Wed., 9/9/26 Devotion (1 Cor. 14:40)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Corinthians 14:40, where we read these words:

"Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Paul ends the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians with these words (above). Earlier, he had given specific instructions about Sunday church worship in the con-gregation (in Corinth). Though the tongues/prophecy detail is now abrogated, in that God's full written revelation is now completed—everything was to be done, "decently and in order.”

The Lord is in no way a "kill-joy"; and His insistence on dignity and decorum in His worship is not designed to dishearten us. Instead, the exact opposite is true. God provides structure and order, so that in the church—particularly in Sunday worship—we have a practical "anchor," since we have to deal with a disordered and confused world (the rest of the week).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Flesh and blood may have its fears and disquiets, but grace checks them.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Content-ment"]

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Tues., 9/8/26 Devotion (1 Cor. 13:13)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Corinthians 13:13, which says this:

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Love is greater than faith and hope, because love, like Christ, salvation, and the church lasts forever. As great as faith is—and it is *very* great because it is the grace by which we apprehend Christ and His righteousness—nonethe-less, in glory (heaven) it will not be necessary. The same can be said about hope, (which is also a marvelous mercy of God to us).

But love is special, because it will be perfected (and continued forever) in heaven; and it is to be our creed here on earth. True faith and true hope al-ways lead to inevitable (and invincible) love. Let us live in Christ's love today, and in so doing, bring Him a lot of glory.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a sinful modesty in Christians that they are not more free with their ministers and other spiritual friends in unburdening them-selves and opening the sores and troubles of their souls to them.” —Thomas Watson, in "The Doctrine of Repentance"]

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Mon., 9/7/26 Devotion (1 Cor. 12:31)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Corinthians 12:31, where we read these words:

"But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”

After the Apostle Paul spent most of a chapter describing various spiritual gifts given to the church—some of which are still in use today; and others of which are not—he enjoins us to go after the "best” ones; but then tells us of "a more excellent way." This superlative path, of course, is that of love, eluci-dated so famously in the next chapter (1 Cor. 13).

Gifts and love are not at odds; but love is greater in every way. Gifts are of no account without love. The devil has excellent gifts (from God), but he has no proper love (for God). Let us employ our various God-given abilities fully and well—but let us always do it out of love for Christ, His gospel, and His church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "If temptations arise from natural causes, then natural means, as medicines, are to be used and applied, and people would do well to be persuaded thereunto.” —William Bridge, in "A Lifting Up For the Downcast"]

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Wed., 9/2/26 Devotion (Ps. 42:1-2)

Today's encouragement comes from David's words, as they are found in Psalm 42:1 & 2:

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”

For some reason, David had been separated from Jerusalem and the temple there. He could hardly wait to get back into the corporate worship of the God he loved so much. Though he could pray to his Lord, "from the heights of Hermon," (v. 6)—it was not the same to him, as when he joyfully went up to the "house of God," (v. 4).

Do we take delight in worshipping the True God in Jesus Christ, as His church? You can always tell a true saint: he or she longs to be God’s sweet presence, in the church worship service and in the prayer closet.

[Edwards quote of the day: "Defilers and profaners of ordinances, by known and allowed wickedness, provoke God more than the heathen who have no ordinances.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "A Warning To Professors of Religion"]

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Tues., 9/1/26 Devotion (Ps. 40:17a)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 40, v. 17a, which says this:

"But I am poor and needy; yet the LORD thinks upon me. . . . “

King David wrote these words (above). He was "poor and needy" in that he knew he was bankrupt before God—possessing no inherent righteousness of his own. All of David's favor with God came through his union (by faith) with Christ. But what is very intriguing in this verse is the expression, "The LORD thinks upon me."

Can we picture the God who created the entire universe "thinking” “upon" us, His church? He does. We may not think of ourselves as particularly interest-ing—but the body of Christ, and the individual members of the church are of infinite interest to God. He "thinks" on us; and all His thoughts are for our good, our welfare, our betterment, and our prosperity in Christ. Let *us* think on Jesus today; and thank God for His goodness.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Do not say thus, 'I shall never be helped; I am in a sad condition and shall never be better.' . . . This you cannot say, for who knows what God will do?” —William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up For the Down-cast"]

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Mon., 8/31/26 Devotion (Ps. 39:7)

Today's encouragement comes from the words of Psalm 39:7, which say this:

"And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."

In vv. 4-6, David had surveyed his life, and determined that there was not really much to it, with respect to its timeframe on earth. Now, it is as if he says to God, "In light of the brevity of my existence here in this world, what does it all amount to? What am I here for? What am I to do?" And the answer, by grace, is, "I am here for You, Lord. You are the only One I hope in."

What do we "wait for"? If it is for anything less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself we are wasting our lives, and our days. Let us put *all* our hope in Jesus. Let us patiently and faithfully "wait" for Him—joyfully doing God’s will as we anticipate His deliverances of us.

[Puritan quote of the day: "True [gospel] mourning begins in the love of God, and ends in the hatred of sin.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Beatitudes"]

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Fri.-Sabbath, 8/21-23/26 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday! We get to go back to church again. In order to help us get ready for the Lord's Day, here is Martin Luther, from his preface to his "Galatians" commentary. . . .

"Just as the earth does not generate rain and cannot of itself work to produce it, but receives it by the mere gift of God from above, so this heavenly right-eousness is given us by God without our working for or deserving it. See, then, how much the earth is able by itself to do in getting showers of rain to make it fruitful; that much, and no more, are we able to do by our own strength and works in winning this heavenly and eternal righteousness. We shall never be able to attain it unless God Himself bestows it on us, imputing it to us by His gift beyond words. The greatest wisdom of Christians, then, is to have nothing to do with the law and works and the whole of active right-eousness, especially when the conscience wrestles with God's judgment. On the other hand, the quintessence of wisdom among those who are not among God's people is to know and earnestly follow the law and active righteous-ness."

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