The Morning Devotional for June 9, 2021
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q19, Part One
Read MoreWhat is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, (Gen. 3:8,10,24) are under his wrath and curse, (Eph. 2:2–3, Gal. 3:10) and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. (Lam. 3:39, Rom. 6:23, Matt. 25:41,46)
The Morning Devotional for June 8, 2021
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q18
Read MoreWherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’ s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. (Rom. 5:12,19, Rom. 5:10–20, Eph. 2:1–3, James 1:14–15, Matt. 15:19)
Meditation for the day taken from Everyday Prayer with John Calvin written by Donald McKim:
Scripture: Matthew 6:7-14
The Savior graciously gave us the Lord's Prayer as a model of prayer and as one that teaches us how to pray. This prayer is used by many in various circumstances. It is often used in corporate worship as a prayer of the gathered people of God. Yet, many offer this prayer with very little thought as to what they are praying. When we pray mindlessly before our God, we treat him as common and not offering him our heart, soul, mind, and strength in worship.
Read MorePrayer: Almighty God, you who are the only true and living God, we bow before your majesty today and thank you for your kindness in providing for us another Lord's Day in which we can gather as your people and praise your name. We confess that we often approach you without reverence and awe. We often come before you with a casual frame and mind, forgetting that you are mighty and glorious and we are creatures of dust. Your Word reminds us of the need to treat your name as holy and honor and adore you. We fall short of that duty, and we ask that you would forgive us. Please help us today as we gather with your people to labor with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength to worship you as you have commanded. Please grant to us willing hearts and minds to listen attentively to your Word as it is proclaimed. Please give us a great measure of your Spirit that we might commune with you with joy and delight. We pray all of these things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Read MoreCall to Worship: Psalm 106:1
Confession of Faith: Shorter Catechism Q7-8
Hymns and Psalter Selections:
O Praise the Lord, for He Is Good (#106B)
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go (#514)
Jesus, with Thy Church Abide (#406)
Meditation for the day taken from Everyday Prayer with John Calvin written by Donald McKim:
Scripture: Matthew 6:7-8
Every now and then, I have had to answer the question of "why pray?" when it is pretty clear that Jesus teaches that our Father in heaven knows what we need before we ask. Without question, our omniscient God is well aware of every need and concern we have! Yet, he also urges us to pray and cast our needs before him (1 Pet. 5:7). How can we answer this question? Calvin wrestled with it as well. He wrote, "If God knows what we need before we seek it, there might appear to be no benefit in prayer." I suspect that many Christians have wrestled with this issue.
Read MorePrayer: Our Father, you have invited us into your presence to pray and plead with you and to unburden ourselves before you. Your Word tells us plainly to cast all of our cares upon you because you care for us. Throughout your Word, we see many examples of godly men who would endeavor to pray day and night before your throne. Yet, we are distracted people. We move from one care to the next with little thought to our passing days. Teach us to number our days, Lord. Teach us to place the privilege of prayer as a top priority in our lives. We confess that we are easily swayed and moved from this means of grace. Our prayers are often prayerless. Our prayers often lack the emotion and heartfelt pleading with you for what we need. Our prayers are often mere words with little thought to what we are saying and to whom we are praying. Forgive us, Lord. Please help us, by your Spirit, to pray as we should and must. We ask these things in the name of the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for June 3, 2021
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q16
Read MoreDid all mankind fall in Adam’ s first transgression?
The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression. (Gen. 2:16–17, Rom. 5:12, 1 Cor. 15:21–22)
The Morning Devotional for June 2, 2021
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q15
Read MoreWhat was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein thy were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
(Gen. 3:6)
Meditation for the day taken from Everyday Prayer with John Calvin written by Donald McKim:
Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-4
The prophet teaches the people of God a vital lesson regarding prayer: True prayer is an unburdening of our cares, griefs, and anxieties. The prophet Habakkuk is painfully aware of the transgression of his people and sees the evil being committed by them (1:3). He laments the fact that it seems that the law is of no effect and that God is not issuing justice though the people deserve it. The attitude of the prophet in these verses is the focus of this mediation. Note how he says, "how long shall I cry." It appears that the prophet has issued this prayer on more than one occasion. The circumstances of his day have reached such misery that he cries out to the LORD and sets his frustration before him. In some sense, the prophet is engaging in "sanctified complaining" due to the people's sin. His cry is that they are getting away with their sin; that due to the apparent silence of Jehovah, the law has no real effect on the minds and hearts of the people.
Read MorePrayer: Almighty God and Father, we praise your name for another day to serve you and glorify you with our thoughts, words, and actions. We are thankful that you are faithful to us, even though there are times when we are faithless. Forgive us, Father, for the minutes and hours that we waste on fruitless pursuits. Forgive us for not managing our time well, thinking that we have plenty of time to do what is most needful. Forgive us for frittering away our days and forgetting that our lives are a vapor and a flower that quickly fades. Please help us to redeem the time because the days are evil. Please help us labor while it is day because the night is coming when we will not be able to work. We ask that you would bless our labors: bless the mom's who labor with their children to raise them in the fear of the Lord. Bless the dads who labor in the workforce to be useful salt and light in a dark world. Bless those ministers who labor in the study preparing a meal for your people. Bless the elderly as they strive to set before the younger generation a godly example. Bless the unmarried as they wait patiently for your providence. Bless your church as she strives to seek first your kingdom and righteousness. Please help us, Father. Provide an abundance of your Spirit today. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, and our Savior. Amen.
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