Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 3:1-6.

 

“¹ To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

 

He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this:  ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  ² Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die;  for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.  ³ So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent.  Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.  ⁴ But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.  ⁵ He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments;  and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.  ⁶ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  Revelation 3:1-6.

 

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“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die;  for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”  Verse 2. 

We may not like to think about it, but we have become content to “rest on our laurels”.  We have become lethargic.  We have fallen asleep. 

Wake up!  Strengthen the things that remain!  

We may even have good routines.  We may have worked hard to get those good routines.  But now, we feel like we can coast.  We are getting older.  We preach and teach and no longer have to run the race.

Wake up!  Strengthen the things that remain! 

Even the Apostle Paul with all of his faith and accomplishments stated:  “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;  but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14.

There were only “a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments”.  Verse 4.

Wake up!  Strengthen the things that remain!  Press on! 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 2:18-29.

 

“¹⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

 

The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:

 

¹⁹ ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.  ²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.  ²¹ I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. ²² Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.  ²³ And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.  ²⁴ But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. ²⁵ Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.  ²⁶ He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;  ²⁷ and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;  ²⁸ and I will give him the morning star.  ²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  Revelation 2:18-29.

                                          

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“The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire …  I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”  Verses 18 and 23.

Today’s devotion reminds us of the piercing view of our Lord into our minds and hearts.  Nothing is hidden from His sight.

We may think that we are quite clever in hiding our tolerance for ungodly things that we should not tolerate.  We don’t openly praise those things, but we secretly support those things by asking questions or doing other things that give the proponents of those ungodly things a platform of respect.  And, we seem fair and reasonable when we secretly oppose those who resist those ungodly things.  We are only asking for a fair hearing.  We delay discipline.  We obscure transgressions by pointing blame to other things.  We call it love. 

 “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!”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 2:12-17. 

 

“¹² “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 

 

The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 

 

¹³ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is;  and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.  ¹⁵ So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  ¹⁶ Therefore repent;  or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.  ¹⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’”  Revelation 2:12-17. 

 

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Are we a stepping stone or a stumbling block to others?  Do we help them or hinder them?

We see in today’s devotion that there were some in the church in Pergamum who by their false teaching put a stumbling block before others.  Verse 14.  Today’s devotion gives us opportunity to examine ourselves and to examine our beliefs.

Do our sins become stumbling blocks to others?  Are we content to live as we please without considering the impact on others?

Do our beliefs become stumbling blocks to others?  Are we content to repeat things that we have heard without cross examining them by Scripture and good Reformed creeds to determine whether or not they are “the gospel truth”?

I pulled out some Scriptures that refer to stumbling blocks, and it was interesting to me to see that iniquity (sin) may become stumbling blocks and that setting up idols in our heart (beliefs) may become stumbling blocks.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 2:8-11.

 

“⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

 

The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

 

⁹ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.  ¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’”  Revelation 2:8-11.

                              

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Our suffering is not random.  “Do not fear”.  Verse 10.  When today’s Scripture states “you will have tribulation for ten days”, it does not literally mean that everyone will have exactly ten days of tribulation.  Rather, it is figurative language which means that the amount of our tribulation is fixed by God.  We will not suffer a day more, not even a moment more, than what is for our good according to the will of God. 

                                    

Our perseverance is also not random.  God gives us all the grace that we need to handle the amount of suffering that He gives us.  “Do not fear”.  Verse 10.

                                      

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  James 1:2-4.

 

“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. 

Question 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

Question 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

Answer.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father;  on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body:  and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage;  for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.

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

 

“¹ To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

 

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

                                                

² ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;  and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  ⁵ Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first;  or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.  ⁶ Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  ⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’”  Revelation 2:1-7.

                                 

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We can be morally strict.  We do not tolerate evil men.  Verse 2.

                                           

We can root out false prophets.  We put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and we found them to be false.  Verse 2.

                         

We can stay in the same church until we die.  We persevere.  Verse 2.

                             

We can hate heretics.  Verse 6.

                                  

But, if we do not love God as we should, then we fall short of the mark.  Verses 4 and 5.

“and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’”  Mark 12:30

We see this lack of love in marriages.  The husband may be a good provider.  He may be faithful.  He may not smoke nor drink.  He may be good with the kids.  But, he may also take his wife for granted and not love his wife as he should. 

We read about Israel leaving their first love in the following Jeremiah 2:1-5. 

“¹ Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ² “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord,

⁴ Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.  ⁵ Thus says the Lord,

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 1:12-20.

 

“¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me.  And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;  ¹³ and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.  ¹⁴ His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow;  and His eyes were like a flame of fire.  ¹⁵ His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.  ¹⁶ In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword;  and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

                                                             

¹⁷ When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.  And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid;  I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living One;  and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.  ¹⁹ Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.  ²⁰ As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands:  the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”  Revelation 1:12-20.

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We all have visions;  they may not be true.  But, we have them nevertheless.  We should conform our visions to that of Scripture.

How do we view Christ?

How do we view churches?

How do we view Christ’s position in relation to the churches?

Today’s Scripture shows Christ in His power and majesty like that of a king.  Verses 13-16.  This is not someone that we can ignore or lightly dismiss.  John fell at His feet like a dead man.  Verse 17.

Today’s Scripture compares churches to lampstands.  Verse 20.  Lampstands give out light.  Lampstands are attractive.

Today’s Scripture shows Christ in the middle of the churches (lampstands).  Verse 13.  Today’s Scripture shows Christ with angels in His hand ready to deploy for the benefit of the churches.  Verse 20.

Article 27 of the Belgic Confession states in part that “… Christ is an eternal King, … . And this holy Church is preserved or supported by God …”.

The Westminister Confession states in part:

Question 45: How does Christ execute the office of a king?

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

The Heidelberg Catechism states in part:

Question 51.  What profit is this glory of Christ, our head, unto us?

Answer.  First, that by his Holy Spirit he pours our heavenly graces upon us his members;  and then that by his power he defends and preserves us against all enemies.

In summary, today’s Scripture builds our faith that Christ, our Eternal King, is ready, willing, and able to build, govern, and protect His church.  “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  1 Timothy 1:17

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 1:9-11. 

 

“I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches:  to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”  Revelation 1:9-11. 

 

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We are fellow partakers “in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus”.  Verse 9.  We will have tribulations, but we will persevere, and the kingdom of God belongs to us. 

 

 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 1:4-7.

 

“⁴ John to the seven churches that are in Asia:  Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— ⁶ and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.  ⁷ Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;  and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.  So it is to be.  Amen.”  Revelation 1:4-7.

 

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We are near the very beginning of the Book of Revelation, and today’s Scripture provides a fitting opening summary statement. 

 

First, we notice the contrast between “the seven churches” (the saved) and “the tribes of the earth” (the unsaved – the rest of the world).  Grace and peace go to “the seven churches”.  Reasons to mourn go to the “tribes of the earth”. 

 

Second, we notice the focus on Jesus Christ.  We read about Who Jesus is:  “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth”.  Verse 5.  We read about what Jesus did (and does):  “loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father”.  Verses 5 and 6.  We read about what Jesus will do:  “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him”.  Verses 7.

 

Third, we notice the broad purpose of the events in Revelation:  “to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 1:1-3. 

 

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place;  and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it;  for the time is near.”  Revelation 1:1-3. 

 

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Whether the time is near for the Second Coming of Christ or the time is near for our death, or both, “the time is near”.  Verse 3. 

 

It is a time for prophecy and preparation. 

 

We see Israel in Genesis 47:29:  “When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness.  Please do not bury me in Egypt, but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”  And he said, “I will do as you have said.” 

 

We likewise read of Joseph in Hebrews 11:22:  “By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.” 

 

We read of Moses in Deuteronomy 31:14:  “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.”  So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.”  We later read in the same chapter of the prophetic warning God gave Moses, the commission of Joshua, and the finishing of the writing of the law in the book by Moses.  In Deuteronomy Chapters 32 and 33, we read of the Song of Moses and the Blessing of Moses.  In Deuteronomy 34, we read of the obedience of Moses to go to the place where he would die and the view into the Promised Land and reaffirmation of that prophetic promise by God to Moses. 

 

We read of David in 1 Kings 2:1-4:  “As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying,  “I am going the way of all the earth.  Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.  Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, so that the Lord may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” 

 

We read of Jesus in Matthew 26:18:  “And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near;  I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” 

 

We read of the exhortation to all of us that we should love our neighbor and “behave properly” because the time is near.  “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep;  for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.  The night is almost gone, and the day is near.  Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  Romans 13:11-14. 

 

In conclusion, as we start reading the book of Revelation, let us take seriously the words that “the time is near”.  Let us not be deterred by some of the disturbing and puzzling vivid and figurative language of Revelation.  Rather, let us be encouraged and motivated by the promised blessing.  “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it;  for the time is near.”  Verse 3.  Let us also be encouraged and motivated by the saints before us who received and made good prophecies and who made preparations in faith, believing that the “time is near”.