Wahoo! Sunday is almost here. In order to get us more ready for church, here is Thomas Watson, from his book, "The Ten Commandments.” These are great words touching on our inability to work our way to heaven; and of how Jesus is our only hope. . . .
"Why does God permit such an inability in man to keep the law?
"He does it: (1) To humble us. Man is a self-exalting creature; and if he has but anything of worth, he is ready to be puffed up; but when he comes to see his deficiencies and failings, and how far short he comes of the holiness and perfection which God's law requires, it pulls down the plumes of his pride, and lays them in the dust. He weeps over his inability; he blushes over his leprous spots; he says with Job, 'I abhor myself in dust and ashes.’
"(2) God lets this inability be upon us, that we may have recourse to Christ to obtain pardon for our defects, and to sprinkle our best duties with His blood. When a man sees that he owes perfect obedience to the law, but has nothing to pay, it makes him flee to Christ to be his friend, and answer for him all the demands of the law, and set him free in the court of justice."
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Thurs., 2/27/14 Devotion (1 Cor. 14:33)
Today's encouragement comes from 1 Corinthians 14:33, where we read these words:
"For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."
Very sadly, there is a lot of confusion in a lot of congregations today. But none of this confusion is from God. Most of it comes from hirelings in the church who lead people astray. The Lord has laid-out enough content doctrine, theo-logy, knowledge, and understanding in the Scriptures for faithful and truly-called pastors and elders to quite sufficiently lead the flocks of Christ into all the fields of plenty and peace.
The problem of confusion originates in the author of confusion (Satan), and is forwarded by his cohorts. The trouble is with sinful men who craft their own false gospels, and who spurn the only true one. Let us, by grace, sincerely cling to Jesus as His sane and well-ordered church; and enjoy by faith the benefits of life in the body of Christ.
[Puritan quote of the day: "To have grace, and to be sure that we have grace, is glory upon the throne, it is heaven on this side [of] heaven." --Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]
"For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."
Very sadly, there is a lot of confusion in a lot of congregations today. But none of this confusion is from God. Most of it comes from hirelings in the church who lead people astray. The Lord has laid-out enough content doctrine, theo-logy, knowledge, and understanding in the Scriptures for faithful and truly-called pastors and elders to quite sufficiently lead the flocks of Christ into all the fields of plenty and peace.
The problem of confusion originates in the author of confusion (Satan), and is forwarded by his cohorts. The trouble is with sinful men who craft their own false gospels, and who spurn the only true one. Let us, by grace, sincerely cling to Jesus as His sane and well-ordered church; and enjoy by faith the benefits of life in the body of Christ.
[Puritan quote of the day: "To have grace, and to be sure that we have grace, is glory upon the throne, it is heaven on this side [of] heaven." --Thomas Brooks, in, "Heaven on Earth"]
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Wed., 2/26/14 Devotion (1 Cor. 13:8a)
Today's encouragement comes from the few, but powerful words of 1 Corinth-ians 13:8a, where we read this:
"Love never fails. . . . "
Why does love never fail? Because Jesus never fails; and love is the best barometer of the Christian heart. Love always exposes the truth; and every-one--without exception--is subject to its scrutiny. When we love God first, we have the privilege of knowing that our hearts are right; and we may relish His assurances. Without sincere love for Christ, none of our other "services" ren-dered to God mean anything--(in fact, they become abominable to Him).
The real important question for us today is, "Who (or what) do we love the *most*?" If Christ is not at the top of that list, then we should face the sober-ing fact that we are idolaters. The Lord would have us love other people, and even some things--but these must be subordinate to our love for Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "He that frets will be willing to do evil; fretting Jonah was sinning Jonah, (Jon. 4:9)." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
"Love never fails. . . . "
Why does love never fail? Because Jesus never fails; and love is the best barometer of the Christian heart. Love always exposes the truth; and every-one--without exception--is subject to its scrutiny. When we love God first, we have the privilege of knowing that our hearts are right; and we may relish His assurances. Without sincere love for Christ, none of our other "services" ren-dered to God mean anything--(in fact, they become abominable to Him).
The real important question for us today is, "Who (or what) do we love the *most*?" If Christ is not at the top of that list, then we should face the sober-ing fact that we are idolaters. The Lord would have us love other people, and even some things--but these must be subordinate to our love for Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "He that frets will be willing to do evil; fretting Jonah was sinning Jonah, (Jon. 4:9)." --Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Tues., 2/25/14 Devotion (Job 25:4)
Today's encouragement comes from Job 25:4, where we read these words:
"How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?"
Bildad the Shuhite asked this question. It is a very good query. The answer to it is this, "No one can be righteous before God on one's own. What is neces-sary is an 'alien' righteousness." This "alien" righteousness is that of Christ, who imputes His own righteousness to sinful souls—as He is received by us by faith.
Faith follows regeneration (or the New Birth). Regeneration is God's sove-reign act of bringing to life a dead and rebellious soul. Faith is the gift of re-generation. By faith, we fetch to our hearts the Lord Jesus Christ, who then *becomes* our righteousness. Therefore, when we are asked, "Can a man be righteous before God?”—the answer is, "Yes, but only as he or she is clothed in Christ's righteousness."
[Puritan quote of the day: "A godly man loves God and therefore delights to be in His presence; he loves God and therefore takes comfort in nothing with-out Him." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]
"How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?"
Bildad the Shuhite asked this question. It is a very good query. The answer to it is this, "No one can be righteous before God on one's own. What is neces-sary is an 'alien' righteousness." This "alien" righteousness is that of Christ, who imputes His own righteousness to sinful souls—as He is received by us by faith.
Faith follows regeneration (or the New Birth). Regeneration is God's sove-reign act of bringing to life a dead and rebellious soul. Faith is the gift of re-generation. By faith, we fetch to our hearts the Lord Jesus Christ, who then *becomes* our righteousness. Therefore, when we are asked, "Can a man be righteous before God?”—the answer is, "Yes, but only as he or she is clothed in Christ's righteousness."
[Puritan quote of the day: "A godly man loves God and therefore delights to be in His presence; he loves God and therefore takes comfort in nothing with-out Him." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]
Monday, February 24, 2014
Mon., 2/24/14 Devotion (Lk. 10:21a)
Today's encouragement comes from Luke 10:21a, where we read these words:
"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, 'I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth . . . ' "
Things can get pretty rough down here on the fallen earth. Is it not wonderful to know that God our Heavenly Father is Lord of heaven "and *earth*"? What-ever difficulties we are experiencing--no matter how real and hard they are--they are nonetheless under the watchful providential sovereignty of our Heav-enly Father.
Ours is not some "stale" deity. Instead, the Lord of heaven and earth loves us, His churchmen, more than we can imagine. He cares for us much more than we care for ourselves (or for our loved ones). Jesus "thanked" and prais-ed His Father. Let us do the same--even in difficult times.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The church is the fitting place for glory. We enter into heaven in the church here." --Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]
"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, 'I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth . . . ' "
Things can get pretty rough down here on the fallen earth. Is it not wonderful to know that God our Heavenly Father is Lord of heaven "and *earth*"? What-ever difficulties we are experiencing--no matter how real and hard they are--they are nonetheless under the watchful providential sovereignty of our Heav-enly Father.
Ours is not some "stale" deity. Instead, the Lord of heaven and earth loves us, His churchmen, more than we can imagine. He cares for us much more than we care for ourselves (or for our loved ones). Jesus "thanked" and prais-ed His Father. Let us do the same--even in difficult times.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The church is the fitting place for glory. We enter into heaven in the church here." --Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]
Friday, February 21, 2014
Fri.-Sabbath, 2/21-23/14 Devotion
Wahoo, Sunday is almost here! To help get us ready for the one day in the week we need to be in church, here is Thomas Watson, from his "A Body of Divinity" book:
"All believers are alike justified. Justification does not apply to some more than to others. Though there are degrees in grace, yet not in justification; one is not justified more than another; the weakest believer is as perfectly justified as the strongest. Mary Magdalene is as much justified as the Virgin Mary. This may be a comfort to a weak believer. Though you have but a drachm [small bit] of faith, you are as truly justified as he who is of the highest stature in Christ."
"All believers are alike justified. Justification does not apply to some more than to others. Though there are degrees in grace, yet not in justification; one is not justified more than another; the weakest believer is as perfectly justified as the strongest. Mary Magdalene is as much justified as the Virgin Mary. This may be a comfort to a weak believer. Though you have but a drachm [small bit] of faith, you are as truly justified as he who is of the highest stature in Christ."
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Thurs., 2/20/14 Devotion (Lk. 6:12)
Today's encouragement comes from Luke 6:12, where we read these words:
"Now it came to pass in those days that He [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
How would you and I spend all night in prayer to God? Would we not run out of things to pray about, after about 20 minutes, or so? The Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His Father in prayer, much like we would with a friend, with whom we were having an extended conversation.
We can imagine that times like those mentioned in the verse above were of the utmost joy for Christ. With the press of people around the Messiah all the time, it must have been a lovely refreshment to get away from it all, and com-mune with His Heavenly Father. Let all of us recognize that if Jesus needed this time in prayer, we (much more so) need to speak with our Father, too.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The house of God is the palace of the great King; on the Sabbath God shows Himself there through the lattice." --Thomas Wat-son, in, "All Things for Good"]
"Now it came to pass in those days that He [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
How would you and I spend all night in prayer to God? Would we not run out of things to pray about, after about 20 minutes, or so? The Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His Father in prayer, much like we would with a friend, with whom we were having an extended conversation.
We can imagine that times like those mentioned in the verse above were of the utmost joy for Christ. With the press of people around the Messiah all the time, it must have been a lovely refreshment to get away from it all, and com-mune with His Heavenly Father. Let all of us recognize that if Jesus needed this time in prayer, we (much more so) need to speak with our Father, too.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The house of God is the palace of the great King; on the Sabbath God shows Himself there through the lattice." --Thomas Wat-son, in, "All Things for Good"]
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