Fri.-Sabbath, 11/28-30/25 Devotion

Thank God—Sunday is almost here! Again, we get to go back to church. In order to help us prepare for Sabbath Worship, here are some great words from Jonathan Edwards, from his, “The History of the Work of Redemption” book. . . .

“If it had not been for the history of the Old Testament, how woefully should we have been left in the dark about many things which the church of God needs to know! How ignorant should we have been of God’s dealings towards mankind, and towards His church, from the beginning! We would have been wholly in the dark about the creation of the world, the Fall of man, the first rise and continued progress of the dispensations [eras] of grace towards fallen mankind! And we should have known nothing how God at first set up a church in the world, and how it was preserved; after what manner He govern-ed it from the beginning; how the light of the gospel first began to dawn in the world; how it increased, and how things were preparing for the coming of Christ.

“If we are Christians, we belong to that building of God that has been the sub-ject of our discourse from this text; but if it had not been for the history of the Old Testament, we should never have known what was the first occasion of God’s going about this building, and how the foundation of it was laid at first, and how it has gone on from the beginning. . . . "

Wed., 11/26/25 Devotion (Lk. 10:21a)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 10:21a, where we read these words:

“In that same hour [Jesus] rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth . . . ’ ” (ESV)

Imagine the perfect Son of God standing on the sin-cursed earth offering hearty and joyful praise and thanks to His Father in heaven. And, for what was Jesus so overjoyed? That the Father had revealed the king-dom of God to “little children,” those who believed in and followed the Messiah.

The “wise” and “understanding” of the world—all those who seek their end in anyone or -thing but Christ—get nothing; but the children of grace get everything in the Redeemer. May our “thanksgivings” unto God be princi-pally for the gift of His Son, the One who is at the center of all things.

[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 obedi-ently.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]

Mon., 11/24/25 Devotion (Lk. 8:39)

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

“ ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he [the Gadarene] went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” (ESV)

Is it not remarkable, that the very first (and only) person “unleashed” by the Messiah, to freely spread the gospel of the King (and kingdom), during the period between Christ’s baptism and Pentecost, was a Gentile, who had for-merly been possessed by a legion of demons?

Now, of course, we are *all* “free” to boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus; but then, things were different. Let us bless God that the Christ of this gospel has come to us; and that we fully-imbibe of Him by miraculous faith.

[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, 11/21-23/25 Devotion

Praise God—it is almost Sunday! We get to go back to church. In order to help us prepare for the Sabbath Worship Services, here are good and sweet words from the great Jonathan Edwards. This comes from his, “The History of the Work of Redemption” book. . . .

“What has been said may show us how great a Person Jesus Christ is and how great an errand He came into the world upon, seeing that there was so much done to prepare the way for His coming. God had been doing nothing else but prepare the way for His coming, and doing the work which He had to do in the world, through all ages of the world from the very beginning. . . .

“How great a Person then must He be, for whose coming into the world the great God of heaven and earth, and Governor of all things, spent four thou-sand years in preparing the way, going about it soon after the world was cre-ated, and from age to age doing great things, bringing mighty events to pass, accomplishing wonders without number, often overturning the world in order to it, and causing every thing in the state of mankind, and all revolutions and changes in the habitable world from generation to generation, to be subser-vient to this great design? Surely this must be some great and extraordinary Person indeed, and a great work indeed it must needs be that He is coming about."

Thurs., 11/20/25 Devotion (Lk. 4:29)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 4:29, where we read these words:

“And [the people of Nazareth] rose up and drove [Jesus] out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.” (ESV)

This is a singular event in the four Gospel accounts. Imagine trying to throw the One through whom the town’s hill was made, over its cliff?! Earlier, in v. 9, the devil had tempted the Messiah to “throw [Himself] down." God’s enemies, be they Satan and/or religious hypocrites, always seek to “throw down” the Christ, and all God’s true children.

. . . But, what did Jesus do? According to v. 30, He simply “[passed] through their midst [and] went away.” Let us imitate our Redeemer's afflictions and His triumphs, by faith, today.

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

Wed., 11/19/25 Devotion (Jas. 1:4b)

Today's encouragement comes from James 1:4b, where we read these words:

“ . . . that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (ESV)

Steadfastness in faith, proved by trials, leads to “perfection,” “completeness,” and total satisfaction. Who would not desire such things? This “golden chain” leads us back to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (v. 1a).

The more we are “consumed” with Jesus, as His church, in the beauty and grace of His gospel, the more “perfect,” “complete,” and thoroughly supplied we are. As we deviate from Christ in anyway whatsoever, to this exact extent we deplete ourselves of all good things.

[Edwards quote of the day: “God has sent forth His messengers, and appoint-ed ministers in His church, to be subordinate lights, to shine with the com-munications of His light, and to reflect the beams of His glory on the souls of men.” —Jonathan Edwards, from his sermon, "The True Excellency of a Gos-pel Minister"]

Tues., 11/18/25 Devotion (Heb. 13:9)

Today's encouragement comes from Hebrews 13:9, where we read these words:

“Do not be led astray by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them." (ESV)

The heart of a regenerate Christian can *only* be “strengthened by grace”—and this grace is all in Jesus and His gospel of mercy. *Everything* else in re-ligion has the exact *opposite* effect—it leads us “astray.”

The true child of God only hears the Good Shepherd’s (Jesus’) voice. The false believers—even those who pretend an allegiance to YHWH—hearken to “diverse and strange teachings” that have no place in the New Covenant life of a Christian.

[Edwards quote of the day: "Such a high degree of courtesy in so great a per-son as this apostle [Paul] reproves all those professing Christians who, though far below Paul, are not courteous and respectful in their behavior to their neighbors, and especially to their superiors.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Character of Paul an Example To Christians"]