Mon., 5/31/10 Devotion (Ps. 86:5, 15)

Happy Memorial Day, USA!

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 86:5 & 15, which says this:

"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. . . . But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth."

Who could not love this God?! His nature is generous, kind, benevo-
lent, and overflowing with grace. We are all sinners; and yet God holds out the golden scepter of forgiveness and redemption to us. Any who see these words (of Ps. 86) and yet end up in hell, have only themselves to blame for their foolishness.

Let us come to Jesus today, clinging to Him by faith. He will not dis-
appoint us. His grace is greater than our most ingrained sin, and our most aggravating troubles.

[Puritan quote of the day: "You have undone yourselves, and undone yourselves, as it were, thousands of times; but God would not allow you to be eternally undone for He loved you with an everlasting love." --Jonathan Edwards, preaching to his church his sermon entitled, "A man may eternally undo himself in one thought"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 5/28-30/10 Devotion

Wahoo--it's almost Sunday! We *get* to go to church, and worship God corporately! In order to help get us ready, here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Body of Divinity" book:

"Glorifying God consists in four things: 1. Appreciation, 2. Adoration, 3. Affection, 4. Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven.

"[1] Appreciation. To glorify God is to set God highest in our thoughts, and to have a venerable esteem of Him. 'You, Lord, are most high for evermore.' 'You are exalted far above all gods.' There is in God all that may draw forth both wonder and delight. There is a constellation of all beauties; He is 'prima causa,' the original and spring head of being, who sheds a glory upon the creature. We glorify God, when we are God-admirers. Admire His attributes, which are the glistering beams by which the divine nature shines forth; His promises which are the charter of free grace, and the spiritual cabinet where the pearl of price is hid; the noble effects of His power and wisdom in making the world, which is called 'the work of His fingers,' (Psa 8:3). To glorify God is to have God-admiring thoughts; to esteem Him most excellent, and search for diamonds in this Rock only."

Thurs., 5/27/10 Devotion (2 Jn. 10-11)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 John, vv. 10 & 11, where we read these words:

"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not re-
ceive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds."

Here is the clearest Biblical teaching on how to handle heretics at our doors. When people come to us with false gospels, and want us to lis-
ten to them--instead of doing so, we must "not receive them into [our] house[s]." We do not have to be cranky, but we do have to be steadfast. If we do anything, we should invite them onto the "turf" of our own churches, where they can hear the true gospel.

Why all this dogmatism (by John, the "apostle of love," above)? Be-
cause doctrine is the key to life (and death). Way too much is at stake, to play "free and loose" with the faithful church's cardinal tenets.

[Puritan quote of the day: "We are never more precious in God's eyes than when we are lepers in our own." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Doc-
trine of Repentance"]

Wed., 5/26/10 Devotion (1 Jn. 5:4)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 John 5:4, where we read these words:

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the vic-
tory that has overcome the world--our faith."

I like this verse a lot--partly because it confirms so much hope for life in THIS world. Do you realize that churchmen who walk with Jesus are kings over the devil, his horde, and all persons who hope in inferior religions? This does not mean that we are perfect (because we are not); and it does not make us tyrants (because that is not how Jesus rules).

. . . But our faith in Christ provides us a perfect victory over the world; and we need not fear it, submit to its ways, nor be in any way manipulated by it. Let all God's children rejoice in the Redeemer; and let us always recognize the absolute primacy of faith.

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

Tues., 5/25/10 Devotion (Ps. 78:38)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 78:38, where we read these words:

"But He [the Lord], being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath . . . "

This (above) is an apt description of the true God. Most sinners view the Lord as harsh, demanding, easily-perturbed, and as a general "kill-joy." But, in reality, He is gracious, merciful, forgiving, kind, generous, and slow to anger.

How can God be that way--especially as He is constantly provoked to wrath by sinful and selfish creatures? One, because that is His nature; and two, because He has provided perfect atonement in Jesus' blood, that fully satisfies Him. Those whom God saves by grace through faith in Christ He loves; and to them He shows continual mercy.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is the end [or goal] of our living, to be useful in our generation. Better lose our lives than the end of our liv-
ing." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]

Mon., 5/24/10 Devotion (Isa. 25:6)

Today's encouragement comes from Isaiah 25:6, where we read these words:

"And in this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees."

The "mountain" spoken of here is the church, (the New Covenant church, in particular). On this "mount" people from all over the world will (and do) come and feast on the very best things God could and would ever provide. The Master of the feast, and the Subject (or Food) of the feast is the Same: it is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Redeemer feeds us with the Bread of Heaven, (His own Body); and with the Wine of Canaan, (His own blood). We celebrate this in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which is preceded and accompa-
nied by the church's proclamation of the Word of God.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Sin is an absurd thing. What greater in-
discretion is there than to gratify an enemy? Sin gratifies Satan."
--Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 5/21-23/10 Devotion

Yippee--it's almost Sunday! In order to get you ready for church wor-
ship, here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Body of Divinity" book. . . .

"Q1: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN?

"Ans.: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever.

"Here are two ends of life specified. I. The glorifying of God. II. The enjoying of God.

"I. The glorifying of God, 1 Pet. 4:11: 'That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. 1 Cor. 10:31: 'Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; now, man being a rational creature, must propose some end to himself, and that should be, that he may lift up God in the world. He had better lose his life than the end of his living. The great truth is asserted, that the end of every man's living should be to glorify God. Glorifying God has respect to all the persons in the Trinity; it respects God the Father who gave us life; God the Son, who lost His life for us; and God the Holy Ghost, who produces a new life in us; we must bring glory to the whole Trinity."