Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 11, 2018

“For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 8:11-21.

“The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him.  Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign?  Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”  Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.

And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them.  And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out!  Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”  They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.  And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread?  Do you not yet see or understand?  Do you have a hardened heart?  HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE?  AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR?  And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?”  They *said to Him, “Twelve.”  “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?”  And they *said to Him, “Seven.”  And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”  Mark 8:11-21.

——————–

We do not need a sign;  we need You, Heavenly Father, as our Guide.

We do not need an arrow in the skies to point our way;  we need Your Word.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.”  Psalm 119:105.

“For such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will guide us until death.”  Psalm 48:14.

“23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.”  Psalm 73:23-24.

“52 But He led forth His own people like sheep
And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
53 He led them safely, so that they did not fear;
But the sea engulfed their enemies.

54 So He brought them to His holy land,
To this hill country which His right hand had gained.”  Psalm 78:52-54.

“Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.”  Psalm 107:30.

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;  for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak;  and He will disclose to you what is to come.”  John 16:13.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 10, 2018

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 8:1-10.

“In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and *said to them, “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.  If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way;  and some of them have come from a great distance.”  And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?”  And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?”  And they said, “Seven.”  And He *directed the people to sit down on the ground;  and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people.  They also had a few small fish;  and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well.  And they ate and were satisfied;  and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces.  About four thousand were there;  and He sent them away.  And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha.”  Mark 8:1-10.

————–

Jesus said:  “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.”  So. let us look at what these people did and what Jesus did for them.

These people did not worry about what they would eat.  They sought Christ, His kingdom, and His righteousness and remained to hear the teachings of Christ for three days despite having nothing to eat.  Jesus gave them enough tangible bread and fish to satisfy their physical hunger.  And, Jesus gave them enough spiritual bread to satisfy their hunger for righteousness.

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;  for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Matthew 6:31-33.

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”  John 6:27.

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;  he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”  John 6:35.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”  Matthew 5:6.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 9, 2018

“He has done all things well”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 7:31-37.

“Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.  They *brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they *implored Him to lay His hand on him.  Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva;  and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”  And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.  And He gave them orders not to tell anyone;  but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it.  They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well;  He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”  Mark 7:31-37.

——————–

Other doctrine is more interested in what it can do well.

But, Reformed Doctrine is much more interested in what God does well and it studies God and His works.

Here are three things upon which we will meditate from today’s Scripture that Jesus did well.

First, and most obvious, Jesus completely healed the deaf and mute man.

Second, Jesus did the “multi-tasking” well in healing both of the separate afflictions in one healing.

Third, Jesus cared about how the deaf and man would feel about the manner of healing and made provision to deal with the man’s feelings by taking the man away from the crowd to obtain some privacy.  Although we do not know why Jesus performed the healing in the odd way through His fingers in the man’s ears and through His spitting (apparently in His own hand) to use His own saliva to touch the man’s tongue, we do understand that all of this means of healing would likely embarrass the man and that Jesus cared about how the man would feel by His action and took him aside from the crowd to eliminate or at least minimize the man’s embarrassment.

“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.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 7, 2018

“Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 7:24-30.

“Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre.  And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it;  yet He could not escape notice.  But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet.  Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race.  And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.”  And He said to her, “Because of this answer go;  the demon has gone out of your daughter.”  And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.”  Mark 7:24-30.

————

The Gentile, Syrophoenician woman, kept asking Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter.  But, Jesus was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

Many people would have received Jesus’ statement as an insult or at least a brush-off and would be offended and give up.

But she showed humility, patience, and persistence in her answer and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.”

“And He said to her, “Because of this answer go;  the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

Particularly because Jesus said that the reason why He healed her daughter was her answer, we should meditate on some of what the Scriptures state about these qualities.

First, she was humble.

“…  “But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”  Isaiah 66:2.

Second, she was patient.

“I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.”  Psalm 40:1.

Third, she was persistent.

“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.  There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’  For a while he was unwilling;  but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”  Luke 18:1-4.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 6, 2018

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 7:14-23.

“After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:  there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him;  but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.  [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]

When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable.  And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also?  Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?”  (Thus He declared all foods clean.)  And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.  All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”  Mark 7:14-23.

——————-

If only things on the outside could defile man, then the Pharisees would be righteous because of their strict practice of cleansing themselves such as was described in Mark 7:1-4.  But, we remember Jesus’ exposure of the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 23 of which I quote only the following verses.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.  You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”  Matthew 23:25-28.

But, before we all rush to condemn only the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, let us consider the broader and deeper problem of “Total Depravity” that is man’s natural condition.  We were “dead” in sin.  Ephesians 2:1.    None of us understood, and none of us sought God.  Romans 3:10-11.  We were hostile to God.  Romans 8:7 and Colossians 1:21.  We were in bondage to sin.  Romans 7:14-15.

“as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”  Romans 3:10-13.

There is hope!  But, that hope does not come within man as other doctrine teaches.  That hope does not come from the alleged goodness, alleged wisdom, nor alleged free-will of man.

That hope comes from God Who provides all that we need for salvation from beginning to end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” through 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.    This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt.

Article 7.  Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault, from their primitive state of rectitude, into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect, and the foundation of Salvation.

This elect number, though by nature neither better nor more deserving than the others, but with them involved in one common misery, God hath decreed to give to Christ, to be saved by him, and effectually to call and draw them to his communion by his Word and Spirit, to bestow upon them true faith, justification and sanctification;  and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of his Son, finally, to glorify them for the demonstration of his mercy, and for the praise of his glorious grace;  as it is written:  “According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love;  having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved,” Ephesians 1:4,5,6.  And elsewhere: “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called;  and whom he called, them he also justified;  and whom he justified, them he also glorified,” Romans 8:30.  FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination of the Canons of Dordt.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-9.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 5, 2018

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you … and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 7:9-13.

“He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.  For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’;  and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’;  but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;  thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down;  and you do many things such as that.”  Mark 7:9-13.

—————-

It is easy for us to think we are obeying the commandment of God by our preaching, teaching, and confession, but it is difficult to obey the commandment of God from our heart in ways that please God.

Today’s Scripture reminds us of yesterday’s Scripture.

““And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.”  Mark 7:6.

For example, it is easy to say nice things to our parents and about our parents to others and think we have honored them and fulfilled the commandment of God, but it is difficult to support them in their hour of need when they are elderly, poor, less attractive, less interesting, less helpful, and suffering from incapacity of mind and body.

We need God’s grace and His Spirit.

First, we need God’s “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  In other words, we need God to soften our hard heart.  

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

Second, we need God’s Spirit.

“For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Galatians 5:14.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;  for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.”  Galatians 5:16-18.

“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.

Other doctrine depends on its own wisdom and will to obey the commandments of God in ways that please God.

But, Reformed Doctrine depends on God to give us a new heart and to put a new spirit within us and to cause us to please God.

“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.”  Ezekiel 36:26-27.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 4, 2018

‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 7:1-8.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+7&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”  Mark 7:6-7.

———————-

Today’s Scripture teaches that there are those who worship God in vain by their doctrine (also known as teachings) of men.  “BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”  Verse 7 and Matthew 15:9.

Scripture emphasizes the importance of truth.

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth;  for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:23-24.

Not any kind of worship will suffice, but “worship in spirit and truth”.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.  For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”  Romans 11:1-4.

Not any kind of zeal will suffice, but zeal “in accordance with knowledge”, or in other words, in accordance with truth.

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

Not any kind of faith will suffice, but “faith in the truth”.

There are those who “did not receive the love of truth so as to be saved”.  2 Thessalonians 2:10-13.

Not any kind of love will suffice, but “the love of truth”.

Many churches portray doctrine as unnecessary, divisive, or worse.  They simply rest on their claim that they believe the Bible and teach it.

But, doctrine is simply teachings.  Therefore, doctrine cannot be avoided unless a preacher or teacher just quotes Scripture without making any summary or other comment which just does not happen.

So, doctrine can not be avoided.  We can only have true doctrine or false doctrine.

True doctrine accurately summarizes Scripture.  False doctrine does not accurately summarize Scripture.

True doctrine teaches that salvation is a work of God alone.  False doctrine teaches that salvation is dependent at least partially on the work of man or the will of man. 

Reformed Doctrine is true doctrine.  Reformed Doctrine accurately summarizes Scripture and teaches that salvation is a work of God alone, by grace alone, and that God handles all the points of salvation from “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” through “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.    This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt.

In addition to the Canons of Dordt, the other major Reformed Creeds forming true doctrine are Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and Westminster Larger Confession.  They are all organized and easily readable.  In the right margin column, there are links to these major Reformed Creeds and also a link to a web site titled “Daily Confessions” which contains a daily dose of Reformed Creeds.

Conclusion

Scripture emphasizes the importance of truth.  Calling something worship is not enough.  Zeal is not enough.  Claiming Jesus as your Lord is not enough.  Even doing miracles, so to speak, is not enough.  Those who teach or believe in doctrines based on the ideas of man worship God in vain.  Those who worship God must worship God in truth.

Scripture exhorts us to seek for wisdom as one would seek for silver or hidden treasure.  “If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures;  Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.”  Proverbs 2:4-5.

Likewise, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a hidden treasure.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:44-46.

If we are to seek wisdom and the kingdom of heaven as one would search for hidden treasure with all of our heart, then how much more should we seek the one true doctrine of salvation with all of our heart!!!

“And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?”  And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door;  for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”  Luke 13:23-24.

And yet, other doctrine teaches that it is sufficient for one to obtain salvation if one just seeks to enter the kingdom of God through their own way and their own beliefs and by their own works or their own will.  This is the broad way referenced in the following Scripture.  “Enter through the narrow gate;  for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”  Matthew 7:13.

But, Reformed Doctrine is the narrow way that teaches that “Salvation belongs to the Lord”.  Psalm 3:8.  God saves according to His purpose, according to His choice, not because of works nor even the will of man.  “For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:15-16.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“… How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:12.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 3, 2018

“You have taken hold of my right hand.”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 6:53-56.

“When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.  When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was.  Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak;  and as many as touched it were being cured.”  Mark 6:53-56.

————–

As we consider the people at Gennesaret in today’s Scripture who ran about that whole country to lay their sick in Jesus’ path, and as many as touched the fringe of His cloak were being cured, we may dream of touching Jesus.

But, the story of the centurion reminds us that we do not even need to touch Jesus;  the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”  “And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go;  it shall be done for you as you have believed.”  And the servant was healed that very moment.”  See Matthew 8:5-13.

“Ask, and it will be given to you;  seek, and you will find;  knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:7-11.

“But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”  James 1:6-8.

Reformed Doctrine helps us ask in faith without any doubting by reminding us that “He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.”

Q. 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

A.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence) is, for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father;  on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt but He will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body;  and further, that He will make whatever evils He sends upon me, in this valley of tears, turn out to my advantage;  for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.  Heidelberg Catechism.

And, Reformed Doctrine reminds us, so to speak, that God does not only touch us, He holds us!

Other doctrine is like a child facing a busy street hoping that he is wise and strong enough to hold on to his father’s hand.

But, Reformed Doctrine is like the father who will never let go of the hand of his child. 

“23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.”  Psalm 73:23-24.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”  John 10:27-29.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 2, 2018

“Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” – “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 6:45-52.

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away.  After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land.  Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea;  and He intended to pass by them.  But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;  for they all saw Him and were terrified.  But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage;  it is I, do not be afraid.”  Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped;  and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”  Mark 6:45-52.

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There is hope for us!

First, if the disciples “had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” (verse 52), then we can better believe that we do not need to be the wisest or the strongest to be saved.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

Second, Jesus does not just teach us.  Jesus does not just provide food for us.  Jesus does not even just calm the seas.  Jesus steps into our boat, literally and figuratively, to be with us.

Jesus assures us of His presence:  “Take courage;  it is I, do not be afraid.”

We note that the wind did not stop until Jesus got into the boat to be with them.  Although Jesus did not need to get into the boat to stop the wind, he was teaching His disciples that they could take courage, because He was with them.

In summary, we live the Christian life not based on our own wisdom and insights and strength;  but rather, we live the Christian life based on Christ’s life, Christ’s presence, and Christ’s Spirit within us.

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”  Galatians 2:20-21.

“… for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say,

“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”  Hebrews 13:5-6.

“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;  I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”  John 17:22-23.

“that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Colossians 1:26-27.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 31, 2018

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

Today’s devotion comes from Mark 6:33-44.

“The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them.  When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd;  and He began to teach them many things.  When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and it is already quite late;  send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”  But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!”  And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?”  And He *said to them, “How many loaves do you have?  Go look!”  And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.”  And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass.  They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them;  and He divided up the two fish among them all.  They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish.  There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.”  Mark 6:33-44.

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“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not worth much more than they?  And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  And why are you worried about clothing?  Observe how the lilies of the field grow;  they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?  You of little faith!  Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;  for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Matthew 6:26-32.

Q. 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

A.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence) is, for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father;  on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt but He will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body;  and further, that He will make whatever evils He sends upon me, in this valley of tears, turn out to my advantage;  for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.  Heidelberg Catechism.

“Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!  Matthew 7:9-11.

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