Hip, hip, hooray—it is almost Sunday! Here is Thomas Watson, from his book, "The Lord's Prayer":
"Here is comfort to those who are the subjects of the King of heaven. God will put forth all the royal power for their help and comfort. (1) The King of heaven will plead their cause: 'I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you,' (Jer. 51:36). (2) He will protect His people. He sets an invisible guard about them: 'I will be unto her a wall of fire round about,' (Zech. 2:5). A wall, that is defensive; a wall of fire, that is offensive. (3) When it may be for the good of His people, He will raise up deliverance to them. 'The Lord saved them by a great deliverance,' (1 Chron. 11:14).
"God reigning as a King, can save any way; even by contemptible means, as the blowing of the trumpets, and blazing of lamps, (Judges 7:20). By contrary means; as when He made the sea a wall to Israel, and the waters were a means to keep them from drowning. The fish's belly was a ship in which Jon-ah sailed safe to shore. God will never want ways of saving His people; rather than fail, their very enemies shall do His work, (2 Chron 20:23). He sets Am-mon and Mount Seir one against another. As God will deliver His people from temporal danger, so from spiritual danger, as from sin, and from hell. 'Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come,' (1 Thess. 1:10)."
Friday, October 30, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Thurs., 10/29/15 Devotion (2 Tim. 1:7)
Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy 1:7, which says this:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Ministers have to be pretty stout souls—and Paul knew that Timothy's natural disposition was anything but "Type A." Still, the apostle reminded the young pastor that God's provisions in his (Timothy's) ordination included courage, sweetness, and firm resolve.
The world around us *can* at times be a pretty foreboding (fearful) place; but the Lord has given each of His Christian churchmen—clergy *and* laity—a Spirit—not of cowardice, but one of true skill in living, charity, and solid, spirit-ual reason. Let all God's believing children rise up today, and shed every-where the light of Christ's grace. Let us take our rightful places as the royalty of heaven (here on earth).
[Puritan quote of the day: "He who has God to be his God is so well content-ed with his condition that he does not much care whether he has anything else.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Ministers have to be pretty stout souls—and Paul knew that Timothy's natural disposition was anything but "Type A." Still, the apostle reminded the young pastor that God's provisions in his (Timothy's) ordination included courage, sweetness, and firm resolve.
The world around us *can* at times be a pretty foreboding (fearful) place; but the Lord has given each of His Christian churchmen—clergy *and* laity—a Spirit—not of cowardice, but one of true skill in living, charity, and solid, spirit-ual reason. Let all God's believing children rise up today, and shed every-where the light of Christ's grace. Let us take our rightful places as the royalty of heaven (here on earth).
[Puritan quote of the day: "He who has God to be his God is so well content-ed with his condition that he does not much care whether he has anything else.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Wed., 10/28/15 Devotion (Ps. 119:86c)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 119:86c, where we read these two words:
" . . . Help me!"
Sometimes the best prayers are the simplest ones. God is not impressed with flowery oratory in prayer. He would rather hear a few syllables of gut-wrench-ing honesty, than a whole dissertation of religious insincerity.
Do we need help today? Let us ask Christ for it. Let us be as specific as we can be, for our own soul's well-being; but let us not for a moment think that the Lord cannot figure out what we are trying to say—if we are having a hard time getting the words out. Prayer is important—but it is not a magical genie coming out of a bottle; and God does not hold us to any particular formulas.
[Puritan quote of the day: "There is no such thing as any inordinateness in holy affections; there is no such thing as excess in longings after the discov-eries of the beauty of Christ Jesus . . . Men may be as covetous as they please (if I may so speak) after spiritual riches . . . “ —Jonathan Edwards, in one of his sermons]
" . . . Help me!"
Sometimes the best prayers are the simplest ones. God is not impressed with flowery oratory in prayer. He would rather hear a few syllables of gut-wrench-ing honesty, than a whole dissertation of religious insincerity.
Do we need help today? Let us ask Christ for it. Let us be as specific as we can be, for our own soul's well-being; but let us not for a moment think that the Lord cannot figure out what we are trying to say—if we are having a hard time getting the words out. Prayer is important—but it is not a magical genie coming out of a bottle; and God does not hold us to any particular formulas.
[Puritan quote of the day: "There is no such thing as any inordinateness in holy affections; there is no such thing as excess in longings after the discov-eries of the beauty of Christ Jesus . . . Men may be as covetous as they please (if I may so speak) after spiritual riches . . . “ —Jonathan Edwards, in one of his sermons]
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Tues., 10/27/15 Devotion (Ps. 119:49)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 119:49, where we read these words:
"Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope."
All of us operate on the principle(s) of one or two foundational statements, which we thoroughly believe; and, against which all other truth claims get measured. The psalmist (above—who wrote Ps. 119) was famous for his love for God's word; and yet even he fiercely clung to some *one* promise of the Lord, which gave him "hope," and which helped him cope in a tough world.
What is it, at base, to which we are *really* committed? If it is the Gospel prin-ciple, which directs us to Jesus, and puts us in His church—then we are in good shape. If it is anything else, then we are putting our hope in things (and people) which cannot deliver.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Faith works the heart to a sweet, serene compo-sure. It is not having food and raiment, but having faith which will make us content.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
"Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope."
All of us operate on the principle(s) of one or two foundational statements, which we thoroughly believe; and, against which all other truth claims get measured. The psalmist (above—who wrote Ps. 119) was famous for his love for God's word; and yet even he fiercely clung to some *one* promise of the Lord, which gave him "hope," and which helped him cope in a tough world.
What is it, at base, to which we are *really* committed? If it is the Gospel prin-ciple, which directs us to Jesus, and puts us in His church—then we are in good shape. If it is anything else, then we are putting our hope in things (and people) which cannot deliver.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Faith works the heart to a sweet, serene compo-sure. It is not having food and raiment, but having faith which will make us content.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
Monday, October 26, 2015
Mon., 10/26/15 Devotion (1 Tim. 4:4a)
Today's encouragement comes from 1 Timothy 4:4a, where we read these words:
"For every creature of God is good . . . "
This is a refreshing doctrine (above). Every single created being and thing is good, (even mosquitos—if we can believe that[!]). Of course, fallen sinners have managed to foul-up and idolatrize virtually every good thing God creat-ed. But this in no way detracts from the intrinsic goodness of everything God made.
False religion leaves people feeling sick and uneasy. This is because it seeks to gain God's approval through denigration of the good things God created, viz. by requiring people to abstain from them, or using them in a perverse way. The True Religion is able to enjoy *everything* God made; and do so to Christ's honor and glory.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The Lord gives double pay. He gives great rewards in His service here—and afterwards He refreshes us with the delights of para-dise which are without intermission and expiration.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Fight of Faith Crowned"]
"For every creature of God is good . . . "
This is a refreshing doctrine (above). Every single created being and thing is good, (even mosquitos—if we can believe that[!]). Of course, fallen sinners have managed to foul-up and idolatrize virtually every good thing God creat-ed. But this in no way detracts from the intrinsic goodness of everything God made.
False religion leaves people feeling sick and uneasy. This is because it seeks to gain God's approval through denigration of the good things God created, viz. by requiring people to abstain from them, or using them in a perverse way. The True Religion is able to enjoy *everything* God made; and do so to Christ's honor and glory.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The Lord gives double pay. He gives great rewards in His service here—and afterwards He refreshes us with the delights of para-dise which are without intermission and expiration.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Fight of Faith Crowned"]
Friday, October 23, 2015
Fri.-Sabbath, 10/23-25/15 Devotion
Hip, hip, hooray—it is almost Sunday! This Lord’s Day is “Reformation Sun-day,” as we celebrate the 498th anniversary of the official start of the Protes-tant Reformation. In order to try to help get us ready for the church's worship of God, here is the amazing Thomas Watson, from his "A Divine Cordial" book:
"If it be God's purpose that saves, then it is not free will. The Pelagians are strenuous asserters of free will. They tell us that a man has an innate power to effect his own conversion; but this text [Eph. 1:11] confutes it. Our calling is 'according to God's purpose.' The Scripture plucks up the root of free will: 'It is not of him that wills,' (Rom. 9:16). All depends upon the purpose of God. When the prisoner is cast [bound] at the bar, there is no saving him, unless the king has a purpose to save him. God's purpose is His prerogative royal.
"If it is God's purpose that saves, then it is not merit. Bellarmine holds that good works do expiate [take away] sin and merit glory; but the text says that we are called according to God's purpose, and there is a parallel Scripture: 'Who has saved us, and called us, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace,' (2 Tim. 1:9). There is no such thing as merit. Our best works have in them both defection and infection, and so are but glittering sins; therefore if we are called and justified, it is God's purpose that brings it to pass."
"If it be God's purpose that saves, then it is not free will. The Pelagians are strenuous asserters of free will. They tell us that a man has an innate power to effect his own conversion; but this text [Eph. 1:11] confutes it. Our calling is 'according to God's purpose.' The Scripture plucks up the root of free will: 'It is not of him that wills,' (Rom. 9:16). All depends upon the purpose of God. When the prisoner is cast [bound] at the bar, there is no saving him, unless the king has a purpose to save him. God's purpose is His prerogative royal.
"If it is God's purpose that saves, then it is not merit. Bellarmine holds that good works do expiate [take away] sin and merit glory; but the text says that we are called according to God's purpose, and there is a parallel Scripture: 'Who has saved us, and called us, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace,' (2 Tim. 1:9). There is no such thing as merit. Our best works have in them both defection and infection, and so are but glittering sins; therefore if we are called and justified, it is God's purpose that brings it to pass."
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Thurs., 10/22/15 Devotion (Ps. 115:3)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 115:3, which says this:
"But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases."
This is a great verse on the sovereignty of God: the doctrine that the Lord does what He wants to, and that He is not beholden to anyone or anything. But sometimes we have to admit that we (even among the true church) do not always like the things the sovereign God allows to happen. After all, there are a lot of "negative" events that occur in our world (and even to ourselves).
What is the sincere and serious Christian to do about this? That is a very valid question. We are to trust that the Maker of all things, and the Redeemer of His people understands and directs *all* things according to a great plan of His, (that He alone can and does fully comprehend). We are to believe that God has His church's best interests in mind always; and that everything He does ultimately accrues for the church's good and His glory.
[Puritan quote of the day: "You have heaven while you are on earth when you have a contented spirit; yea, in some regards it is better than heaven.”
—Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment"]
"But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases."
This is a great verse on the sovereignty of God: the doctrine that the Lord does what He wants to, and that He is not beholden to anyone or anything. But sometimes we have to admit that we (even among the true church) do not always like the things the sovereign God allows to happen. After all, there are a lot of "negative" events that occur in our world (and even to ourselves).
What is the sincere and serious Christian to do about this? That is a very valid question. We are to trust that the Maker of all things, and the Redeemer of His people understands and directs *all* things according to a great plan of His, (that He alone can and does fully comprehend). We are to believe that God has His church's best interests in mind always; and that everything He does ultimately accrues for the church's good and His glory.
[Puritan quote of the day: "You have heaven while you are on earth when you have a contented spirit; yea, in some regards it is better than heaven.”
—Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment"]
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