Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes

July 6, 2012 - Friday Evening

Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes.

For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. 1 

The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 2 

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 3 

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 4 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 5 

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 6 

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 7 

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 8

______________ 

1. Psa 26:3; 

2. Psa 145:8; 

3. Matt 5:45; 

4. Eph 5:1,2; 

5. Eph 4:32; 

6. 1 Pet 1:22; 

7. 2 Cor 5:14; 

8. Luke 6:35,36

The Order and Discipline of the Church

The Belgic Confession of Faith 

Article 32: The Order and Discipline of the Church

We also believe that, although it is useful and good for those who govern the churches to establish and set up a certain order among themselves for maintaining the body of the church, they ought always to guard against deviating from what Christ, our only Master, has ordained for us.

Therefore we reject all human innovations and all laws imposed on us, in our worship of God, which bind and force our consciences in any way. So we accept only what is proper to maintain harmony and unity and to keep all in obedience to God.

To that end excommunication, with all it involves, according to the Word of God, is required.

Let your speech be always with grace

Daily Light Devotions - July 6 - Morning

Let your speech be always with grace.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 1 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. 2 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 3 

The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." 4 

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 5

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. 6 

Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. 7 

But as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you--see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 

______________ 

1. Col 4:6; 

2. Prov 25:11,12; 

3. Eph 4:29; 

4. Matt 12:35,37; 

5. Prov 12:18; 

6. Mal 3:16; 

7. Jer 15:19; 

8. 2 Cor 8:7

Let us go and see

"O! men's souls have no wings, and therefore night and day they keep their nest and are not acquaint with Christ. What can I say of Him? Let us go and see." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 10.

Mind not high things

Daily Light Devotions - July 5 - Evening

Mind not high things, ...

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 1 

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 2 

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 3 

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 4 

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 5 

A Song of Ascents. Of David. O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 6 

______________ 

1. Rom 12:16; 

2. James 2:1,5; 

3. 1 Cor 10:24; 

4. 1 Tim 6:8,9; 

5. 1 Cor 1:27-29; 

6. Psa 131:1

The Officers of the Church

The Belgic Confession of Faith 

Article 31: The Officers of the Church

We believe that ministers of the Word of God, elders, and deacons ought to be chosen to their offices by a legitimate election of the church, with prayer in the name of the Lord, and in good order, as the Word of God teaches.

So all must be careful not to push themselves forward improperly, but must wait for God’s call, so that they may be assured of a divine calling and be certain that they are chosen by the Lord.

As for the ministers of the Word, they all have the same power and authority, no matter where they may be, since they are all servants of Jesus Christ, the only universal bishop, and the only head of the church.

Moreover, to keep God’s holy order from being violated or despised, we say that everyone ought, as much as possible, to hold the ministers of the Word and elders of the church in special esteem, because of the work they do, and be at peace with them, without grumbling, quarreling, or fighting.

The love that God hath to us

Daily Light Devotions - July 5 - Morning

... The love that God hath to us.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 2 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 3 

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 4 

The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. 5 

We love because he first loved us. 6 

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." 7 

______________ 

1. 1 John 4:16; 

2. Eph 2:4-7; 

3. John 3:16; 

4. Rom 8:32; 

5. Psa 145:9; 

6. 1 John 4:19; 

7. Luke 1:45

Make no reckoning of losses or crosses

"It is not a smooth and easy way, neither will your weather be fair and pleasant; but whosoever saw the invisible God and the fair city, makes no reckoning of losses or crosses. In ye must be, cost you what it will; stand not for a price, and for all that ye have, to win the castle; the rights of it are won to you, and it is disponed (made over) to you, in your Lord Jesus' Testament; and see what a fair legacy your dying Friend, Christ hath left you: and there wanteth nothing but possession." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 10.

Jesus ... the propitiation for our sins

Daily Light Devotions - July 4 - Evening

Jesus ... the propitiation for our sins.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 

The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. 2 

Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 3 

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. 4 

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 5 

______________ 

1. 1 John 2:1,2; 

2. Exo 25:20-22; 

3. Psa 85:9,10; 

4. Psa 130:3,4,7,8; 

5. Rom 3:23-25

The Government of the Church

The Belgic Confession of Faith 

Article 30: The Government of the Church

We believe that this true church ought to be governed according to the spiritual order that our Lord has taught us in his Word. There should be ministers or pastors to preach the Word of God and administer the sacraments. There should also be elders and deacons, along with the pastors, to make up the council of the church.

By this means true religion is preserved; true doctrine is able to take its course; and the evil are corrected spiritually and held in check, so that also the poor and all the afflicted may be helped and comforted according to their need. 

By this means everything will be done well and in good order in the church, when such persons are elected who are faithful and are chosen according to the rule that Paul gave to Timothy.75

75. 1 Tim. 3

Leaning on Jesus' bosom

Daily Light Devotions - July 4 - Morning

Leaning on Jesus' bosom.

One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 1 

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 2 

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. 3 

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way." 4 

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 5 

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 6 

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 7 

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 8 

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." 9

______________ 

1. John 13:23; 

2. Isa 66:13; 

3. Mark 10:13,16; 

4. Matt 15:32; 

5. Heb 4:15; 

6. Isa 63:9; 

7. John 14:18; 

8. Isa 49:15; 

9. Rev 7:17

The best of heaven is Christ

"There is nothing but perfect garden flowers in heaven, and the best plenishing (furniture, goods) that is there is Christ." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 9.