Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | July 1, 2016

“Surely God is good to Israel”. But, for the wicked, “Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 73.

“Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.
5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued  like mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
The garment of violence covers them.
7 Their eye bulges from fatness;
The imaginations of their heart run riot.
8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression;
They speak from on high.
9 They have set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue parades through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return to this place,
And waters of abundance are drunk by them.
11 They say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge with the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence;
14 For I have been stricken all day long
And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.
16 When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.
18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form.

21 When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,
22 Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
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.

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 chapter 73.

——————————

It may seem like there is “Common Grace” when we, like the Psalmist, see the prosperity of the wicked.  Verses 6-12.  But, when we perceive the end of the wicked, we understand.

“18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!”  Verses 18-19.

God’s grace is reserved for His people a/k/a the elect a/k/a the righteous.

“Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!”  Verse 1.

But, God will destroy the non-elect a/k/a the wicked.

“For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.”  Verse 27.

God protects and preserves His people.  God guides them and brings them to heaven.  Reformed Doctrine calls this precious point “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“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.”  Verses 23-24.

In this chapter which sharply contrasts the righteous and the wicked, showing that there is no “Common Grace” covering both groups, this chapter notably ends with the following verse 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.”  Verse 28.

Other doctrine is proud of itself and its works.

But, Reformed Doctrine is humble through its teaching of man’s natural condition of “Total Depravity” and continually looks to God as its refuge and tells of God’s work from the very beginning to the very end:  from the very beginning of His “Unconditional Election” through His “Limited Atonement” through His “Irresistible Grace” to the very end of His “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 30, 2016

“Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 72.

“Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 May he judge Your people with righteousness
And Your afflicted with justice.
3 Let the mountains bring peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he vindicate the afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy
And crush the oppressor.

5 Let them fear You while the sun endures,
And as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass,
Like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish,
And abundance of peace till the moon is no more.

8 May he also rule from sea to sea
And from the River to the ends of the earth.

9 Let the nomads of the desert bow before him,
And his enemies lick the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents;
The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
11 And let all kings bow down before him,
All nations serve him.

12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help,
The afflicted also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will have compassion on the poor and needy,
And the lives of the needy he will save.
14 He will rescue their life from oppression and violence,
And their blood will be precious in his sight;
15 So may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him;
And let them pray for him continually;
Let them bless him all day long.

16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains;
Its fruit will wave like the cedars of Lebanon;
And may those from the city flourish like vegetation of the earth.
17 May his name endure forever;
May his name increase as long as the sun shines;
And let men bless themselves by him;
Let all nations call him blessed.

18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who alone works wonders.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever;
And may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen, and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.”  Psalm chapter 72.

——————————–

Although superficially this chapter appears to be a prayer of David for his son Solomon, we should meditate on the deeper and more important meaning of its description of the reign of Jesus Christ.  Christ has these qualities and done these works.

The reign of Christ is sovereign over all the earth.  Verses 8-11.

The reign of Christ brings forth justice and righteousness.  Verses 1-4.

The reign of Christ brings forth lovingkindness.  Verses 12-16.

And, we call Christ blessed.  Verses 17-19.

Other doctrine focuses on man and man’s work.

But, Reformed Doctrine focuses on God and God’s work.

Here is what the Westminster Larger Catechism states:

Q. 45.  How doth Christ execute the office of a king?

A.  Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself, and giving them officers, laws, and censures, by which he visibly governs them;  in bestowing saving grace upon his elect, rewarding their obedience, and correcting them for their sins, preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings, restraining and overcoming all their enemies, and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory, and their good;  and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.

“Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who alone works wonders.”  Verse 18.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 29, 2016

“My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day long”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 71.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+71&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“5 For You are my hope;
O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.
6 By You I have been sustained from my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You.

7 I have become a marvel to many,
For You are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all day long.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

…

14 But as for me, I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

17 O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?

…

22 I will also praise You with a harp,
Even Your truth, O my God;
To You I will sing praises with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.
24 My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;
For they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek my hurt.”  Psalm 71:5-9 and 14-19 and 22-24.

—————————–

Other doctrine tells of its own righteousness.

But, Reformed Doctrine tells of the righteousness of God.

Other doctrine tells of its own alleged free-will and wisdom and works.

But, Reformed Doctrine tells of God’s will, God’s wisdom, and God’s works.

Other doctrine proudly tells of its own works, its wisdom, and free-will choices distinguishing itself for salvation.

But, Reformed Doctrine humbly tells of God’s salvation, what God has done for it from the very beginning to the very end:  from the very beginning of His “Unconditional Election” through His “Limited Atonement” through His “Irresistible Grace” to the very end of His “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.”  Verses 15-16.

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

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 28, 2016

“Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 70.

“O God, hasten to deliver me;
O Lord, hasten to my help!
2 Let those be ashamed and humiliated
Who seek my life;
Let those be turned back and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.
3 Let those be turned back because of their shame
Who say, “Aha, aha!”

4 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
And let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“Let God be magnified.”
5 But I am afflicted and needy;
Hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay.”  Psalm chapter 70.

—————————-

Other doctrine seeks to magnify itself:  its works, its wisdom, and its will.

But, Reformed Doctrine confesses that it is afflicted and needy, and instead of magnifying itself, Reformed Doctrine seeks to magnify God.

“Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
And let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“Let God be magnified.”  Verse 4.

“… You are my help and my deliverer …”  Verse 5.

“God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.

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 chapter 46.

Reformed Doctrine’s teaching of “Total Depravity” as the natural condition of man is consistent with its confession of being afflicted and needy.

Reformed Doctrine loves God’s salvation and magnifies God through its teaching of God’s “Unconditional Election”, God’s “Limited Atonement”, God’s “Irresistible Grace”, and God’s “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“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 46:10-11.

“Let God be magnified.”  Verse 4.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 27, 2016

“For the Lord hears the needy” – “The humble have seen it and are glad” – “May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 69.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+69&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Save me, O God,
For the waters have threatened my life.
2 I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me.
3 I am weary with my crying;  my throat is parched;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies;
What I did not steal, I then have to restore.

5 O God, it is You who knows my folly,
And my wrongs are not hidden from You.

…

16 Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,
17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in distress;  answer me quickly.
18 Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it;
Ransom me because of my enemies!
19 You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor;
All my adversaries are before You.

20 Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick.
And I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
And for comforters, but I found none.
21 They also gave me gall for my food
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

…

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 And it will please the Lord better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.
32 The humble have seen it and are glad;
You who seek God, let your heart revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
And does not despise His who are prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it,
And those who love His name will dwell in it.  Psalm 69:1-5 and 16-21 and 29-36.

——————————

Other doctrine is proud.

But, Reformed Doctrine is humble.

Other doctrine is self-sufficient, thinking that God is waiting for it to seize salvation by its own will, wisdom, or works.

But, Reformed Doctrine is needy, knowing its natural condition of “Total Depravity” and that God must do everything for salvation from the very beginning to the very end:  from the very beginning of His “Unconditional Election” through His “Limited Atonement” through His “Irresistible Grace” to the very end of His “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

We see our Savior Jesus Christ in today’s Scripture, particularly in verse 21.

“3 He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:3-5.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 26, 2016

There is no “Common Grace”. God scatters and shatters the wicked. In sharp contrast, God delivers and strengthens His people, makes a home for them, and shows them goodness and prosperity.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 68.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+68&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“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.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the Lord, and exult before Him.

5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

7 O God, when You went forth before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness, Selah.
8 The earth quaked;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.
10 Your creatures settled in it;
You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.

11 The Lord gives the command;
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
12 “Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!”

…

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,
The God who is our salvation.  Selah.
20 God is to us a God of deliverances;
And to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies,
The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds.

…

34 Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel
And His strength is in the skies.
35 O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people.
Blessed be God!”  Psalm 68:1-12 and 19-20 and 34-35.

———————-

In refuting common grace, the preceding chapter focused on the saving nature of grace.  Grace saves!  Grace is particular to the elect, shown only to the elect.

In further refuting common grace, today’s chapter focuses on the sharp distinction between God’s people (the elect a/k/a the righteous) and the wicked.

God scatters and shatters the wicked.  Verses 1, 2, and 21.

In sharp contrast, God delivers and strengthens His people, makes a home for them, and shows them goodness and prosperity.  Verses 5-12, 19-20, and 35.

We easily see that there is no common grace between both groups.

“Blessed are you, O Israel;
Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
Who is the shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
So your enemies will cringe before you,
And you will tread upon their high places.”  Deuteronomy 33:29.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 24, 2016

There is no “Common Grace”. Grace is particular, shown only to the elect. If God is gracious to us, then He will save us. “by grace you have been saved”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 67.

“God be gracious to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us—  Selah.
2 That Your way may be known on the earth,
Your salvation among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will judge the peoples with uprightness
And guide the nations on the earth.  Selah.
5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
6 The earth has yielded its produce;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 God blesses us,
That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”  Psalm chapter 67.

—————————–

Other doctrine teaches that God is gracious to all, but only saves some.  This false doctrine is called “common grace”.

But, Reformed Doctrine teaches that God is only gracious to His elect.  If God is gracious to us, then He will save us.

We see this truth in verses 1-2.

“God be gracious to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us—  Selah.
2 That Your way may be known on the earth,
Your salvation among all nations.”  Verses 1-2.

And, we see this truth stated in a different way in verse 7, namely, if God blesses us, then we will fear Him.

“God blesses us,
That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”  Verse 7.

Reformed Doctrine also teaches that this grace is irresistible in its point “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. 

We see this irresistible nature of grace in the following Scriptures.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:44.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”  John 6:37.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”  John 6:38.

“Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:29.

When we were dead in sin, God showed His “Irresistible Grace”, by making us alive, raising us up, and seating us in the heavenly places in Christ.  By grace, we have been saved.  

“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 | June 23, 2016

“Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 66.

“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
2 Sing the glory of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You.
4 “All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.”  Selah.

5 Come and see the works of God,
Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through the river on foot;
There let us rejoice in Him!
7 He rules by His might forever;
His eyes keep watch on the nations;
Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.  Selah.

8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And sound His praise abroad,
9 Who keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to slip.
10 For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
12 You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.
15 I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,
With the smoke of rams;
I shall make an offering of bulls with male goats.  Selah.

16 Come and hear, all who fear God,
And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;
19 But certainly God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.”  Psalm chapter 66.

—————————–

Other doctrine urges us:  “Come and see our works.  See our new building addition.  See our youth program.  See our mission opportunities.”

But, Reformed Doctrine urges:  “Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”

Reformed Doctrine first burns off any pride in ourselves by its teaching of our natural condition of “Total Depravity”.

“For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.”  Verse 10.

Then, Reformed Doctrine teaches us the basis of our salvation which is “Unconditional Election”, and we can immediately understand that it is solely a work of God.

Reformed Doctrine proceeds to teach us that Christ died for the elect to procure all the saving gifts.  This is “Limited Atonement”, solely a work of God, limited to the elect, but unlimited in saving power.

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father;  that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.  SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby of Canons of Dordt.

Reformed Doctrine also shows what God has done for our soul through its teaching of “Irresistible Grace” and “Preservation of the Saints”.

“8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And sound His praise abroad,
9 Who keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to slip.”  Verses 8-9.

And yet, how often do we hear in our churches about these works of God? 

How often do we hear about what God has done for our soul?

If there is any mention of “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace” and “Preservation of the Saints”, these awesome works of God, then too often it is only a fleeting and quiet reference.

But, Reformed Doctrine shouts joyfully to repeatedly remind us of these points of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, calling out through the voice of the Psalmist in verse 16:  “Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 22, 2016

“How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts.”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 65.

“There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, O God,
And to You the vow will be performed.
2 O You who hear prayer,
To You all men come.
3 Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions, You forgive them.
4 How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
To dwell in Your courts.
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.

5 By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation,
You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea;
6 Who establishes the mountains by His strength,
Being girded with might;
7 Who stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
8 They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.

9 You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;
You greatly enrich it;
The stream of God is full of water;
You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
You settle its ridges,
You soften it with showers,
You bless its growth.
11 You have crowned the year with Your bounty,
And Your paths drip with fatness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness drip,
And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks
And the valleys are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, yes, they sing.”  Psalm chapter 65.

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God’s goodness causes the earth to overflow with many good things which many people can enjoy.  Verses 9-13.

In contrast with the many who can enjoy the good things in the earth, “How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts.  …”  Verse 4.  This word “one” is used figuratively for purpose of emphasizing the contrast between the many who receive the good things in the earth and the few who are chosen.  We see that this “one” is not a literal one person, because this sentence is immediately followed by the link:  “We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.”  Verse 4.  Thus, the sense is:  “For many are called, but few are chosen.”  Matthew 22:14.

Other doctrine ignores or minimizes that being chosen (a/k/a elected or predestined) is the basis of salvation.

But, Reformed Doctrine sees it everywhere in Scripture and clearly teaches it in its point “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”  Psalm 33:12.

“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”  John 15:16.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

“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.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed  throughout the whole earth.”  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”  Romans 9:15-18.

“… 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.

“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.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God;  you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

“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 1:3-8.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | June 21, 2016

“they will declare the work of God, And will consider what He has done. The righteous man will be glad in the Lord and will take refuge in Him”

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 64.

“Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
Preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers,
From the tumult of those who do iniquity,
3 Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword.
They aimed bitter speech as their arrow,
4 To shoot from concealment at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear.
5 They hold fast to themselves an evil purpose;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
They say, “Who can see them?”
6 They devise injustices, saying,
“We are ready with a well-conceived plot”;
For the inward thought and the heart of a man are deep.

7 But God will shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they will be wounded.
8 So they will make him stumble;
Their own tongue is against them;
All who see them will shake the head.
9 Then all men will fear,
And they will declare the work of God,
And will consider what He has done.
10 The righteous man will be glad in the Lord and will take refuge in Him;
And all the upright in heart will glory.”  Psalm chapter 64.

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Other doctrine declares the work of man and considers what he has done.

But, Reformed Doctrine declares the work of God and considers what God has done.

Other doctrine is glad in themselves and take pride in what they have done.

But, Reformed Doctrine is glad in the LORD and takes refuge in Him and what He has done from the very beginning to the very end:  from the very beginning of His “Unconditional Election” through His “Limited Atonement” through His “Irresistible Grace” to the very end of His “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“The Lord has brought about our vindication;
Come and let us recount in Zion
The work of the Lord our God!”  Jeremiah 51:10.

“… And all the upright in heart will glory.”  Verse 10.

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