Thurs., 3/12/26 Devotion (Jn. 2:24-25)

Today's encouragement comes from John 2:24 & 25, where we read these words:

"But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

Though our Lord Jesus Christ was completely sinless, He knew what it meant to be a human being, because He was one. The human will, being created from nothing, was capable of mutation—from goodness to evil; and our Lord knew this.

. . . Because of this, (and other reasons), Jesus did not fully “commit” Himself to the whims of fallen sinners. Still, in the most profound sense, He fully committed Himself to the salvation of God’s elect fallen sinner/saints who make up His church.

 
[Augustine quote of the day: “For what is that which we call evil but the ab-sence of good?” —from, “The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love”]

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Wed., 3/11/26 Devotion (2 Cor. 10:3)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Corinthians 10:3, where we read these words:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” (ESV)

God’s truly-called church ministers are warriors—we “wage war.” We “wage war” initially in the faithful church, (see vv. 5-6); and then, after a just peace is established there (by grace), we take down all of Christ’s enemies in the world.

There are no more dangerous people on earth, than the true church’s Christ-called clergy. But, if you love Jesus (even as you know yourself to be a sin-ner), do not worry, we are exceedingly gentle and tender toward you.

[Augustine quote of the day: “And in the universe, even that which is called evil, when it is regulated and put in its own place, only enhances our admira-tion for the good.” —from, “The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love”]

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Tues., 3/10/26 Devotion (Lk. 24:45)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 24:45, where we read these amaz-ing words:

"And [Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”

We fallen sinners in Adam are so completely destitute of our spiritual senses, that we are incapable of (even) comprehending the Holy Scriptures until Jesus Christ “opens our understanding.” This is for our good. If we “under-stood” them before this time, we would be so petrified of God, that we would never want to hear/read them again.

The now-ascended Christ, with His Father, sends the Holy Spirit to “open” our "understanding.” When this happens, we behold Jesus in every word; and we read the Bible aright, for the first time.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Only Christ can satisfy the soul. All other ways and things will only end in disappointment.” —John Owen, in, "Communion With God"]

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Mon., 3/9/26 Devotion (2 Cor. 8:23b)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Corinthians 8:23b, where we read these words:

“ . . . And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.” (ESV)

The body of Christ, the people of Christ, are, in a very important sense, “the glory of Christ.” This intriguing phrase reflects Isa. 46:13c: “ . . . Israel my glory.”

The true church is the new liberated “Jerusalem” above, filled with children of the free woman (Sarah); whereas the “Jerusalem” below is in bondage, filled with the children of the slave woman (Hagar)—cf. Gal. 4:21-28. Let us as God’s beloved and forgiven people shine, as “the glory of Christ."

[Puritan quote of the day: "Are your sins high as heaven? The mercies of God are above the heavens.” —Isaac Ambrose, in, "The Christian Warrior"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 3/6-8/26 Devotion

Bless 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 17, Chapter 11). . . .

“The psalm continues, ‘For you have not created all the sons of men for no-thing.’ The truth is that all the sons of men would have been created for no-thing, had there not been one Son of Man who was the ’substance’ of Israel, a Son of Man through whom many sons of men would be set free. For at this time all mankind had fallen from the truth into futility through the sin of the first man; that is why another psalm says, ‘Man has become like a thing of futility; his life passes away like a shadow.’ Yet God did not create all the sons of men for nothing, seeing that He sets many free from this futility through Jesus the Mediator; while as for those who, in His foreknowledge, were not to be set free, He created them for the advantage of those who were to be liberated, and to mark the contrast between the two mutually opposed cities. Thus we may be sure that their creation was not in vain; it was included in a design of supreme beauty and justice, a design for the whole rational creation."

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Thurs., 3/5/26 Devotion (2 Cor. 4:4)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Corinthians 4:4, where we read these words:

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (ESV)

Those who do not believe in Jesus have become slaves of Satan. He “blinds” their “eyes,” so that they are robbed of all the best glory of earth and heaven—Who is Jesus Christ, the very image of God.

Let us pray for dear souls who have been taken captive by the devil to do his will, (2 Tim. 2:26); and gently seek to bring them to the loving Savior, (2 Tim. 2:25).

[Edwards quote of the day: "Every man is as his God is. If you would know whether a man is a godly man or not, you must inquire what his god is like.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "A Truly Godly Man Prefers God Before All Others"]

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Wed., 3/4/26 Devotion (Lk. 18:9)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 18:9, which says this:

“He [Jesus] told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: . . . ” (ESV)

The Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee is the one that most infuriates unregenerate self-righteous people. The tax collector goes home “justified”; and the devoutly-religious guy goes home condemned.

. . . The spiritual chasm between these two human beings is not what they do, but what they say. The pharisee says, “I am better than the publican.” The tax collector says, “I am nothing but a vile sinner.” The sinner is justified unto glory; the religious hypocrite is condemned unto perdition.

[Puritan quote of the day: "We need to understand that when we come to hear the Word, we come to hear that which has so much life in it that every sermon we hear we must expect to be nearer heaven or nearer hell.” —Jere-miah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Fear"]