Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 60.

“O God, You have rejected us.  You have broken us;
You have been angry;  O, restore us.
2 You have made the land quake, You have split it open;
Heal its breaches, for it totters.
3 You have made Your people experience hardship;
You have given us wine to drink that makes us stagger.
4 You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth.  Selah.
5 That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and answer us!

6 God has spoken in His holiness:
“I will exult, I will portion out Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth.
7 “Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is the helmet of My head;
Judah is My scepter.
8 “Moab is My washbowl;
Over Edom I shall throw My shoe;
Shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me!”

9 Who will bring me into the besieged city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have not You Yourself, O God, rejected us?
And will You not go forth with our armies, O God?
11 O give us help against the adversary,
For deliverance by man is in vain.
12 Through God we shall do valiantly,
And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.”  Psalm chapter 60.

————————–

“… Ephraim also is the helmet of My head;
Judah is My scepter.
8 “Moab is My washbowl;
Over Edom I shall throw My shoe …”  Verses 7-8.

In using this figurative language, God makes claim over all parts of His creation and yet sharply distinguishes Ephraim and Judah (parts of Israel) for honorable use (helmet and scepter) from Moab and Edom (not part of Israel) for common use (washbowl and shoe rack).  By which, we see the sovereignty of God that reminds us of the following Romans 9:21.

“Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?”  Romans 9:21.

Other doctrine sees no distinction between God’s people and the rest of the people.

But, Reformed Doctrine sees the distinction in its point of “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

There is the elect of God whom are the beloved of God.

“That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and answer us!”  Verse 5.

Other doctrine teaches that God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, and the only distinction between those who are saved and those who are not saved is that the people who are saved take some action themselves to deliver themselves whether it be works or will (alleged free-will choice of Christ).

But, we read in today’s Scripture that “… deliverance by man is in vain.”  Verse 11.

“O give us help against the adversary,
For deliverance by man is in vain.”  Verse 11.

“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.

Reformed Doctrine teaches that for God’s elect, His beloved, God will do everything that is necessary to save them 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.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 58.

“Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?
Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
2 No, in heart you work unrighteousness;
On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
These who speak lies go astray from birth.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
5 So that it does not hear the voice of charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.

6 O God, shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.
7 Let them flow away like water that runs off;
When he aims his arrows, let them be as headless shafts.
8 Let them be as a snail which melts away as it goes along,
Like the miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will sweep them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.

10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely there is a God who judges on earth!”   Psalm chapter 58.

—————————-

“5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.

7 But the Lord abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”  Psalm 9:5-8.

“The Lord has made Himself known;
He has executed judgment.
In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared.  Higgaion Selah.”  Psalm 9:16.

“20 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His ordinances were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless with Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

25 With the kind You show Yourself kind;
With the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You show Yourself pure,
And with the crooked You show Yourself astute.”  Psalm 18:20-26.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;  for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.  So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”  Galatians 6:7-10.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 57.

“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul takes refuge in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction passes by.
2 I will cry to God Most High,
To God who accomplishes all things for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who tramples upon me.  Selah.
God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.

4 My soul is among lions;
I must lie among those who breathe forth fire,
Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows
And their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They dug a pit before me;
They themselves have fallen into the midst of it.  Selah.

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.”   Psalm chapter 57.

—————————–

When we pray and believe that God creates, prepares, and causes all things to be for His honor and glory, His kingdom come and His Will be done (a general prayer for God’s providence), then we pray and believe as a part of God’s providence that God will accomplish all things for us, His people.

And yet, some doctrine believes that although God creates, prepares, and causes the stars and all the other elements of the universe to hang perfectly in space, God has a “hands-off” policy toward man’s alleged free-will.

But, Reformed Doctrine refutes such nonsense.

Article 13:  Of Divine Providence.

We believe that the same God, after he had created all things, did not forsake them, or give them up to fortune or chance, but that he rules and governs them according to his holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without his appointment:  nevertheless, God neither is the author of, nor can be charged with, the sins which are committed.  For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that he orders and executes his work in the most excellent and just manner, even then, when devils and wicked men act unjustly.  And, as to what he doth surpassing human understanding, we will not curiously inquire into, farther than our capacity will admit of; but with the greatest humility and reverence adore the righteous judgments of God, which are hid from us, contenting ourselves that we are disciples of Christ, to learn only those things which he has revealed to us in his Word, without transgressing these limits.  This doctrine affords us unspeakable consolation, since we are taught thereby that nothing can befall us by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly Father;  who watches over us with a paternal care, keeping all creatures so under his power, that not a hair of our head (for they are all numbered), nor a sparrow, can fall to the ground, without the will of our Father, in whom we do entirely trust;  being persuaded, that he so restrains the devil and all our enemies, that without his will and permission, they cannot hurt us.  And therefore we reject that damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God regards nothing, but leaves all things to chance.  Belgic Confession. 

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28.

“…  In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,”  Ephesians 1:8-11.

“What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:31-32.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

“The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 138:8.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm 53:4-6.

“4 Have the workers of wickedness no knowledge,
Who eat up My people as though they ate bread
And have not called upon God?
5 There they were in great fear where no fear had been;
For God scattered the bones of him who encamped against you;
You put them to shame, because God had rejected them.
6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores His captive people,
Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.”  Psalm 53:4-6.

————————–

“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!  …”  Verse 6.

David, the Psalmist, rightly fixes his hope that salvation of Israel “would come out of Zion!”.  In other words, salvation would come out of God.

Other doctrine believes that God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, and thus, the only basis why some are saved and others are not saved is that those who are saved contributed something to secure their salvation whether it be their works, their wisdom, or their alleged free-will choice of Christ.  In other words, by their beliefs, other doctrine shows their hope that salvation ultimately comes out of man.

But, Reformed Doctrine rightly summarizes Scripture that God does not love everybody (God hates the wicked), Christ did not die for everyone (Christ only died for God’s elect – “Limited Atonement” of “TULIP”), that man is dead in sin (“Total Depravity” of “TULIP”) and cannot contribute anything for salvation, and that the only basis why some are saved and others are not saved is that God unconditionally chose some for salvation (“Unconditional Election” of “TULIP”).  In other words, salvation truly comes out of God.

“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.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm 53:1-3.

“The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,”
They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice;
There is no one who does good.
2 God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is anyone who understands,
Who seeks after God.
3 Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.”     Psalm 53:1-3.

————————–

Reformed Doctrine summarizes this natural condition of man as “Total Depravity”,  the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

There are other similar Scriptures describing this natural condition of man.

“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.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  Romans 3:10-18.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  Ephesians 2:1-3.

“… you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, …”  Colossians 1:21.

Through God’s grace, a good understanding and deep belief in this “Total Depravity” produces humility and a fear of the LORD.

Through God’s grace, a good understanding and deep belief in this “Total Depravity” also leads to a good understanding and deep belief in “Unconditional Election” (the next point of “TULIP”) as being our only chance of salvation, because we understand that there is no condition that we could produce that would motivate God to save us, because we were dead in sin, alienated from God and hostile in mind.

We need God’s grace which is “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”.

And, we need the rest of the points of “TULIP”:  “Limited Atonement” and “Preservation of the Saints”.

In summary, because of our natural condition of “Total Depravity”, we need God to provide all that is needed for salvation.

“I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”   Psalm 52:9.

Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 52.

“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
2 Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
Falsehood more than speaking what is right.  Selah.
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.
6 The righteous will see and fear,
And will laugh at him, saying,
7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches
And was strong in his evil desire.”

8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”   Psalm chapter 52.

—————————

Other doctrine focuses on man and what man has done.

But, Reformed Doctrine focuses on God and what God has done.

“I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it …”  Verse 9.

“Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.”  Psalm 40:5.

“For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 92:4.

“26 Help me, O Lord my God;
Save me according to Your lovingkindness.
27 And let them know that this is Your hand;
You, Lord, have done it.”  Psalm 109:26-27.

“O sing to the Lord a new song,
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
2 The Lord has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”  Psalm 98:1-3.

Reformed Doctrine summarizes Scripture as to what man as done in its first point:  “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“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.

Reformed Doctrine summarizes Scripture as to what God has done in its remaining points:  “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.