Daily Devotional Readings
There is no better way for us to begin this day and this year than by earnestly seeking the will of God in it. It is certain that God sovereignly accomplishes his will, his eternal purpose, in all things (Isa. 46:9-1 1). Nothing comes to pass in time except that which God purposed in eternity. Yet nothing is more important, and nothing more difficult, to a believer than seeking the will of God in making responsible choices and decisions about his actions in life. We know by painful experience that it is possible to make the wrong choices. We rejoice to know that God graciously overrules our errors in judgement for out spiritual, eternal good and for the glory of his own great name (Rom. 8:28). And we praise him for that! But when a believer walks contrary to the will of his Lord, he brings grief and trouble to himself. Be Wise, therefore, and seek grace both to know and do the will of God in all things.
'Teach me thy way, O Lord.' Do you desire, my friend, to know the will of God in all things? Then ask God himself to reveal his will to you, by his Spirit and by his Word. He alone can teach you his way and he will if you are willing to walk in it. 'I will walk in thy truth.' In essence, David is saying, 'Lord, if you teach me your way, by your grace I will gladly walk in it. If you will mark out my path in providence, I will stick to it. 'This is the attitude of submission and faith before the Lord. And where there is true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and submission to his will, there will always be an acknowledgement of weakness and sin and the need for divine grace. 'Unite my heart to fear thy name.' We can walk in God's will only as he gives us grace to do so. When we do make errors concerning the will of God, it is either because we have not earnestly sought his will, or else because we are rebellious to it. Of this one thing we can be sure: God always reveals his will to the person who is willing to (Prov. 3:5-6).
In his life of obedience to the law of God Christ established righteousness for us. But that righteousness is not sufficient, in and of itself, to make us acceptable to God. Sin must be punished. Justice must be satisfied. Every guilty sinner must be put to death. The only way God could both punish us for sin and save us from sin was by the infinitely meritorious, voluntary and efficacious death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Substitute. For the accomplishment of our salvation Christ became 'obedient unto death, even the death of the cross'.
God made his Son to be sin for us. Christ had no sin of his own. He had no original sin and no actual sin. He was 'holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sin.' Yet he was made sin. By divine imputation, all the sin of all God's elect was laid upon Christ our Substitute. Christ 'his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree'. This transfer of sin from us to our Substitute was so real and complete that the Son of God became sin for us! He even claimed our sin as his own, willingly assuming all responsibility for the sins of his people.
God the Son, being made sin, died as our Substitute. When God found sin on his Son, he cried out to his own holy law and inflexible justice: 'Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow... smite the shepherd!" Then and there all the sin of all God's elect was slain, annihilated for ever and taken away. Justice, being fully satisfied, for ever sheathed its dreadful sword. Wrath, being completely spent upon Christ, is altogether absorbed in Christ for all his people. In so far as God's law and justice are concerned, all of God's elect have died. We died in Christ our Substitute.
In Christ all who believe are completely justified. His precious blood has for ever washed away our sins, so that we are justly pardoned and forgiven. His life of righteousness has been imputed to us, so that we are perfectly holy in God's sight. In Christ we have all that God in his law demands for our acceptance, complete satisfaction for sin and perfect righteousness.
This is an astounding statement: 'Enoch', a sinful man like you and me, 'walked with God'! And 'he had this testimony, that he pleased God'. In his daily life Enoch walked in company with the living God, living in God's presence as his constant Friend, in whom he confided and by whom he was loved. What kind of man was Enoch? What kind of life did he live? The answer is clear: Enoch was a man of faith, and he lived a life of faith. He was not a sinless man. He did not live a higher life, a deeper life or a holier life than anyone else who lives by faith. It was not Enoch's conduct, his personality, or his disposition that pleased God, but his faith in Christ (Heb. 11:5-6).
There was nothing at all remarkable about the character or works of this man Enoch by nature, which caused God to look upon him with pleasure. Enoch did not win God's favour by something he did. God was pleased with Enoch, because Enoch believed God. He believed that which God has spoken. Enoch's faith was the same as Abel's before him and Noah's after him. The faith by which Enoch walked with God and pleased God was the same faith that the dying thief possessed. And it is the faith of God's elect today. My friend, walking with God is neither more nor less than believing God. The only way anyone can walk with God and please God is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. No man pleases God, but his Son. No man walks with God, but his Son. And the only way any fallen child of Adam can please God and walk with God is by faith in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our sanctification, like our justification, is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We grow in grace as we grow in faith. Having begun in the Spirit, we are not now made perfect by the flesh. We do not begin and go a certain distance by faith in Christ, and then finish our course by the works of the law. To walk with God is to continue as we began - by faith in Christ. 'As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith.'
With Paul, I say, 'If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable' (1 Cor. 15:19). If there were no eternal life in Christ, no eternal bliss of life with Christ in glory and no resurrection, the believer would be the most miserably frustrated person in the world. We would never have that which we most earnestly desire - Christ. We would never enjoy that for which we are most ambitious - Christ. We would never see the end of our hope - Christ. We would never embrace Christ, or be embraced by him. My mind has never entertained more cruel or miserable thought. What a tormenting supposition! But it is not so! I live in hope of the resurrection, and my hope is well founded. I have three good reasons for this good hope.
I have already been resurrected representatively. (Eph. 2:5-6; Rom. 8:29-30). When the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the grave, he arose as the Representative of his people. We were resurrected with Christ! His representative resurrection necessitates and guarantees the resurrection of his people. Christ was raised as the first fruits of them that sleep, and the full harvest must follow. Christ was raised as the second Adam and, as we have born the image of our first, covenant head, we must bear the image of the second. Our Lord's covenant engagements as the Surety of his elect are not complete until we are raised from the dead (John 6:37-40).
I have already experienced the resurrection of Christ in regeneration. The new birth, regeneration, is the first resurrection. It is nothing less than life from the dead. Those who have experienced the first resurrection must experience the second. The second death has no power over us, because we have been raised to new life in Christ by the power of his grace (Rev. 20:6; John 5:25; 11:25-26).
I believe the revelation of God concerning the resurrection of our bodies. (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:35-41, 51-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God' (Job 19:25-26).
Writing by divine inspiration, the apostle Paul admonishes all believers to do three things: 'Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks.' Our God is so gracious to his people that he makes delight a duty! What could be more delightful and pleasant than constant joy, prayer and thanksgiving? May God give each of us a heart to engage eagerly in these three delightful duties.
'Rejoice evermore!' Our sins are forgiven. We have the righteousness of God in Christ imputed to us. We are accepted in the Beloved. We are children of God by faith in Christ, heirs of God and joint-heirs with his Son, Jesus Christ. That one who loved us and gave himself for us is the sovereign Ruler of the universe. Why should we mourn? 'My Beloved is mine, and I am my Beloved's.' What then can keep me from rejoicing? I will rejoice in God my Saviour at all times. I cannot rejoice in sorrow, pain and trouble. But I can rejoice in my God in the midst of sorrow, pain and trouble.
'Pray without ceasing!' Paul does not mean that we should always be engaged in audible prayer. His meaning is 'Live constantly before God in conscious, believing dependence upon him.' He is simply telling us to believe God at all times. When you are serving and worshipping the Lord, believe him, acknowledge your dependence upon the blood and righteousness of Christ for acceptance with God. When you sin, trust Christ for pardon. When you are tempted and tried, trust Christ for protection. When you work, trust Christ for strength. When you eat, acknowledge that you are fed by the hand of God's goodness. In all things, willingly submit to and trust the wise, adorable, good providence of your God.
'In everything give thanks!' At all times, in all circumstances, give thanks to God. Faith can give thanks in all things, because faith realizes that whatever comes to pass comes to pass by the will of God. Give thanks, because, whatever your present circumstances, 'This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.'
We who believe know that we have been redeemed 'with the precious blood of Christ'. To us the Saviour's blood is truly precious. It has become common today for preachers to say very little about the blood. We are sometimes ridiculed for preaching blood atonement. We are told that such preaching is crude, outdated and insignificant in these modern times. And those who do preach about the blood, for the most part, make the blood of Christ to be a vain, insignificant thing, by denouncing its saving, redeeming efficacy.
We reverence the blood of Christ. We know that 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb. 9:22). Why do we place such importance upon the blood of Christ and hold it to be a precious thing? The blood of Christ is precious, because it is the blood of the incarnate God (Acts 20:28). The blood poured out for our redemption at Calvary was the blood of a man, but that man is the eternal God! We have been justified by the blood (Rom. 3:24), reconciled to God by the blood (Eph. 2:13) and cleansed from all sin by the precious blood of Christ (I John 1:7). The blood of Christ has satisfied the wrath and justice of God's holy law, so that through the blood God is both just and the justifier of every believer (Rom. 3:24-26). Every blessing of God's grace in the everlasting covenant comes to us through the blood of Christ: redemption, pardon, peace, forgiveness, sanctification and glorification (Col. 1:14, 20; Heb. 10:10-14; 13:12). Our consciences are purged from guilt by our Saviour's precious blood (Heb. 9:12-14). Through the blood we have access to God (Heb. 10: 19-20). We who believe shall triumph over all our enemies, death, hell and the grave, by the blood (Rev. 12:1 1). We shall stand before the throne of God purified by the precious blood of Christ (Rev. 7:14). And we shall glorify Christ in heaven, singing his everlasting praise for the precious, redeeming blood (Rev. 5:9).
Nothing is more practical, more important, or more delightful to the people of God than the blood, the precious, effectual, cleansing, redeeming blood of Christ.
There is a repentance which is no sign or evidence of spiritual life at all. It is not a repentance produced in the heart by the Holy Spirit, but a repentance produced only in the emotions by human power. Legal fear, moral reformation, remorse for sin, a desire for heaven and a mere confession of sin are things often substituted for repentance. You may possess all these things and yet not have repentance unto life. These forms of repentance were found in Cain, Esau, Saul, Ahab, Judas, Simon Magus and Felix, but they all perished under the wrath of God. All temporary repentance is false repentance.
'Repentance unto life' is a gift of God's grace. It is produced in the heart by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, through the revelation of Christ in the gospel (Zech. 12:10). This 'repentance unto life' basically involves four essential elements.
Repentance comes by the conviction of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-14). The Holy Spirit convinces men of sin, their evil, vile, corrupt nature, causing the sinner to abhor not only his deeds, but himself as well. He convinces men of righteousness, showing sinners that they have no righteousness and that all righteousness is in Christ. And he convinces men of judgement, revealing God's judgement of sin in Christ, the sinner's Substitute, the accomplishment of redemption through his blood and that all unbeliever: must be judged for sin and condemned, even as the prince of this world has been judged. There must also be a conversion of the heart to God. The heart is repentant only when it is reconciled to God in his true character (I Thess. 1:9; 2 Cor. 5:20). When the sinner bows to Christ's sovereign throne in loving adoration and devotion, he has 'repentance unto life'. True repentance is the commitment of the heart to Christ (Luke 14:25-33). True conviction always converts and true conversion always produces commitment. The truly repentant heart is committed to the will, the gospel, the church and the glory of Christ. And repentance involves continuation (Matt. 10:22; Luke 9:62). God's people do persevere in the faith. They continue in the truth. They go on to the end of their journey following Christ, seeking Christ and trusting Christ.
God has blessed all his elect within spiritual blessings in Christ. He who gave us his Son has given us all things in his Son (Eph. 1:3; 1 Cor. 3:21; Rom. 8:32). Here are five of 'the precious things of heaven' specifically revealed to us.
1. Our precious saviour. "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious" (I Pet. 2:7). Christ is the treasure hid in a field, the pearl of great price, for which every believer has gladly sold all that he has to obtain that treasure and have that pearl.
2. The precious blood. 'Ye know that ye were...redeemed... with the precious blood of Christ' (I Peter 1:18-19). The blood of Christ is precious because it is his blood, the blood of the God-man The blood was foreordained of God as the atonement, for our sins. The blood reveals our Saviour's love. The blood satisfies divine justice and removes our sin. The blood secures our forgiveness, pardon, justification and eternal glory. The blood was shed for us. All these things make the blood of Christ precious.
3. The precious promises of our God. In Christ 'are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises' (2 Peter 1:4). The promises of God are precious because they are God's promises. They are unquestionable and sure. And they speak of exceedingly great and precious things: pardon, peace, protection, provision, preservation, providence, perfection.
4. Our precious faith. By the gift of God's grace, we 'have obtained like precious faith' with God's elect (2 Peter 1: 1). The doctrine of faith, the gospel is precious. And the grace of faith is precious, precious because it is rare, it honours God and it saves the soul.
5. Our precious trials. 'The trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold' (I Peter 1:7), proves that your faith is genuine and reveals your Father's love. The trial of faith is precious because it causes your love, faith and joy in Christ to grow, causes you to enjoy and anticipate your inheritance in heaven and will give you great cause to praise and honour God in heaven.
When Peter and John appeared before the Sanhedrin, the Scripture tells us "They took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.' Those men, who had no reverence for God, no regard for Christ and no interest in the gospel, took notice of Peter and John as being men whose lives were evidently under the influence and control of Christ. Their communion and conversation with Christ so influenced their speech and conduct that even their enemies acknowledged them to be followers of Christ.
That fact is of great interest to me. It causes this question to pierce my heart: 'What does my life say about the Christ whom I profess to trust, love and serve?' Of this much I am sure if I truly know Christ, if I live in communion with Christ by faith, Christ will be, to some degree, manifest in my life. My attitude, my speech and my conduct will, in some measure, reflect him.
The true believer is a person in whom Christ dwells. The new birth is nothing less than Christ coming into a man's heart, taking possession, ruling and causing that man to become a follower of him. Anything less than this is not Christianity. The new birth creates a desire in the heart to be like Christ, causing the person who is born again to seek and strive after the perfection of Christ's character in himself. We know that this perfect conformity to Christ cannot be attained in this life. But that fact in no way hinders us from seeking it. The highest aspiration of the believing heart is to be like Christ. His submission and dedication to the will of God and the glory of God, his patience, love, kindness, tenderness and forgiveness, his self-denial, self-sacrifice, humility and unflinching boldness in the cause of God are things all of God's people seek. Let us ever seek these things ardently. When we close our eyes in death, we shall have this blessed conformity to Christ!
Redemption is a two fold thing. There is redemption by price and redemption by power. This is beautifully set forth typically by God's deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. The Israelites were sealed by blood and kept from the judgement of God. Then God stretched out his mighty arm and redeemed them from the bondage of Egypt.
The Lord Jesus Christ paid the price of our redemption at Calvary. God demanded a perfect righteousness. Therefore our Saviour assumed our nature. As a man he became subject to the will and law of God in every point, working out a perfect righteousness as our Representative. But that was not enough. Divine justice demanded a full payment and satisfaction for our transgressions. This could only be accomplished by the death of the sinner. Therefore, 'God made Christ to be sin for us.' And in holy justice the Son of God died in our place upon the cross. God's righteousness and justice were fully satisfied. The price of our redemption was Christ's precious blood. Only by the payment of that price can God both be just and the justifier of the ungodly.
But still his people were under the bondage of sin. We were still under the tyranny of the law. We were still in captivity to Satan and our own lusts. There must also be a redemption by power. This redemption by power is the effectual application of the blood to our hearts in the new birth. It is accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ, through the operation of the Holy Spirit. At God's appointed time he sends forth the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of his people that they might receive the adoption of sons. Mark it down as a sure fact: every soul that Jesus Christ redeemed by the price of his shed blood, he will also redeem by the power of his right arm.
Both are essential to salvation. We must have a suitable Substitute, to redeem us with the price of his own blood. And we must have a sovereign Deliverer to redeem us with the power of his right arm. By virtue of his shed blood, Jesus Christ sets the prisoner free. Let us give praise to out, merciful Redeemer.
The apostle John gives us an infallible declaration of our Saviour's purpose for coming into the world: 'We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.' Our Lord Jesus Christ left us a marvellous example of faithfulness, love, humility and patience. But our Lord had a far more important reason for coming into the world than that of being a moral example for us to follow. The purpose of the incarnation is the salvation of sinners. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.' 'This is is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief' (I Tim. 1: 15). Three things are clear.
This world is sinful, guilty and cursed. This is the true character of the world and all who are in it. 'The whole world lieth in wickedness' (I John 5:19). When John says that Christ is the Saviour of the world, he is simply telling us that the grace of God is not limited to the nation of Israel alone. God sent his Son to save men and women out of the fallen mass of humanity, Gentiles as well as Jews. Christ came to save guilty sinners (John 3:14-18).
Jesus Christ is the Saviour you need. You have no hope of salvation apart from Christ. You are guilty, helpless, perishing in sin. No one but Christ can save you. Christ alone is an all-sufficient Saviour for sinners. His righteousness is all the righteousness you need. His blood is all the ransom God requires.
In personal, private prayer we commune with the eternal, triune
God. Prayer is an acknowledgement of our weakness in the flesh because of sin, and of our need for constant supplies of divine grace. In private prayer we open our hearts to God and pour out our souls before him.
Let us never be pretentious and hyprocritical before God in prayer. He sees all and knows all. 'The Lord looketh on the heart. 'God is not interested in how we speak to him, the length of our prayers, the frequency of our prayers, or even the words we use in prayer. God looks upon our hearts. He is interested in and has regard for the attitudes, the motives and the desires of our hearts.
True prayer, like all other graces and acts of worship, is a heart work. You may memorize little religious sayings and call them prayers. You may read and recite prayer books and think you are praying. You may repeat the earnest prayers of other people and suppose that you have prayed. But true prayed cannot be taught or learned by men any more than breathing can be. It is not an art or skill. Prayer is the breath of the renewed soul. Prayer is born in the heart by the grace of God. It is the power and grace of the Spirit in a man's heart that teaches him to pray. Indeed, true faith is prayer and true prayer is faith. We ought to live in an unceasing attitude of prayer, always acknowledging our sin, always seeking God's will, always trusting his grace. In this sense, let us 'pray without ceasing'. But let us never neglect private prayer. Truly, prayer is a source of strength and consolation to the believing heart. Above all things, our prayer life reveals our true heart attitude towards God and ourselves. What we are in prayer before God, we truly are. Our faith in Christ, our sense of our sinfulness and weakness in the flesh, our dependence upon God's providence and our reverence for God are all manifest by our attitude about prayer.
The covenant of grace is that solemn agreement between the three persons of the Holy Trinity for the everlasting salvation of God's elect. The covenant was ordered and made sure in all its details before the foundation of the world. The covenant is God's immutable, unalterable purpose of grace towards his elect. It is sometimes called 'the will', sometimes 'the testament' and sometimes 'the covenant' by the inspired writers. But it is clearly revealed, both in the Old and the New Testaments, that our salvation was planned, purposed and made sure in this everlasting covenant of grace by God's eternal decree (Jer. 31:31-34; 32:38-40; Eph. 1:3-14; 2 Tim. 1:9-10).
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Surety of the covenant. That is to say, God entrusted his glory, his grace and his elect people to his Son, who agreed to assume full responsibility for them, much like a man would entrust his sheep to the care of his son as a shepherd (John 6:37-40). A surety is a representative man, who lays himself under obligation for the one he represents (Gen. 43:8-9). In this sense Christ is our Surety. He drew near to God on our behalf, and laid himself under obligation to God for us, for our eternal salvation (Heb. 10:5-14).
Christ voluntarily became our Surety. Suretyship, to a man of honour, is a voluntary bondage (Prov. 6:1-2); and when Christ became our Surety in the covenant of grace, he voluntarily placed himself in bondage to his Father until his service was performed (Isa. 50:5-7; John 10: 16-18). In this sense, he became his Father's Servant. Christ is an absolute Surety. Whatever God required for our salvation, Christ agreed to perform for us. He willingly became responsible to God for his people, for both righteousness and satisfaction. His work as the Surety of the covenant will not be complete until he presents all God's elect before him in glory, 'holy and without blame'. Therefore he says, concerning his elect, 'Them also I must bring.' If so much as one of his elect should perish, he would be a failure and must bear the blame for ever. And that cannot be!
The apostle Paul, writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us plainly what God's intention, purpose and design are in giving us the inspired volume of Holy Scripture: 'Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope' (Rom. 15:4). 1. The Word of God was written for our learning. It was not written simply for us to learn the facts of Bible history, the ways of morality, or even mere doctrinal truth. It is good to learn these things; but the intent of Scripture is far more practical and beneficial. The Word of God has been given to us so that we might learn the way of life, salvation and peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything in the book of God speaks about and reveals the Son of God (Luke 24:27, 44-47; John 5:39; Acts 10:43). The purpose of God in giving us his Word is that we might know his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved by him.
2. God has given us the Scriptures to teach us patience. Patience is that calm, even temper and unruffled spirit with which believing men and women bear the evils of life. Our Lord's admonition to us is 'in patience possess ye your souls' (Luke 21:19). Patience waits upon the Lord. Patience is resignation of the heart to the will of God (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:6). If we believe God, we can wait upon him with ease and expectation.
3. God has given us his Word so that we meant enjoy the comfort of the Scriptures. The fact that God is my Father fills me with comfort. The gospel of God, the character of God, the providence of God and the promises of God are wells of consolation for the believing soul.
4. God has given us this blessed volume so that we might live in the hope of the Scriptures. Faith primarily looks to the past, trusting what Christ has accomplished. Hope is based upon and arises from faith. Hope looks to the future, anticipating all that Christ has promised.
Our Lord here makes a blanket, unconditional promise to every true believer. It takes into consideration all times, all circumstances, all contingencies, all events and all possibilities. This promise takes in all the flock. Not one of Christ's sheep will ever perish no, not even one. If you are a believer, if you trust the Lord Jesus Christ, if you have received eternal life, you will never perish. Christ himself has promised it! Nothing in you, nothing done by you, nothing in heaven, earth or hell will ever destroy your soul. Here are seven reasons why Christ's sheep will never perish. 1. The Promise of God must be, fulfilled. God himself says, 'They shall never perish.' If one promise of God could be broken, no promise could be believed.
2. The purpose of God cannot be frustrated (John 6:37-40). God's covenant cannot be made void. His elective purpose cannot be overturned. The suretyship engagements of Christ cannot be broken. The Good Shepherd must save his sheep John 10: 16).
3. The redemptive work of Christ cannot be nullified(Isa.53:10-11). That which Christ purchased, he must have. Otherwise he could never see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.
4. The believer's justification by God in Christ is an irreversible act of
grace (Rom. 8:31-34). God will not impute sin to those whom he has justified in his Son (Rom. 4:8).
5. The work of God's grace in the believers heart can never be defeated (Phil. 1:6). That which God has begun he will carry on to perfection. Nothing and no one can halt God's work.
6. The intercessory work of our Lord Jesus Christ must prevail (John 17:9-11,15,20; 1 John 2:1-2). Those for whom the Son of God pleads cannot perish.
7. The seat of the Holy Spirit cannot be broken (Eph. 1: 13-14). God the Holy Spirit has sealed every believer unto the day of redemption, securing our glorious resurrection and eternal inheritance in Christ. *
Read 2 Samuel 7:18-29
Read Jeremiah 32:37-40; Hebrews 8:10-12
Read Lamentations 3:21-26
Read Psalm 89:19-37
Grace Baptist Church
Danville, Ky.