City of God,” Bk. 2.]
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Monday, February 10, 2020
Mon., 2/10/20 Devotion (Job 9:1-2)
Today's encouragement comes from Job 9:1 & 2, which says this:
"Then Job answered and said: 'Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God?' "
Job's question here (above) is very important. After all, just *how* *can* a hu-man being, conceived in Original Sin, actually "be righteous before God"? This is a big problem, since God Himself is totally righteous and holy, and no-thing short of absolute sinless perfection will, can, or should satisfy Him.
Nothing we could ever do would give us this righteousness before God. No amount of religion, prayers, or effort will or could suffice. A sinful person gets righteous before God when he or she realizes that Jesus alone is his or her righteousness. Christ is apprehended by us by faith. Therefore, a person is "righteous before God" through faith in The Redeemer (Jesus), and in no other way. (There is your answer, Job!)
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “The things of earth are not merely good; they are undoubtedly gifts from God.” —from, “City of God,” Bk. 15.]
"Then Job answered and said: 'Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God?' "
Job's question here (above) is very important. After all, just *how* *can* a hu-man being, conceived in Original Sin, actually "be righteous before God"? This is a big problem, since God Himself is totally righteous and holy, and no-thing short of absolute sinless perfection will, can, or should satisfy Him.
Nothing we could ever do would give us this righteousness before God. No amount of religion, prayers, or effort will or could suffice. A sinful person gets righteous before God when he or she realizes that Jesus alone is his or her righteousness. Christ is apprehended by us by faith. Therefore, a person is "righteous before God" through faith in The Redeemer (Jesus), and in no other way. (There is your answer, Job!)
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “The things of earth are not merely good; they are undoubtedly gifts from God.” —from, “City of God,” Bk. 15.]
Friday, February 7, 2020
Fri.-Sabbath, 2/7-9/20 Devotion
Praise God—it is almost Sunday again! We get to go back to church! In or-der to help us get ready for worship, here are some good words from St. Au-gustine. They are taken from his book, “The Literal Meaning of Genesis”; and they come from Book 1 in that tome. . . .
“In matters that are obscure and far beyond our vision, even in such as we may find treated in Holy Scripture, different interpretations are sometimes possible without prejudice to the faith we have received. In such a case, we should not rush in headlong and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search of truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it. That would be to battle not for the teaching of Holy Scripture but for our own, wishing its teaching to conform to ours, whereas we ought to wish ours to conform to that of Sacred Scripture."
“In matters that are obscure and far beyond our vision, even in such as we may find treated in Holy Scripture, different interpretations are sometimes possible without prejudice to the faith we have received. In such a case, we should not rush in headlong and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search of truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it. That would be to battle not for the teaching of Holy Scripture but for our own, wishing its teaching to conform to ours, whereas we ought to wish ours to conform to that of Sacred Scripture."
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Thurs., 2/6/20 Devotion (Gen. 39:9b)
Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 39:9b, where we find these words:
" . . . How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
These are the words of Joseph, to Potiphar's wife. What is interesting to me about Joseph's response is his reference to sinning against "God." What did Mrs. Potiphar have to do with God? She probably could not have cared less (about the LORD). Joseph's speech is actually a form of evangelism of her.
Real sins against human beings translate into ultimate sins against God Him-self. Joseph did not so much fear Potiphar, as he did the Lord.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “Thus Wisdom, namely, Christ Himself, is the tree of life in the spiritual paradise to which He sent the thief from the cross.” —from, “The Literal Meaning of Genesis,” Bk. 8.]
" . . . How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
These are the words of Joseph, to Potiphar's wife. What is interesting to me about Joseph's response is his reference to sinning against "God." What did Mrs. Potiphar have to do with God? She probably could not have cared less (about the LORD). Joseph's speech is actually a form of evangelism of her.
Real sins against human beings translate into ultimate sins against God Him-self. Joseph did not so much fear Potiphar, as he did the Lord.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “Thus Wisdom, namely, Christ Himself, is the tree of life in the spiritual paradise to which He sent the thief from the cross.” —from, “The Literal Meaning of Genesis,” Bk. 8.]
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Wed., 2/5/20 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 wrong, nevertheless asks two good questions here. One of the peculiar perversions of the Fall, is a practice of the flesh wherein religious people seek, as I like to say it, to "Out-God" God. In other words, if God says to do A, they say, "Let's do A, and require B, C, & D, etc., too."
A mortal cannot be more righteous than God; neither can a man be more pure than his Maker. In Christ, however, the true Christian churchman is made perfectly acceptable to The Perfect God; and is welcomed into His em-braces.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “[God] is more ancient than all things be-cause 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.]
"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 wrong, nevertheless asks two good questions here. One of the peculiar perversions of the Fall, is a practice of the flesh wherein religious people seek, as I like to say it, to "Out-God" God. In other words, if God says to do A, they say, "Let's do A, and require B, C, & D, etc., too."
A mortal cannot be more righteous than God; neither can a man be more pure than his Maker. In Christ, however, the true Christian churchman is made perfectly acceptable to The Perfect God; and is welcomed into His em-braces.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “[God] is more ancient than all things be-cause 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.]
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Tues., 2/4/20 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!
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “The nature of The Trinity is absolutely im-mutable and hence so perfectly eternal that nothing can be coeternal with It.” —from "The Literal Meaning of Genesis," Bk. 8.]
"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!
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “The nature of The Trinity is absolutely im-mutable and hence so perfectly eternal that nothing can be coeternal with It.” —from "The Literal Meaning of Genesis," Bk. 8.]
Monday, February 3, 2020
Mon., 2/3/20 Devotion (Rom. 6:14)
Today's encouragement comes from Romans 6:14, where we read these words:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
What is intriguing about this Pauline phrase (above), is how revolutionary, and counter-intuitive it is.The apostle is telling the faithful members of the church in Rome that sin *would* have dominion over their souls *if* they *were* "under the law." But, since they are *not* "under the law," but rather "under grace," sin does *not* have dominion over them. And all of this is be-cause of Christ and His work on our behalf.
“Law”-righteousness is the surest way to slavery. On the other hand, “Christ”-righteousness in His grace, is the only avenue to true freedom. So, how does a serious Christian churchman remain "under grace," and not get caught up in the law again? Through abiding *faith* in Jesus.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “As God by the excellence of His nature sur-passes every creature, so does the soul surpass every corporeal creature.” —from, “The Literal Meaning of Genesis,” Bk. 7.]
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
What is intriguing about this Pauline phrase (above), is how revolutionary, and counter-intuitive it is.The apostle is telling the faithful members of the church in Rome that sin *would* have dominion over their souls *if* they *were* "under the law." But, since they are *not* "under the law," but rather "under grace," sin does *not* have dominion over them. And all of this is be-cause of Christ and His work on our behalf.
“Law”-righteousness is the surest way to slavery. On the other hand, “Christ”-righteousness in His grace, is the only avenue to true freedom. So, how does a serious Christian churchman remain "under grace," and not get caught up in the law again? Through abiding *faith* in Jesus.
[AUGUSTINE quote of the day: “As God by the excellence of His nature sur-passes every creature, so does the soul surpass every corporeal creature.” —from, “The Literal Meaning of Genesis,” Bk. 7.]
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