Fri.-Sabbath, 10/28-30/22 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday (even “Reformation Sunday”)! We *get* to go back to church! In order to help us prepare for Sabbath worship, here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Plea For the Godly" book. Here, he explains how much the Father loves the true and regenerated church. . . .

"See how dearly God loves the righteous and how near to His heart they lie. They are more excellent. The word 'excellent' carries affection in it. Things we prize we love. The righteous are God's treasure, (Psalm 135:4); and where His treasure is there is His heart. They are God's delicious garden where He plants the flower of His love. They are the dearly beloved of His soul. They are His darlings. He engraves them upon the palms of His hands that they may never be out of His eye. He rejoices over them with joy and rests in His love.

"It is no ordinary affection that God bears to the righteous. The sun shining upon a burning glass sets on fire only the object that is near the glass. The beams of God's love are more intensely enflamed towards them who are near Him by grace; these have the strength and spirits of His love distilled, He loves them as He loves Christ. Indeed, in one sense, God's love to Christ and believers is not alike, for Christ is loved purely for His own sake but believers are loved for Christ's sake. Yet, in another sense, God the Father loves be-lievers as He loves Christ. It is the same love for the quality, the same for the unchangeableness of it. God will no more cease to love believers than He will to love Christ."

Thurs., 10/27/22 Devotion (Ps. 119:52)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 119:52, where we read these words:

"I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, and have comforted myself."

The best way to get a good perspective on the present and the future, is to heartily believe in the God who has decreed all things in eternity past. It is al-so helpful to remember how gracious the Lord has been to His church in days gone by. All this has the effect of giving us confidence and peace in the cur-rent situations (be they "good" or "bad").

But only the faithful churched Christian can do any of this happy “remember-ing." For unbelievers, their musings on God are *not* comforting at all. After all, God's "judgments" are just that for them—unless they come by grace to faith in Christ. For us believers, on the other hand, God's judgment has al-ready been poured out on Jesus (on the cross) for us. We can and should re-joice in the forgiveness of our sins.

[Puritan quote of the day: "God intermixes mercy with affliction. He steeps His sword of justice in the oil of mercy. There was no night so dark but Israel had a pillar of fire in it.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]

Wed., 10/26/22 Devotion (2 Ki. 7:9a)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Kings 7:9a, which says this:

"Then they said to one another, 'We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. . . . ' "

These words were spoken by four lepers who found great booty in the Syrian army camp, that had been miraculously deserted. They could have kept the wonderful news to themselves, and simply glutted themselves with food and delights—or they could share it with others, who (like them) were starving to death.

So is it the case with the gospel. Those who, by grace, feed on Christ and His goodness every Lord’s Day and throughout the week, ought to have compas-sion and concern for those who do not. What do we have to offer them? The Christ of the good news of salvation. We are all spiritual lepers before we are converted to Jesus, the Bread of Life.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The people of God are begotten through the edu-cation, instruction, and endeavors of those who were God's people before. Therefore, the church is represented in Scripture as being the mother of its members, (Gal. 4:26).” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "Christians a Chosen Generation"]

Tues., 10/25/22 Devotion (2 Ki. 6:33b)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Kings 6:33b, where we find these words:

" . . . And then the king [of Israel] said, 'Surely this calamity is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?' "

Many people fail in their religion because of impatience. Here, the king of Is-rael is right: God sent the trouble with which they were dealing. But he was wrong, in thinking that it was futile to "wait for the LORD any longer." Little did he know that in the very next chapter God would bring about a great and mir-aculous deliverance.

If we are almost at the ends of our ropes today, and we are tempted to give up on God—let us be sure not to do this. The Lord is always faithful to His church; and all alternatives to Christ only lead to much worse disasters (in this world, and in the one to come).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Oh, do not let the devil be your master, nor the world your god. Do not let sin cheat and impose upon you with its false and counterfeit delights.” —Timothy Rogers, in, "Trouble of Mind and the Disease of Melancholy"]

Mon., 10/24/22 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 righ-teous deeds, but because of Your great mercies."

If we had to approach God, and present our petitions to Him based on our righteous deeds, we would never come to the Lord, ever. Besides that, we would have no basis for our prayers, because we do not possess any righte-ous deeds that can save us, or even recommend us to God. Daniel, a true believer, understood this gospel truth, (see above).

We come to God on the basis of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed to us churched saints, by sovereign grace. This is the ground on which we pro-perly approach God. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who come to Him bearing Jesus in the arms of faith. But He disregards all other petitions.

[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"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 10/21-23/22 Devotion

Praise God—Sunday is almost here. Here is Thomas Watson, from "All Things for Good," or, "A Divine Cordial.” . . .

"The word preached works for good. It is a savor of life, it is a soul-transform-ing word. It assimilates the heart into Christ’s likeness; it produces assurance. 'Our gospel came to you not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance,' (1 Thess. 1:5). It is the chariot of salvation.

"Prayer works for good. Prayer is the bellows of the affection; it blows up holy desires and ardors of soul. Prayer has power with God. It is a key that un-locks the treasury of God’s mercy. Prayer keeps the heart open to God, and shut to sin; it assuages the intemperate hearts and swellings of lust. It was Luther’s counsel to a friend, when he perceived a temptation begin to arise, to betake himself to prayer. Prayer is the Christian’s gun, which he discharges against his enemies. Prayer is the sovereign medicine of the soul. Prayer sanctifies every mercy (1 Tim. 4:5). It is the dispeller of sorrow: by venting the grief it eases the heart. When Hannah had prayed, 'She went away, and was no more sad,' (1 Sam. 1:18). And if it has these rare effects, then it works for good."

Thurs., 10/20/22 Devotion (Ps. 111:4b, 5b)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 111:4b & 5b, where we read these words:

"The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. . . . He will ever be mindful of His covenant."

What a great God we believing churchmen serve! He is amazingly merciful; and He is totally committed to His covenant (i.e. keeping His promises to His church, in Christ's blood atonement). The world, our own flesh, and the devil are always seeking to make us think that the Lord is anything *but* "gracious and full of compassion”—but every redeemed soul knows this to be true.

Since we have such a wonderful God, let us serve Him with cheerfulness and vivacity today. While we live in this world, we have the honor and privilege of overcoming our weaknesses (by faith); and, as we do this, we can lift up the Name of the Lord Jesus before the watching world.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Though heaven is God's glorious mansion, yet it will not serve His turn. God does not think that to be enough unless He has a dwelling also in a tender, broken, humble spirit.” —Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Fear"]