Wed., 4/1/26 Devotion (Col. 2:16-17)

Today's encouragement comes from Colossians 2:16 & 17, which says this:

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (ESV)

In Himself, His cross, and His resurrection, our Lord Christ “canceled” the “debt” of the “legal demands” of the old ceremonial law, (v. 14). The “shadow” is now gone/the “substance” (Christ) is now here. Because of this, the Colos-sian church (and the true church today) is no longer bound to these ceremo-nies; and the Judaizing influencers are now put to open “shame,” (v. 15).

In Jesus, “the fullness of deity dwells bodily, and [His church has] been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority,” (vv. 9-10). Praise God!

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ's prayer takes away the sins of our prayers.” —Thomas Watson, in, "All Things For Good"]

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Tues., 3/31/26 Devotion (Col. 1:10a)

Today's encouragement comes from Colossians 1:10a, where we read these words:

" . . . so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him . . . “ (ESV)

Is it not wonderful, to know that we saints of the church may be “fully pleas-ing” to the Lord? We are “fully pleasing” to God in Jesus (alone); and the evi-dence of our unqualified acceptance is our sincere, Holy Spirit-inspired desire to know and love the Triune God, (as is clear from the surrounding verses).

How could we be anything but “fully pleasing” to God the Father, when and as we love Him in and through His beloved and Only-Begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord?

[Puritan quote of the day: "God does not bring His people into troubles, and leave them there.” —Thomas Watson, in, "All Things For Good"]

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Mon., 3/30/26 Devotion (Php. 4:5b-6)

Today's encouragement comes from Philippians 4:5b & 6, where Paul wrote these words:

“ . . . The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (ESV)

I like the way the ESV configures these two verses. *Because* “The Lord is at hand,” we are able and invited (by God), to, “not be anxious about anything”; and to take everything to Him through “prayer,” etc.

If “The Lord” was *not* “at hand,” we could never do this. But our blessed Messiah, Jesus Christ, is our Immanuel, our “God *with* us.” Let all of us saints take full advantage of our heavenly inheritance in Jesus, and bring *everything* to our Triune God in prayer: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

[Puritan quote of the day: " . . . It is a matter of conscience to make our lives as comfortable as they may be.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict With Itself"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 3/27-29/26 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday. We *get* to go back to church! In order to help us get ready, here is Thomas Watson, from his "A Body of Divinity" book. TW is referring to Sanctification here. . . .

"Sanctification is a progressive thing. It is growing; it is compared to seed which grows: first the blade springs up, then the ear, then the ripe corn in the ear—such as are already sanctified may be more sanctified, (2 Cor 7:1). Jus-tification does not admit of degrees; a believer cannot be more elected or jus-tified than he is—but he may be more sanctified than he is. Sanctification is still increasing, like the morning sun, which grows brighter to the full meridian. Knowledge is said to increase, and faith to increase, (Col 1:10; 2 Cor 10:15). A Christian is continually adding a cubit to his spiritual stature. It is not with us as it was with Christ, who received the Spirit without measure; for Christ could not be more holy than He was. We have the Spirit only in measure, and may be still augmenting our grace . . . Sanctification is progressive; if it does not grow, it is because it does not live. Thus you see the nature of sanctification."

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Thurs., 3/26/26 Devotion (Eph. 6:24)

Today's encouragement comes from Ephesians 6:24, where we read these lovely closing words of the Apostle Paul:

“Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” (ESV)

Love is everything in life, faith, and religion. If we do not love Jesus Christ, then we do not love anyone or anything aright; and our lives are little more than worthless and meaningless existences.

Those who love Jesus Christ do so by grace; and they are the happy recipi-ents of more and more divine and miraculous grace—since God bountifully crowns everyone who loves His Son “with love incorruptible."

[Puritan quote of the day: "Begin with simple things, for all truth begins with simple things. A man can never write good cursive till he has first learned his letters.” —Robert Harris, in, "The Way To True Happiness"]

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Wed., 3/25/26 Devotion (Eph. 5:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Ephesians 5:1, where we read these words of Paul:

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (ESV)

I like the ESV’s use of the word “beloved” here. Beloved children of God hap-pily imitate their beloved Heavenly Father. Our Father forgives/we forgive; our Father is tenderhearted/we are tenderhearted; our Father is kind/we are kind. (All of this is as per the previous verse, Eph. 4:32.)

. . . And all of this is because of Jesus, our glorious and cherished Redeemer and elder brother. Our Father forgave us, His true church, because the blood of His beloved Son was shed for us.

[Puritan quote of the day: "A sanctified mind will make every creature a ladder to heaven.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict With Itself"]

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Tues., 3/24/26 Devotion (Eph. 4:14)

Today's encouragement comes from Ephesians 4:14, where we find these Holy Spirit-inspired words of the Apostle Paul:

“ . . . so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (ESV)

Those who are not well-shepherded fall into all the calamity listed (above). Christ-called pastors set the “anchor” for the church’s saints. The parishioners are safe, as they hold to the Head (Jesus); they are “at sea” as they abandon their only hope.

Satan and the world are ruthless, (as this verse above describes them). Let us cling to Jesus, as His church, believing the promises of the gospel of grace.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoky, offen-sive souls.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]

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