Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings Chapter 15.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+15&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“8 And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place.

9 So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah.  10 He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.  11 Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father.  12 He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made.  13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah;  and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron.  14 But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days.  15 He brought into the house of the Lord the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things:  silver and gold and utensils.”  1 Kings 15:8-15.

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Although certainly not perfect, Asa was better than most kings and seems like an oasis in a listing of kings of both Israel and Judah in 1 Kings Chapter 15 who did evil.  For example, we read about Nadab, one of the kings over Israel.  “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”  Verse 26.

We noticed what Asa did to do “what was right in the sight of the Lord”.  Asa removed idols and people in authority (Maacah his mother from being queen mother) who did the evil.

The following Scriptures also urge us to hate evil and gives us examples of how we hate evil and what God does for us.

“4 I do not sit with deceitful men,
Nor will I go with pretenders.
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving
And declare all Your wonders.”  Psalm 26:4-7.

We notice that we do not associate with evildoers.  Instead, we associate with Christians and go to church.  We declare God’s wonders.

“Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”  Psalm 97:10.

God preserves our souls and delivers us from the hand of the wicked.

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverted mouth, I hate.”  Proverbs 8:13.

Pride, arrogance, and the perverted mouth are, so to speak, the tip of the iceberg of evil that we see, and we rise in opposition against those things when we see them.

“Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the gate!
Perhaps the Lord God of hosts
May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”  Amos 5:15.

Not only to we hate evil, we love good.  We see that Asa not only removed idols and people in authority who did the evil, he did good.  “He brought into the house of the Lord the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things:  silver and gold and utensils.”  Verse 15.

And, we establish justice.  Too often, we think of only God’s lovingkindness and mercy.  But, God is also a God of justice who executes punishment upon the wicked.  What would we think of an earthly judge who refused to punish anyone and let all the criminals go free?!    

In today’s Scripture, we see God’s justice in fulfilling His Word against Jeroboam.  “It came about as soon as he (Baasha) was king (of Israel), he struck down all the household of Jeroboam.  He did not leave to Jeroboam any persons alive, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.”  Verses 29-30.

In conclusion, in the words “Perhaps the Lord God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”, there is the hope that as we do these things (hate evil, do good, and establish justice) we become more and more aware of God’s grace:  God is working within us and we are part of God’s elect.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 14:21-31.

“21 Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah.  Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name there.  And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.  22 Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed.  23 For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree.  24 There were also male cult prostitutes in the land.  They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel.

25 Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.  26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.  27 So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house.  28 Then it happened as often as the king entered the house of the Lord, that the guards would carry them and would bring them back into the guards’ room.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.  31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David;  and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.  And Abijam his son became king in his place.”    1 Kings 14:21-31.

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Because “Naamah  the Ammonitess” is mentioned twice as the mother of Rehoboam in today’s Scripture (verses 21 and 31), we think about it. 

We remember how Solomon, Rehoboam’s father loved many foreign women including “Ammonite” women in spite of how God warned the sons of Israel:  “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.”  1 Kings 11:1-2.

We also remember how indeed his wives turned his heart away after their gods.  “For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods;  and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites.”  1 Kings 11:4-5.

We can infer that “Naamah  the Ammonitess” not only was a bad influence on her husband Solomon but she was a bad influence on her son Rehoboam for we read in today’s Scripture:  “Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed.  For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree.  There were also male cult prostitutes in the land.  …”  Verses 22-25.

“14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers;  for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?  15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?  16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For we are the temple of the living God;  just as God said,

“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.”  2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

The lesson from today’s Scripture is that if a believing spouse is bound together with an unbelieving spouse, not only can harm come to the believing spouse, harm can also come to the believing spouse’s children.   

And, as believers, we are called to be more than not just a bad influence on our children or even more than being of no influence to our children, we are called to be a Godly influence on our children.  We are called to do many Godly things for our children.

For example, let us consider how much more difficult it will be for a believer to put his or her children in a Christian school with an unbelieving spouse resisting or dragging against the believing spouse’s attempts to do so.

Making a good specific call for Christian education, but also more generally convincing us of the importance of parents training their children according to their Christian beliefs. here is the quote from:

THE REFORMED WITNESS HOUR
Message title: “Conviction for Christian Education”
Broadcast date: August 24, 2014 (No.3738)
Radio pastor: Rev. Carl Haak (of the Protestant Reformed Churches)

         “… But the conviction out of which a Christian school arises is this:  it is the calling of parents to train their children according to what they believe so that their children might know how to serve the living God in every area of life.  That is a parental responsibility.  Isaiah 38:19:  “The father to the children shall make known thy truth.”  This is the distinctive calling of a parent.  Deuteronomy 6:6, 7:  “These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.”  And in Ephesians 6:4:  Fathers, nurture your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  (Emphasis added by Bill)
 
        It is only the conviction that it is a parental calling to educate one’s children that can hold the weight of a Christian school.  Convictions are formed by the Word of God.  Convictions are formed by the Word of God being brought to bear upon the heart of the believer.  Convictions are not formed by arguments.  They are not formed by straight-armed tactics.  They are not formed by pressure of one group upon other individuals to conform.  No.  Convictions are sacred.  The Holy Spirit brings the Word to bear upon my heart and shows me the way that I must go.
 
        Let us look to the Word of God to form our conviction for Christian education.
 
        What is it that you really want for your children?  What should you want, according to the Word of God? 
 
        Of course, there are many things that we want for our children that, of themselves, are right and proper and that also rest upon our heart today.  I am not referring simply to carnal things, for instance, a desire that your son be the leading scorer on a basketball team, or your daughter grow up to be beautiful or popular, or that your children grow up and have a beautiful home to live in.  These are the desires that would center merely in the eyes of men.
 
        No, our desires for our children center in the eye of God.  We have, in that connection, many legitimate desires for them.  We have questions:  Whom are they going to marry?  Who will their friends be?  Where will they go and with whom?  What work will they get?  Where are they going to go to school as children and young people?  What kind of education are they going to get?  What will be the school environment?  Will this education equip them, will it serve them, or will it be inadequate? 
 
        We reject with all of our souls the attitude that education is only worthwhile if it teaches us how to make a dollar and to be successful.  We want an education that will serve our children, in today’s world, to teach them how to be a godly person in this world—a godly husband, a godly wife, a godly parent—to teach them to be responsible, to live in the world as the friend-servant of God.  We want that for our children. 
 
        In one word, we want godliness for our children—that they live a godly life.  (Emphasis added by Bill)  That is the most important thing in the world, that they live godly—unto God—in this world.  That is not a false piety.  That is what some people think when they hear of godliness.  They think of a mask, of a pious look, of someone who is of no use to present-day situations in which people live.  No, biblical godliness is what we want for our children—a full-orbed, solid, faith-rooted godliness. 
 
        In the Scriptures we read, in Genesis 17:18, that Abraham expresses this desire for his flesh-and-blood thirteen-year-old son, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!”  Paul says concerning Timothy, his spiritual son, “This is my desire for you, Timothy, be not ashamed of the gospel nor of me its prisoner.”  Look into the book of Proverbs.  The book of Proverbs turns the heart of a believing parent inside out and tells you what ought to be written in that heart.  And what is that desire?  “My son, be thou in the fear of God all thy days.”  Therefore Proverbs speaks to the son and daughter about their companionship, about sexual purity, about greed, about honesty, about industry, about integrity, about a host of other subjects.  We want our children to be men and women of God, thoroughly equipped, say the Scriptures, unto every good work, possessing the comfort and the attractiveness of vital godliness.  We want a generation that will be to the honor of God.  We want to educate them in such a way that they will be wise to discern, skillful to work.  That they will be delivered from folly, immorality, greed, pride, dishonesty, all of which stalk the youth of the land, and that they be stalwart sons and daughters fair, a nobility of grace in Jesus Christ.  In short, we want for our children what lies in the bottom of our own heart by grace—that they might know Jesus Christ and know God and have eternal life in Him.” 

Today’s devotion comes 1 Kings 14:1-20.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+14&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“5 Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick.  You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that she will pretend to be another woman.”

6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman?  For I am sent to you with a harsh message.  7 Go, say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, 8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight;  9 you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back— 10 therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone.  11 Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat.  And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat;  for the Lord has spoken it.”’  12 Now you, arise, go to your house.  When your feet enter the city the child will die.  13 All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover, the Lord will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and from now on.

15 “For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water;  and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger.  16 He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin.”  1 Kings 14:5-16.

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“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;  but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them;  He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face.  Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them.”  Deuteronomy 7:9-11.

“According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.”  Isaiah 59:18.

We may think that we can sneak a sin by God.

We may think that God will defer to our alleged free-will.

Like Jeroboam, we may think somehow we can steal a blessing from God.

We may think that God will take pity on us and our family, certainly because we have a sick son.

But, today’s Scripture clearly shows that God is not hesitant to deliver “a harsh message”.  Verse 6.

God “… repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them;  He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face.”  Deuteronomy 7:10.

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

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 13:11-34.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+13&version=NASB

“11 Now an old prophet was living in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the deeds which the man of God had done that day in Bethel;  the words which he had spoken to the king, these also they related to their father.  12 Their father said to them, “Which way did he go?”  Now his sons had seen the way which the man of God who came from Judah had gone.  13 Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.”  So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it.  14 So he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak; and he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”  And he said, “I am.”  15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”  16 He said, “I cannot return with you, nor go with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.  17 For a command came to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came.’”  18 He said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’”  But he lied to him.  19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water.

20 Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21 and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the command of the Lord, and have not observed the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water”; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.’”  23 It came about after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back.  24 Now when he had gone, a lion met him on the way and killed him, and his body was thrown on the road, with the donkey standing beside it; the lion also was standing beside the body.  25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the road, and the lion standing beside the body;  so they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

26 Now when the prophet who brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God, who disobeyed the command of the Lord;  therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him.”

…

33 After this event Jeroboam did not return from his evil way, but again he made priests of the high places from among all the people;  any who would, he ordained, to be priests of the high places.  34 This event became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to blot it out and destroy it from off the face of the earth.”  1 Kings Chapter 13:  Verses 11-26 and 33-34.

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The danger is shown in today’s Scripture that just because one is a prophet (preacher or teacher), maybe even an old and well-respected one, it does not necessarily mean that he is speaking the truth.

And even if one claims that an angel spoke to him, it does not necessarily mean that he is speaking the truth.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”  1 John 4:1.

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”  Galatians 1:8-9.

And, we need to go further.  There are preachers and teachers who do not intentionally lie.  They go on mission trips.  They are really good at taking care of the elderly, children, and poor in the congregation.  They are liked by everyone.  But, they just do not sufficiently know the truth to properly preach or teach.

The “About Me” tag at the top of my Home Page of my Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotion web site tells my story.  You can click on it above or use this link to it – https://reformeddoctrine.com/about/

I quote part of it.

“In 1977, I moved to Florida to go to law school, and I stayed here in Florida.  I attended and was a member, even a lay leader, in a large range of churches from Assembly of God to Baptist to Calvary Chapel to United Methodist to nondenominational churches and small fellowships.  At first, I thought Reformed Doctrine would be preached in all Christian Protestant churches.  When I heard some strange preaching or teaching, I first thought that the problem was just with that particular minister or teacher.  Eventually, a childhood friend, who now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, asked me if I remembered “TULIP” which is also known as the Five Points of Calvinism and the Reformed Doctrine of salvation.  I studied the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism.  That study made me aware that often what bothered me was not just bad preaching or teaching, but rather the problem was caused by bad doctrine (Arminianism) that broadly and deeply affected that church and its denomination which at some time of its history strayed away from Reformed Doctrine rediscovered in the Reformation.  In contrast to this bad doctrine which I encountered, I began to appreciate more the truth, logic, beauty, and simplicity of “TULIP” which is my heritage.  Though the years, when I would go back to Michigan, it was like a breath of fresh air when I would hear it in a Christian Reformed Church. 

I am now passionate about promoting “TULIP” a/k/a The Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, because most Protestant Churches do not teach it.  Even in a Christian Reformed Church in Florida, I remember an Elder coming to me after a Sunday School class that I taught on “TULIP”, and he said with wonder and appreciation that he had not heard it taught before.”

In conclusion, the Apostle Paul did not exclude himself but directed us to examine and test himself and his team and not necessarily accept everything that they said.  “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!”  Galatians 1:8.

How much more should we examine and test everyone else!  

Here is what I concluded in the “About Me” section.  “Although I do my best to present true teachings, these are my teachings (by a layman).  And, although I have been taught by and otherwise influenced by certain Reformed denominations through the years from a very early age to date, my teachings are not necessarily the teachings of the Christian Reformed Churches, the Presbyterian Churches of America, the Protestant Reformed Churches, or any other denomination.  The reader is advised to follow the example set forth in Acts 17:11:  “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings Chapter 13:1-10.

“1 Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.  2 He cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name;  and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’”  3 Then he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the Lord has spoken, ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart and the ashes which are on it shall be poured out.’”  4 Now when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.”  But his hand which he stretched out against him dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself.  5 The altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.  6 The king said to the man of God, “Please entreat the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.”  So the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before.  7 Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”  8 But the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give me half your house I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.  9 For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came.’”  10 So he went another way and did not return by the way which he came to Bethel.”  1 Kings Chapter 13:1-10.

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Today, we do not have literal altars that we need to tear down, but we have figurative altars that we need to tear down.  There are altars and idols set up by our heart that we worship.

Augustus Toplady (1740-1778) was chiefly known as a writer of hymns including “Rock of Ages”. He ministered in London, England. Although he was originally a follower of John Wesley, in 1758 he adopted strong Calvinist convictions. Some comments by Wesley upon Toplady’s presentation of Calvinism led to a bitter controversy between them. The following is an article by Augustus Toplady which give an example of some altars and idols set up by our heart that we worship.

The ‘god’ of Arminianism by Augustus Toplady

“I dare say, that, in such an auditory as this, a number of Arminians are present. I fear, that all our public assemblies have too many of them.  Perhaps, however, even these people, idolaters as they are, may be apt to blame, and, indeed, with justice, the absurdity of those who worship idols of silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.  But let me ask: If it be so very absurd, to worship the work of other men’s hands what must it be, to worship the works of our own hands?  Perhaps, you may say, ‘God forbid that I should do so. 

Nevertheless, let me tell you, that trust, confidence, reliance, and dependence, for salvation, are all acts and very solemn ones too, of divine worship: and upon whatsoever you depend, whether in whole or in part, for your acceptance with God, and for your justification in his sight, whatsoever, you rely upon, and trust in, for the attainment of grace or glory;  if it be any thing short of God in Christ, you are an idolater for all intents and purposes. 

Very different is the idea which Scripture gives us, of the ever-blessed God, from that of those false gods worshipped by the heathens; and from that degrading representation of the true God, which Arminianism would palm upon mankind.  Our God (says this Psalm, verse the third) is in the heavens:  he hath done whatsoever he pleased.  This is not the Arminian idea of God: for our free-willers and our chance- mongers tell us, that God does not do whatsoever he pleases; that there are a great number of things, which God wishes to do, and rags and strives to do, and yet cannot bring to pass … Is their god the Bible-God?  Certainly not.  Their god ‘submits’ to difficulties which he ‘cannot help’ himself out of, and endearours to make himself ‘easy’ under millions and millions of inextricable embarrassments, uncomfortable disappointments, and mortifying defeats.  …  This said scheme ascends, on the ladder of blasphemy, to the mountain top of atheism;  and then hurls itself from that precipice, into the gulf of blind, adamantine necessity, in order to prove mankind free agents! 

…  One great contest, between the religion of Arminianism, and the religion of Christ, is, who shall stand entitled to the praise and glory of a sinner’s salvation?  Conversion decides this point at once;  for I think that, without any imputation of uncharitableness, I may venture to say, that every truly awakened person, at least when he is under the shine of God’s countenance upon his soul, will fall down upon his knees, with this hymn of praise ascending from his heart, Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but to thy name, give the glory:  I am saved not for my righteousness, but for thy mercy and thy truth’s sake.” 

When we read the following four Scriptures, we see four reasons why we tear down these figurative altars.  First, “the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”.  Second, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God;  the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”  Third, the Lord is our God.  Fourth, we have our own “place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.”  “There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.”

“Then God said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant.  Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations;  and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.

“Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day:  behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.  Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.

But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim —for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God— ”  Exodus 34:10-14.

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, and when the Lord your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them.  You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them.  Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons.  For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods;  then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you.  But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.  For you are a holy people to the Lord your God;  the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 7:1-6.

“These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth.  You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.  You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place.  You shall not act like this toward the Lord your God.  But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.  There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.  There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.”  Deuteronomy 12:1-7.

“Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim.  And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land;  you shall tear down their altars.’  But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?  Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you;  but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’”  When the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.  So they named that place Bochim;  and there they sacrificed to the Lord.”  Judges 2:1-5.

But, there is hope! 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”  2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings Chapter 12.  Here is a quote to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+12&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“¹² Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had directed, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”  ¹³ The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him, ¹⁴ and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke;  my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”  ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people;  for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

¹⁶ When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying,

So Israel departed to their tents. ¹⁷ But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.  ¹⁸ Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death.  And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.  ¹⁹ So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

²⁰ It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel.  None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.”  1 Kings 12:12-20.

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Our LORD’s sovereignty is on display in today’s Scripture and summarized in verse 15:  “So the king did not listen to the people;  for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”  (See 1 Kings 11:29-39 for the LORD’s word.)

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He turns it wherever He wishes.”  Proverbs 21:1.

Other doctrine panics at every turn:  “Oh no!  What is man going to do?!”  

But, Reformed Doctrine calmly trusts the sovereignty of God to accomplish His will at every turn.

“² The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;  It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:11.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 11:14-43.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+11&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“29 It came about at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road.  Now Ahijah had clothed himself with a new cloak;  and both of them were alone in the field.  30 Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces.  31 He said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes 32 (but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did.  34 Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes;  35 but I will take the kingdom from his son’s hand and give it to you, even ten tribes.  36 But to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name.  37 I will take you, and you shall reign over whatever you desire, and you shall be king over Israel.  38 Then it will be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.  39 Thus I will afflict the descendants of David for this, but not always.’”  40 Solomon sought therefore to put Jeroboam to death;  but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt to Shishak king of Egypt, and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42 Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.  43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.”

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The one hope that Solomon and his descendants had was that they would have one tribe including Jerusalem “the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name.”  Verses 32 and 36.

So to speak, we too only have one hope, one tribe, one city.  

Our one hope is Christ.  “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”  Hebrews 6:19-20.

Our one tribe is the Church:  “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, …”  1 Peter 2:9.

Our one city is the Heavenly Jerusalem.  We are “… looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:10.  “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.”  Revelation 21:2.

It is all we need. 

In summary, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”  Ephesians 4:4-5. 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 11:1-13.

“1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.”  Solomon held fast to these in love.  3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.  4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods;  and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.  5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done.  7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. 8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

9 Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods;  but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded.  11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.  12 Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.  13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”  1 Kings 11:1-13.

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Despite all the wisdom that God gave Solomon (“Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.  For he was wiser than all men, …  1 King 4:29-31), Solomon’s “heart was turned away from the LORD”.  “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done.”  Verses 6 and 9.

Despite all the riches and honor that God gave Solomon (“behold, I have done according to your words.  Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.”  1 Kings 3:12-13), Solomon turned away from God.

Today’s Scripture should make us question whom we trust.  

Do we trust ourselves and our own free-will, our own wisdom, our own goodness, and our own steadfastness?  

Or, do we trust God to preserve us? 

If Solomon did not stay faithful to God, despite all his wisdom and all the blessings that God gave him, what makes us think that we can do better than Solomon? 

Other doctrine clings to its free-will, wisdom, ability, and goodness.

But, Reformed Doctrine clings to God and God’s “Preservation of the Saints” also known as “Perseverance of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.  FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints – Canons of Dordt.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 10:14-29.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+10&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“14 Now the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 besides that from the traders and the wares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country.  16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield.  17 He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three minas of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.  18 Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold.  19 There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its rear, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms.  20 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other;  nothing like it was made for any other kingdom.  21 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.  22 For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram;  once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

23 So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.  24 All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.  25 They brought every man his gift, articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.”  1 Kings 10:14-25.

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We, Reformed Christians in the United States, don’t like to say that we are rich.  We may even preach or teach or at least nod our head in agreement against “a prosperity gospel”, but we are certainly willing to receive the considerable riches and wealth that come our way.  If we have to say anything, we will “admit” that we are “comfortable”. 
 
In one sense, that is appropriate humility.  And, there certainly are false “prosperity gospels” out there.  There are many rich people who do not have a Godly wisdom and who love their money and who are unrighteous.

But, in another sense, such mere “comfortableness” does not appropriately recognize that riches and wealth can be a blessing from God often flowing from wisdom, another blessing from God.

Today’s Scripture focuses on the riches of King Solomon and his wisdom.  So, we are going to focus on some Scripture that teach us that the reward of wisdom and being righteous are riches and wealth.

“18 “Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 “My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold,
And my yield better than choicest silver.
20 “I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 To endow those who love me with wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.”  Proverbs 8:18-21.

“Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.”  Proverbs 3:16.

“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor and life.”  Proverbs 22:4.

“Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.”  Proverbs 15:6.

If God truly does bless with riches and wealth, then we do not need to nervously walk around life, so to speak, as if we are walking on egg shells or waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

“Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor;  this is the gift of God.  For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.”  Ecclesiastes 5:19-20.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield;  The Lord gives grace and glory;  No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  Psalm 84:11.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,”  1 Corinthians 2:12.

So, what should our response be to such riches and wealth?
 
We should give thanks to God, enjoy what God has given to us, and help others. 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  Psalm 136:1.

“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting:  to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him;  for this is his reward.”  Ecclesiastes 5:18.

“… Freely you received, freely give.”  Matthew 10:8.

“3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light arises in the darkness for the upright;
He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who is gracious and lends;
He will maintain his cause in judgment.
6 For he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be remembered forever.”  Psalm 112:3-6.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 10:1-13.

“1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions.  2 So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.  3 Solomon answered all her questions;  nothing was hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.  4 When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.  6 Then she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.  7 Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it.  And behold, the half was not told me.  You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard.  8 How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.  9 Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”  10 She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones.  Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

11 Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones. 12 The king made of the almug trees supports for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again nor have they been seen to this day.

13 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land together with her servants.”  1 Kings 10:1-13.

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“The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”  Matthew 12:42.

And, we know that “something greater than Solomon” is Christ “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Colossians 2:3.

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;  and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us;  and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”  Colossians 2:9-15.

“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.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

“… to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (is) the power of God and the wisdom of God.”    1 Corinthians 1:24.

“… by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“… thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”  2 Corinthians 2:14.

“… when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Corinthians 15:54-57.