Spurgeon Devotion

"There is therefore now no condemnation." (Romans 8:1)

Come, my soul, think thou of this. Believing in Jesus, thou art actually and effectually cleared from guilt; thou art led out of thy prison. Thou art no more in fetters as a bond-slave; thou art delivered now from the bondage of the law; thou art freed from sin, and canst walk at large as a freeman, thy Saviour's blood has procured thy full discharge. Thou hast a right now to approach thy Father's throne. No flames of vengeance are there to scare thee now; no fiery sword; justice cannot smite the innocent. Thy disabilities are taken away: thou wast once unable to see thy Father's face: thou canst see it now. Thou couldst not speak with Him: but now thou hast access with boldness. Once there was a fear of hell upon thee; but thou hast no fear of it now, for how can there be punishment for the guiltless? He who believeth is not condemned, and cannot be punished. And more than all, the privileges thou mightst have enjoyed, if thou hadst never sinned, are thine now thou art justified. All the blessings which thou wouldst have had if thou hadst kept the law, and more, are thine, because Christ has kept it for thee. All the love and the acceptance which perfect obedience could have obtained of God, belong to thee, because Christ was perfectly obedient on thy behalf, and hath imputed all His merits to thy account, that thou mightst be exceeding rich through Him, who for thy sake became exceeding poor. Oh! how great the debt of love and gratitude thou owest to thy Saviour!

"A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear with Thy righteousness on,
My person and offerings to bring:
The terrors of law and of God,
With me can have nothing to do;
My Saviour's obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view."

The Healing Power of Laughter

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation." (Psalm 42:5)

Just the other day I watched a sermon on the Trinity Broadcasting Network by Joel Osteen, entitled, "The Healing Power of Laughter." Upon first glance I thought that this was going to be quite the interesting sermon, and was I ever right.

Granted the overall message was decent: God wants you to be happy. God is displeased when you are depressed because it is not becoming to you as a human. Relationships are not helped either when you are not happy. But that is as far as the sermon went. He did not talk about God wanting us to be happy in HIM. The discussion was not about how God is displeased when we are depressed because it necessarily entails a lack of a hope in God. Nowhere did the pastor say that your attitudinal relationship to your wife is important insofar as it displays in physical form Christ's relationship to the church.

When speaking to a crowd of tens of thousands, Mr. Osteen limited his remedy of sadness and depression to the symptom of a lack of laughter, rather than to the deep issue of a lack of joy that comes from seeing and savoring one who died to set us free from sin and death (Phil. 4:4). His sermon was laden with story after story of how if we just learn to laugh and gain more of a sense of humor, the seriousness of life is largely swept away. This is a true ideal, but it is not a Christian ideal. It is a remedy, but it is not a long lasting remedy in the midst of tribulation and persecution. What is needed most is not more laughter, but more joy in Jesus (Ps. 37:4). This is when we will understand our suffering to be light and momentary afflictions (2 Cor. 4:17) that do not compare to the glory that will be ours in heaven (Ps. 16:11). This is when we can confront the pressures of life by going to the rock that is higher than ourselves (Ps. 61:2). And this is when the world will notice a difference in our lives and will question the hope that is within us (1 Pet. 3:15).

It is bad enough that the Bible was used very little, if at all in the sermon. What was most disheartening was that the true remedy for depression and the true Source of joy and happiness was skimmed over. May our practical life not be limited to such frothful secular ideals, but may we rejoice in joy unspeakable, that is, the Christian joy of the gospel (2 Cor. 4:6).

What is the Recession For?

Pastor and author John Piper recently preached concerning the economic recession (among other things) and gave five reasons why God has allowed this recession to take place. Here is a small summary of the reasons he gives:

1. He intends for this recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing. 2. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods, in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. He intends to advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.
5. He intends for the church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

You can listen or read the sermon in its entirety by clicking on the link below.

(http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2009/3566_What_Is_the_Recession_For/)

Moses is Not the Hero When the Red Sea Parts

"Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses." (Exodus 14:30-31)

The mistake is often made when reading the story of the ten plagues and the exodus that Moses is the hero. At least this is what is often communicated in our children's Sunday School classes. "Moses," we hear, "did something that we are often afraid to do: Moses stood up to evil. Moses stood up against the evil Pharaoh and brought Israel out of Egypt. Moses stretched out his hand and staff and parted the Red Sea so that all of God's people could get through. Wow, isn't that amazing?"

It is quite an oversight to say that Moses parted the Red Sea. Actually, God parted the Red Sea. God brought the ten plagues upon Egypt to display his power among them and to show them that he alone is Lord and worthy of worship.

We see this from the very beginning of the story when Moses is first called to go back to Egypt when God says that he will harden the leader's heart so that he will not let the people go (Exodus 4:21). By doing so, God is revealing that he has a plan to display his power among the Egyptians and the people of Israel. And in fact, this is confirmed later during the seventh plague of hail as Moses is before Pharaoh. "But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth" (Exodus 9:16).

And after all of the plagues are completed God desires to say in even more direct terms the entire reason for the drama: "And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh..." (Exodus 14:17-18).

Growing up, this message was not the primary message that was taught to me when I was learning the story. The message that was taught to me was one of facts: this plague happened, and then that one, and then that one. And the main character was Moses. But, as one can see, the main character according to the narration given is God.

God is the one to whom the Israelites fear and believe in when it is all said and done, and this is the reason why this and all of the other accounts of the biblical authors is given. That is, to demonstrate who God is, how powerful he is, and how we as sinful humans can enjoy him forever. This same God who displayed his power among the Egyptians will one day call all men to account for their deeds based on his standard of holiness.

We, just like the Egyptians in Moses' day, are not holy. We are far from it. None of us is righteous according to Romans 3 and no one pleases him. So there lies problem because as Hebrews 12:14 tells us, without holiness no one will see the Lord. But Christ is holy, Jesus is perfect and died and rose again according to the Scriptures so in him we might have hope (Romans 6:23). Thankfully, God is merciful as well as just and has given his Son to be the propitiation for our sins so that if we trust in him we will have eternal life. Now that is a glorious plan for which God alone receives the honor and praise!

Spurgeon Devotion

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance" (Ephesians 1:11)

When Jesus gave himself for us, he gave us all the rights and privileges which went with himself; so that now, although as eternal God, he has essential rights to which no creature may venture to pretend, yet as Jesus, the Mediator, the federal head of the covenant of grace, he has no heritage apart from us. All the glorious consequences of his obedience unto death are the joint riches of all who are in him, and on whose behalf he accomplished the divine will. See, he enters into glory, but not for himself alone, for it is written, "Whither the Forerunner is for us entered." Heb. 6:20. Does he stand in the presence of God?-"He appears in the presence of God for us." Heb. 9:24. Consider this, believer. You have no right to heaven in yourself: your right lies in Christ. If you are pardoned, it is through his blood; if you are justified, it is through his righteousness; if you are sanctified, it is because he is made of God unto you sanctification; if you shall be kept from falling, it will be because you are preserved in Christ Jesus; and if you are perfected at the last, it will be because you are complete in him. Thus Jesus is magnified-for all is in him and by him; thus the inheritance is made certain to us-for it is obtained in him; thus each blessing is the sweeter, and even heaven itself the brighter, because it is Jesus our Beloved "in whom" we have obtained all. Where is the man who shall estimate our divine portion? Weigh the riches of Christ in scales, and his treasure in balances, and then think to count the treasures which belong to the saints. Reach the bottom of Christ's sea of joy, and then hope to understand the bliss which God hath prepared for them that love him. Overleap the boundaries of Christ's possessions, and then dream of a limit to the fair inheritance of the elect. "All things are yours, for ye are Christ's and Christ is God's."

(Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon--January 30)

Methods of Interpretation From the NT Writers

This might be helpful for those of you who are trying to learn how to interpret various texts faithfully. It is taken from McCartney and Clayton's Let the Reader Understand: A Guide to Interpretting and Applying the Bible.

1. Generally, the NT cites from the Septuagint, but not exclusively. Thus, we have warrant for using translations.
2. Often introductory formulas are used, such as "it is written" or "the Holy Spirit says," indicating that (OT) Scripture confirms NT revelation, and that the OT is therefore prophetic in character. Thus, the NT indicates a high regard for Scripture as God's speech.
3. The NT treats OT events as genuine history, constitutive for the present state of affairs. Thus, the NT warrants a grammatical-historical method.
4. History is understood as being under divine control; it is going somewhere. God accomplishes salvation in history. Thus, we look for a redemptive-historical meaning.
5. OT history is understood as indicating where it was going. Thus, the OT should be understood typologically and eschatologically.
6. As in the OT, man is regarded both individually and corporately (the body of Christ) in the NT. Thus, we apply a covenantal understanding.
7. Christ fulfills the role and character of the corporate entities, mankind (Adam) and Israel (see Heb. 2:8; Rom. 5; 1 Cor. 15:27), and thus those who are united to him become the true Israel (Gal. 6:16; Phil. 3:3) and the perfect man (Eph. 4:13; Col. 1:28). Thus, Scripture is interpreted Christocentrically and ecclesiologically.
8. Scripture is regarded as a mystery that is now revealed (Mark 4:11; Eph. 3:3), an "uncovered secret." Thus, we use an expositional method. (pp.68-69)

Fearfully Made; Aborted Haphazardly

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." (Pslam 139:13-16)

God has created every man, woman, and child in a unique and marvelous way. He has knit us together in our mother's wombs. He has formed our eyes and our mouths and our ears with much more complexity than the computer upon which I am writing. He has done it, and to kill such a life is an infringement on his creation of man made in his image. Clearly from Psalm 139, the identity of the life inside of a woman is clear: human, and worthy of protection. And yet today, such life is not protected by the federal government's judicial system, nor encouraged to be protected by the executive branch.

It was proven on Friday that we once again have a president who desires to make abortion more accessible and more encouraged in a nation (and a world, for that matter) which has killed millions of babies since the practice became legal in 1973. As the Washington Times reports, the action known as the Mexico City policy "that blocks funding to foreign aid groups that perform or promote abortions," was once again rescinded by President Obama. The Times quoted Mr. Obama's defense of the action:

Mr. Obama said the policy had "undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries," and vowed to find common ground with his pro-life adversaries. "For too long, international family planning assistance has been used as a political wedge issue, the subject of a back-and-forth debate that has served only to divide us. I have no desire to continue this stale and fruitless debate," Mr. Obama said. (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/24/obama-change-policy-abortions/)

That is true, the policy that Reagan originally set up does not promote "effective voluntary family planning in developing countries," but that is the type of language that masks what these groups who perform or promote abortions actually do in a grotesque manner. These groups in a very casual, but yet gruesome way, kill innocent human life. Now if I used that language, the action that Obama reversed would not sound quite as pleasant to the ear. But to use the word "family planning" is like saying firing a gun at someone is simply "a means to release an unpleasant feeling of anger or unwantedness." Or like calling slavery, "the safe and effective means to expand the GDP of the South." In each case the language is deceptive. It is deceptive in Obama's case, for the policy which was reversed by Obama sets up efforts to call abortion what it is. Now he desires to make, through an executive order, the practice more readily available to countries who at the get-go cannot afford the procedure fully without aid from the U.S. federal government.

Obama argued during the campaign for president that abortions in America did not decrease by a substantial margian during Bush's term in office in answer to almost every question on his stance on abortion. That may be true, but that is probably due to the moral decline of our nation and not the policies that he inacted. But does he honestly believe that abortions will decrease under his presidency when he is for the Freedom of Choice Act, and against the Mexico City policy? Does he believe that when abortions become more easily available and encouraged by the Fed, Americans who are on a mental and emotional rollercoaster will be more reluctant to go to the abortion clinic? One would think Obama would have better philosophy professors at Harvard. We do know that he has great English professors, though.

We can pray for Obama that the education he received, and the background that he came from would not get in the way of plain, simple truths that are deciphered if he would see the inconsistencies in our judicial system regarding abortion and see the moral implications of his actions. May God grant him and our nation to see that every life of man is fearfully and wonderfully made.