Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 9:26-31.

“When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, but their plot became known to Saul.  They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;  but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples;  but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.  But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.  And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.  And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews;  but they were attempting to put him to death.  But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up;  and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”  Acts 9:26-31.

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At first reading, this last verse, verse 31, seems out of place, a non sequitur.  After we read about all the plots, persecution, distrust, and sending away of Saul, it does not logically follow:  “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up;  and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”  Verse 31.

But, our Sovereign Triune God is at work!

God the Father causes us to fear Him.

“So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west …”  Isaiah 59:19.

God the Son builds His church.

“…  I will build My church;  and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”  Matthew 16:18.

God the Son gives us peace.

“Peace I leave with you;  My peace I give to you;  not as the world gives do I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”  John 14:27.

God the Spirit is our Comforter.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; ”  John 14:16.

Likewise, our lives may be filled with trials, troubles, and tribulations, but we also can experience and enjoy “peace, being built up;  and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit”.

Reformed Doctrine preaches and teaches that God provides all that we need for salvation from beginning to end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, as more fully set forth in the Canons of Dordt.

Reformed Doctrine provides comfort.

Q. 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

A.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.  Heidelberg Catechism.

Reformed Doctrine preaches and teaches how great God is and how great are His works.

“3 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
6 Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
7 They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.”  Psalm 145:3-7.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 9:19-22.

“…  Now for several days he (Saul) was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”  All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”  But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”  Acts 9:19-22.

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Saul proclaimed Jesus, saying, “He is the Son of God.”  Saul proved that “this Jesus is the Christ.”

The book of 1 John has a lot to say about such beliefs and confessions.

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.”  1 John 5:1.

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true;  and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life.”  1 John 5:19.

“Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”  1 John 5:5.

“The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself;  the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.  And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life;  he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”  1 John 5:10-12.

“By this you know the Spirit of God:  every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God;  this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”  1 John 4:2-3.

“We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”  1 John 4:14-15.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 9:10-19.

“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias;  and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”  And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”  But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;  and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”  But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;  for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”  So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;  and he took food and was strengthened.”  Acts 9:10-19.

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Saul a/k/a Paul was “a chosen instrument” of God to do work for God.

Other doctrine preaches and teaches that it is up to man to decide what work to do, it is up to man to exercise his own alleged free-will to do it, and it is up to man to perform the work.  Thus, man gets the glory.

But, Reformed Doctrine preaches and teaches that it is up to God to decide what work man will do, it is up to God to give man the will to do that work, and it is up to God to work in man to accomplish that work.  Thus, God gets the glory.

“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.

“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;  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”  Ephesians 4:11-13.

“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 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.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 8:9-24.

“Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;  and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”  And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.  But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.  Even Simon himself believed;  and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.  For He had not yet fallen upon any of them;  they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”  But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!  You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.  Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.  For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”  But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”  Acts 8:9-24.

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Simon astonished people of Samaria with his magic, “claiming to be someone great”.  “and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”  Verse 10.

And yet, when Simon was rebuked by Peter and commanded to pray for himself, he appeared humble and weak by his answer.  “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”  Verse 24.

Today’s Scripture humbles man and shows that true power comes from God.

We are reminded of the Scripture two verses earlier in this chapter.  “For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice;  and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.”  Acts 8:7.

And in today’s Scripture, we read about God giving the Holy Spirit and humbling Simon to the extent that Simon did not even want to pray for himself.

“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.”  Psalm 66:1-3.

“3 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
6 Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
7 They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.”  Psalm 145:3-7.

“‘Ah Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too difficult for You,”  Jeremiah 32:17.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”  2 Corinthians 4:7.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.  …”  Ephesians 1:18-19.

Today’s devotion comes from Acts 8:1-8.

“Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.

And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.  Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.  But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.  Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.  The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.  For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice;  and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.  So there was much rejoicing in that city.”  Acts 8:1-8.

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In today’s Scripture, we read of a great persecution against the church that scattered all, except the apostles.

Today, there may be groups and individuals that are scattered due to persecution or for other reasons.

But, as Reformed believers, we firmly believe that God is sovereign and in control and causes all things (including such scattering) to accomplish all of His good pleasure.  In today’s Scripture, we read:  “those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.”  Verse 4.

“The word of God kept on spreading …”  Acts 6:7.

“The sower sows the word.”  Mark 4:14.

“9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:9-11.

“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.”  2 Corinthians 9:8-9.

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.