The Morning Devotional for December 28, 2020
SPECIAL EDITION
Read More20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. (Job 1:20-22, ESV)
Introduction
Another new year is upon us, and if you are anything like me, you take the time to reflect on the previous year and make plans and goals for the new one. In some sense, this time of the year allows you to hit the "reset" button on your lives and adjust what needs to be changed related to your families, your relationship with Christ, and other essential matters. It is the second item, your relationship with Christ, that I want to focus on briefly, especially related to the fundamentals of the Christian life.
The basics are very important. If you watch sports, you will notice that when athletes competing at the highest level are in a tight spot and the game is on the line that their fundamentals are what gets them that hit that is needed, or golf shot within feet of the hole, or the important pass to win the game. So much depends on the basics – the fundamentals. It is no different in the Christian life.
Three Fundamentals
So, what are those basics? If each of you were to make a list, I am sure there would be agreement on many items, and perhaps some surprises as well. Allow me a few minutes to discuss three items that are of the utmost importance and ones that I encourage you to consider and reflect upon as you enter a new year.
Read MorePrayer: Our God, we bless you for the gift of the Lord's Day. Your word tells us that you regard this day as holy. Sadly, and too our own embarrassment, we often find it an interruption to our lives. We know that the command to keep the Sabbath holy uniquely reveals the remaining worldliness in us. We confess our self-centeredness and failure to honor you by spending the whole day in the public and private exercise of your worship. We are ashamed of how much we know this day brings us and how infrequently we take advantage of it. Forgive us, Father. Renew in us a greater love and zeal for the Lord's Day. Open our eyes and hearts that we may truly delight in it, not doing our own pleasure, by delighting in you. We pray this in the name of Christ. Amen.
Read MorePsalter and Hymn Selections
January 2021
Jan. 3 (Sermon: John 8:12)
#92A It’s Good to Thank the Lord
#459 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
#272 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Jan. 10 (Sermon: Mark 2:13-17)
#153 O Day of Rest and Gladness
#51C God, Be Merciful to Me
#425 How Sweet and Awesome Is The Place
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for December 25, 2020:
Read MoreBut seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33, ESV)
Prayer: Our God in heaven, you were willing to condescend to us and to clothe yourself with human flesh and take upon yourself our nature, yet without sin. By the labors of the second person of the eternal Godhead, you came to redeem us from sin and misery. As the Son labors, he reverses the effect of the Fall. We are thankful to Him for his great work of redeeming us and bringing us peace of conscience. When we think about what the Son did on our behalf, we are ashamed of our lack of zeal and love for him. We fail to adore him as we should. We fall short of the obedience we owe as a result of his saving mercy. So often, we seek our own kingdom and not yours. Forgive us, Lord. Please renew our minds and hearts and conform them to your will. Please grant to us a greater willingness and zeal to love Jesus, your only begotten Son. We pray this in his name. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for December 22, 2020:
Read More25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[g] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25-34)
Prayer: Our great sovereign, the true God of heaven and earth, we come to you on behalf of our nation in which we live. We confess to you that we have placed too much emphasis on the importance of our leaders. We know that your Word states regarding the civil magistrates. We thank you for erecting civil order to govern and protect society. Yet, we also know that these people are mere men. Like us, they sin and fall short of your glory. Too often, we place our trust in princes and not the Prince of Peace. Too often, we complain about what they are doing and what they are not doing. Instead of praying for them, we gripe, murmur, and complain. Forgive us. We pray this day for our leaders. We plead with you to open their eyes and their minds and their hearts to their dire need. May they see that they too need Christ.. May they bow the knee now to the mandates of the true sovereign and king. Restrain them, Father, from evil mandates and laws. Expose their deceit, where it exists, and protect your church from harm. We pray these things in the name of Christ, the true King who rules in justice and mercy. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for December 21, 2020:
Read MoreNo one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24, ESV).
Prayer: Father, we are blessed with the joy of another Lord's day, which reminds us of the glory we await in the New Heavens and the New Earth. We are thankful that you have provided this day as the marketplace for our souls. From the first week of creation, you set apart this day for man that they may worship you. We know that we do not always regard it as a delight. Instead, we often trample it underfoot, talking idly, and doing our own pleasures. Forgive us, and help us to honor and love this day as you have commanded. We thank you that we have the privilege to worship with your people today and to hear your Word read and proclaimed. We ask that as your people gather, they would behold your majesty and sing your praises. We ask that you would meet with us and bless us, and make your face to shine upon us. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for December 18, 2020:
Read More22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)
T Morning Devotional for December 17, 2020:
Read More19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV)
