The earth is the Lord's

Daily Light Devotions - August 6 - Evening

The earth is the Lord's ...

A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, 1 

And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal. Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season, and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness. 2

"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. 3 

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 4 

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 5 

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 6 

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 7

______________ 

1. Psa 24:1; 

2. Hos 2:8,9; 

3. 1 Chron 29:14-16; 

4. Rom 11:36; 

5. 1 Tim 6:17; 

6. 1 Tim 4:4,5; 

7. Phil 4:19

The Canons of Dordrecht: Rejection Errors VII

The Canons of Dordrecht

Rejection of the Errors:

by Which the Dutch Churches Have for Some Time Been Disturbed Having set forth the orthodox teaching concerning election and reprobation, the Synod rejects the errors of those

VIII. Who teach that it was not on the basis of his just will alone that God decided to leave anyone in the fall of Adam and in the common state of sin and condemnation or to pass anyone by in the imparting of grace necessary for faith and conversion.

For these words stand fast: He has mercy on whom he wishes, and he hardens whom he wishes (Rom. 9:18). And also: To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given (Matt. 13:11). Likewise: I give glory to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and have revealed them to little children; yes, Father, because that was your pleasure (Matt. 11:25-26).

Whom the LORD loveth he correcteth

Daily Light Devotions - August 6 - Morning

Whom the LORD loveth he correcteth.

for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. 1 

"'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. 2 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 3 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 4

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 5

Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. 6 

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 7 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 8 

I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 9

______________ 

1. Prov 3:12; 

2. Deut 32:39; 

3. Jer 29:11; 

4. Isa 55:8; 

5. Hos 2:14; 

6. Deut 8:5; 

7. Heb 12:11; 

8. 1 Pet 5:6; 

9. Psa 119:75

The Precious Blood

Here's a prayer titled "The Precious Blood" from "The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions" edited by Arthur Bennett (pages 74-75):

BLESSED LORD JESUS

Before thy cross I kneel and see

          the heinousness of my sin,

          my iniquity that caused thee to be

             ‘made a curse’,

          the evil that excites the severity

             of divine wrath.

Show me the enormity of my guilt by

   the crown of thorns,

   the pierced hands and feet,

   the bruised body,

   the dying cries.

Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,

   its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.

Infinite must be the evil and guilt

   that demands such a price.

Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,

   born in my birth,

   alive in my life,

   strong in my character,

   dominating my faculties,

   following me as a shadow,

   intermingling with my every thought,

   my chain that holds me captive in the

     empire of my soul.

Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,

   the air supply breath,

   the earth bear my tread,

   its fruits nourish me,

   its creatures subserve my ends?

Yet thy compassions yearn over me,

   thy heart hastens to my rescue,

   thy love endured my curse,

   thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.

Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths

     of humiliation,

   bathed in thy blood,

   tender of conscience,

   triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.

Our best fare here is hunger

"Our best fare here is hunger." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 20. [Letter CXCVII, 1637]

Thy will be done

Daily Light Devotions - August 5 - Evening

Thy will be done.

Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." 1 

I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. 2 

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." 3 

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. 4 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 5 

Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 6 

he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them. 7 

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 8 

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 9 

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 10

______________ 

1. Matt 26:42; 

2. Jer 10:23; 

3. Matt 26:39;

4. Psa 131:2; 

5. Rom 8:26,27; 

6. Matt 20:22; 

7. Psa 106:15; 

8. 1 Cor 10:6; 

9. 1 Cor 7:32; 

10. Isa 26:3

The Canons of Dordrecht: Rejection Errors VII

The Canons of Dordrecht 

Rejection of the Errors:

by Which the Dutch Churches Have for Some Time Been Disturbed Having set forth the orthodox teaching concerning election and reprobation, the Synod rejects the errors of those

VII. Who teach that in this life there is no fruit, no awareness, and no assurance of one’s unchangeable election to glory, except as conditional upon something changeable and contingent. For not only is it absurd to speak of an uncertain assurance, but these things also militate against the experience of the saints, who with the apostle rejoice from an awareness of their election and sing the praises of this gift of God; who, as Christ urged, rejoice with his disciples that their names have been written in heaven (Luke 10:20); and finally who hold up against the flaming arrows of the devil’s temptations the awareness of their election, with the question Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? (Rom. 8:33).

Walk in newness of life

Daily Light Devotions - August 5 - Morning

Walk in newness of life.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 1 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 2 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 3 

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 4 

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 5 

______________ 

1. Rom 6:4,19; 

2. Rom 12:1,2; 

3. 2 Cor 5:17; 

4. Gal 6:15,16; 

5. Eph 4:17,20,21,24

Lay all your loads and your weights by faith upon Christ

"Lay all your loads and your weights by faith upon Christ. Ease yourself, and let him bear all. He can, he does, he will bear you." -- Rutherford, Samuel, and Ellen S. Lister. The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, 20. [Letter CLXXXVI, 17 June 1637]

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out

Daily Light Devotions - August 4 - Evening

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out...

He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 1 

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 2 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 3 

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 4 

saying, "I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. 5 

you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. 6 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 7 

______________ 

1. Psa 18:16; 

2. Psa 40:2; 

3. Eph 2:1-3; 

4. Psa 61:1,2; 

5. Jonah 2:2,3; 

6. Psa 66:12; 

7. Isa 43:2

The Canons of Dordrecht: Rejection Errors VI

The Canons of Dordrecht 

Rejection of the Errors:

by Which the Dutch Churches Have for Some Time Been Disturbed Having set forth the orthodox teaching concerning election and reprobation, the Synod rejects the errors of those

VI. Who teach that not every election to salvation is unchangeable, but that some of the chosen can perish and do in fact perish eternally, with no decision of God to prevent it. By this gross error they make God changeable, destroy the comfort of the godly concerning the steadfastness of their election, and contradict the Holy Scriptures, which teach that the elect cannot be led astray (Matt. 24:24), that Christ does not lose those given to him by the Father (John 6:39), and that those whom God predestined, called, and justified, he also glorifies (Rom. 8:30).

He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost

Daily Light Devotions - August 4 - Morning

... He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 1 

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 2 

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 3 

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 4 

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 5 

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." 6 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 7 

______________ 

1. John 19:30; 

2. Heb 12:2; 

3. John 17:4; 

4. Heb 10:10-14; 

5. Col 2:14; 

6. John 10:17,18; 

7. John 15:13