Today's encouragement comes from Numbers 1:1a, which says this:
"Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month . . . "
Maybe we feel like we are in the "Wilderness of Sinai”—wandering around for years, with no apparent direction. If so, and assuming that we are faithful churchmen, let us not despair. Like Moses, we also have the "tabernacle of meeting." We are privileged to bring our sacrifices of praise to the Triune God every Lord's Day, the first day of the week.
Jesus, the anchor of our souls, will keep us tethered to Himself, no matter how difficult things may get here. God still speaks to His children today. Let us be sure to hear His voice.
[Puritan quote of the day: "But plain dealers will always be approved in the end; and the time is at hand when you will confess that they were your best friends.” —Richard Baxter, in the dedication of "The Reformed Pastor"]
Monday, April 24, 2017
Friday, April 21, 2017
Fri.-Sabbath, 4/21-23/17 Devotion
Hip, hip, hooray—it is almost Sunday! We GET to go back to church! In order to help get us ready, here is Thomas Watson, from his "Beatitudes" book. . . .
"Consider Who it is that we have engaged ourselves to in baptism. There we took our press-money [money paid to those enlisted in service]. We solemnly vowed that we would be true to Christ's interest and fight it out under His ban-ner to the death. And how often have we in the blessed Supper taken the oath of allegiance to Jesus Christ that we would be His liege-servants and that death should not part us!
"Now if when being called to it, we refuse to suffer persecution for His name, Christ will bring our baptism as an indictment against us. Christ is called 'the Captain of our salvation,' (Hebrews 2:10). We have listed ourselves by name under this Captain. Now if, for fear, we shall fly from our colors, it is perjury in the highest degree, and how shall we be able to look Christ in the face an-other day? That oath which is not kept inviolably shall be punished infallibly. Where does the 'flying roll' of curses light, but in the house of him that 'swears falsely,' (Zechariah 5:4)?"
"Consider Who it is that we have engaged ourselves to in baptism. There we took our press-money [money paid to those enlisted in service]. We solemnly vowed that we would be true to Christ's interest and fight it out under His ban-ner to the death. And how often have we in the blessed Supper taken the oath of allegiance to Jesus Christ that we would be His liege-servants and that death should not part us!
"Now if when being called to it, we refuse to suffer persecution for His name, Christ will bring our baptism as an indictment against us. Christ is called 'the Captain of our salvation,' (Hebrews 2:10). We have listed ourselves by name under this Captain. Now if, for fear, we shall fly from our colors, it is perjury in the highest degree, and how shall we be able to look Christ in the face an-other day? That oath which is not kept inviolably shall be punished infallibly. Where does the 'flying roll' of curses light, but in the house of him that 'swears falsely,' (Zechariah 5:4)?"
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Thurs., 4/20/17 Devotion (Ps. 31:14-15a)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 31:14 & 15a, where we read these words:
"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in Your hand . . . "
This perspective of David (above) is very liberating. Instead of wringing our hands in worry and uncertainty, and concern over whatever the future holds—the wise churchman leaves his or her life completely in God's hands, by faith in Christ. Where *others* are certain to wrap themselves around the axle of the anxieties of the world, and try to draw us into their faithlessness—the sincere believer resists this (natural and easy) tendency.
What is *our* outlook today: one of dark and dismal gloom; or one of hopeful grace (in Jesus)? Easter (as is also true of every Sunday) reminds us that our Redeemer lives, and that we have cause for both hope and rejoicing.
[Puritan quote of the day: "All the church's pangs help forward her deliver-ance.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]
"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in Your hand . . . "
This perspective of David (above) is very liberating. Instead of wringing our hands in worry and uncertainty, and concern over whatever the future holds—the wise churchman leaves his or her life completely in God's hands, by faith in Christ. Where *others* are certain to wrap themselves around the axle of the anxieties of the world, and try to draw us into their faithlessness—the sincere believer resists this (natural and easy) tendency.
What is *our* outlook today: one of dark and dismal gloom; or one of hopeful grace (in Jesus)? Easter (as is also true of every Sunday) reminds us that our Redeemer lives, and that we have cause for both hope and rejoicing.
[Puritan quote of the day: "All the church's pangs help forward her deliver-ance.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Wed., 4/19/17 Devotion (2 Tim. 2:8)
Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy 2:8, where we read these words:
"Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel."
Why would Paul have to remind Timothy that Jesus was raised from the dead? Because, every time he (or we) fall into fear and unbelief—we have, essentially, forgotten this most-important truth. And note that Christ is "of the seed of David." In other words, He is one of us. He understands our weak-nesses; and He has gone ahead of us, in His resurrection.
May we, today, not forget that our Savior—unlike all the false "gods" of all the world's false religions—*is* alive, even right now. Therefore, let us appeal to Him for help, in prayer.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Morality shoots short of heaven. It is only nature refined. A moral man is but old Adam dressed in fine clothes.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]
"Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel."
Why would Paul have to remind Timothy that Jesus was raised from the dead? Because, every time he (or we) fall into fear and unbelief—we have, essentially, forgotten this most-important truth. And note that Christ is "of the seed of David." In other words, He is one of us. He understands our weak-nesses; and He has gone ahead of us, in His resurrection.
May we, today, not forget that our Savior—unlike all the false "gods" of all the world's false religions—*is* alive, even right now. Therefore, let us appeal to Him for help, in prayer.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Morality shoots short of heaven. It is only nature refined. A moral man is but old Adam dressed in fine clothes.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Tues., 4/18/17 Devotion (Ps. 28:1)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 28:1, where David wrote these words:
"To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit."
God wants us, His children, to make urgent pleas to Him; and to ask Him to hear our prayers, and respond to them. It could seem odd to us who believe that God is sovereign, and knows all things, and does all things well, that He would want us to ask Him to "not be silent" to us.
But such is the personal nature of the God that we serve through our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He expects us to be honest with Him; and for us to ad-dress the world, and even our prayers to Him, with heart-felt realism, (and not a sanctified "stoicism").
[Puritan quote of the day: "When you read in the historical parts of Scripture an account of the sins of which others have been guilty, reflect on yourselves as you go along, and inquire whether you do not in some degree live in the same or like practices.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Necessity of Self-Examination"]
"To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit."
God wants us, His children, to make urgent pleas to Him; and to ask Him to hear our prayers, and respond to them. It could seem odd to us who believe that God is sovereign, and knows all things, and does all things well, that He would want us to ask Him to "not be silent" to us.
But such is the personal nature of the God that we serve through our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He expects us to be honest with Him; and for us to ad-dress the world, and even our prayers to Him, with heart-felt realism, (and not a sanctified "stoicism").
[Puritan quote of the day: "When you read in the historical parts of Scripture an account of the sins of which others have been guilty, reflect on yourselves as you go along, and inquire whether you do not in some degree live in the same or like practices.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Necessity of Self-Examination"]
Monday, April 17, 2017
Mon., 4/17/17 Dévotion (Ps. 27:1)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 27:1, where David wrote these great words:
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Life in a fallen world contains many fearful moments, events, and even peo-ple. But the believing churchman need not be overwhelmed by any of these. And the way we overcome the fear of man, is through our greater fear of God. It was only because the Lord *was* David's "light and salvation," and "the strength of [his] life”—that he was able to conquer subordinate "fears."
Are we feeling unsettled today? Let us recognize that Christ is our love, and our fear. With this perspective, we cannot be intimidated.
[Puritan quote of the day: "When the times are troublesome, [a] good con-science makes it calm. If the conscience is clear, so what if the days are cloudy?” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Life in a fallen world contains many fearful moments, events, and even peo-ple. But the believing churchman need not be overwhelmed by any of these. And the way we overcome the fear of man, is through our greater fear of God. It was only because the Lord *was* David's "light and salvation," and "the strength of [his] life”—that he was able to conquer subordinate "fears."
Are we feeling unsettled today? Let us recognize that Christ is our love, and our fear. With this perspective, we cannot be intimidated.
[Puritan quote of the day: "When the times are troublesome, [a] good con-science makes it calm. If the conscience is clear, so what if the days are cloudy?” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
Friday, April 14, 2017
Fri.-Sabbath, 4/14-16/17 Devotion
Yippee—Sunday—Easter Sunday, no less—is *just about* here! In order to get us ready for the church's Sabbath worship of God, here is the incompar-able Thomas Watson, from "A Divine Cordial," (or, "All things for Good"):
"We love a saint, though he has many personal failings. There is no perfec-tion here. In some, rash anger prevails; in some, inconstancy; in some, too much love of the world. A saint in this life is like gold in the ore, much dross of infirmity cleaves to him, yet we love him for the grace that is in him. A saint is like a fair face with a scar: we love the beautiful face of holiness, though there be a scar in it. The best emerald has its blemishes, the brightest stars their twinklings, and the best of the saints have their failings. You that cannot love another because of his infirmities, how would you have God love you?"
"We love a saint, though he has many personal failings. There is no perfec-tion here. In some, rash anger prevails; in some, inconstancy; in some, too much love of the world. A saint in this life is like gold in the ore, much dross of infirmity cleaves to him, yet we love him for the grace that is in him. A saint is like a fair face with a scar: we love the beautiful face of holiness, though there be a scar in it. The best emerald has its blemishes, the brightest stars their twinklings, and the best of the saints have their failings. You that cannot love another because of his infirmities, how would you have God love you?"
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