Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 30:1-17.

“The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle.

The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man.
3 Neither have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name or His son’s name?
Surely you know!

5 Every word of God is tested;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

7 Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a kind of man who curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords
And his jaw teeth like knives,
To devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters,
“Give,” “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 Sheol, and the barren womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that mocks a father
And scorns a mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.”  Proverbs 30:1-17.

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“Every word of God is tested;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”  Verse 5.

Other doctrine spouts out randomly its feelings and desires as to what is fair and true.

But, Reformed Doctrine, knowing that the word of God is tested and true, corrects and otherwise instructs by the word of God each day.

Other doctrine tries to protect itself through its own wisdom, its own will, and its own works.

But, Reformed Doctrine takes refuge in God:  in His wisdom, His will, and His works.

“6 The words of the Lord are pure words;
As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
You will preserve him from this generation forever.”  Psalm 12:6-7.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 29:15-27.

“15 The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their fall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also delight your soul.
18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained,
But happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his slave from childhood
Will in the end find him to be a son.
22 An angry man stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
23 A man’s pride will bring him low,
But a humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
But justice for man comes from the Lord.
27 An unjust man is abominable to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.”  Proverbs 29:15-27.

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“The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”  Verse 25.

Notice the sharp contrast between those who trust in man and those who trust in God.
 
And yet, other doctrine still trusts man to supply at least part of what is needed for salvation whether it be works, wisdom, or at least alleged free-will choice.
 
But, Reformed Doctrine trusts God to supply all parts needed for salvation from God’s “Unconditional Election”, through God’s “Limited Atonement”, through God’s “Irresistible Grace”, to God’s “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“5 Thus says the Lord,
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8.

“3 Do not trust in princes,
In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.
5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
9 The Lord protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.”  Psalm 146:3-9.

“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 1:27-31.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 29:1-14.

“A man who hardens his neck after much reproof
Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.
2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked man rules, people groan.
3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
6 By transgression an evil man is ensnared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7 The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor,
The wicked does not understand such concern.
8 Scorners set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away anger.
9 When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man,
The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless,
But the upright are concerned for his life.
11 A fool always loses his temper,
But a wise man holds it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.”  Proverbs 29:1-14.

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There is the sharpest contrast between the wicked and righteous.

“By transgression an evil man is ensnared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.”  Verse 6.

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate Him flee before Him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish before God.
3 But let the righteous be glad;  let them exult before God;
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.”  Psalm 68:1-3.

“The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked goes out.”  Proverbs 13:9.

The righteous rejoices, sings, and even shouts for joy.

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:11.

“15 How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor our horn is exalted.”  Psalm 89:15-17.

“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”  Isaiah 61:10.

“Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.”  Psalm 33:1.

“Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your godly ones sing for joy.”  Psalm 132:9.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is … joy …”  Galatians 5:22.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 28:15-28.

“15 Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood
Will be a fugitive until death;  let no one support him.
18 He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is crooked will fall all at once.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 He who robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the companion of a man who destroys.
25 An arrogant man stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.”  Proverbs 28:15-28.

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“An arrogant man stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.”  Verse 25.

Other doctrine is arrogant and trusts in its own wisdom, its own alleged free-will, and its own works.

But, Scripture shows us that man in his natural spiritual condition is dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan summarized by “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, and there is nothing trustworthy in man upon which to base even just one link to salvation.

“5 Thus says the Lord,
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind …
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.”  Jeremiah 17:5 and 7.

In sharpest contrast, Reformed Doctrine is humble and trusts in God’s wisdom, God’s will, and God’s works.

God saved us through all the links of salvation which God alone provides from beginning to end:  from God’s “Unconditional Election”, through God’s “Limited Atonement”, through God’s “Irresistible Grace”, to God’s “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret;  it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”  Psalm 37:3-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 27:23-27.

“23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will be for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field,
27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.”  Proverbs 27:23-27.

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“Know well the condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;”  Verse 23.

“And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.”  Verse 27.

We may think we have little, just a few lambs and goats to use the figurative language of today’s Scripture.

But, if we take good care of what we have, God will bless what little we do have such that we find that we have enough to eat.

The temptation is for us to only look for and only care for the “big ships” that we want to come to us.

The temptation is to be hasty to get wealth.

But, today’s Scripture exhorts us pay attention to the little details and know well our business, and today’s Scripture encourages us that if we do so, then we will have enough for the sustenance of our household.

God gave daily manna to Israel, just enough for each day, and God continues to give us what we need day by day.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ taught us to pray:  “…  Give us this day our daily bread.  …”  Matthew 6:11.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 27:11-22.

“11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may reply to him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The naive proceed and pay the penalty.
13 Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for an adulterous woman hold him in pledge.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.
15 A constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would restrain her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.
21 The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.”  Proverbs 27:11-22.

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“A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The naive proceed and pay the penalty.”  Verse 12.

We read news stories all the time about some professional athlete or celebrity getting shot outside a nightclub at 2:00 am.  Our parents warned us (and we warned our children):  “Nothing good happens downtown after midnight.”

In Proverbs chapter 5, we read about the evil and consequences of an affair with an adulterous woman.  Do we hide from such evil?

But, there are also different types of evil.

“16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.”  Proverbs 6:16-19.

Do we hide from these evil things as well?

“He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Proverbs 13:20.

With so much evil around, where can we hide?

But, there is hope!

“You are my hiding place;  You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.”  Psalm 32:7.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 27:1-10.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
7 A sated man loathes honey,
But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.”  Proverbs 27:1-10.

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Today’s devotion is based on verse 1.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”  Verse 1.

Rather than doing good today, we try to justify our failure to do it today on the promise that we will do it later, and we often neglect doing it altogether.

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”  But as it is, you boast in your arrogance;  all such boasting is evil.  Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”  James 4:13-17.

“27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.”  Proverbs 3:27-28.

Today’s devotion comes from Proverbs 26:20-28.

“20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 He who hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.”  Proverbs 26:20-28.

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“For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.”  Verse 20.

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.”  Proverbs 15:18.

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.”  Proverbs 14:29.

And yet, how hard it is to control the tongue and keep quiet!

“So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity;  the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.  For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue;  it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.”  James 3:5-8.

Scripture is very strict about the importance of controlling the tongue.

“If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.”  James 1:26.

“For,

“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.”  1 Peter 3:10.

But, there is hope!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:22-24.