Mon., 1/31/22 Devotion (Gen. 32:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 32:1, where we read these words:

"So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him."

Sometimes, as we believers are simply walking "on [our] way," the "angels of God meet [us]." Jacob was not doing anything particularly "spiritual" or “religi-ous”—he was merely going about his business. The angels' meeting with Ja-cob did not portend easy days ahead. As a matter of fact, in this very chapter Jacob would have to face his long-estranged brother Esau. But there can be no doubt but that the angels assisted him (Jacob).

As the church walks through the world today—looking forward to the next Sunday—let us recognize our particular need to be "met" by God's "angels." Some of them are in human flesh. Others of them are celestial. All of them will point us to Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Is it not comfortable being in heaven? He that en-joys much of God in this life carries heaven about him.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 1/28-30/22 Devotion

Thank God—Sunday is almost here! In order to help prepare us for church, here is Thomas Watson, from, "All Things for Good":

"If you do not love God, you will love something else, either the world or sin; and are those worthy of your love? Is it not better to love God than these? It is better to love God than the world, as appears in the following particulars. . . .

"If you set your love on worldly things, they will not satisfy. You may as well satisfy your body with air, as your soul with earth. . . . Is it not better to love God? He will give you that which shall satisfy. . . . If you love worldly things, they cannot remove trouble of mind. If there be a thorn in the conscience, all the world cannot pluck it out. . . . But if you love God, He can give you peace when nothing else can; He can turn the 'Shadow of death into the morning,' (Amos 5:8). He can apply Christ’s blood to refresh your soul; He can whisper His love by the Spirit, and with one smile scatter all your fears and discom-forts."

Thurs., 1/27/22 Devotion (Acts 27:11)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 27:11, which says this:

"Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul."

This one little verse summarizes the fatal error most people make. They listen to their pocketbooks, their financial concerns, and their temporal welfare, *more* than they heed the preaching of the gospel of God’s grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. And, of course, the result—in every case without exception—is the shipwreck of their lives, their estates, and all their hopes and dreams (even in this life).

. . . May we be wiser than this, by the saving grace offered to the whole world in The Person of Christ. The redeemed church will always listen to The True God—but this is because of supernatural grace given us in our regenerations in Jesus.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What Satan did in tempting man to fall is made an occasion of the contrary to what he intended in that it gave occasion for God to glorify Himself all the more, and gives occasion for the elect being brought to higher happiness.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Wisdom of God"]

Wed., 1/26/22 Devotion (Acts 26:28-29)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 26:28 & 29, which says this:

"Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You almost persuade me to become a Christian.' And Paul said, 'I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me to-day, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.' "

Did we realize that believing Christian church members are the only people in the whole world who actually have both the right and the responsibility to urge all other people everywhere to become exactly as we are (with regard to our faith in Christ, and our union with Him and each other in the church)? That is a stunningly bold and audacious fact.

But *all* people everywhere also desire that everyone else be "like them," too. This is because all sinners want to justify themselves, as they take com-fort from others who share in their errors. True Christians, on the other hand, want everyone to be "like us," so that everybody can be happy and free (in the truest sense) in Jesus Christ alone.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is said of Christ and David, that their hearts were eaten up with a holy zeal for God's house.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict with Itself"]

Tues., 1/25/22 Devotion (Gen. 26:18)

Today's encouragement comes from Genesis 26:18, where we read these words:

"And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them."

This is a really sweet verse to encourage healthy church life today, or in any era. Isaac went back to the original wells of water that his father Abraham had enjoyed. The world today, just like the Philistines of old, is always seeking to "stop up" the sources of the church's grace and joy, received from our Father through Christ.

. . . But, instead of responding to the problem by trying "new things," Abra-ham's son goes back to the *old* tried and true springs of life. Let us live by this principle, too. The faithful church is to call all people to the well of life found only in the Christ of the gospel of grace. And we are to employ the same truths our fathers relished. The "old paths" are better—just as the prophet said, in Jeremiah 6:16a.

[Puritan quote of the day: "A Christian must neither be a dead sea nor a rag-ing sea.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict with Itself"]

Mon., 1/24/22 Devotion (Acts 24:14)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 24:14, which finds Paul saying this:

"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets." (ESV)

This is a pretty bold statement made here by the former super-strict pharisee, regarding the comprehensive primacy of the New Covenant church's worship and life. Whatever Paul may have still (provisionally) performed—in reference to the old temple and the old forms—it was done, not out of the vitals of true worship, but as a civil nod to a passe, eclipsed system. He viewed New Cov-enant church worship as the genuine fulfillment of "the Law and the Proph-ets."

May we do the same; and have Paul's attitude and perspective. To lose God's worship through Jesus Christ, is to lose our souls.

[Puritan quote of the day: "God calls upon us from time to time in HIs Word. He is calling us by His written Word and by His preached Word from Sabbath to Sabbath.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "It is Well for us that God is Not as we are"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 1/21-23/22 Devotion

So as to help prepare us for this world's highest calling, viz. Sunday church worship, here are some great words from Thomas Watson's sweet little book, entitled, "The Doctrine of Repentance":

"This resolution [to leave sin] must be built upon the strength of Christ more than our own ["strength"]. It must be a humble resolution. As David, when he went against Goliath, put off his presumptuous confidence in himself, as well as his armor, saying, 'I come to you, [Goliath], in the Name of the Lord,' (1 Sam. 17:45)—so we must conquer our 'Goliath-lusts' in the strength of

Christ. . . .

"Being conscious of our own inability to leave sin, let us get Christ to be bound with us and engage His strength for the mortifying of corruption."