Fri.-Sabbath, 1/20-22/23 Devotion

Thank God—Sunday is almost here. In order to help get us ready for church, here is Thomas Watson, from his, "The Lord's Prayer” book. . . .

"If all be a gift, then it is not a debt; and we cannot say to God as that creditor who said, 'Pay me what you owe,' (Matt. 18:28). Who can make God a debt-or, or do any act that is obliging and meritorious? Whatever we receive from God is a gift; we can give nothing to Him but what He has given to us. 'All things come from You, and of Your own have we given to You, ' (1 Chron. 29:14).

"David and his people offered to the building of God's house gold and silver, but they offered nothing but what God had given them. 'Of Your own have we given You.' If we love God, it is He that has given us a heart to love Him. If we praise Him, He both gives us the organ of our tongue, and puts it in tune. If we give alms [charity] to others, He has given alms to us first, so that we may say, 'We offer, O Lord, of Your own to You.’ Since all is a gift, how absurd, then, is the doctrine of merit? . . . We cannot deserve a bit of bread, much less a crown of glory. If all be a gift, then merit is exploded, and shut out of doors."

Thurs., 1/19/23 Devotion (Acts 19:15)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 19:15, where we read these words:

"And the evil spirit answered and said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?' "

This verse (above) is almost comical. The demons were accustomed to being expelled by the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Apostle Paul, and by all the legiti-mately God-called ministers of the church—but here, the evil spirit is not go-ing to take orders from some religious pretender, who sought to exercise power he did not rightly possess.

So it is for all the true church today: the demons are subject to us (Lk. 10:17). But, for all of those outside of sincere faith in Christ, the devil runs roughshod over them (Acts 19:16). Let us who know Jesus employ our authority with dis-cretion, and for the good of others (in the church first, but also in the world).

[Puritan quote of the day: "God intermixes mercy with affliction. He steeps His sword of justice in the oil of mercy. There was no night so dark but Israel had a pillar of fire in it.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]

Wed., 1/18/23 Devotion (Acts 18:8b)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 18:8b, where we read these words:

" . . . And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized."

What a beautiful phrase this is (above). People in Corinth were notoriously immoral and corrupt, (much like our own culture today). And yet God saved "many" of them. Note the lovely progression: they "heard" the gospel of grace in the Lord Jesus Christ; they "believed” the message of good news; and then they were "baptized" into Christ and His church.

Is there hope for the nations of the world today—including ours? Of course there is. But this exact pattern (as above) must be followed: preaching, hear-ing, faith, baptism, church membership, and a grace-filled and faithful life in Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Joy, courage, and zeal, being smiled upon by faith, are made invincible and unconquerable.” —Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]

Tues., 1/17/23 Devotion (Gen. 18:14a)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 18:14a, where we read these words:

"Is anything too hard for the LORD? . . . "

This question (above) is to be answered in the negative. This does not mean that God *will* do anything we ask Him to do; but it *does* mean He *can* do anything that He is pleased to do (that would be consistent with His perfect nature, and is for His church's good). There *are* things that even God can-not do (that we can do), like sin.  But this does not detract from His greatness, but rather only enhances it.

Are we facing some impossible situation today? Let us lay it before God. He is able to deliver us in Christ. If we are faithful churched Christians, the prom-ises in the written Word of God are ours to enjoy; they are all “yes," and “amen,” in Jesus, (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Before we can know this love of Christ . . . we must necessarily know the nature of sin.” —John Bunyan, in, "All Loves Ex-celling"]

Mon., 1/16/23 Devotion (Gen. 17:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 17:1, where we read these words:

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. . . . ‘ "

How is a person to be "blameless" before God? Does this mean that he or she will never sin again? No. Abram (later Abraham) was blameless in and through the Object of his faith (the Lord Jesus Christ). Blamelessness in the Bible implies sincerity and wholeheartedness—not sinless perfection (nor trying real hard in the flesh's efforts).

As Abraham "walked" with God, he gained more and more confidence all the time. The same is true for every sincere churched Christian today. Let us walk with Jesus in His freedom and joy.

[Puritan quote of the day: "When do you expect that it will be more likely that you should be awakened and wrought upon than now?” —Jonathan Edwards, from his sermon, "Pressing into the Kingdom of God"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 1/13-15/23 Devotion

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

“Why Christ’s Kingdom Must Prevail. . . .

"Christ has conquered all in His own person first, and He is 'over all, God blessed for ever,' (Rom. 9:5); and therefore over sin, death, hell, Satan and the world. And, as He has overcome them in Himself, so He overcomes them in our hearts and consciences. . . . If [our conscience] subjects itself, by grace, to Christ's truth, then it boldly faces death, hell, judgment, and all spir-itual enemies, because then Christ sets up His kingdom in the conscience and makes it a kind of paradise.

"The sharpest conflict which the soul has is between the conscience and God's justice. Now if the conscience, sprinkled with the blood of Christ, has prevailed over assaults fetched from the justice of God, now satisfied by Christ, it will prevail over all other opposition whatsoever."

Thurs., 1/12/23 Devotion (Acts 12:7a, 23a)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 12:7a & 23a, where we read these words:

"Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by [Peter], and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side . . . Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck [Herod], because he did not give glory to God."

God does not deal with people in the same way—though He may use the ex-act same agency (viz. "striking"). Here, the angel "strikes" Peter, so that he (Peter) would wake up and be released from prison. A little while later—in the same chapter—the angel "strikes" Herod, and kills him. . . .

Also, in this very same 12th chapter of Acts, we find God allowing the Apostle James to die at Herod's hand (v. 2); while He (the Lord) delivers Peter from Herod's grip (v. 7). What is the point? That God is sovereign; He does what He does for a reason. He is always righteous; and He loves His church—whether He allows His people to suffer, or to prosper.

[Puritan quote of the day: "For every believer, the debt-book is crossed out; the black lines of sin are crossed out with the red lines of Christ's blood.”

—Thomas Watson, in his sermon, "God's Anatomy upon Man's Heart"]