Fri.-Sabbath, 11/28-30/08 Devotion

Wahoo--it's *almost* Sunday--it's just two days away! In order to help get you ready for church, here is the great TW, from his "Doctrine of Repentance" book:

"Compare sin with hell, and you shall see that sin is worse. Torment has its emphasis in hell, yet nothing there is as bad as sin. Hell is of God's making, but sin is none of His making. Sin is the devil's creature. The torments of hell are a burden only to the sinner, but sin is a burden to God: 'I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves,' (Amos. 2:13). In the torments of hell there is something that is good, namely, the execution of divine justice. There is justice to be found in hell, but sin is a piece of the highest injustice. It would rob God of His glory, Christ of His purchase, the soul of its happiness. Judge then if sin be not a most hateful thing, which is worse than affliction or hell."

Thurs., 11/27/08 Devotion (Lk. 11:37)

Happy Thanksgiving Day, (that great American, and Puritan holiday)!

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 11:37, fittingly, on this day. There, we read these words:

"And as [Jesus] spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat."

Our Lord Jesus had some pretty sumptuous meals during His bodily ministry on earth. The pharisees--though short on humility--were typically long on show (and abundance). What do we learn from Christ's willingness to eat, even with a pharisee? That the gospel is to go to *all* sorts of people--particularly those in the very *worst* spiritual conditions (as was the case with the pharisees).

The dinner conversation turned a bit gnarly, as we see in vv. 39 ff., but even there our Redeemer was doing his guest a favor, by exposing his sin, and directing him to Himself.

[Puritan quote of the day: "So let us seriously and fruitfully consider what excellent times the Lord has set us in, and respond thankfully and obediently." --Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]

Wed., 11/26/08 Devotion (Lk. 10:20)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 10:20, where we read these words of our Savior:

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Churchmen are to rejoice (always), but we need to be a bit careful concerning those things about which we delight. The disciples (above) were thrilled that the devil cowered before them. Christ, on the other hand, would have them direct their excitement to the fact that they were sealed in heaven, by the blood of the Lamb.

The church's conquest of sin, sinners, Satan, and his demons is all a good thing. But we must always keep in mind the fact that God takes pleasure in positive salvation much more than He does the destruction of the wicked--and so should we.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Do you wonder why the grace of God has found such enemies as it always has, especially in religions in which works are mingled with grace?" --Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]

Tues., 11/25/08 Devotion (Lk. 9:56a)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 9:56a, where we read these words from the lips of our Savior:

"For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."

I was impressed, in reading Luke, ch. 9 today, at how Jesus would have His gospel preached, and His kingdom (church) established no matter how much opposition and rejection there might be to this happening. But the answer to resistance is not to call upon God's harsh judgment on sinners (as James and John had sought to do, in v. 54). Instead, it is simply to go to the next person, and/or town, and bring the message to others.

This is highly-helpful for us, since we tend to get discouraged by the general state of things today. Instead of getting down, let us get excited about telling people of the One who came, not to destroy them, but to save them.

[Puritan quote of the day: "As the sun rises by degrees till it comes to shine in glory, so it was with the Sun of Righteousness [Christ]. He revealed Himself in the church little by little." --Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]

Mon., 11/24/08 Devotion (Lk. 8:1a, 39b)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 8:1a & 39b, where we read these words:

"Now it came to pass, afterward, that [Jesus] went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. . . . And [the formerly demon-possessed man] went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him."

Here is a great pattern of how true Christianity works. Jesus' gospel is proclaimed from the church's pulpits, the cities of the world are filled with Christ's doctrine (cf. Acts 5:28b), and the individually-redeemed saints bring this good news to everyone they can.

Today, just like then, what Christ preaches through His clergy, the parishioners proclaim in their worlds and spheres of influence. In this way "every city" and "whole cit[ies]" are reached with the gospel of grace.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What would become of us if there were not grace above sin, and mercy above misery, and power in Christ Jesus above all the power in Satan and death?" --Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 11/21-23/08 Devotion

Hip, hip, hooray--it's almost Sunday! (Hey, that rhymes!) In order to help get you ready for church, here is Thomas Watson, from his book, "The Beatitudes":

"Let us carry ourselves as the children of God in magnanimity and heroicalness [as heroes]. The saints are high-born. They are of the true bloodroyal, born of God. They must do nothing sneakingly or sordidly. They must not fear the faces of men. As said that brave-spirited Nehemiah, 'Shall such a man as I flee?' (Neh. 6:11). So, should a child of God say, 'Shall I be afraid to do my duty? Shall I unworthily comply and prostitute myself to the lusts and humours of men?'? The children of the Most High should do nothing to stain or dishonour their noble birth. A king's son scorns to do anything that is below him."

Thurs., 11/20/08 Devotion (Lk. 4:20)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 4:20, where we read these words:

"Then He [Jesus] closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him."

In this world, the only time the people of God can collectively gaze upon Jesus intently is in church on Sunday. In today's text (above), the Lord Christ is keeping the old Sabbath. The citizens of Nazareth are, too. They have heard the Word of God read (by Christ), and now the Messiah is about to expound on it. As He does so, the congregants are locked-in on the Redeemer.

This is a good pattern for all who would be Christ's followers today. Let *us* "fix our eyes on Jesus," (as per Heb. 12:2a). Then, upon leaving church, let us love and follow the Savior, (rather than seek to throw Him off the cliff, as the Nazarenes had hoped to do).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ is called grace. He is the grace of God clothed with man's nature." --Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]