Fri.-Sabbath, 5/27-29/22 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday! So as to help prepare us for the Lord's Day's church worship, here are some good words from the Jonathan Ed-wards, as they are taken from his sermon entitled, "God Glorified in Man's Dependence”:

"The grace of God in bestowing this gift of salvation is completely free. God was under no obligation to bestow this grace. He might well have rejected fal-len man as He did the fallen angels. We never did anything to merit God’s grace; it was given to us while we were yet God’s enemies, and before we had so much as even repented. It was from the love of God, who saw no ex-cellency in us to attract it. . . .

"And it is from mere grace that the benefits of Christ are applied to such and such particular persons. Those who are called and sanctified are to attribute it to the good pleasure of God's goodness alone, by which they are distinguish-ed. God is sovereign, and has mercy on who He will have mercy."

Thurs., 5/26/22 Devotion (1 Jn. 5:4)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 John 5:4, where we read these words:

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

This is a favorite verse of mine—partly because it confirms so much hope for life in this world. Do we realize that regenerate churchmen who walk with Jesus are lords over the devil, his horde, and all persons who hope in inferior religions? This does not mean that we are sinless (because we are not); and it does not make us tyrants (because that is not how Jesus rules).

. . . But our faith in Christ provides us a perfect victory over all the fallen world; and we need not fear it, submit to its ways, nor be in any way manipu-lated by it. Let all God's children rejoice in their Redeemer; and let us always recognize the absolute primacy of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "It is not so much the sins we have committed that so provoke and grieve Christ as that we refuse the [medicine] of repentance which He prescribes.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]

Wed., 5/25/22 Devotion (1 Jn. 4:16a)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 John 4:16a, where we read these few words:

"And we have known and believed the love that God has for us . . . "

It is a huge blessing for Christians in the true church to know and believe that God loves us. This is especially true, since in our natural state of sin we hated God. But now, as we are in Jesus, we are loved by Him; and we love Him (cf. v. 10a). Now, because we recognize that we are loved by God, and we actu-ally believe the incredible fact of this truth—we cannot do enough for Christ. God's love now "compels" us, (2 Cor. 5:14), to a lively obedience.

If we do not know and believe that God loves us, then we will inevitably show ourselves to be spiritually unfaithful—since we will seek our affection from idols. This is why it is imperative that Christians get a solid interest in Jesus’ gospel—so that we are the genuine objects of His love.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Such as think totally to ruin the church, must do it in a time when it is neither day nor night, for the Lord keeps [the church] by His providence night and day.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]

Tues., 5/24/22 Devotion (1 Jn. 3:8b)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 John 3:8b, where the apostle wrote these words:

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."

I really like this half-verse a lot. I am glad that Jesus came to earth to “destroy the works of the devil.” I am happy that the true church’s gentle and tender Chief Shepherd takes up arms against His (and our) foes—and utterly obliter-ates them.

Christ did not come here to pander to the works of the devil, to put up with the works of the devil, to promote the lies of the works of the devil, and/or to countenance the works of the devil. Instead, our beautiful and strong Re-deemer came here to “destroy the works of the devil.” May all the church’s real saints exclaim, “Amen!"

[Puritan quote of the day: "If we love God, our hearts ache for the dishonor done to God by wicked men.” —Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]

Mon., 5/23/22 Devotion (Ps. 77:13)

Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 77:13, where Asaph wrote these words:

"Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?"

God always operates from His sanctuary. The Old Covenant sanctuary was a type of heaven, (cf. Heb. 8:4-5). In the heavenly sanctuary today, the Son of God intercedes for His saints by virtue of His atoning death, (cf. Heb. 7:25). The gathered church in Sunday worship constitutes the place of God's sanc-tuary, (cf. 1 Pet. 2:4-5). And finally, the individual hearts of the regenerate churchmen are also the place of His sanctuary, (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16).

*From* God's sanctuary goes forth praise of Christ, and the evangelism of the world. Let us be thankful that the true God is the God of the sanctuary: the place of worship and rest.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Here is a pillar of support to every soul who has broken off sin and espoused holiness. This is an undoubted evidence that you are a true child of God.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Mischief of Sin"]

Fri.-Sabbath, 5/20-22/22 Devotion

In order to help God's people prepare for their highest and holiest privilege in this world: that being the Lord's Day observance of worship and rest, let us consider these excellent words of the great Puritan pastor Jeremiah Bur-roughs, from his outstanding book, entitled, "Gospel Remission.” . . .

"Though we ministers of Christ preach against the vanities and deceptions of this world, this is neither the main thing we do, nor is it the right method of preaching—as we minister to the hearts of people—nor is this the great end of Christ's ascension. Jesus did not give gifts principally for these things, but rather to reveal the great doctrine of the pardon of sin.

"Ministers need not flit about, in order to get esteem and love, and to make themselves honorable among the people. If they would simply apply them-selves to preaching the great doctrine God has assigned to them—that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their sin—they cannot help but gain respect in the hearts of those to whom God has appoint-ed this mercy."

Thurs., 5/19/22 Devotion (Isa. 19:24-25)

Today's encouragement comes from Isaiah 19:24 & 25, which finds the pro-phet writing these remarkable words:

"In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, 'Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inherit-ance.' "

We should be so encouraged by the New Covenant's promises of the gos-pel’s and the church's universality, and realized victory. For Isaiah to pro-phesy these words must have seemed extremely preposterous and impos-sible to his contemporaries. But, because of the coming of the "Rod from the stem of Jesse [Christ]," (Isa. 11:1 ff.)—the fulfillment of this prophecy was not only possible, but inevitable. (For a good NT explanation of the folding togeth-er of all the nations into the church, see Eph. 2, esp. at vv. 11-13.)

Let us revel in the wonderful strength of our Savior Jesus Christ; and thank God for His comprehensive rule of the entire world.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Which of these two is more fit to take place, God's justice or man's reason? . . . The plumb line of our reason is too short to fa-thom the depth of God's justice.” —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]