Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Nehemiah 9:9-12.

“9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,
And heard their cry by the Red Sea.
10 “Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
Against all his servants and all the people of his land;
For You knew that they acted arrogantly toward them,
And made a name for Yourself as it is this day.
11 “You divided the sea before them,
So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground;
And their pursuers You hurled into the depths,
Like a stone into raging waters.
12 “And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day,
And with a pillar of fire by night
To light for them the way
In which they were to go.”  Nehemiah 9:9-12.

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God guides us in the way we should go.  Verse 12.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”  Psalm 32:8.

“… He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake”  Psalm 23:3.

“8 Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”  Psalm 25:8-10.

“Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”  Isaiah 30:21.

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; …”  John 16:13.

Today’s devotion comes from Nehemiah 9:5-8.

“5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the Lord your God forever and ever!

O may Your glorious name be blessed
And exalted above all blessing and praise!
6 “You alone are the Lord.
You have made the heavens,
The heaven of heavens with all their host,
The earth and all that is on it,
The seas and all that is in them.
You give life to all of them
And the heavenly host bows down before You.
7 “You are the Lord God,
Who chose Abram
And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees,
And gave him the name Abraham.
8 “You found his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give him the land of the Canaanite,
Of the Hittite and the Amorite,
Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—
To give it to his descendants.
And You have fulfilled Your promise,
For You are righteous.”    Nehemiah 9:5-8.

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“You have fulfilled Your promise, For You are righteous.”  Verse 8.

When we consider the magnificent promises of God (for one example, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” in 2 Peter 1:3), we can trust God to fulfill His promises, for He is righteous.

We see similar Scripture that refers to the character of God (“it is impossible for God to lie”) as reason why we can trust God to fulfill His promises in the following Hebrews 6:13-18.

“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”  And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.  For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.  In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.”   Hebrews 6:13-18.

Other doctrine would rather trust in man’s alleged free-will, wisdom, and will than trust God to fulfill His promises.

But, Reformed Doctrine does not trust at all in man’s alleged free-will, wisdom, and will, pointing out man’s “Total Depravity”, but rather, Reformed Doctrine trusts solely in God to fulfill His promises from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

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

I quote only the following verses.

“5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies.  Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record:

6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, 7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.

The number of men of the people of Israel:  8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172;  9 the sons of Shephatiah, 372;  10 the sons of Arah, 652;”  Nehemiah Chapter 7:  Verses 5-10.

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Most of today’s chapter is very similar in format to verses 8-10 naming certain men of Israel and the number of their sons who returned to Jerusalem from captivity.  It is appropriate to meditate on why so much of Scripture would be devoted to such detail as we see in verses 8-10 above with a prayer that God will also put it in our heart to understand the importance of today’s Scripture as God put it into the heart of Nehemiah to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies.

Simply put, sons (and daughters) are important to God.

Other doctrine is individual-orientated.  Other doctrine isolates individuals out of the family.

But, Reformed Doctrine is family-orientated and recognizes the promises to families through Scripture.  Reformed Doctrine embraces families.  

Reformed Doctrine emphasizes covenant theology wherein God establishes His covenant of grace with only His elect “in the line of continued generations”.  In my words, God does not only and randomly elect certain individuals for salvation, but God also elects some of their sons and daughters for salvation.  Here is is a quote from “Lesson 18:  Covenant of Grace” in ESSENTIALS OF REFORMED DOCTRINE – A Guide in Catechetical Instruction by Rev. H. Hoeksema (revised by Prof. H. Hanko):

6.  How does God establish His covenant?
God establishes His covenant by His own work of grace whereby He takes His people into His own covenant fellowship.  Ephesians 2:8 .

7.  Does God establish His covenant with all men?
No, He establishes His covenant only with His elect people in the line of continued generations.  Galatians 3:16, 29 .  (Emphasis added by Bill).

“I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.”  Genesis 17:7.

“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:39.  But, also note the qualifier “as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself”.  Not necessarily all children will be saved;  only as many children as the Lord will elect.

“3 Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.”  Psalm 127:3-5.

“All your sons will be taught of the Lord;
And the well-being of your sons will be great.”  Isaiah 54:13.

“… Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  Acts 16:31. 

“4 “Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,
I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
5 “Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
And gather you from the west.
6 “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My sons from afar
And My daughters from the ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is called by My name,
And whom I have created for My glory,
Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”  Isaiah 43:4-7.

Why does this aspect of Reformed Doctrine cause us to do?

We believe and act upon the truth that God saves our children.  We follow Noah’s example for the salvation of our household.

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”  Hebrews 11:7.

We baptize our infants.  We put them in Christian schools at great sacrifice.  We bring them to church.  We pray for them continually.  We send them daily devotions.  We do other things for our children, trusting God that He saves households.

Today’s devotion comes from Nehemiah chapter 6.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+6&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.”  But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

…

15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.  16 When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence;  for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”  Nehemiah Chapter 6:  Verses 9 and 15-16.

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There is much work to do in 2016.  And, we face enemies who will try to frighten us.  And, there will be other unexpected troubles. 

“But now, O God, strengthen my hands.”  Verse 9. 

We read in today’s Scripture “they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”  Verse 16.

Despite our own enemies and our own other troubles, we should also recognize that the Lord will also accomplish what concerns us.

“7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 138:7-8.

“7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.
8 The Lord is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.
9 Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.”  Psalm 28:7-9.

Today’s devotion comes Nehemiah chapter 5.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+5&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance.  15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver;  even their servants domineered the people.  But I did not do so because of the fear of God.  16 I also applied myself to the work on this wall;  we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.  17 Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.  18 Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me;  and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance.  Yet for all this I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people.  19 Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.”  Nehemiah 5:14-19.

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Unlike the previous governors, Nehemiah did not take personal advantage of his position as governor to tax or otherwise lay financial burdens on the people for his benefit alone (or, at least, he did not demand as much as was allowed for a governor to receive).  Nehemiah trusted God to reward him, and he said:  “Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.”  Verse 19.

We also remember the apostle Paul:  “and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone;  for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.”  2 Corinthians 11:9.

The lesson that we learn from today’s Scripture is that there are those things that we can do and should do for others in this upcoming new year of 2016 for which we should not charge them. 

But, God Himself will reward us instead.

“May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”  Ruth 2:12.

“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward;  and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.  And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”  Matthew 10:41-42.

Today’s devotion comes from Nehemiah chapter 4.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+4&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.  2 He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing?  Are they going to restore it for themselves?  Can they offer sacrifices?  Can they finish in a day?  Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building—if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”

4 Hear, O our God, how we are despised!  Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.  5 Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.”  Nehemiah 4:1-5.

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“Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.  Selah.”  Psalm 52:8.

There are times in our lives when we are so distressed that we do not care how we look or how we sound;  we just pour out our hearts to God.

Hannah is one example.  “Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk?  Put away your wine from you.”  But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit;  I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.”  1 Samuel 1:14-15.

Other doctrine just tells us to calm down.

But, Reformed Doctrine tells us to pour out our heart before God.

God understands very well that we are frail.  God understands very well that we are sinners through our “Total Depravity” nature. 

God understands that we are under great stress.  God understands that we are afraid and anxious.  God understands that we panic.  

God welcomes the cries of His children, His chosen ones.  He calls out to us:  “Pour out your heart before Him”.

The Psalms and the rest of Scriptures contain many such examples of His children pouring out their hearts as we see in today’s Scripture.

“17  … 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.

22 May their table before them become a snare;
And when they are in peace, may it become a trap.
23 May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see,
And make their loins shake continually.
24 Pour out Your indignation on them,
And may Your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be desolate;
May none dwell in their tents.
26 For they have persecuted him whom You Yourself have smitten,
And they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded.
27 Add iniquity to their iniquity,
And may they not come into Your righteousness.
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
And may they not be recorded with the righteous.

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.”  Psalm 69:17-29.

Today’s devotion comes from Nehemiah chapter 3.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+3&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate;  they consecrated it and hung its doors.  They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel.  2 Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate;  they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.  4 Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs.  And next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel made repairs.  And next to him Zadok the son of Baana also made repairs.”  Nehemiah 3:1-4.

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Nehemiah described how bad it was for Jerusalem to be without walls.  “Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire.  Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.”  Nehemiah 2:17.  Without walls, there was no protection for the people therein.  The people were humiliated and could easily be attacked by their enemies.

Today’s Scripture identifies those who built up and repaired the sections of the walls around Jerusalem.

Other doctrine would rest in exhorting the builders of the walls.

But, Reformed Doctrine leads us to hope in God to protect us physically and more importantly spiritually.

“18 By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.”  Psalm 51:18-19.

“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;
He sets up walls and ramparts for security.”  Isaiah 26:1.

“3 For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy.
4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.  Selah.”  Psalm 61:3-4.

“The Lord will protect him and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.”  Psalm 41:2.

“7 The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.”  Psalm 121:7-8.

“11 But let all who take refuge in You be glad,
Let them ever sing for joy;
And may You shelter them,
That those who love Your name may exult in You.
12 For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord,
You surround him with favor as with a shield.”  Psalm 5:11-12.

Today’s devotion comes from Nehemiah chapter 2.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+2&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king.  Now I had not been sad in his presence.  2 So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick?  This is nothing but sadness of heart.”  Then I was very much afraid.  3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever.  Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”  4 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?”  So I prayed to the God of heaven.  5 I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”  6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?”  So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.  7 And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.”  And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

…

18 I told them (the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who would do the work to rebuild the wall) how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me.  Then they said, “Let us arise and build.”  So they put their hands to the good work.  19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing?  Are you rebelling against the king?”  20 So I answered them and said to them, “The God of heaven will give us success;  therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.”  Nehemiah Chapter 2:  Verses 1-8 and 18-20.

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Are you sad?

Are you afraid?

Do you not know how you should reply to someone?

Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven.  Verse 4.

God helped Nehemiah and will help us as well when we pray to Him.

Regarding his request to the king, Neheniah recognized:  “And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.”  Verse 8.

Nehemiah said generally:   “The God of heaven will give us success”.  Verse 20.

When Nehemiah told them (the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who would do the work to rebuild the wall) specifically how God helped him, they were encouraged and they began to rebuild.

When we tell others generally “The God of heaven will give us success”, a promise in Scripture, others will also be encouraged and engage in good work.

And, when we tell others specifically how God helped us, others will also be encouraged and engage in good work.

Other doctrine focuses on the individual and just exhorts him or her to use their alleged free-will and just do better.

Reformed Doctrine generally focuses on God and His promises in Scripture.

But, Reformed Doctrine also specifically tells others what God has done for them, fitting that specific help within and behind the promises in Scripture.

“Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.”  So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”  Luke 8:39.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”  2 Peter 1:2-4.

Thereby, Reformed Doctrine encourages others to believe more, which in turn encourages them to engage in more good work, trusting God that He will give them success.