Happy Reformation Day!
Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy 3:14, where we read these words:
"But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assur-ed of, knowing from whom you have learned them . . . "
As we come to a clearer and more glorious understanding of the gospel of Jesus—we must "continue" in it (that greater light). The blessed knowledge that regenerated Christians are *fully* righteous in God's sight—not because of our own alleged goodness—but because of the legally-imputed perfect righteousness of Christ (received by us through faith in Jesus alone), be-comes for us a great comfort.
Let us never move away from our lifeline, our happiness, and our power sup-ply—Who *is* our Lord Jesus Himself. Let us "continue" in His gospel, know-ing that we received it (ultiimately) by divine revelation from God Himself.
[Puritan quote of the day: "For want of hearts full of love [for God], men have heads full of error.” —Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Wed., 10/30/19 Devotion (2 Tim. 2:1)
Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy 2:1, where we read these words:
"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
This is a precious verse. What are we to be "strong" in? The "grace that is in Christ Jesus." What is this grace? It is supernatural Christ-grace. Jesus' grace is more than able to meet all of our everyday and eternal needs. How are we "strong" in this Christ-grace? By faith. When we by faith understand ourselves to be *in* our Redeemer; and know that we gain all our energy from Him—then we are truly “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
The thing for us to avoid, is the idea that we need to “do” something, *before* we can be strong in Christ's grace. The truth is that this simple faith—where-by we appropriate to our hearts the Lord Jesus Himself—*causes* us to be perfectly pleasing to God. Are we weak today? Let us be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
[Puritan quote of the day: "For from our neglect of prayer comes that dead-ness of spirit, that worldly-mindedness and unaptness to pray, to hear the Word, and to keep the Sabbath.” —John Preston, in his sermon entitled, "The Saint's Daily Exercise"]
"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
This is a precious verse. What are we to be "strong" in? The "grace that is in Christ Jesus." What is this grace? It is supernatural Christ-grace. Jesus' grace is more than able to meet all of our everyday and eternal needs. How are we "strong" in this Christ-grace? By faith. When we by faith understand ourselves to be *in* our Redeemer; and know that we gain all our energy from Him—then we are truly “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
The thing for us to avoid, is the idea that we need to “do” something, *before* we can be strong in Christ's grace. The truth is that this simple faith—where-by we appropriate to our hearts the Lord Jesus Himself—*causes* us to be perfectly pleasing to God. Are we weak today? Let us be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
[Puritan quote of the day: "For from our neglect of prayer comes that dead-ness of spirit, that worldly-mindedness and unaptness to pray, to hear the Word, and to keep the Sabbath.” —John Preston, in his sermon entitled, "The Saint's Daily Exercise"]
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Tues., 10/29/19 Devotion (2 Tim. 1:7)
Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy 1:7, where Paul wrote these words:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
To fear from time to time in a fallen world is natural and to be expected. But God does not give His children a "*spirit* of fear." Instead, His Spirit working in us effects energy, grace, and sanity. None of this is to deny that even the best of churchmen fail to live up to our potential and our resources (in Christ); but the point is that we should be more and more *governed* by the Spirit that is from God.
Practically-speaking, this will mean that instead of cowering before fearful specters of the future, we begin to face them head-on, in advance—believing that our God is going before us, to give us the victory (in Christ).
[Puritan quote of the day: "If God thought it fit that Adam in innocence should not be alone, but should have a helper, much more now in a state of defection since the fall do we need others' help as well as our own.” —Christopher Love, in, "The Dejected Soul's Cure"]
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
To fear from time to time in a fallen world is natural and to be expected. But God does not give His children a "*spirit* of fear." Instead, His Spirit working in us effects energy, grace, and sanity. None of this is to deny that even the best of churchmen fail to live up to our potential and our resources (in Christ); but the point is that we should be more and more *governed* by the Spirit that is from God.
Practically-speaking, this will mean that instead of cowering before fearful specters of the future, we begin to face them head-on, in advance—believing that our God is going before us, to give us the victory (in Christ).
[Puritan quote of the day: "If God thought it fit that Adam in innocence should not be alone, but should have a helper, much more now in a state of defection since the fall do we need others' help as well as our own.” —Christopher Love, in, "The Dejected Soul's Cure"]
Monday, October 28, 2019
Mon., 10/28/19 Devotion (1 Tim. 6:17b)
Today's encouragement comes from 1 Timothy 6:17b, where we read these words:
" . . . But [let us trust] in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."
I appreciate this text (above). Not only does the Lord give us, His churched children, enough to live on—He also provides us "*All* things to enjoy." In oth-er words, everything God has created is to be employed for and subsumed under the welfare and happiness of the faithful members of Christ's church.
Our Heavenly Father is not "stingy," as some misguided people would imag-ine Him. Instead, He is extraordinarily generous (with those who are His, in Christ). As a matter of fact, God is more than kind to *all* creatures: even to those who hate Him, and will experience His eternal wrath, (cf. Ps. 145:9). In Jesus Christ, let us more fervently love our benevolent God, who "gives us *richly* all things to enjoy."
[Puritan quote of the day: "A true Christian grows in beauty. Grace is the best complexion of the soul. It is, at the first planting, like Rachel: fair to look upon, but, the more it lives, the more it sends forth its rays of beauty.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
" . . . But [let us trust] in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."
I appreciate this text (above). Not only does the Lord give us, His churched children, enough to live on—He also provides us "*All* things to enjoy." In oth-er words, everything God has created is to be employed for and subsumed under the welfare and happiness of the faithful members of Christ's church.
Our Heavenly Father is not "stingy," as some misguided people would imag-ine Him. Instead, He is extraordinarily generous (with those who are His, in Christ). As a matter of fact, God is more than kind to *all* creatures: even to those who hate Him, and will experience His eternal wrath, (cf. Ps. 145:9). In Jesus Christ, let us more fervently love our benevolent God, who "gives us *richly* all things to enjoy."
[Puritan quote of the day: "A true Christian grows in beauty. Grace is the best complexion of the soul. It is, at the first planting, like Rachel: fair to look upon, but, the more it lives, the more it sends forth its rays of beauty.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
Friday, October 25, 2019
Fri.-Sabbath, 10/25-27/19 Devotion
Yes—Sunday is almost here! In order to help us get ready for the Lord's Day church services, here is Thomas Watson, from, "A Body of Divinity":
"You that are Christians, believe that all God’s providence shall conspire for your good at last. The providences of God are sometimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them; but when we cannot unrid-dle providence, let us believe that it will work together for the good of the elect, (Rom 8:28). The wheels in a clock seem to move contrary one to the other, but they help forward the motion of the clock, and make the labrum [noise-maker] strike: so the providences of God seem to be cross wheels; but for all that, they shall carry on the good of the elect. . . . Therefore, Christians, believe that God loves you, and that He will make the most cross providences to promote His glory and your good."
"You that are Christians, believe that all God’s providence shall conspire for your good at last. The providences of God are sometimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them; but when we cannot unrid-dle providence, let us believe that it will work together for the good of the elect, (Rom 8:28). The wheels in a clock seem to move contrary one to the other, but they help forward the motion of the clock, and make the labrum [noise-maker] strike: so the providences of God seem to be cross wheels; but for all that, they shall carry on the good of the elect. . . . Therefore, Christians, believe that God loves you, and that He will make the most cross providences to promote His glory and your good."
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Thurs., 10/24/19 Devotion (Dan. 9:18b)
Today's encouragement comes from Daniel 9:18b, where Daniel prays these words:
" . . . For we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies."
If we had to approach God, and present our petitions to Him based on our allegedly righteous deeds, we would never properly come to God, ever. Be-sides that, we would have no basis for our prayers, because we do not *pos-sess* any necessarily-pristine and satisfactory righteous deeds.
We come to God on the basis of Christ's righteousness (His “righteous deeds”), which righteousness of Jesus is then imputed to the saints, by sove-reign grace. This is the ground on which we may rightly approach God. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who petition Him on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. God disregards all other utterances.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Hell did not know what it did when it crucified Christ; death, with all its armies, was put to death with Him.” —Richard Al-leine, in "Heaven Opened"]
" . . . For we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies."
If we had to approach God, and present our petitions to Him based on our allegedly righteous deeds, we would never properly come to God, ever. Be-sides that, we would have no basis for our prayers, because we do not *pos-sess* any necessarily-pristine and satisfactory righteous deeds.
We come to God on the basis of Christ's righteousness (His “righteous deeds”), which righteousness of Jesus is then imputed to the saints, by sove-reign grace. This is the ground on which we may rightly approach God. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who petition Him on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. God disregards all other utterances.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Hell did not know what it did when it crucified Christ; death, with all its armies, was put to death with Him.” —Richard Al-leine, in "Heaven Opened"]
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Wed., 10/23/19 Devotion (Ps. 116:1)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 116:1, where we read these words:
"I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications."
Among many others, here is a good reason to love God: He hears the pray-ers of His faithful churchmen (saints). What prayers does God "hear," in the covenantal sense? (After all, He knows the things religionists all over the world are babbling out all the time.) God hears prayers that are made through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But even these prayers should be sincere and earnest. God hears prayers that come from the heart. He answers those people who *really* want to be heard. God does not hear prayers offered from self-, law-, or works-right-eousness; but He does hear those that are "soaked," as it were, in the blood righteousness of Jesus.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Although to true religion there must indeed be something else besides affection, yet true religion consists so much in the af-fections that there can be no true religion without them.” —Jonathan Ed-wards, in, "A Treatise Concerning the Religious Affections"]
"I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications."
Among many others, here is a good reason to love God: He hears the pray-ers of His faithful churchmen (saints). What prayers does God "hear," in the covenantal sense? (After all, He knows the things religionists all over the world are babbling out all the time.) God hears prayers that are made through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But even these prayers should be sincere and earnest. God hears prayers that come from the heart. He answers those people who *really* want to be heard. God does not hear prayers offered from self-, law-, or works-right-eousness; but He does hear those that are "soaked," as it were, in the blood righteousness of Jesus.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Although to true religion there must indeed be something else besides affection, yet true religion consists so much in the af-fections that there can be no true religion without them.” —Jonathan Ed-wards, in, "A Treatise Concerning the Religious Affections"]
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