Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 66.
“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
2 Sing the glory of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You.
4 “All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.” Selah.
5 Come and see the works of God,
Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through the river on foot;
There let us rejoice in Him!
7 He rules by His might forever;
His eyes keep watch on the nations;
Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And sound His praise abroad,
9 Who keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to slip.
10 For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
12 You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.
15 I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,
With the smoke of rams;
I shall make an offering of bulls with male goats. Selah.
16 Come and hear, all who fear God,
And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;
19 But certainly God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.” Psalm chapter 66.
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Other doctrine urges us: “Come and see our works. See our new building addition. See our youth program. See our mission opportunities.”
But, Reformed Doctrine urges: “Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”
Reformed Doctrine first burns off any pride in ourselves by its teaching of our natural condition of “Total Depravity”.
“For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.” Verse 10.
Then, Reformed Doctrine teaches us the basis of our salvation which is “Unconditional Election”, and we can immediately understand that it is solely a work of God.
Reformed Doctrine proceeds to teach us that Christ died for the elect to procure all the saving gifts. This is “Limited Atonement”, solely a work of God, limited to the elect, but unlimited in saving power.
Article 8. For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation: that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever. SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby of Canons of Dordt.
Reformed Doctrine also shows what God has done for our soul through its teaching of “Irresistible Grace” and “Preservation of the Saints”.
“8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And sound His praise abroad,
9 Who keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to slip.” Verses 8-9.
And yet, how often do we hear in our churches about these works of God?
How often do we hear about what God has done for our soul?
If there is any mention of “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace” and “Preservation of the Saints”, these awesome works of God, then too often it is only a fleeting and quiet reference.
But, Reformed Doctrine shouts joyfully to repeatedly remind us of these points of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, calling out through the voice of the Psalmist in verse 16: “Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 