Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 2, 2020

“he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 9:6.

“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”  2 Corinthians 9:6.

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“24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.
25 The generous man will be prosperous,
And he who waters will himself be watered.”  Proverbs 11:24-25.

“9 Honor the LORD from your wealth
And from the first of all your produce;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty
And your vats will overflow with new wine.”  Proverb 3:9-10.

“18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
19 He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life,
And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.”  Proverbs 11:18.

“Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with kindness;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.”  Hosea 10:12.

“The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.”  Proverbs 10:31.

“A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words,
And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him.”  Proverbs 12:14.

“The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.”  Proverbs 13:14.

“21 Adversity pursues sinners,
But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”  Proverbs 13:21-22.

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;  in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.”  Deuteronomy 30:15-16.

“Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.”  Ecclesiastes 11:6.

“How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,
Who let out freely the ox and the donkey.”  Isaiah 32:20.

“26 In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
And his children will have refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.”  Proverbs 14:26-27.

“Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.”  Proverbs 15:6.

“8 He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the rod of his fury will perish.
9 He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.”  Proverbs 22:8-9.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law. ”  Galatians 5:22-23.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;  for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.  So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”  Galatians 6:7-10.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 1, 2020

“For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 9:1-5.

“For it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ministry to the saints;  for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.  But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, as I was saying, you may be prepared;  otherwise if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence.  So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness.”  2 Corinthians 9:1-5.

—————–

As highlighted in bold italic font, the theme of today’s Scripture is the importance of being prepared.

If we should be prepared for good works, such as being prepared to give as we should, how much more prepared should we be prepared for the Second Coming of Christ and judgment day!  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”  2 Corinthians 5:10.

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.  But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.  For this reason you also must be ready;  for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”  Matthew 24:42-44.

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away;  so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”  Matthew 24:37-39.

“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?  For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”  For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.  But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”  2 Peter 3:3-6.

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!”  2 Peter 3:10-12.

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  Colossians 3:2-4.

There are many things that cause us to lift our eyes from the things on the earth to the things above.  Most importantly, Scriptures cause us to lift our eyes from the things on the earth to the things above.

But God causes even things that seem to us to be only bad to lift our eyes from the things on the earth to the things above.  Wars, famines, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, coronavirus, other pestilence, and apostasy are just a few examples.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28.

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”  Romans 8:19-21.

“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”  2 Peter 3:13.

The Scriptures and even these things on the earth also serve to remind us of the importance of being prepared.  The following example of Noah provides us a good example for us to follow.  Through God’s grace working in me, I prepare these Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions in faith that, so to speak, they will be an “ark of salvation” for you all, my dear family and friends.

Through God’s grace working in you, what “ark of salvation” are you preparing for your family and friends?  A true church?  A Godly home?  A Bible study?  Something else?

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”  Hebrews 11:7.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 30, 2020

“But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 8:16-24.

“But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus.  For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.  We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;  and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;  for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.  We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.  As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you;  as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.  Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.”  2 Corinthians 8:16-24.

——————–

What does God put in our hearts for the good of others?

Today’s Scripture gives an example of the earnestness that God put in the heart of Titus.  But, we should not think such earnestness and other goodness was limited to Titus.

Other doctrine tempts us to focus on man and man’s wisdom and man’s alleged free-will and man’s works.  But, that can make us feel depressed.  We may think:  “Good for Titus.  But, I am not Titus.  I do not have his virtues.”

But, Reformed Doctrine leads us to focus on God and focus on what God puts in our hearts for the good of others.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23.

Consider the Canons of Dordt in the section titled THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

Article 11.  But when God accomplishes his good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion, he not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illumines their minds by his Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God;  but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man;  he opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, he quickens;  from being evil, disobedient and refractory, he renders it good, obedient, and pliable;  actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  …

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”  Ephesians 4:7 and 11-12.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

“I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good;  and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.”  Jeremiah 32:40.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.  You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers;  so you will be My people, and I will be your God.”  Ezekiel 36:26-28.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 29, 2020

“But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 8:7-15.

“But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.  I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.  I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.  But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.  For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.  For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;  as it is written, “HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”  2 Corinthians 8:7-15.

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Other doctrine trusts man and man’s wisdom and man’s alleged free-will to do good.

But, Reformed Doctrine trusts God and God’s wisdom and God’s Will to do good.

In today’s Scripture, we see doing good, specifically giving, divided into three parts.  First, there is the “desire” or the will to do good.  Second, there is “the doing” or the work to do good.  Third, there is the “finish” or “the completion” of it.

“But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.”  Verses 11.

Reformed Doctrine understands man’s natural condition of “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”  Romans 3:10-12.

We are “dead” in sin.  Ephesians 2:1-5.  We are hostile to God.  Romans 8:7 and Colossians 1:21.  We are in bondage to sin.  Romans 7:14-15.

But, there is hope!

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;  the old things passed away;  behold, new things have come.”   2 Corinthians 5:17.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

Consider the Canons of Dordt in the section titled THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

Article 11.  But when God accomplishes his good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion, he not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illumines their minds by his Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God;  but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man;  he opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, he quickens;  from being evil, disobedient and refractory, he renders it good, obedient, and pliable;  actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.

This is “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”.

Let us go back to the key verse in today’s Scripture and meditate on how God provides all three parts of what we need to do good:,  namely the will, the work, and the completion.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

Let us trust God.

“For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 92:4.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 28, 2020

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 8:1-6.

“Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.  For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.  So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.

But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.”  2 Corinthians 8:1-6.

—————–

We can trust God to make us want to be generous.  We can trust God to give us an abundance out of which we can give to others.

More generally, how often have we trusted in God’s promises to give us the will to do His Will and to work in us for His good pleasure!

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;  as it is written,

“HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR,
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.”

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;  you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.  For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.  Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  2 Corinthians 9:8-15.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 26, 2020

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 7:8-16.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+7&version=NASB

I quote only verses 8-13.

“For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it;  though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance;  for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.  For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.  For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you:  what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!  In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.  So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.  For this reason we have been comforted.”  2 Corinthians 7:8-13.

————–

Repentance is a gift of God.

“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”  Acts 5:31.

“When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”  Acts 11:18.

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”  2 Timothy 2:24-26.

Sorrow is used by God to lead us to repentance.

“I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance;  for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.”  Verse 9.

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation”.  Verse 10.

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;  yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:11.

“2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4 The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot,
So is the laughter of the fool;
And this too is futility.”  Ecclesiastes 7:2-6.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

Article 7.  For in the first place, in these falls he preserves them in the incorruptible seed of regeneration from perishing, or being totally lost;  and again, by his Word and Spirit, certainly and effectually renews them to repentance, to a sincere and godly sorrow for their sins, that they may seek and obtain remission in the blood of the Mediator, may again experience the favor of a reconciled God, through faith adore his mercies, and henceforward more diligently work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

But, there is hope!

“4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:4-5.

“And the ransomed of the LORD will return
And come with joyful shouting to Zion,
With everlasting joy upon their heads.
They will find gladness and joy,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.”  Isaiah 35:10.

“11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.
12 “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion,
And they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—
Over the grain and the new wine and the oil,
And over the young of the flock and the herd;
And their life will be like a watered garden,
And they will never languish again.
13 “Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old, together,
For I will turn their mourning into joy
And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.
14 “I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance,
And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 31:11-14.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 25, 2020

“But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us” – “I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 7:1-7.

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Make room for us in your hearts;  we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one.  I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.  Great is my confidence in you;  great is my boasting on your behalf.  I am filled with comfort;  I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.

For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side:  conflicts without, fears within.  But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;  and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me;  so that I rejoiced even more.”  2 Corinthians 7:1-7.

—————

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.  But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation;  or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;  and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-7.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 24, 2020

“Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 6:11-18.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+6&version=NASB

I quote only verses 14-18.

“Do not be bound together with unbelievers;  for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For we are the temple of the living God;  just as God said,

“I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
17 “THEREFORE, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.
“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.”  2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

——————–

“For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not be partakers with them;  for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord;  walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;  for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.  But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.  For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”  Ephesians 5:5-14.

“9 Break forth, shout joyfully together,
You waste places of Jerusalem;
For the LORD has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has bared His holy arm
In the sight of all the nations,
That all the ends of the earth may see
The salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there,
Touch nothing unclean;
Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves,
You who carry the vessels of the LORD.
12 But you will not go out in haste,
Nor will you go as fugitives;
For the LORD will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”  Isaiah 52:9-12.

“Hence I have said to you, “You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.”  I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.  You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean;  and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean.  Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy;  and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.”  Leviticus 20:24-26.

“For You have separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord GOD.”  1 King 8:53.

“Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel.  Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers and do His will;  and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”  Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, “That’s right!  As you have said, so it is our duty to do.”  Ezra 10:10-12.

“The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.”  Nehemiah 9:2.

But, there is hope!

“remember that you (Gentiles) were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.   For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”  Ephesians 2:12-16.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”  1 Peter 2:9.

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before Him;  and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;  and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”  Matthew 25:31-33.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 23, 2020

“Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 6:1-10.

“And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— for He says,

“AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”

Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God;  by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report;  regarded as deceivers and yet true;  as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live;  as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.”  2 Corinthians 6:1-10.

—————–

Other doctrine believes that we can receive the grace of God in vain.

But, Reformed Doctrine believes that the grace of God is irresistible.  “Irresistible Grace” is the “I” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation as more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt. 

Article 12.  And this is the regeneration so highly celebrated in Scripture, and denominated a new creation:  a resurrection from the dead, a making alive, which God works in us without our aid.  But this is in no wise effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation, that after God has performed his part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted, or to continue unconverted;  but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable;  not inferior in efficacy to creation, or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scripture inspired by the author of this work declares;  so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner, are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe.  – Whereupon the will thus renewed, is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence, becomes itself active.  Wherefore also, man is himself rightly said to believe and repent, by virtue of that grace received. Canons of Dordt in the section titled THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

At first consideration, the quote in verse 2 (“AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”) may seem as if God is pleading with man.  But, when we check out this Scripture, we discover that God the Father is talking to God the Son, Christ, and God promised that salvation would come through Christ.

“7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One,
To the despised One,
To the One abhorred by the nation,
To the Servant of rulers,
“Kings will see and arise,
Princes will also bow down,
Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.”

8 Thus says the Lord,
“In a favorable time I have answered You,
And in a day of salvation I have helped You;
And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people,
To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages;”  Isaiah 49:7-8.

Thus, Paul’s statement in verse 4 (“in everything commending ourselves as servants of God”) was not an empty boast based on man’s will.  Paul’s statement was a statement in faith based on God’s promise to Christ.  Paul trusted God to cause their work, “as servants of God”, to be successful such that they could endure everything (verses 4-5), they could be everything good in the Holy Spirit (verses 6-7), and they could accomplish God’s purpose no matter how they were received (verses 8-10).

Here is the continuation of the foregoing Isaiah chapter 49 Scripture which provides figurative descriptions of the salvation.

“9 Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,’
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’
Along the roads they will feed,
And their pasture will be on all bare heights.
10 “They will not hunger or thirst,
Nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down;
For He who has compassion on them will lead them
And will guide them to springs of water.
11 “I will make all My mountains a road,
And My highways will be raised up.
12 “Behold, these will come from afar;
And lo, these will come from the north and from the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.”
13 Shout for joy, O heavens!  And rejoice, O earth!
Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!
For the LORD has comforted His people
And will have compassion on His afflicted.”  Isaiah 49:9-13.

Here are additional reminders of why we can trust God’s work in His servants.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 22, 2020

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them”

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us;  we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

——————

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”  Romans 5:8-11.

“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Christ), and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;  through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”  Colossians 1:19-21.

“remember that you (Gentiles) were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.   For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”  Ephesians 2:12-16.

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us;  and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”  Colossians 2:13-14.

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.  For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”  Romans 7:4-6.

“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law;  you have fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”  Galatians 5:4-5.

“For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.  For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.”  Galatians 2:18-19.

“He (God the Father) made Him (God the Son, Christ) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Christ).”  Verse 21.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand;  and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”  Romans 5:1-2.

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