Tues., 8/9/22 Devotion (Acts 27:31)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 27:31, where we read these words:

"Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, 'Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.' "

What Paul says (above) regarding the merchant ship on which he and many others were sailing, God would say to all professing Christians: "Unless you stay in the gospel ship (of Christ as His church), you cannot be saved." Why would anybody want to "jump ship"? Because of persecution, trial, fiery fur-naces of affliction, cowardice, unbelief, etc.

The good ship of Jesus sails over the sea of judgment today, as Noah's ark did in the book of Genesis. Let all God's true children stay faithful in Christ and His church—and enjoy the voyage, even when it gets bumpy.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Not one of all God's true soldiers was ever left to perish on the field of battle.” —Thomas Jones, in the preface of Isaac Am-brose's, "The Christian Warrior"]

Mon., 8/8/22 Devotion (Acts 26:8)

Today's encouragement comes from Paul's words, as they are found in Acts 26:8:

"Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?"

Authentic Christianity is all about resurrection life, at every turn. The faith of believers is built on the objective historical fact of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. And the current experience of regeneration (resulting in justifi-cation, etc.) is the fruit of the soul's resurrection with Jesus (even now). If we take resurrection out of any aspect of our faith, we have nothing left.

All resurrection (or Spirit-filled) living is miraculous; but, as Paul avers above, it is not impossible, or irrational. What struggles do we have today? Let us, by faith, go to the resurrected Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is not so much the sins we have committed that so provoke and grieve Christ as that we refuse the medicine of repentance which He prescribes.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 8/5-7/22 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday again. We *get* to go back to church! In or-der to help get us ready, here is Richard Sibbes, from his, "The Bruised Reed" classic. . . .

“Justification Leads to Sanctification . . .

"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. . . .

"2. In the course of our life, after we are in a state of grace, if we are overtak-en 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 to overcome this 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. . . . The constraint that He lays upon His subjects is that of love. He draws us sweetly with the cords of love. . . . Christ's Spirit must likewise subdue our hearts, and sanctify them to love Him, without which all motives would be ineffectual."

Thurs., 8/4/22 Devotion (Acts 22:8a, 10a)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 22:8a & 10a, where we read these words:

"So I [Paul] answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ . . . So I [Paul] said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ "

All human beings—even extremely zealous pharisaical ones, like the pre-converted Paul—know that there is a God. What they do not know, is that He is accessed through a God-Man “Lord”—that Savior being Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

Once Paul knew that it was The Risen Jesus who was speaking to him, he (Paul) was in a position to ask Christ what he should do. God had Paul go in-to Damascus, get baptized, and hear what his marching orders for the rest of his life would be. There is a lesson here for us: those who know Jesus, by sovereign grace, will exercise faith in living for Him.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Whatsoever you desire that God should give you, cast that upon the Lord.” —William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]

Wed., 8/3/22 Devotion (Jer. 31:3)

Today's encouragement comes from Jeremiah 31:3, where these uplifting words are found:

"The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.' "

Without this promise of divine love there would never be any hope for any of God's people. God's love for His church is not conjured-up in space and time; it is not a result of anything "good" in us, that draws His attention. Instead, God's affection for His elect is bound up in Christ; and it was firmly establish-ed before The Holy Trinity ever created anything. And based on this sove-reign and gracious decree, God "draws" His children, irresistibly, to Himself, in Jesus, according to His perfect pleasure, time, and plan.

Let us be thankful that ours is a God of love. Without this love perfectly ex-pressed in Christ, there would be nothing to live for.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Sinner, the day you leave your sins and set upon a course of holiness, God will pardon all that is past. . . . The Lord never up-braids a penitent with former unkindnesses.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Mis-chief of Sin"]

Tues., 8/2/22 Devotion (Jer. 31:12a, c)

Today's encouragement comes from Jeremiah 31:12a & c, where we read these words:

"Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the LORD . . . Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all."

Jeremiah the prophet (above) is speaking of the Gospel times the church has lived in since the resurrection of the Messiah. Believers stream to Christ, singing His praise in and as His body, His church. Their souls are satisfied and nourished. They continue to struggle with the flesh, sin, the world, and the devil—but they do not "sorrow" anymore, because their sins are forgiven.

Let us go forth rejoicing this week, as we serve our King Jesus in the various places in which God has assigned us.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Difficulty commends duty, and the less you have to sweeten your action the more sweet it is to God.” —William Bridge, in, "A Lift-ing Up for the Downcast"]

Mon. 8/1/22 Devotion (Acts 19:20)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 19:20, where we read these few words: 

"So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed." 

It is good for both the church and the world, when the word of God grows mightily, and prevails. When the devil is put on the defensive, and the church advances boldly—real territory is gained, Christ is glorified, and all human be-ings benefit. 

Let us pray toward this end; and let us live toward this end: that the word of God would grow and prevail. Remember also, that the “Word” of God’s *ulti-mate* expression is the Incarnate “Word,” “Logos,” our Lord Jesus Christ, (cf. Jn. 1:1 ff.). Let us thank God that we know that Christ has the victory, and that He is always overcoming His enemies, (cf. 1 Jn. 2:8b). 

[Puritan quote of the day: "The Lord has a special eye upon and loves to dwell with these who are of choice and excellent spirits.” —Jeremiah Bur-roughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]