The Morning Devotional for January 14, 2021:
Read More21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21--23, ESV).
Scripture: Psalm 10:12-18
We live in difficult times lately. It is quite natural to feel the pressure of current events and, sometimes, be distressed by it all. God's people are not immune to the struggles and cares of this world. Yet, they have a sure hope and a divine offer to help and hear as we pray and plead our case before the Lord. Too often, we "over-spiritualize" prayer to the point where we are not honest about our feelings, thoughts, and emotions. The Psalmist in Ps. 10 didn't do that. He was honest with the Lord, and God's people should be as well.
McKim writes, "Sometimes God seems aloof -- standing 'far off' (Ps. 10:1). Today's psalmist feels that God is hidden in times of trouble. The wicked seem to prosper, preying on the 'helpless' (see vv. 8-9) and 'think[ing[ in their heart, 'God has forgotten...he will never see it.' In prayer, we can be completely honest with God - can lament, question, and even challenge God. "
Read MorePrayer: Almighty God and Father in heaven, we bless your name today because you have rescued us from slavery to sin and misery and placed us on the solid rock that is your Son. We thank you that you have not treated us as our sins deserve but have buried them in the deepest ocean and have separated them as far as the east is from the west. We are grateful to you for giving us another Lord's Day that pictures for us the eternal rest that we await. We are thankful for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper that shows forth the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus and the promise of his return. We confess that we do not make diligent use of these outward means, and we know that we do so to our own harm. Please forgive us and work in us a greater zeal for these things. We pray that you would speak to us today through the ministry of your Word. We ask that you would grant your ministers unction from on high and that through their labors, we would behold a powerful demonstration of your Spirit. Please help us, Father. Remember your people for good. Bless us and be merciful to us we pray in the name of the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for January 8, 2021:
Read More15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-20, ESV).
Scripture: 1 Sam. 1:9-18
The context of this text is one that finds Hannah, a godly woman who would receive a "double portion" from the LORD. The main character of the text is a woman whom the LORD loved. The narrative crisis describes this woman as barren, "The LORD had closed her womb." As a result of this weighty matter, Hannah turns to the Lord and prays. We read that she had been "pouring out her soul before the LORD." As she prayed, she is noticed by Eli, the priest. He notices that only her lips were moving, but he did not hear anything coming from her mouth.
Read MorePrayer: Almighty God, the maker of all things and the one who orders all things, we thank you that you are a God that never changes. What you have said yesterday is still true today. We thank you that you have given your people promises, and through those promises, you bring comfort and hope to us as pilgrims in this world. We take note that your Word never promises the redeemed of the Lord an easy life free from opposition, persecution, and hatred from others. WE know that your Son suffered at the hands of wicked men, and we note that he told us to expect the same. We are concerned that your church faces difficult and trying days soon, and we confess that we are often not prepared for these things. Forgive us for forgetting that the Christian life is often hard and help us to prepare to stand for Christ come what may. We pray this in His Name. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for January 7, 2021:
Read More13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14, ESV)
Scripture: Num. 14:13-19
The context of this passage is the immediate aftermath of the rebellion of God's people. They have rejected the good report of Caleb and Joshua. Instead, they desired to return to the land of bondage, Egypt. Here, Moses, the man of God, intercedes again for the sake of the people. This prayer is a "directory for prayer" for God's people today.
McKim writes, "Calvin saw in this 'a sure directory for prayer'" Citing Calvin, he continues, "For nothing can be more sure than [God's] own word, on which if our prayers are based, there is no reason to fear that they will be ineffectual, or that their results should disappoint us, since He who has spoken will prove Himself to be true. And, in fact, this is the reason why He speaks....to afford us the grounds for addressing Him, for else we must be dumb." (20)
Moses prayed the Word of the L
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for January 6, 2021:
Read More12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matt. 7:12, ESV)
Meditation for the day taken from "Everyday prayer with John Calvin" written by Donald McKim:
Scripture: Gen. 32:9-23
"Sometimes we pray, ask God for something, and then forget about it. We assume that God will act while we stand by and wait for the answer to our prayer to appear. But this is too simple, and it is not what God desires."
Calvin saw, in these steps that Jacob took, a prescription for how we should follow through with our own prayers to God. He wrote, 'After he has prayed to the Lord, and arranged his plans, he now takes confidence and meets the danger. By which example the faithful are taught, that whenever any danger approaches, this order of proceeding is to be observed; first, to resort directly to the Lord; secondly, to apply to immediate use whatever means of help may offer themselves; and thirdly, as persons prepared for any event, to proceed with intrepidity whithersoever the Lord commands. '" (19)
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for December 30, 2020:
Read More7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11, ESV)
The Morning Devotional for December 29, 2020
Read More“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew 7:1-6, ESV)
