19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.
21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.
22 The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.
24 But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.
25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.” Acts 12:18-25.
——————————-
In today’s Scripture, we read what happened to Herod, “because he did not give God the glory”.
Let us consider how we should glorify God. Let us consider Romans 15:5-9.
“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
“THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES,
AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.” Romans 15:5-9.
I love “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of salvation, because it is the truth. I love “TULIP”, because its five points consistently and logically hang together so beautifully. But, most importantly, I love “TULIP”, because “TULIP” gives God all the credit and glory for His mercy and salvation of us.
Almost all “Christians” will claim that they give God all the credit and glory for His mercy and salvation. But, we can perceive that some of them give some credit to themselves for their own works, and others give credit to themselves for their own will (that is, they think they accepted Christ through their own free-will).
Some may even be willing to confess “TULIP”, but they seem to either ignore it in their preaching or teaching, or they mention it but seem to be in a rush to get past those points. The highlight of their preaching or teaching is what their audience should do to contribute to his or her “own” salvation.
But, there are others who are satisfied with “TULIP” and seek to dwell on “TULIP”. They truly glorify God for His mercy.
“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD
And to meditate in His temple.” Psalm 27:4.
“How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
To dwell in Your courts
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.” Psalm 65:4.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 