Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 2, 2017

“Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight” – “Do not cast me away from Your presence” – “cleanse me from my sin” – “Create in me a clean heart, O God”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 52.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+52&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“He did evil in the sight of the Lord like all that Jehoiakim had done.  For through the anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence.”  Jeremiah 52:2-3.

——————–

Some were slaughtered.  Some were carried away into exile.  The valuable things in the temple were also carried away to Babylon.  The temple and city of Jerusalem were destroyed.  Jeremiah chapter 52 provides great detail. 

This devotion focuses on the summary of what the LORD did in verse 3.  “For through the anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence.”  Verse 3.

King David also did evil in the sight of the LORD, and he rightly feared the just consequence of such evil, that is, being cast out of the presence of the LORD.

“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.”  Psalm 51:1-4.

“Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”  Psalm 51:11.

Like King David, we all sin and have done evil in the sight of the LORD.  

We don’t start out pure and only occasionally sin.  We start out in sin, corrupted by sin.     

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.”  Psalm 51:5.

Reformed Doctrine summarizes our natural condition as “Total Depravity”.  We are dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan.  Every part of us is corrupted by sin. 

We all deserve to be cast out of the presence of the LORD.

But, there is hope outside of us.  The hope is that the LORD will make us alive and cleanse us from sin and create in us a clean heart.  

“7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  Psalm 51:7-10.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | October 1, 2017

“For the LORD is a God of recompense, He will fully repay.”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 51:24-64.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+51&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“24 “But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares the Lord.

…

36 Therefore thus says the Lord,
“Behold, I am going to plead your case
And exact full vengeance for you;
And I will dry up her sea
And make her fountain dry.

…

55 For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon,
And He will make her loud noise vanish from her.
And their waves will roar like many waters;
The tumult of their voices sounds forth.
56 For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon,
And her mighty men will be captured,
Their bows are shattered;
For the Lord is a God of recompense,
He will fully repay.”  Jeremiah 51:24, 36, and 55-56.

———————–

 

“4 Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
5 He will recompense the evil to my foes;
Destroy them in Your faithfulness.

6 Willingly I will sacrifice to You;
I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For He has delivered me from all trouble,
And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.”  Psalm 55:4-7.

 

“7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the Lord, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.”  Psalm 91:7-9.

 

“O Lord, God of vengeance,
God of vengeance, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.
3 How long shall the wicked, O Lord,
How long shall the wicked exult?
…
21 They band themselves together against the life of the righteous
And condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord has been my stronghold,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought back their wickedness upon them
And will destroy them in their evil;
The Lord our God will destroy them.”  Psalm 94:1-3 and 21-23.

 

“Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
But He will save you.”  Isaiah 35:4.

 

“16 And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.
18 According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.
19 So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west
And His glory from the rising of the sun,
For He will come like a rushing stream
Which the wind of the Lord drives.
20 “A Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the Lord.”  Isaiah 59:16-20.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 29, 2017

“But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 51:11-23.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+51&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“11 Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers!
The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes,
Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it;
For it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple.
12 Lift up a signal against the walls of Babylon;
Post a strong guard,
Station sentries,
Place men in ambush!
For the Lord has both purposed and performed
What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 O you who dwell by many waters,
Abundant in treasures,
Your end has come,
The measure of your end.
14 The Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself:
“Surely I will fill you with a population like locusts,
And they will cry out with shouts of victory over you.”  

15 It is He who made the earth by His power,
Who established the world by His wisdom,
And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.
16 When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain
And brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
17 All mankind is stupid, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
For his molten images are deceitful,
And there is no breath in them.
18 They are worthless, a work of mockery;
In the time of their punishment they will perish.
19 The portion of Jacob is not like these;
For the Maker of all is He,
And of the tribe of His inheritance;
The Lord of hosts is His name.”  Jeremiah 51:11-19. 

—————————–

There is the sharpest contrast between the portion of the wicked and the portion of God’s people.  

The portion of the wicked is punishment.  “…  In the time of their punishment they will perish.”  Verse 18.

“The portion of Jacob is not like these;
For the Maker of all is He,
And of the tribe of His inheritance;
The Lord of hosts is His name.”  Verse 19.

In other words, the portion of God’s people is God Himself, “The Lord of hosts is His name.”

“25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.”  Psalm 73:25-28.

“Upon the wicked He will rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.”  Psalm 11:6.

“5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.”  Psalm 16:5-6.

“22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”  Lamentations 3:22-24.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 28, 2017

“The LORD has brought about our vindication; Come and let us recount in Zion The work of the LORD our God!”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 51:1-10.

“Thus says the LORD:

“Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon
And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai
The spirit of a destroyer.
2 “I will dispatch foreigners to Babylon that they may winnow her
And may devastate her land;
For on every side they will be opposed to her
In the day of her calamity.
3 “Let not him who bends his bow bend it,
Nor let him rise up in his scale-armor;
So do not spare her young men;
Devote all her army to destruction.
4 “They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans,
And pierced through in their streets.”

5 For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken
By his God, the LORD of hosts,
Although their land is full of guilt
Before the Holy One of Israel.
6 Flee from the midst of Babylon,
And each of you save his life!
Do not be destroyed in her punishment,
For this is the Lord’s time of vengeance;
He is going to render recompense to her.
7 Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the LORD,
Intoxicating all the earth.
The nations have drunk of her wine;
Therefore the nations are going mad.
8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;
Wail over her!
Bring balm for her pain;
Perhaps she may be healed.
9 We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed;
Forsake her and let us each go to his own country,
For her judgment has reached to heaven
And towers up to the very skies.
10 The LORD has brought about our vindication;
Come and let us recount in Zion
The work of the LORD our God!”  Jeremiah 51:1-10.

—————–

Other doctrine likes to recounts the works of man.

But, Reformed Doctrine likes to recount the work of the LORD our God.

“The LORD has brought about our vindication;
Come and let us recount in Zion
The work of the LORD our God!”  Verse 10.

Man was dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan.  This is “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Figuratively speaking, there would be more hope for a dead man at the bottom of the ocean whose body was decomposing and eaten by fish, than there would be for man to supply anything needed for his salvation.  At least such a dead man at the bottom of the ocean is “only” dead;  the man who needed to supply something for his salvation is not only dead, he is hostile to God and enslaved to sin and Satan.   

But, there is hope for such utterly hopeless man!

“For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken
By his God, the LORD of hosts,
Although their land is full of guilt
Before the Holy One of Israel.”  Verse 5.

The LORD our God has performed such an amazing and awesome work that He has supplied all that is needed for salvation from beginning to the 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. 

“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 27, 2017

“Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name” – “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 50:33-46.  Here is a link to this Scripture –   https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+50&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“33 Thus says the Lord of hosts,
“The sons of Israel are oppressed,
And the sons of Judah as well;
And all who took them captive have held them fast,
They have refused to let them go.
34 “Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name;
He will vigorously plead their case
So that He may bring rest to the earth,
But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon.”  Jeremiah 50:33-34.

——————–

“8 “But you, Israel, My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of Abraham My friend,
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its remotest parts
And said to you, ‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and not rejected you.
10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 “You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 “For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
14 “Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the Lord, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.”  Isaiah 41:8-14.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 26, 2017

“For it is a work of the Lord God of hosts”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 50:21-32.

“21 “Against the land of Merathaim, go up against it,
And against the inhabitants of Pekod.
Slay and utterly destroy them,” declares the Lord,
“And do according to all that I have commanded you.
22 “The noise of battle is in the land,
And great destruction.
23 “How the hammer of the whole earth
Has been cut off and broken!
How Babylon has become
An object of horror among the nations!
24 “I set a snare for you and you were also caught, O Babylon,
While you yourself were not aware;
You have been found and also seized
Because you have engaged in conflict with the Lord.”
25 The Lord has opened His armory
And has brought forth the weapons of His indignation,
For it is a work of the Lord God of hosts
In the land of the Chaldeans.
26 Come to her from the farthest border;
Open up her barns,
Pile her up like heaps
And utterly destroy her,
Let nothing be left to her.
27 Put all her young bulls to the sword;
Let them go down to the slaughter!
Woe be upon them, for their day has come,
The time of their punishment.

28 There is a sound of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon,
To declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God,
Vengeance for His temple.

29 “Summon many against Babylon,
All those who bend the bow:
Encamp against her on every side,
Let there be no escape.
Repay her according to her work;
According to all that she has done, so do to her;
For she has become arrogant against the Lord,
Against the Holy One of Israel.
30 “Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,
And all her men of war will be silenced in that day,” declares the Lord.
31 “Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,”
Declares the Lord God of hosts,
“For your day has come,
The time when I will punish you.
32 “The arrogant one will stumble and fall
With no one to raise him up;
And I will set fire to his cities
And it will devour all his environs.”  Jeremiah 50:21-32.

————————-

“… For it is a work of the Lord God of hosts …”.  Verse 25.

Other doctrine is more interested in the work of man.

But, Reformed Doctrine is more interested in the work of the LORD.

Sometimes, we notice the work of the LORD without such a declaration.

But, when we see such a declaration, it certainly causes us to meditate upon it. 

For those works of the LORD that other doctrine cannot ignore, other doctrine prefers those works of the LORD that fit their idol of a god based upon their desires, namely works of pleasing man that fits its idol of some type of Santa Clause god that does not punish but only is at the “beck and call” of man to please man.

But, Reformed Doctrine shuns its own preconceived desires and studies what Scripture reveals are the works of the LORD and meditates upon what those works reveal about the nature of the LORD.

In today’s Scripture, we see the work of the LORD to be punishment and utter destruction of Babylon.  We notice that this mission is personal to the LORD;  there is a lot of “I will”s in today Scripture.

“31 “Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,”
Declares the Lord God of hosts,
“For your day has come,
The time when I will punish you.
32 “The arrogant one will stumble and fall
With no one to raise him up;
And I will set fire to his cities
And it will devour all his environs.”  Verses 31-32.

This work reveals that the LORD does not tolerate opposition nor rebellion.  The LORD alone is sovereign and rules over everything.

We notice that the LORD punished Babylon, “… Because you have engaged in conflict with the Lord.”  Verse 24.

And, the LORD punished Babylon, because of its arrogance.  Verses 29 and 31-32.

Other doctrine clings to man’s alleged free-will.

But, Reformed Doctrine clings to the sovereign LORD and His will.

“Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm chapter 2.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 25, 2017

What Gentile Christians have in common with the remnant of Jews: “God’s gracious choice”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 50:17-20.

“Israel is a scattered flock, the lions have driven them away.  The first one who devoured him was the king of Assyria, and this last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.  Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:  ‘Behold, I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria.  And I will bring Israel back to his pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his desire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.  In those days and at that time,’ declares the Lord, ‘search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none;  and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found;  for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.’”    Jeremiah 50:17-20.

————————

For today’s devotion, we will focus on our attitude to the remnant of Jews.  We will first meditate on several Scriptures.

“… I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.’”  Verse 20.

“Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved;  for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”  And just as Isaiah foretold,

“Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity,
We would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah.”  Romans 9:27-29.

“20 Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

21 A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.
22 For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea,
Only a remnant within them will return;
A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.”  Isaiah 10:20-22.

At first, our attitude may be an improper attitude of pity for them and arrogance for us.  The Apostle Paul specifically examined and corrected that possible improper attitude in Romans chapter 11.     

We notice in today’s Scripture all that the LORD did for the remnant.  The LORD preserved their lives through exile and captivity.  The LORD brought them back to their land.  The LORD caused them to prosper in their land.  The LORD pardoned their sins.  Such lavish care of the LORD for the remnant of Jews should not evoke pity or arrogance from us.    

And, even more, we realize what we Gentile Christians have in common with the remnant of Jews.  We both are blessed to be part of God’s gracious choice, saved by grace.  “In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”  Romans 11:5-6.

And, in Christ, there is no distinction between Jews and Christians.  “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;  for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;”  Romans 10:12.  “… there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”  Colossians 3:11.

Yes, the remnant of Jews was a small group.  But, in a sense, we Gentile Christians are a small group too.  “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.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14.    “For many are called, but few are chosen.”  Matthew 22:14.

Other doctrine may sound good at first when we hear its teaching that God loves everybody and everyone can be saved.  But, Scripture shows that is not true.

Reformed Doctrine teaches that only the elect (both Jews and Christians) according to God’s gracious choice will be saved and that God will do everything needed for their salvation.

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”  Romans 11:5-6.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 24, 2017

“the Lord who is the habitation of righteousness, Even the Lord, the hope of their fathers”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 50:1-16.

“The word which the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:

2 “Declare and proclaim among the nations.
Proclaim it and lift up a standard.
Do not conceal it but say,
‘Babylon has been captured,
Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered;
Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’

3 For a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away!

4 “In those days and at that time,” declares the Lord, “the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the Lord their God they will seek.  5 They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction;  they will come that they may join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

6 “My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside on the mountains;
They have gone along from mountain to hill
And have forgotten their resting place.
7 “All who came upon them have devoured them;
And their adversaries have said, ‘We are not guilty,
Inasmuch as they have sinned against the Lord who is the habitation of righteousness,
Even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.’”  Jeremiah 50:1-7.

——————————

As fathers, we have no greater joy than to know our children our walking in the truth.  “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  3 John 1:4.

We try to lead by example.  We also try to verbally teach them.  We put them in Christian schools.  We bring them to church.  We may even bring them to Sunday School and catechism.  We pray with them and read Scripture with them.  We discipline them. 

And, those are all good things for us as fathers to do.  We should do all those things and other things as well.

But, today’s Scripture reminds us that the LORD Himself is the habitation of righteousness.  Verse 7.  If our LORD does not somehow draw our children into fellowship and habitation in Him, then all is lost.

We can never view our children nor ourselves as free, not subject to outside influences.  We don’t have free-will.  We are enslaved to sin and Satan.  Today’s Scripture calls us lost sheep led astray.

“My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside on the mountains;
They have gone along from mountain to hill
And have forgotten their resting place. ”  Verse 6.

Reformed Doctrine puts it all together.

In sharpest contrast to the LORD Who is the habitation of righteousness, there is no righteousness that inhabits us.  Our natural condition is “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  We are dead in sin, hostile to God, enslaved to sin and Satan. 

“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.

Other doctrine presents shepherds who point the way to salvation and then leave it to their disciples to use their alleged free-will and wisdom to go to the resting places of salvation.

But, Reformed Doctrine presents the Good Shepherd of the Scripture Who goes out to find His lost sheep and Who carries them to salvation. 

Reformed Doctrine presents “the habitation of righteousness” Who by His doing brings them within the habitation of righteousness.  “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.

In summary, Reformed Doctrine presents the LORD of Scripture Who does all that is necessary for the salvation of His people from the beginning to the 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. 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-7.

“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 2:5-9.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 22, 2017

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 49:23-39.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+49&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“34 That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying:

35 “Thus says the Lord of hosts,
‘Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam,
The finest of their might.
36 ‘I will bring upon Elam the four winds
From the four ends of heaven,
And will scatter them to all these winds;
And there will be no nation
To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 ‘So I will shatter Elam before their enemies
And before those who seek their lives;
And I will bring calamity upon them,
Even My fierce anger,’ declares the Lord,
‘And I will send out the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
38 ‘Then I will set My throne in Elam
And destroy out of it king and princes,’
Declares the Lord.
39 ‘But it will come about in the last days
That I will restore the fortunes of Elam,’”
Declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 49:34-39. 

————————–

In today’s Scripture, we see the prophecy against Damascus, the prophecy against Kedar and Hazor, and finally in the Scripture quoted above, the prophecy against Elam, all of which describe the desolations that the LORD would cause upon those nations.

The LORD would destroy the strongest of the military might of those nations.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts,
‘Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam,
The finest of their might.”  Verse 35.

This Scripture was written for our sake, so that we would properly fear the LORD and trust in Him.

Other doctrine exalts man and humbles their god.

But, Reformed Doctrine humbles man and exalts the God of Scripture. 

“8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.”  Psalm 46:8-11.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 21, 2017

“For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 49:7-22.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+49&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Edom will become an object of horror;  everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss at all its wounds.  Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors,” says the Lord, “no one will live there, nor will a son of man reside in it.  Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against a perennially watered pasture;  for in an instant I will make him run away from it, and whoever is chosen I shall appoint over it.  For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court?  And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”

Therefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman:  surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock;  surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.  The earth has quaked at the noise of their downfall.  There is an outcry!  The noise of it has been heard at the Red Sea.  Behold, He will mount up and swoop like an eagle and spread out His wings against Bozrah;  and the hearts of the mighty men of Edom in that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor.”  Jeremiah 49:17-22.

————————-

“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.”  Psalm 103:19.

The LORD refutes those who believe that He is subject to something or someone by proclaiming in verse 19:  “For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court?  And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”

The LORD is the One Who summons and judges and punishes.

“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken,
And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shone forth.
3 May our God come and not keep silence;
Fire devours before Him,
And it is very tempestuous around Him.
4 He summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5 “Gather My godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge.  Selah.”  Psalm 50:1-6.

Other doctrine present a god who is subject to something or someone and who reacts to man’s alleged free-will.

Reformed Doctrine presents the God of Scripture Who subjects all to His rule and Who initiates and accomplishes all of His will.

“6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm and said,

7 “Now gird up your loins like a man;
I will ask you, and you instruct Me.
8 “Will you really annul My judgment?
Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9 “Or do you have an arm like God,
And can you thunder with a voice like His?

10 “Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity,
And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.
11 “Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.
12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him,
And tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 “Hide them in the dust together;
Bind them in the hidden place.
14 “Then I will also confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you.”  Job 40:6-14.

“Then Job answered the Lord and said,

2 “I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”  Job 42:1-2.

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