Category: Devotional

Devotional thoughts for my benefit and yours from here, there, and everywhere

Rejoicing in God's Sovereignty

~ fundyreformed

Last night, John Piper presented the vision and educational philosophy for our church’s new college and seminary. Bethlehem College and Seminary wll remain tethered to the original ideals which have grown strong and proved frutiful over 10 years as The Bethlehem Institute (of Bethlehem Baptist Church).

Piper had some interesting things to say contrasting education/persuasion and indoctrination. I hope to post on that when the audio of his message becomes available. Right now, however, I want to focus on God’s sovereignty.

Piper reiterated somewhat his recent blog post regarding being thankful for whatever government God sends our way. And later he quoted from our church’s elder affirmation of faith when he was declaring that this college and seminary holds unwaveringly to God’s sovereignty. That quote, which I’ve shared before, really captures the heart of a Biblical and God-honoring view of sovereignty. In light of the recent election, and the continuing economic woes, it would do good for us to ponder and rejoice over these words.

We believe that God, from all eternity, in order to display the full extent of His glory for the eternal and ever-increasing enjoyment of all who love Him, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His will, freely and unchangeably ordain and foreknow whatever comes to pass.

We believe that God upholds and governs all things — from galaxies to subatomic particles, from the forces of nature to the movements of nations, and from the public plans of politicians to the secret acts of solitary persons — all in accord with His eternal, all-wise purposes to glorify Himself, yet in such a way that He never sins, nor ever condemns a person unjustly; but that His ordaining and governing all things is compatible with the moral accountability of all persons created in His image.

This section is taken from Article 3 sections 1 and 2 of The Bethlehem Elder Affirmation of Faith. The section goes on to assert God’s sovereignty in salvation. I’d encourage you to read the entire affirmation of Faith. I blog through the entire document in a series of blog posts, which you’re welcome to peruse as well.

“My Heart’s Desire” by David Jeremiah

~ Bob Hayton

This is a simply written, heartfelt devotional book. In My Heart’s Desire: Living Every Moment in the Wonder of Worship, David Jeremiah draws you in to the pictures he paints in the book. You find yourself in Heaven’s throne room, weeping and then rejoicing with John as the Lamb is found worthy to open the book. The awe and wonder which this book inspires is aimed to incite you to greater heights of worship. Indeed all of life is to be lived as a worshiper of Christ.

For those looking for light yet devotional reading, this book will do nicely. It’s not all that profound, but the message is straightforward. And yes, its convicting. May your heart for Christ be strengthened as you read this book.

This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Amazon.com or direct from Thomas Nelson.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Quotes to Note 4: The Bible is Truth

~ fundyreformed ~ 12 Comments

I subscribe to Table Talk, a monthly devotional published by R.C. Sproul’s Ligonier Ministries. Each month the magazine focuses on a theme, and this month that theme is “The Canonicity of Scripture”.

In the openeing column, Burk Parsons, the editor, captures the gist of the issue. The Bible is the Word of God, and canonization was simply the church receiving God’s Word as His Word. Canonization was not a process whereby the Church invented Holy Scriptures. Here’s how Buck said it:

The Bible is not a cleverly contrived collection of fanciful tales of mythical gods and prophets, sorcerers and goblins, hobbits and elves. It is not a Judeo-Christian anthology of sixty-six ancient books that were deemed politically and ecclesiastically correct by influential Christians of the early church who coveted worldly acceptance and prestige. On the contrary, the Bible is the book of the Lord God Almighty. It is the authoritative, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, and, as Jesus taught us in His prayer to the Father: His “Word is truth.” It doesn’t merely contain truth or speak about truth; it is truth “” it defines truth (John 17:17). We must, therefore, regard it as such.

Go on and read Buck’s entire article. Some of the other columns are also available online here.

Our Prodigal God

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

Prodigal has come to mean, in the Christian vernacular, a reprobate wretch. The word more accurately describes wasteful spending, or even just someone who is free with money. Tim Keller, following Spurgeon’s example, uses the term to refer to God — God as incredibly free with His grace and love. God is our prodigal God, in this sense.

Keller has authored a book with that title, and it is to be published by a secular publishing house. I hope the title grabs people’s attention and gets more to take a look at his book.

The book focuses on the story of the Prodigal son, and in the introduction Keller points out a sermon by Edmund Clowney as being very influential in his Christian life, and a formative influence for the book. Crossway has kindly made the print version of that sermon available online for free (as a pdf) [HT: Justin Taylor]. It comes from Crossway’s book entitled Preaching Christ from All of Scripture by Clowney. I really enjoyed the sermon when I read it from my copy of the book a couple years back, so I wanted to be sure to link to the online version of the sermon. Here is the conclusion of the sermon, but I encourage you to read the whole thing, its a quick and easy, yet spiritually moving read.

Come home to the Father’s love, to the joy of Jesus’ feast. Are
you a prodigal, far from the gate of heaven? Jesus now comes to lift
you up. Are you a smug Pharisee, flaunting the filthy rags of your selfrighteousness
outside the Father’s house? Hear the words of Jesus:
his Father calls you to repent and come home as a little child. Or are
you somehow both at once: prodigal and proud, debased but despising?
No matter; cast all away and hold fast to Jesus.

Or are you a believer? Has Jesus found you like the lost sheep and
borne you home on his shoulder? Then consider the demand this
parable puts on you. You have tasted of heaven’s grace. You know the
embrace of your Father’s love. You know that he rejoices over you
with singing. What does heaven’s joy, his joy, over lost sinners mean
to you?

You say, “It means that I, too, must welcome sinners, be ready to
eat with them, even as I have been brought to his table.” Is that
enough? The true Son, who knows his Father’s heart, did not simply
share with sinners his robe, his ring, his sandals. He went to find
them to bring them home. Where will you look today?

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is
love” (1 John 4:8, NIV).

Book Briefs: “Pierced by the Word” by John Piper

~ Bob Hayton ~ 8 Comments

If you’ve never read one of John Piper’s devotional books, you’re missing out. The 31 meditations in Pierced by the Word cover a variety of topics — some practical, others theological. From drinking orange juice to battling lust, from thinking about suffering to thinking about politics — each devotional reading stresses the importance of living by faith and living for Christ.

Your soul will be nourished by this book, as it stresses the importance of personal prayer and emphasizes the glory of the Gospel. I recommend that you get this or another of Piper’s devotional books, and read it as part of your spiritual diet. It will help you fight the good fight of faith.

This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Amazon.com or direct from Waterbrook Multnomah.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.