Fri.-Sabbath, 12/31/10-1/2/11 Devotion

Happy New Year, everyone!!

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

"When was Christ incarnate?

"In the fulness of time. 'When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman,' (Gal 4:4). By the fulness of time we must understand [it to be] the determinate time that God had set. More particularly, this fulness of time was when all the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah were accomplished; and all legal shadows and figures, whereby He was typified, were abrogated. This may com-
fort us, in regard to the church of God, that though at present we do not see that peace and purity in the church which we could desire, yet in the fulness of time, when God's time is come and mercy is ripe, then shall deliverance spring up, and God will come riding upon the chariots of salvation.

"Why was Jesus Christ made flesh?

"The 'causa prima,' and impulsive cause, was free grace. It was love in God the Father to send Christ, and love in Christ that He came to be incarnate. Love was the intrinsic motive. Christ is God-Man, because He is a lover of man. Christ came out of pity and indulgence to us: 'non merita nostra, sed misera nostra,' Augustine. 'Not our deserts, but our misery,' made Christ take flesh. Christ's taking flesh was a plot of free grace, and a pure design of love. God Himself, though Almighty, was overcome with love. Christ Incarnate is nothing but love covered with flesh. As Christ's assuming our human nature was a masterpiece of wisdom, so it was a monument of free grace."

Thurs., 12/30/10 Devotion (Mal. 3:17a)

Today's encouragement comes from Malachi 3:17a, where we read these words:

" 'They shall be Mine,' says the LORD of hosts, 'On the day that I make them My jewels.' "

Have you ever thought of yourself as one of Almighty God's "jewels"? If you are a faith-filled churchman, who trusts in Jesus alone for your salvation, and who loves the Lord because of what He has done for you--then indeed you *are* a precious "jewel" in God's treasure chest.

Compared to one sincere member of Christ's church, the entire far-flung and vast universe (which God created) is of minimal value and interest to the Lord. *People* are God's "jewels"; and not just *any* person: only those who are IN Jesus Christ (and His church) by grace through faith alone. Let *us* be numbered among these Divine prizes.

[Puritan quote of the day: "[God's] riches make a man wise. Wisdom is the best possession; other riches cannot make one wise. A man may have a full purse and an empty brain." --Thomas Watson, in his ser-
mon, "The Beauty of Grace"]

Wed., 12/29/10 Devotion (2 Chron. 34:27)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Chronicles 34:27, which finds God saying this about the great king Josiah:

" 'Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its in-
habitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,' says the LORD."

A humble, broken, contrite heart is irresistible to the Lord. Josiah was very zealous for God, His church, His word, and His worship. Even after grieving over the punishment that was sure to come because of Judah's past wickedness, Josiah was given by God assurances that none of the calamity would befall the nation, in his lifetime.

As the Lord brings us, His churchmen, to humble brokenness--it may sting for a while. But the end result is blessed assurance of forgive-
ness, and full and complete rest in Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Let God have His will by being holy, and you shall have your will by being happy." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Beatitudes"]

Tues., 12/28/10 Devotion (2 Chron. 33:10-11)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Chronicles 33:10 & 11, which says this:

"And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon."

Here in two verses of the Bible, we have the entire program of how God deals with those whom He intends to save. The Lord first starts out gently and positively: sending His word to His people (by prophets [OT] and pastors [NT]). If that fails, God brings out His harder and more negative implements: hooks and fetters.

In Manasseh's case, harsh measures were necessary in order to bring him to repentance. This is not the best, nor the wisest approach, how-
ever. When we hear the word of God, let us immediately respond to it in faith (and repentance).

[Puritan quote of the day: "He who has been drinking spirits of wine, will not much thirst after water; and that man who has once 'tasted how sweet the Lord is,' (Ps. 34:8), and has drunk the cordials of the Spirit, will not thirst immoderately after secular delights." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Beatitudes"]

Mon., 12/27/10 Devotion (Zech. 14:8-9)

Today's encouragement comes from Zechariah 14:8 & 9, where we read these words:

"And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jeru-
salem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea; in both summer and winter it shall occur. And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be--'The LORD is one,' And His name one."

This day *has* occurred, as Jesus inaugurated it in His first Advent, and culminated it in His resurrection, and the pouring out of His Spirit on His church at Pentecost. Now, the whole earth: east and west, north and south, are all fed by Christ from heaven, as He brokers His blessings through His church on earth.

The "Oneness" of God was amplified in Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, of John, ch. 17, (cf. v. 11, for an example). The believing churchman is made "one" with the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. For these unspeakable blessings let us give thanks to the Lord.

[Puritan quote of the day: "There is nothing that we do or can do, no-
thing that angels do or can do for us, that can reconcile us to God; but we are reconciled to God in Christ." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Reconciliation"]

Thurs.-Sabbath, 12/23-26/10 Devotion

Merry Christmas, everybody!!!

Sunday's coming! What an honor: to be in the church's worship on the Lord's Day!

Here's TW, in "The Art of Divine Contentment":

"[This doctrine] shows how a Christian may come to lead a comfort-
able life, even an heaven upon earth, be the times what they will: by Christian contentment. The comfort of life does not stand in having much; it is Christ's maxim, 'man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses,' (Lu. 12. 15)--but it is in being content-
ed. Is not the bee as well contented with feeding on the dew, or suck-
ing from a flower, as the ox that grazes on the mountains? Content-
ment lies within a man, in the heart; and the way to be comfortable, is not by having our barns filled, but our minds quiet. The contented man, says Seneca, is the happy man."

Wed., 12/22/10 Devotion (2 Chron. 26:5b)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Chronicles 26:5b, where we read these words:

" . . . and as long as he [Uzziah] sought the LORD, God made him prosper."

Why is it, that we cannot seem to understand this very basic principle? So long as we seek the Lord, in His Son, and in the context of His church, we will "prosper." If we do *not* do this, we will not prosper. The reason we so often fail here, is because our faith is not as per-
fected as it should be. Our flesh tells us that "prosperity" may be had outside of Christ.

Even the great Uzziah ended up getting a bit "full of himself"; and though his life was blessed and prosperous, his pride took a bite out of him before he died, (cf. 2 Chron. 26:16). Let us churchmen be sure to humble ourselves before the Lord--trusting in Him alone, and not in ourselves (at all).

[Puritan quote of the day: "When we preach Christ and free grace it is to bring you to Christ. Our preaching down of works is not to keep you from doing them but from resting in them." --Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Remission"]