Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 5:11-15.

“11 ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

12 ‘Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.  13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God;  in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.  15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm;  therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day.”  Deuteronomy 5:11-15.

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Generally, the purpose of the fourth commandment (“Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy”), like the rest of the commandments, is to lead us to Christ.  “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:24-26.

Specifically,  the purpose of the fourth commandment (“Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy”) is to lead us to the Lord of the Sabbath Who is Christ.  “And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain.  The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”  And He *said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry;  how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?”  Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”  Mark 2:23-28.

For those who are joined to this Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ, He gives us true eternal rest:  from slavery to dead works unto freedom in Christ, from deadness in sin unto fountains of living water bearing fruit by the Holy Spirit, and later from slavery to world’s corruptions unto Heaven’s holiness and other perfections.

“For the Law was given through Moses;  grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”  John 1:17.

And, this is how the intent of the third commandment (“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”) is accomplished through God’s grace working in us, we rightly confess and worship Christ.  We glorify Christ by giving Him meaningful and full credit as Lord of the Sabbath and otherwise.

Q. 99.  What is required in the third commandment? 

 A.  That we, not only by cursing or perjury, but also by rash swearing, must not profane or abuse the name of God;  nor by silence or connivance be partakers of these horrible sins in others;  and, briefly, that we use the holy name of God no otherwise than with fear and reverence;  so that He may be rightly confessed and worshiped by us, and be glorified in all our words and works.  Heidelberg Catechism. 

Question 112:  What is required in the third commandment? 

Answer:  The third commandment requires, That the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the Word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and:  Whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holy and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, and writing;  by an holy profession, and Answerable conversation, to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves, and others.  Westminster Larger Catechism.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 5:1-10.

1 “Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them:

“Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully.  2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.  3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today.  4 The Lord spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire, 5 while I was standing between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord;  for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain.  He said,

6 ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

7 ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.

8 ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.  9 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”  Deuteronomy 5:1-10.

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“For the Law was given through Moses;  grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”  John 1:17.

“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:24-26.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.  “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it;  and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”  Jeremiah 31:31-34.

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son;  and if a son, then an heir through God.”  Galatians 4:4-7.

“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.”  Colossians 2:13-14.

“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  … We love, because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:9-10 and 19.

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

I quote only the following verses.

1 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.  2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.  3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, the Lord your God has destroyed them from among you.  4 But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.

5 “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it.  6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’  7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?  8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

9 “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life;  but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.”  …

25 “When you become the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke Him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed.  27 The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you.  28 There you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.  29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.  30 When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice.  31 For the Lord your God is a compassionate God;  He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.  …

37 Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them.  And He personally brought you from Egypt by His great power, 38 driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today.  39 Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below;  there is no other.  40 So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long on the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”  Deuteronomy Chapter 4:  Verses 1-9 and 25-31 and 37-40.

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The volume of this Scripture is a lot to handle for one devotion, but I do not think we should deal with portions of this Scripture separately.  Certainly, the broad theme of this chapter is that Israel should diligently obey God’s law.  But, we see even in this chapter (verses 25-28), and elsewhere in Scripture that Israel did not diligently obey God’s law.

Reformed Doctrine teaches us that man’s natural condition is “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  In other words, man is dead in sin, hostile to God, enslaved to sin and Satan.  Man will certainly not obey God no matter how many rewards for obedience there are, no matter how many punishments there are for sin, and no matter how much logical sense exists to obey God.

“But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind;  for apart from the Law sin is dead.  I was once alive apart from the Law;  but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died;  and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;  for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.  So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me?  May it never be!  Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.”  Romans 7:8-13.

So, what hope is there in this Scripture for us today?

There are three leads in today’s Scripture that I want to discuss and bring in other Scripture in today’s devotion.

First, “For the Lord your God is a compassionate God;  He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.”  Verse 31.  We may fail God, but God will not fail us.  We may not keep the commandments, but God will keep His covenant of grace.

Second, “Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them.  …”  Verse 37.  “Unconditional Election”, the  “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, provides the hope that God elects us for salvation not based on any condition that we can perform.  “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.”  Romans 9:15-16.

Third, “Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below;  there is no other.”  Verse 39.

God is so Almighty, that He can make us alive who are dead in sin.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-8.

God is concerned about His name and His sake that even though we do not deserve salvation, God will save us to show forth His lovingkindness.  And, God is so great, like no other, that He can give us a new heart, a new spirit, and cause us to walk in His statutes, so that we will be careful to observe His ordinances.

“22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. 24 For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.”  Ezekiel 36:22-28.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 3:23-29.

“I also pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand;  for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?  Let me, I pray, cross over and see the fair land that is beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’  But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me;  and the Lord said to me, ‘Enough! Speak to Me no more of this matter.  Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.  But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’  So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.”  Deuteronomy 3:23-29.

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How should we encourage and strengthen others?

Do we tell them how wise they are?  Do we tell them how strong they are?  Do we build up their ego?  Do we train them so they trust themselves more?

Or, do we tell them how wise God is?  Do we tell them how strong God is?  Do we build up their faith?  Do we train them so they trust God more?

Although there is generally much that Moses reminded Israel in the rest of the book of Deuteronomy, what Moses specifically said to Joshua to encourage and strengthen him is found in Deuteronomy 31:7-9.  “Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.  The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you;  He will be with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:7-9.

Reformed Doctrine teaches us how wise God is.  Reformed Doctrine teaches us how strong God is.  Reformed Doctrine builds up our faith.  Reformed Doctrine trains us so that we trust God more.

But, other doctrine teaches us how wise man is.  Other doctrine teaches how strong man is.  Other doctrine builds up our ego.  Other doctrine trains us so that we trust ourselves more.

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

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 3:18-29.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+3&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“18 “Then I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The Lord your God has given you this land to possess it;  all you valiant men shall cross over armed before your brothers, the sons of Israel.  19 But your wives and your little ones and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in your cities which I have given you, 20 until the Lord gives rest to your fellow countrymen as to you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God will give them beyond the Jordan.  Then you may return every man to his possession which I have given you.’  21 I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so the Lord shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross.  22 Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you.’”  Deuteronomy 3:18-22.

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“The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’”  Deuteronomy 1:30-31.

““When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them;  for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.  When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people.  He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today.  Do not be fainthearted.  Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’”  Deuteronomy 20:1-4.

“And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has been fighting for you.”  Joshua 23:3.

“But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.  For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations from before you;  and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.  One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.  So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.”  Joshua 23:8-11.

Reformed Doctrine looks up to God.

Other doctrine looks down to man.

Reformed Doctrine focuses on God’s promises and God’s work.

Other doctrine focuses on man’s ability and alleged free-will of man.

Reformed Doctrine believes that God will fight for His elect.

Other doctrine believes that God will only help those who help themselves.

Reformed Doctrine does not fear and is not dismayed, because it knows that God is in total and perfect control.

Other doctrine continually fears and is dismayed at what man is doing in the world around them.

Reformed Doctrine clings to that true God Who is a victorious warrior for His people.  “The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”  Zephaniah 3:17.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 3:1-17.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+3&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og, king of Bashan, with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Edrei.  2 But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand;  and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.’  3 So the Lord our God delivered Og also, king of Bashan, with all his people into our hand, and we smote them until no survivor was left.  4 We captured all his cities at that time;  there was not a city which we did not take from them:  sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.  5 All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides a great many unwalled towns.  6 We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women and children of every city.  7 But all the animals and the spoil of the cities we took as our booty.”  Deuteronomy 3:1-7.  New American Standard Version.

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It is interesting to me that at least in this New American Standard Version, the past tense phrase “for I have delivered him” was used in verse 2.

In the King James Version, the future tense was used in verse 2.  “And the Lord said unto me, Fear him not:  for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand;  and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.”

The purpose of this devotion is not to use this difference to argue which translation is best, but to simply point out the difference, and to use today’s Scripture as a base to bring up the following Scripture to consider the sovereignty of God.

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

In other words, God’s sovereignty is so strong (beyond the constraint of time) that, so to speak, He can declare in past tense a future event.  

Reformed Doctrine honors and cherishes this total and perfect sovereignty of God.

Other doctrine honors and cherishes man’s alleged free-will.

Reformed Doctrine summarizes what Scripture states about God, like it or not.

Other doctrine unsuccessfully tries to morph God into the image of man, to meet its own preference.

Reformed Doctrine recognizes that God delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, and God perfectly exercises them.  Reformed Doctrine leads us to exult in total perfect triumph in Christ.

Other doctrine cries out:  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3.

Reformed Doctrine replies:

“4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:4-6.

“But 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

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 2:8-37.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%202&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“30 But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land;  for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today.  31 The Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you.  Begin to occupy, that you may possess his land.’

32 “Then Sihon with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz.  33 The Lord our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him with his sons and all his people.  34 So we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city.  We left no survivor.  35 We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities which we had captured.  36 From Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon and from the city which is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was no city that was too high for us;  the Lord our God delivered all over to us.”  Deuteronomy 2:30-36.

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“I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.”  Psalm 34:4

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.”  Psalm 34:17

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  Psalm 34:19

“For He has delivered me from all trouble, And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.”  Psalm 54:7

“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 8:32.

“and so all Israel will be saved;  just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”  Romans 11:26

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 2:1-7.

“Then we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and circled Mount Seir for many days.  And the Lord spoke to me, saying, ‘You have circled this mountain long enough.  Now turn north, and command the people, saying, “You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir;  and they will be afraid of you.  So be very careful;  do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.  You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink.  For the Lord your God has blessed you in all that you have done;  He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness.  These forty years the Lord your God has been with you;  you have not lacked a thing.”’  Deuteronomy 2:1-7.

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We may be in a wilderness of financial troubles, or we may be in a wilderness of health problems.  We may be in a wilderness of little comfort and support from family and friends.  But, we should not be jealous of others who do not have such problems.  Rather, we should trust the Lord.

The Lord your God has blessed you in all that you have done.  The Lord has known your wanderings through this great wilderness.  The Lord your God has been with you.  You have not lacked a thing.

God’s grace is sufficient for us.  Sometimes, God’s grace contains tangible personal property.  Sometimes, God’s grace contains intangible spiritual encouragement.  But, whatever it contains, God’s grace is sufficient for us.  “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;  for when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Israel’s “job” was to circle Mount Seir for many days.  Our job may similarly be to circle around in the wilderness for a long time.  We tend to think that our actions are only blessed if they are productive according to man’s standards.  But, our actions are blessed if they produce faith in God according to His standards.  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6.

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”  1 Peter 1:6-9.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:34-46.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+1&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses –

“41 “Then you said to me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord;  we will indeed go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’  And every man of you girded on his weapons of war, and regarded it as easy to go up into the hill country.  42 And the Lord said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you;  otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies.”’  43 So I spoke to you, but you would not listen.  Instead you rebelled against the command of the Lord, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country.  44 The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah. 45 Then you returned and wept before the Lord;  but the Lord did not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.  46 So you remained in Kadesh many days, the days that you spent there.”  Deuteronomy 1:41-46.

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Sometimes, our repentance is shorter than our request.  Sometimes, our bemoaning of our sins is shorter than our plan for action.  Sometimes, our repentance is more like rebellion than restoration.  In today’s Scripture, we see this type of presumptuous repentance.

But, we can use the example of Israel’s presumptuous repentance to meditate on Godly repentance.

First of all, let us seek that repentance that comes not as a work of man’s alleged free-will, but rather, as a gift of God’s grace.

“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”  Acts 5:31

“When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.””  Acts 11:18

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”  2 Timothy 2:24-26.

Second, consistent with repentance being a gift of God’s grace, Godly repentance is humble and waits on the LORD rather than being proud and presumptuous and intent on own action.

We see a fine example of this Godly repentance in Psalm Chapter 51.

“1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

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 Chapter 51.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:19-33.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?st=4&utm_expid=13466113-11.e_eljl4ZQueab2zC5ghezw.4&search=Deuteronomy+1&version=NASB&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.biblegateway.com%2Fversions%2FNew-American-Standard-Bible-NASB%2F

I quote only the following verses.

“Then I said to you, ‘Do not be shocked, nor fear them.  The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’  But for all this, you did not trust the Lord your God, who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go.”  Deuteronomy 1:29-33.

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“8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:8-11.

Reformed Doctrine shows “the way in which you should go”.  It is a path all of God’s doing.  It is a path of God’s work in us.  It is a path of God’s preservation of us.  It is a path of God bringing us to glory.  It is a path of trust only in God.

Other doctrine shows us their way.  Their path is a path of man’s doing whether it be man’s works or man’s faith.  It is a path of trust in man’s free-will.  It is a path of man’s wisdom.  It is a path of man’s perseverance.

Reformed Doctrine’s path starts us out with being chosen to walk the path by God’s “Unconditional Election” and then brings us to the cross of God’s “Limited Atonement” to receive all the saving gifts purchased for us by Christ’s death for us and then blows the wind of God’s “Irresistible Grace” on our backs to propel us onward and then sends us through the protecting tunnel of God’s “Preservation of the Saints” to bring us home to glory.

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

But, there are many who don’t want anything to do with this one and only path of salvation.  They trust themselves and want their own credit and glory.

“Enter through the narrow gate;  for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14.