Tues., 3/3/26 Devotion (Lk. 17:21b)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 17:21b, where we read these words of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ:

“ ‘ . . . for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.’ ” (ESV)

I rather like the ESV’s translation (here/above). When asked, “When the king-dom . . . would come?”—our Savior said (in so many words), “It is already here. It is here in ME Myself. I am the very ‘essence’ of the king-dom of God.”

Many contemporary alleged “kingdom-seekers” are idolaters. There is no “kingdom of God” where Jesus is not. This kingdom is everywhere Jesus is, (and this includes His faithful church on earth).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ's church is the house which He has built on a perfect number of pillars so that it might be stable, resting on a good foun-dation.” —John Owen, in, "Communion With God"]

Mon., 3/2/26 Devotion (Lk. 16:16)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 16:16, where we read these words:

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.” (ESV)

Sometimes we regenerated Christian churchmen forget that everyone wants and seeks after what *we* already possess in Jesus Christ. The only thing that matters in the world is Jesus, His gospel, and His church. Everyone knows this in his or her heart—and they are all “pressing in” to get a piece of the action.

But only those who submit in faith to the King (Jesus) receive His blessings. Let us preach the good news; and know and believe that God will draw His elect unto Himself, and place them in Christ’s body, His church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "If we once get the victory over ourselves, all other things are conquered with ease.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict With Itself"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 2/27-3/1/26 Devotion

Praise God, the Sabbath Day (Sunday) is almost here! We get to go back to church. In order to help us get ready for worship, here are great words from Augustine’s “City of God” book. (This comes from Book 14, Chapter 13). . . .

“Yet man did not fall away to the extent of losing all being; but when he had turned towards himself his being was less real than when he adhered to Him who exists in a supreme degree. And so, to abandon God and to exist in one-self, that is to please oneself, is not immediately to lose all being; but it is to come nearer to nothingness. That is why the proud are given another name in holy Scripture; they are called, ’self-pleasers.’ . . .

“Thus, in a surprising way, there is something in humility to exalt the mind, and something in exaltation to abase it. It certainly appears somewhat para-doxical that exaltation abases and humility exalts. But devout humility makes the mind subject to what is superior. Nothing is superior to God; and that is why humility exalts the mind by making it subject to God. . . . "

Thurs., 2/26/26 Devotion (Lk. 12:22a)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 12:22a, where we read this:

“And [Jesus] said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life . . . ’ " (ESV)

In this context, the reason (the “therefore”), we are not to be “anxious” about our “life,” is the fact that our “treasure” and “riches” are in God, through Christ (see v. 21). Those whose hope is in anything (or anyone) other than Jesus, are inevitably enslaved to a life of anxiety.

Anxiety is inherent in all things not connected to Christ; peace is tied to every-thing that is united to Him. Do we wish to be free of anxiety? Then, let us cling to and sincerely love Jesus our Messiah.

[Augustine quote of the day: “Some of our fellow Christians are astonished to learn that Plato had such ideas about God and to realize how close they are to the truths of our faith.” —from, “City of God,” Bk. 8.]

Wed., 2/25/26 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 these questions (above). They are actually very im-portant queries. The answer to the first one, is, "No one can be righteous be-fore God on one's own. What is necessary is an 'alien' righteousness." This "alien" righteousness is that of Jesus Christ Himself, as His perfect atone-ment and righteousness is imputed to sinful souls by the Holy Spirit, and by the sheer grace of God.

Faith follows regeneration. Regeneration is God's sovereign act of bringing to life a dead and rebellious soul. Faith is part of the gift package of regenera-tion. By faith, we fetch to our hearts the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our only righteousness. Therefore the answer to the question, "Can a [per-son] be righteous before God?,” is “Yes, absolutely!”—but only as he or she is clothed in Christ's righteousness (alone).

[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"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 2/6-8/26 Devotion

Thank God, the Sabbath Day (Sunday) is almost here! We get to go back to church. In order to help us get ready for worship, here are great words from Augustine’s “City of God” book. (This comes from Book 14, Chapter 4). . . .

“So when man lives by the standard of truth he lives not by his own standard, but by God’s. For it is God who has said, ‘I am the Truth.’ By contrast, when he lives by his own standard, that is by man’s and not by God’s standard, then inevitably he lives by the standard of falsehood. Not that man himself is falsehood, since his author and creator is God, who is certainly not the author and creator of falsehood. The fact is that man was created right, on condition that he should live by the standard of his creator, not by his own, carrying out not his own will but his creator’s. Falsehood consists in not living in the way for which he was created.

“Man has undoubtedly the will to be happy, even when he pursues happiness by living in a way which makes it impossible of attainment. What could be more of a falsehood than a will like that? Hence we can say with meaning that every sin is a falsehood. . . . What is the reason for this, except that well-be-ing can only come to man from God, not from himself? . . . "

Thurs., 2/5/26 Devotion (Rom. 8:16)

Today's encouragement comes from Romans 8:16, which says this:

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of

God . . . ” (ESV)

If today you know in your heart of hearts that you are an elect/forgiven/justif-ied/sanctified/glorified/beloved sinner-saint Christian churchman, then this precious realization is solely the result of the Holy Spirit having confirmed this reality and truth with and in your own spirit.

No one else in the whole world “knows” beyond any shadow of a doubt, that he or she is actually perfectly “right” with the Holy God, except those who are truly born again to a living hope in Jesus Christ, (cf. 1 Pet. 1:3).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Saul's sparing Agag lost him the kingdom, and your sparing sin will lose you the kingdom of heaven.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Mischief of Sin"]