Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 12, 2011

Unconditional Election

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:14-16.
 
“14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!
 
15  For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”
 
16  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”  Romans 8:14-16.
 
——————————— 
 
Salvation does not depend on the man who wills (“free-will faith”) or the man who runs (“works”), but salvation depends on God who has mercy.  God is sovereign in the area of salvation.  God chooses or elects those whom He will save. 
 
God’s election is unconditional:  the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the doctrines of grace.  God’s election is not based on any condition provided by man which motivates God to save him whether it be works or faith or anything else.  Remember “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”.  Man is dead in sin;  there is nothing attractive about the corpses that motivates God to choose one corpse over another.
 
In addition, God’s election is totally based on mercy and compassion.  God does not owe, as a matter of justice, to provide salvation to anyone.  Man has not provided anything (whether it be works or faith or anything else) that obligates God to save him.  Article 1 of The Canons of Dordt states:  “Article 1.  As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish, and delivering them over to condemnation on account of sin, according to the words of the apostle, Romans 3:19, “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”  And verse 23:  “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And Romans 6:23:  “for the wages of sin is death.”  
 
The following Articles of The Canons of Dordt provide a good summary and conclusion:
 
Article 7.  Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault, from their primitive state of rectitude, into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect, and the foundation of Salvation.  This elect number, though by nature neither better nor more deserving than the others, but with them involved in one common misery, God hath decreed to give to Christ, to be saved by him, and effectually to call and draw them to his communion by his Word and Spirit, to bestow upon them true faith, justification and sanctification;  and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of his Son, finally, to glorify them for the demonstration of his mercy, and for the praise of his glorious grace;  as it is written:  “According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved,” Ephesians 1:4,5,6.  And elsewhere: “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called;  and whom he called, them he also justified;  and whom he justified, them he also glorified,” Romans 8:30.”
                                            
Article 9.  This election was not founded upon foreseen faith, and the obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality of disposition in man, as the pre-requisite, cause or condition on which it depended;  but men are chosen to faith and to the obedience of faith, holiness, etc., therefore election is the fountain of every saving good;  from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself, as its fruits and effects, according to that of the apostle: “He hath chosen us (not because we were) but that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in love,” Ephesians 1:4.
                                          

Article 10.  The good pleasure of God is the sole cause of this gracious election;  which doth not consist herein, that out of all possible qualities and actions of men God has chosen some as a condition of salvation;  but that he was pleased out of the common mass of sinners to adopt some certain persons as a peculiar people to himself, as it is written, “For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil,” etc., it was said (namely to Rebecca):  “the elder shall serve the younger; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated,” Romans 9:11,12,13.  “And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed,” Acts 13:48.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 11, 2011

“predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will”

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 9:1-13.
 
“1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, 5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
                                   

 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. 9 For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.” 10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” 13 Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”  Romans 9:1-13. 

——————————–

“Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, is the subject of Romans Chapter 8, including this Scripture for today.  We already know that these points hang together to form a logical doctrine of salvation.  For example, it is logical that there is the need for the second point of “Unconditional Election”, because of the first point of “Total Depravity“, the “T” of “TULIP”, that man is dead in sin and can contribute nothing (no condition whether it be his own works or faith or anything else) to his salvation.

In today’s Scripture, we read that the purpose of this “Unconditional Election” is that “God’s purpose according to His choice would stand“.  God chooses to be sovereign in the area of salvation.  God is not only sovereign over stars;  God is also sovereign over sinners:  “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,”  Ephesians 1:4-5. 

Matthew 25:34
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

“He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him  with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,”  Ephesians 1:9-11.

“9 “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,
10 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’;
11 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.

 12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded,
Who are far from righteousness.
13 “I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant salvation in Zion,
And My glory for Israel.”

There are those who resist God’s sovereignty in the area of salvation.  They say:  “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3. 

What is God’s response?

“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.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

 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 whotake refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:4-12.

But, for those who resist God’s sovereignty in the area of salvation.  Isaiah 45:9 warns:                                                                                

“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—
An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!
Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?” 

In conclusion, God predestines “… according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will”  Ephesians 1:11.  “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”  Psalm 103:19

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 10, 2011

“The Love of Christ”: The Effective Power of God to Work All Things for Our Good

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:35-39.
 
“35  Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
 
36  Just as it is written,
   “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
                                  

37  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

38  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:35-39.

—————————————-

As glorious as this summary and conclusion is to Romans Chapter 8 and all the wonderful promises of God that we already covered, the temptation is to nevertheless focus on the tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword.  Furthermore, the temptation is to consider “the love of Christ” as just a feeling of God, and not properly as the effective power of God to work all things for our good.

But, let us remember the context of today’s Scripture.  Today’s Scripture does not intend to negate or cause us to forget all that was previously stated in Romans Chapter 8.  Rather, today’s Scripture describes the work of God previously stated in Romans 8 as “the love of Christ” and that nothing will interfere with that work.

Here is “the love of Christ” that is the effective power of God to work all things for our good:

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”  Romans 8:2.

“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:3-4.

“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”  Romans 8:10.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.  Romans 8:11.

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”  Romans 8:14. 

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;”  Romans 8:26.

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

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

“What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?”  Romans 8:31.

“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. 

“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?  God is the one who justifies;  who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”  Romans 8:33-34.

So, here is what we say to all those tribulations, distresses, persecutions,  famines, nakednesses, perils, and swords, that we may (not necessarily) experience:  “Whatever!”.  “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”  Romans 8:18.

We exult:  “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”  Romans 8:37.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 9, 2011

“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies”

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:33-34.
 
“33  Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
 
34  who is the one who condemns?  Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”  Romans 8:33-34.
 
————————–
 
As an attorney, today’s Scripture reminds me of four parts of a criminal case (although you could break it down further): 
1.  The charge a/k/a complaint a/k/a indictment
2.  The trial
3.  The verdict or judgment
4.  The sentence  
 
Today’s Scripture and other Scripture reminds me of the sovereign rule of God over us:
1.  God elects those whom He will charge and those whom He does not charge.  He does not charge us.
2.  Christ is our Advocate, our Attorney who zealously intercedes for us and otherwise represents us.
3.  God is the one who renders judgment and justifies us, pronouncing us:  “Not Guilty!”. 
4.  Christ paid the price of the sentence for us.
 
We certainly understand that some of these parts of God’s sovereign rule overlap, such that God does not charge us, but rather God justifies us, because Christ paid the price of the sentence for us.  And, the Scripture for today also jumps around.
 
But, the message in today’s Scripture is intended to be a succinct summary of God’s sovereign rule.  God  rules “with an iron fist” throughout our case as the Prosecutor, Advocate, Judge, and Scapegoat (no legal term equivalent of which I am aware).
 
But, there is more!   
 
Our situation is not only that we were not charged.  Our situation is not only that we were found “Not Guilty!”  Our situation is not only that we were not punished.  In addition, God clothes us with the righteousness of Christ.  There is no legal term equivalent of that work either.  We can only imagine a Judge at the conclusion of the trial putting a robe of honor on a defendant.  (It didn’t quite happen in the Casey Anthony trial, did it?!)  But, God does so glorify us. 
 
Here is some of what Scripture states:
 
“… He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  …”  Ephesians 1:4.
 
“and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:30. 
 
“… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27.
 
Isaiah 61:10
“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
                               
“He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.’  Psalm 37:6. 
 
Proverbs 4:18
“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”
 
Daniel 12:3
“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
 
Matthew 13:43
“Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 8, 2011

What if Abraham only “spiritualized” God’s promises to him …?

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:31-32.
 
“31  What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?
 
32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:31-32.
 
——————————-
 
What if Abraham only “spiritualized” God’s promises to him?  That is, what if Abraham only interpreted God’s promises as only having a spiritual fulfillment, namely that God only promises heaven?  What if Abraham  only believed that he would go to heaven some day and have spiritual children who would follow him to heaven, not really believing that he would have natural descendants?  Would that be sufficient faith?  Would that faith be credited to him as righteousness?
 
Too many Christians go through life, reserving their faith and joy, for only heaven.  They only really believe that they are going to heaven.  And, when someone points to Scripture to try to encourage them that God showers us with so many earthly blessings, then they may “knee-jerk react” by accusing that someone of preaching a prosperity gospel.
 
Well, yes, there are such preachers of prosperity gospels that should be refuted, but there is also truth that we need to heed about the existence of God’s promises that relate to life here on earth.  We need to understand the importance of not spiritualizing every single promise of God.
 
Today’s Scripture encourages that God “freely gives us all things”.  Are we really going to pause and meditate on that promise, or are we going to quickly shake it off as some prosperity gospel? 
 
If God delivered His Son to us, and thus the most important eternal life, will not God give us lesser things, earthly things such as “wine which makes man’s heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man’s heart”.  Psalm 104:15?
 
When we consider God as the Creator and all the equisite and lavish beauty in his creation, is it any surprise that He deeply cares about earthly things in addition to heaven? 
 
When we consider God as our Father, is it any surprise that He loves to give us, His children, good earthly things in addition to heaven?
 
Does the prosperity promised in Scripture only apply to spiritual prosperity?  No.
 
Peace and children are two more examples of such prosperity.  Psalm Chapter 127.  There are so many more.  Our “cup overflows”.  Psalm Chapter 23.
 
Do all Christians have wine, food, peace, and children?  No, but do you have some of these things? 
 
You tell your own story as to what God has done for you.  Let the other Christians tell their own story as to what God has done for them.  
 
Psalm 34:8
“O taste and see that the LORD is good;  How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”
 
Psalm 84:11
“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.”
 
1 Timothy 6:17
‘Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
 
Psalm 16:11
“You will make known to me the path of life;  In Your presence is fullness of joy;  In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
 
“Ask, and it will be given to you;  seek, and you will find;  knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:7-11. 
                                          
“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.
 
This faith that pleases God is not only a faith that someday we will go to heaven.  A faith that pleases God includes a faith that God will somehow take care of us when our paycheck is not enough to cover our bills, but we still tithe and otherwise cheerfully give.  A faith that pleases God is a faith that God will somehow take care of us when Christian school tuition is high, but we still send our children to a Christian school.   A faith that pleases God is that God will somehow take care of us when we could work for more pay, but we still obey God’s calling to some work that pays much less than the other work.  There are thousands of other examples of our need to walk by faith each day that God will somehow take care of all of our earthly needs.
                                          
In conclusion, check out the members of the Hall of Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11.  Check out the rest of the Bible.  Specific promises were made, often as to what would be done here on earth.  Today’s Scripture does not entitle us to expect that we will get exactly what we desire and request.  However, today’s Scripture should encourage us that God gladly and richly and freely gives us all things to enjoy in addition to the most important gift of heaven.  

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 7, 2011

“LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:28-30.
 
“28  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
 
29  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
 
30  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:28-30.
 
——————————
 
The focus is on God.  The focus is on what God has done.  
 
“For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 92:4
 
Man naturally wants to focus on himself.  “Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  John 6:28.
 
But, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:29.
 
From beginning to end, “Salvation belongs to the LORD;  Your blessing be upon Your people!  Selah.”  Psalm 3:8
 
Isaiah 52:10
“The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.”
 
Jonah 2:9
“But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving.  That which I have vowed I will pay.  Salvation is from the LORD.”
 
1 Thessalonians 5:9
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
 
2 Thessalonians 2:13
“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”
 
 
Some resist a salvation in which man deserves no credit.  They take pride in what they contributed.  They believe that what they contributed ultimately distinguishes them from those who are not saved.  They believe that their own works or their own “free-will” faith saved them.
 
But, Scripture clearly and repeatedly teaches predestination.  God chooses those whom He wants to save, and God provides all that is needed for salvation, from beginning to end, in this glorious chain of salvation that we read in our Scripture today.
 
There is the promise, but there is also the warning.    
 
“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.  For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? …”  Hebrews 2:1-5.
 
“How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”  Hebrews 10:29
 
Everyone should pause and consider that this punishment may not just be reserved for only those who are outwardly hateful to Christ.  It may be also be reserved for those who do believe that Christ shed His precious blood for everyone and that ultimately what distinguishes them from those who are not saved is their own works or “free-will” faith. 
 
One does not need to be outwardly hateful to something to trample over it.  For example, we read Matthew 5:13 .  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” 
 
Likewise, there are those who treat the blood of Christ as common to all.  They do not pay it the respect to which it is entitled.  They love to say that Christ shed His blood for everyone, and there is power in the blood, but in their hearts they really believe that their works or faith saved them.  In a sense, they trample over the blood of Christ in their rush to focus on themselves and what they did. 
                                      
“but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But 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 1:27-31.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 5, 2011

The Groanings of the Holy Spirit

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:26-27.
 
“26  In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness;  for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
 
27  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”  Romans 8:26-27.
 
————————————-
 
In the prior Scripture, we read about our suffering and that we “groan”, and even the whole creation “groans”.  See especially Romans 8:22-23.  And, today’s Scripture starts “in the same way”.  Therefore,  the description of the Holy Spirit’s intercession for us by the use of the word “groanings” carries more meaning than just the deep feeling of love and passion that the Holy Spirit has for us.  In a sense, the Holy Spirit is so intimately acquainted with us and feels such empathy toward us that the Holy Spirit echoes each of our groans with His own groaning to intercede for us.    
 
However, the Holy Spirit’s groanings for us are not limited to our own groans.  We may be in danger yet feel quite peaceful and content, but the Holy Spirit will still groan for us.  “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!”  Psalm 139:17.
 
“1  O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2  You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3  You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4  Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
5  You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.”  Psalm 139:1-6.
 
The Holy Spirit’s intercession is not just intimate acquaintance and feelings and requests for us.  The Holy Spirit is a real Helper.  “… the Spirit also helps our weakness …”  Romans 8:26. 
 
John 14:16
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;”
 
John 14:26
‘But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
 
John 15:26
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,’
 
In conclusion, the groanings and other help of the Holy Spirit are so powerful and effective that the very next verse is a conjunction to the Scripture for today, joined by the word “and”.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 4, 2011

Faith: “we hope for what we do not see”

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:24-25.
 
“24  For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
 
25  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”  Romans 8:24-25.
 
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Today, it is very appropriate that I copy and paste a “Letter to Harry” dated June 20, 1995 a/k/a “Gold Mine 30” for the content of this devotion.  (See this and other “Gold Mines” in their format at the tag above at my web site.  You can also reach it by the link – Click here: Gold Mining « Reformed Doctrine Blog )  Like June 20, 1995, I am currently experiencing a slow time for business, and anxiety over finances rises.  I need to be reminded of the nature and importance of faith.    
 
GOLD MINE 30: I PETER 1:7
PROOF OF FAITH IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD
 
June 20, 1995 

Harry:

Summer is normally a slow time for business for me, and this summer is no exception.  As the summer heat rises, anxiety over finances rises.

As I prayed about my finances, God reminded me that faith pleases Him.

If I always had everything I wanted, I would have no need for faith.  I would not need to pray to Him, think of His promises, or trust Him.

“…hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?”  Romans 8:24.

When we have everything, we do not have hope or faith, because we see what we have.

But when we do not have everything, we need hope or faith because we do not see what we need or want.

Although we squirm and are anxious when we do not see what we need or want, such uncomfortable feeling is not bad if it leads us to faith in God. Faith pleases God.

“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.

Such lack of sight and need for faith should not be seen as an aberration or withholding of God’s blessing. The righteous live by faith. The righteous live by the lack of sight and the need for faith. Abraham did not see his children, and he needed faith that God would fulfill His promise and give him children. See Romans Chapter 4.

Hebrews 11 contain the Hall of Fame of the righteous who had faith.  “And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,” at the time at which they needed faith.  Hebrews 11:39.  Later, God fulfilled His promises to them.

All who gained approval of God experienced lack of sight as to what they need or wanted.

Does that mean that they were not blessed?  On the contrary, their faith gave them the assurance and conviction that they would receive what they could not see. Hebrews 11:1.  And their faith was reckoned to them as righteousness.  In regards to Abraham, Romans 4:20-22 states: “yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.  Therefore also IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

In conclusion, we should not feel that lack of sight is strange and harmful.  We should feel that it is part of life of the righteous.  We should feel that lack of sight gives us an opportunity to have faith which pleases God.

We please God when we lack sight yet still trust Him.  Let us thank God not only for what we receive but also for the opportunity to have faith when we do not see what we want or need.

WHAT IS MOST VALUABLE IS NOT WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
WHAT IS MOST VALUABLE IS WHAT WE BELIEVE WITH WHAT WE DO NOT HAVE.

“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;” I Peter 1:7.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 3, 2011

“though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day”

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:18-23.
 
“18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
 
19  For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
 
20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
 
21  that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
 
22  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
 
23  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”  Romans 8:18-23. 
 
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“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,”  2 Corinthians 4:16-17.
 
“but just as it is written,

“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit;  for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?  Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.  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 2:9-12.

There are a number of subjects that could headline this devotion.  At first, I wanted to focus on the suffering.  Later, I wanted to focus on the hope based just on the future.  Finally, I decided to focus on the present grace that we have received, that also encourages us and strengthens us to patiently, even “eagerly”, wait for that future glory. 

That present grace is “the first fruits of the Spirit”.  That present grace is “our inner man is being renewed day by day”.  That present grace is all “the things freely given to us by God”.

There is the danger that we just “bunker down” and wait for the end.  Some Christians, you only see in church.  Some Christians appear to be suffering all the time with little joy. 

But, we receive fresh manna each day.  Our inner man is made new each day.  Even to our mortal bodies, we receive life.  Romans 8:11.  We receive blessings each day that add a skip to our steps and a song to our hearts.  Most importantly, the Holy Spirit bears fresh fruit in our lives each day.

Yes, we do wait.  Yes, we groan.  Yes, we do suffer.  But, what God has already presently given us causes us to wait eagerly and joyfully.

Moreover, in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30, Christ warned us to not be like that slave who was afraid and took the one talent entrusted to him and hid it in the ground.  We can wrongly use the existence of suffering to justify similar “shrinking” behavior.  

“BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:38-39. 

“12  The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,
He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13  Planted in the house of the LORD,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
14  They will still yield fruit in old age;
They shall be full of sap and very green,
15  To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”  Psalm 92:12-15.

Are you like that righteous man who still yields fruit in old age, who is full of sap and very green, who declares what God has done for him?

Or, are you that man who shows off his suffering, who is content to shrink back and bunker down, who shows more sadness and death (than joy and life), and who does not have much to declare what God has done for him (but only vague and lifeless hopes of what God may do for him)?

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written,

“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”  Romans 8:35-37.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | August 2, 2011

Children of God: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us”!

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:14-17.
 
“14  For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
 
15  For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!  Father!”
 
16  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
 
17  and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”  Romans 8:14-17.
 
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“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God;  and such we are.  …  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.  We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  1 John 3:1-3.
 
Our position as children of God is based only on God’s grace.  To be these children of God, we must be born of God.  We can’t achieve it through bloodlines or free-will.  God elects those to be His children based on His own choice, not based on any condition supplied by man (such as works or free-will faith) to motivate God to choose him or her.  In other word, our position is based on “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”.  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  John 1:12-13. 
 
To be these children of God, we did not earn such a position through obeying the Law.  We became sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and the role of the Law was 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.
 
So now that we are sons of God and heirs through God, we are no longer slaves to the Law leading to fear again.  “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. 
 
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32

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