Fri.-Sabbath, 5/8-10/26 Devotion

Thank God—Sunday is almost here again! In order to help us get ready for church, check out these good words re. Jonathan Edwards’ views—as they are related in Robert D. Smart’s book, “Jonathan Edwards’s Apologetic For The Great Awakening.” . . .

“Pride and prejudice were, in Edwards’s mind, the first occasion ‘whence the errors’ [of some of the Awakening's promoters] arose. Spiritual pride was ‘the chief inlet of smoke,’ ‘the main handle,’ ‘the chief source,’ ‘the main support of all the rest,’ ‘the first sin,’ and ‘the last that is rooted out.’ Of all the kinds of pride, spiritual pride was ‘the most hidden and difficultly discovered.’ Humility, on the other hand, was the way of safety: ‘Nothing sets a person so much out of the Devil’s reach as humility.’ . . . [Edwards] contrasted the proud with the humble. Promoters [of the Awakening] needed even more watchfulness and prayerfulness against spiritual pride than before the Awakening, for although at a time of God-given revival, ‘there be much to restrain pride one way, there is much to tempt and provoke it another.’ God’s favor was no justification, he argued, for the appearance or reality of spiritual pride.” [emphases mine]

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Thurs., 5/7/26 Devotion (Heb. 12:18a, 22a)

Today's encouragement comes from Hebrews 12:18a & 22a, where we read these amazing words:

“For you have not come to what may be touched . . . [to] a blazing fire . . . But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God . . . ” (ESV)

The redeemed New Covenant church does not come to one place; but she does come to another one. We do not come to Mt. Sinai and the law; but we do come to Mt. Zion where we find Christ and His gospel.

All people in the world come to one of these two mountains. All the unregenerate, still stuck in Adam’s sin, come to Mt. Sinai. All the regenerate, liberated in Jesus’ blood, come to Mt. Zion.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The heart is that which the devil strives hardest for. Never did he so strive for the body of Moses as he does for the heart of man. In religion the heart is all.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repent-ance"]

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Wed., 5/6/26 Devotion (Heb. 11:39-40)

Today's encouragement comes from Hebrews 11:39 & 40, where we read these amazing words:

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (ESV)

The great Old Covenant church saints were “desir[ing] a better country” (v. 16)—one that we now possess, in the fullness of Jesus Christ’s incarnation/ atonement/resurrection/ascension/session in heaven. Their “perfection” (v. 40) could only happen when and as they were united with the New Covenant church—as all together we enjoy the benefits of Christ’s redemption.

. . . Is there a “heavenly” city (v. 16) towards which we are still moving? Yes; but we have already entered its precincts through our faith in and union with our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The law is but a dead letter in comparison to the word of the gospel. If you come merely to the law to hear the law preached, and not in a [gospel] way, you may hear it a hundred times and it will never be written in your hearts.” —Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Worship"]

Tues., 5/5/26 Devotion (Num. 13:30)

Today's encouragement comes from Numbers 13:30, where we read these words:

"Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, 'Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.’ "

We have to love Caleb’s faith and attitude (here). Sure, there were giants in Canaan; yes, their cities were fortified; granted, the Israelites were outnum-bered. But, who cares? The church of Christ has the Triune God on our side(!) What chance do the Lord’s enemies have, as they oppose us?

Even today: what do we need to fear? Enemies? Big numbers of antagon-ists? Insurmountable problems (from a human point of view)? None of these can overcome King Jesus and His redeemed church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "True saving peace loves to be examined, it is will-ing to be examined, it loves to be tried.” —William Bridge, in "A Lifting Up For the Downcast"]

Mon., 5/4/26 Devotion (Num. 11:29b)

Today's encouragement comes from Numbers 11:29b, where these words are found:

“ . . . Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” (ESV)

Joshua, Moses’ aide, had been concerned, that some “ordinary” believers had begun “prophesying” in the camp. Moses’ response is, “Great! I wish there were a lot more!” Because he was secure in Christ Jesus (to come), Moses was not threatened by the proliferation of the Spirit’s giftedness amongst the Old Covenant church.

May all God’s truly born-again saints pray for/wish for/and encourage the full-ness and blessing of the Holy Spirit upon the elect church, as we minister in this world.

[Edwards quote of the day: "Hence we learn that a life of holiness is the pleasantest life in this world, because in such a life we have the imperfect be-ginnings of a blessed and endless sight of God.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Pure in Heart Blessed"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 5/1-3/26 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday! In order to help us get ready for church, here is Thomas Watson, from his book, "The Ten Commandments.” . . .

"The grand reason for changing the Jewish Sabbath to the Lord's Day is that it puts us in mind of the 'Mystery of our redemption by Christ.' The reason why God instituted the old Sabbath was to be a memorial of the creation; but He has now brought the first day of the week in its room [place] in memory of a more glorious work than creation, which is redemption. Great was the work of creation, but greater was the work of redemption. As it was said, 'The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former,' (Hag. 2:9). So the glory of the redemption was greater than the glory of the creation.

"Great wisdom was seen in making us, but more miraculous wisdom in sav-ing us. Great power was seen in bringing us out of nothing, but greater power in helping us when we were worse than nothing. It cost more to redeem than to create us. In creation it was but speaking a word (Ps. 148:5); in redeeming there was shedding of blood (1 Pet. 1:19). Creation was the work of God's fingers, (Ps. 8:3), redemption was the work of His arm, (Lk. 1:51). In creation, God gave us ourselves; in the redemption, He gave us Himself. By creation, we have life in Adam; by redemption, we have life in Christ, (Col. 3:3). By creation, we had a right to an earthly paradise: by redemption, we have a title to a heavenly kingdom. Christ might well change the seventh day of the week into the first, as it puts us in mind of our redemption, which is a more glorious work than creation."

Wed., 4/8/26 Devotion (Ps. 16:3)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 16:3, where we read these words from David’s pen:

“As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” (ESV)

The older I got, the more I realized that the truly “beautiful” people, the genuinely “interesting” souls, and the sincerely “lovely" human beings all share one common trait: they all love God in Jesus Christ; and they all love the church and gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Everyone else is “average,” “ordinary,” “pedestrian.” But some of them are also elect unto glory in Jesus—and we are to bring the good news to all of them, in sincere love.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Despair is often the ground of hope.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Soul's Conflict With Itself"]

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