Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 7, 2024

“For I delivered to you as of first importance …, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 16:15-31.

“Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me?  You have deceived me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.”  It came about when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death.  So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, “A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb.  If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man.”

When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.”  Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands.  She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair.  Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him.  She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.”  But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.  Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes;  and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison.  However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off.

Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said,

“Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.”

When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said,

“Our god has given our enemy into our hands,
Even the destroyer of our country,
Who has slain many of us.”

It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.”  So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them.  And they made him stand between the pillars.  Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.”  Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there.  And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them.

Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”  Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.  And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!”  And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it.  So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life.  Then his brothers and all his father’s household came down, took him, brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father.  Thus he had judged Israel twenty years.”  Judges 16:15-31.

—————

At first reading, all the details of today’s Scripture seem so sad:  the capture of Samson, the departing of the LORD from Samson, the gouging-out of his eyes, his enslavement as a grinder, and his death.  But, we turn our attention to the LORD and remember His plan.

“However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines.  Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.”  Judges 14:4.

The LORD caused every detail of the death of Samson, as gruesome as they were, to work together to deliver Israel from the Philistines.

We are reminded of what our Savior, Jesus, endured for us.

“4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5.

Sometimes, it is expedient that one man die for the people, that the whole nation not perish.

“But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”  Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.”  John 11:49-52.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,”  1 Corinthians 15:3. 

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 1:18.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”  Romans 5:8-9. 

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 5, 2024

“Please tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you.”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 16:4-14.

“After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him.  Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”  So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you.”  Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”  Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.  Now she had men lying in wait in an inner room.  And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  But he snapped the cords as a string of tow snaps when it touches fire.  So his strength was not discovered.

Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and told me lies;  now please tell me how you may be bound.”  He said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”  So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  For the men were lying in wait in the inner room.  But he snapped the ropes from his arms like a thread.

Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies;  tell me how you may be bound.”  And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my hair with the web [and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”  So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his hair and wove them into the web].  And she fastened it with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web.”  Judges 16:4-14.

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We are all familiar with this story of Delilah and Samson.  But, even as we read it again, we want to warn Samson:  “Don’t tell Delilah the secret of your strength!  She even is warning you of the purpose, “how you may be bound to afflict you.”

Look!  See how she used what you told her the first and second time to try to hurt you!!”

But, consider how often we do things to ourselves that results in us receiving affliction.  We even may receive more afflictions on what we do to ourselves than what others do to us.  We over-eat.  We over-drink.  We say and do things that we should not say and should not do (that result in us being afflicted).  We do not do things that we should do (that result in us being afflicted). 

We tend to think of God’s all sufficient grace as only helping us deal with unexpected afflictions that others cause us.  

But, as we read the concluding Scriptures, let us realize that God’s all sufficient grace also covers afflictions that we cause (or that at least we contribute) to ourselves as well as afflictions that others solely cause us.

In summary, God’s all sufficient grace covers our weaknesses as well as persecutions by others.

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!  Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.  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 12:7-10.

“11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
14 For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.” Psalm 103:11-14.

“The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-22.

“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.

“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),”  Ephesians 2:4-5. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 4, 2024

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 16:1-3.

“Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.  When it was told to the Gazites, saying, “Samson has come here,” they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city.  And they kept silent all night, saying, “Let us wait until the morning light, then we will kill him.”  Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars;  then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.”  Judges 16:1-3.  

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“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13. 

And yet, we remember from Reformed Doctrine that faith is a gift of God.  God both gave the gift of amazing strength to Samson, and God also gave the gift of faith to Samson to believe that he could do miraculous acts of strength through the faith that God had given him, as Samson did in today’s Scripture.  

We should not trust our own faith through our own wisdom and our own will, so to speak, to somehow drum up whatever strength we want for whatever purpose we want.

In addition when we look at the context of Philippians 4:13, the immediate preceding verse, such strength is more of a strength to endure every circumstance. 

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity;  in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”  Philippians 4:12.

The strength and the faith that God gave Samson was not to proudly show off, but to escape in a way that glorified God.  That may be part of the reason why the Scripture first humbled Samson by showing his moral weakness in verse 1 of today’s Scripture.  

“And what more shall I say?  For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”  Hebrews 4:13.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 3, 2024

“God is to us a God of deliverances”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 15:9-20.

“Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah, and spread out in Lehi.  The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?”  And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson in order to do to him as he did to us.”  Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us?  What then is this that you have done to us?”  And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.”  They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.”  And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me.”  So they said to him, “No, but we will bind you fast and give you into their hands;  yet surely we will not kill you.”  Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him.  And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands.  He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it.  Then Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,
Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have killed a thousand men.”

When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand;  and he named that place Ramath-lehi.  Then he became very thirsty, and he called to the LORD and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant, and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”  But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi so that water came out of it.  When he drank, his strength returned and he revived.  Therefore he named it En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.  So he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.”  Judges 15:9-20.

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“19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,
The God who is our salvation. Selah.
20 God is to us a God of deliverances;
And to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies,
The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds.” Psalm 68:19-21.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 2, 2024

“Samson said to them, “Since you act like this, I will surely take revenge on you, but after that I will quit.”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 15:1-8.

“But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.”  But her father did not let him enter.  Her father said, “I really thought that you hated her intensely;  so I gave her to your companion.  Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she?  Please let her be yours instead.”  Samson then said to them, “This time I shall be blameless in regard to the Philistines when I do them harm.”  Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in the middle between two tails.  When he had set fire to the torches, he released the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, thus burning up both the shocks and the standing grain, along with the vineyards and groves.  Then the Philistines said, “Who did this?”  And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his companion.”  So the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire.  Samson said to them, “Since you act like this, I will surely take revenge on you, but after that I will quit.”  He struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter;  and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.”  Judges 15:1-8.

—————–  

When we take revenge against others, we may think three things.  First, we may think that they deserved the amount of revenge that we took.  Second, we may think we are blameless.  Third, we may think that there will be peace after our revenge.

But, are all these three thoughts true?

Are any of these three thoughts true?

There may be bad consequences if any of these three things are not true.

So, let us be wise and meditate on some Scriptures and carefully consider our steps before we take them.

“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20.

“15 The naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.
16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of evil devices is hated.” Proverbs 14:15-17.

“29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
30 A tranquil heart is life to the body,
But passion is rottenness to the bones.” Proverbs 14:29-30.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.” Proverbs 15:1-2.

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.” Proverbs 15:18.

“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” Proverbs 15:28.

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.  “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK;  FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:17-21.

“Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”  James 3:13-18.

“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 14:26. 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:22-24.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 1, 2024

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 14:10-20.

“Then his father went down to the woman;  and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this.  When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Then Samson said to them, “Let me now propound a riddle to you;  if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.  But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.”  And they said to him, “Propound your riddle, that we may hear it.”  So he said to them,

“Out of the eater came something to eat,
And out of the strong came something sweet.”

But they could not tell the riddle in three days.

Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire.  Have you invited us to impoverish us?  Is this not so?”  Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me;  you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.”  And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother;  so should I tell you?”  However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted.  And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard.  She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.  So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

“What is sweeter than honey?
And what is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
You would not have found out my riddle.”

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle.  And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.  But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his friend.”  Judges 14:10-20.

—————

Like Samson’s riddle, it is difficult to understand the meaning of today’s Scripture.  It is interesting, but how is it profitable for us?

We do know that all of Scripture is profitable, even today’s Scripture.  “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17.

So, there is hope!

Although the thirty companions could not tell the meaning of the riddle in three days, they persuaded Samson’s wife to find out the meaning of the riddle from Samson.

Thus, today’s Scripture leads us to meditate to consider that the Holy Spirit helps us understand Scripture.

“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 14:26. 

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;  for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak;  and He will disclose to you what is to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine;  therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”  John 16:13-15.

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

“As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you;  but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”  1 John 2:27.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | March 31, 2024

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit”

Although the main devotion for today comes from Judges 13:24 to Judges 14:9, I do first want to wish you all a Blessed Easter and to also give the following link to my devotion last year on Easter –  https://reformeddoctrine.com/2023/04/09/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-and-raised-us-up-with-him/

“Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson;  and the child grew up and the LORD blessed him.  And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines.  So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines;  now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”  Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”  But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.”  However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines.  Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah;  and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him.  The Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand;  but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.  So he went down and talked to the woman;  and she looked good to Samson.  When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion;  and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion.  So he scraped the honey into his hands and went on, eating as he went.  When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it;  but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.”  Judges 13:24 to Judges 14:9.

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“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.  Peace I leave with you;  My peace I give to you;  not as the world gives do I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”  John 14:26-27.

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7.

“Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”  Zechariah 4:6. 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16. 

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:25.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:22-24.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;  and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.  Amen.”  Ephesians 3:14-20.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | March 29, 2024

“the gospel of Christ”

Today’s devotion comes from Galatians 1:6-9.

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Galatians 1:6-9.

———-

The Gospel is the “Good News” that salvation is a work of God alone, by grace alone, and that God provides all the things that accompany salvation from beginning to end: from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. (The “T” of “TULIP” represents “Total Depravity” of man). This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt.

For a point by point explanation of “TULIP”, please see the Headnote link at the top of this web page titled “TULIP”.

This devotion will center on the center of “TULIP” and also the center of the Gospel, namely Christ’s “Limited Atonement”.

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14. 

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

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.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as 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.

Consider the following from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Q. 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?

A. Yes, indeed: for the Holy Ghost teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

In summary, through His death, as stated by the Canons of Dordt above, Christ effectually redeemed all of God’s elect and conferred upon them “faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death”, “thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation”.

Christ’s love is a specific love only for His church (God’s elect).  Just as a husband does not love and give himself up for all women, but only for his own wife, Christ only loved the church (God’s elect) and only gave Himself up for His church (God’s elect), not for everyone in the world.

In Christ’s intercessory prayer in John 17:9, we see Christ praying for only those whom God gave Him, not for the world:  “I ask on their behalf;  I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou hast given Me;  for they are Thine;”

Christ only laid down His life for His sheep. Christ did not lay down His life for every sheep.  “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father;  and I lay down My life for the sheep. ” John 10:14-15.

Christ’s death redeemed all of God’s elect, but only them alone, not everyone in the world.

“… “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!” Isaiah 43:1.

Redemption is always for specific objects that we own, never for everything.  For example, when we redeem something from the pawn shop, we do not redeem everything in the store, but we only redeem our own specific items that we own and left at the pawn shop as collateral for a loan.

Salvation is not dependent on our sinful flesh, neither by our works nor by our wisdom nor even by as little as our will.  Christ’s death did not just possibly took away our sins depending on our alleged wisdom and free-will to choose Christ.

“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.

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”  Colossians 1:27.

“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:4-7.

“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5.

“He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” Romans 4:25.

“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 2:4-9.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  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 1:22-31.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:24.

Scripture warns us to not be complacent about our salvation.

“‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’” Matthew 15:9 and Mark 7:7.

There are those who “did not receive the love of truth so as to be saved”. 2 Thessalonians 2: 10-13.

“AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER?” 1 Peter 4: 18.

“And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Luke 13:23-24.

But, we may claim that we love the Lord! Will having a zeal for God be enough to be saved? Paul states that for the Jews, zeal was not enough – “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. Romans 10: 2-3.

Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; … Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord’ did we not prophecy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” Matthew 7:21-23.

And, we go back to today’s Scripture. Even the Apostle Paul stated: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Galatians 1:8-9.

Moreover, Paul 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.

The point of the foregoing is to show that salvation is not easy. We should seek the truth and the soundest doctrine and follow all of Scripture with all of our mind, heart, and soul.

“4 If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:4-5.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46.

Scripture exhorts us to seek for wisdom as one would seek for silver or hidden treasure. How much more should we seek for salvation as one would seek for silver or hidden treasure!

The Broad Way of Most Doctrine Compared to the Narrow Way of Reformed Doctrine a/k/a Calvinism

“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.

Most doctrine is like a broad bridge open to everyone, but it only goes half-way across the river. Such doctrine teaches that God loves everyone, Christ died for everyone, and God wants to save everyone, but it is up to man to contribute something worthy of salvation whether it be works or at least alleged free-will choice of Christ. The only difference between the unsaved and saved is that the saved does works or maybe as little as uses his alleged free-will choice of Christ to, so to speak, jump from the end of the bridge, across the river, to the shore of salvation.

Most doctrine believes that everyone has an equal opportunity to be saved, so the bridge is broad in that sense, but that Christ’s death completely saved no one in particular. Only those who do sufficient works or who take a sufficient “free will leap of faith” to the shore of salvation will be saved. Thus, the bridge is wide, open to everyone, but it only goes halfway across the stream. Accordingly, the saved have reason to boast for contributing to their own salvation and showing themselves worthy of salvation.

In sharp contrast to most doctrine, Reformed Doctrine is like a narrow bridge only open to God’s elect, but the narrow bridge goes all the way across the river to the shore of salvation. Reformed Doctrine teaches that God only loves His elect and only wants to save them and that Christ died only for the elect. In summary, God does everything necessary for the salvation of His elect. Reformed Doctrine teaches that man is “dead” in sin, hostile to God, cannot please God, cannot understand the things of God, and is in bondage to sin and Satan (which is summarized by the phrase “Total Depravity” of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, as more fully taught in the Canons of Dordt), such that man can not contribute anything to his salvation and God must do everything for the elect, including making them alive (regenerating them), giving them faith, sanctifying them, and preserving them to salvation, so that all of God’s elect will be saved. Accordingly, God’s elect have no reason to boast, because God provided everything needed for their salvation.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | March 28, 2024

“You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 13:15-23.

“Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you.”  The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD.”  For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.  Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?”  But the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”  So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the LORD, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on.  For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar.  When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground.

Now the angel of the LORD did not appear to Manoah or his wife again.  Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD.  So Manoah said to his wife, “We will surely die, for we have seen God.”  But his wife said to him, “If the LORD had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time.”  Judges 13:15-23.

—————

The statement by Manoah’s wife highlighted above in bold italic font leads us to meditate that the LORD does not reveal everything to everybody.

“At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father;  and no one knows the Son except the Father;  nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”  Matthew 11:25-27.

Other doctrine preaches and teaches that God loves everyone, Christ died for everyone, and that God equally shows His salvation to everyone and that whom is saved and whom is not saved is not determined by God, but only depends on man, whether it be by man’s works or by man’s wisdom or by man’s will, that distinguishes him worthy of salvation equally offered to all.  

But, Reformed Doctrine preaches and teaches that God only loves His elect, Christ died only for His elect, man is dead in sin, and that God provides all and does all that is necessary for the salvation for only His elect.

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:16-18.

“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.

“13 For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14.

“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.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  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 1:26-31.

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

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.   

“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 2:4-9.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | March 27, 2024

“What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God”

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 13:8-14.

“Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.”  God listened to the voice of Manoah;  and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her.  So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came the other day has appeared to me.”  Then Manoah arose and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to the woman?”  And he said, “I am.” Manoah said, “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?”  So the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “Let the woman pay attention to all that I said.  She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing;  let her observe all that I commanded.”  Judges 13:8-14.

—————–

We need to do less that what we imagined.  But, we should pay close attention and do exactly what we are told.

“Then Manoah entreated the LORD and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.”  Verse 8.

Later, Manoah said to the angel:  “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?”  Verse 12. 

But, the angel did not answer his question and give long, strict instructions about how to raise the boy, but rather, the angel repeated the short, simple instructions of what he told the woman:  “Let the woman pay attention to all that I said.  She should not eat anything that comes from the vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing;  let her observe all that I commanded.”  Verses 13-14.    

The lesson from today’s Scripture is to beware of those preachers and teachers who seek to enslave you with long, strict instructions about how to live your life.  

Jesus condemned those who tried to do so.   

The scribes and the Pharisees lay law upon law on the people:  “And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders;  but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”  Matthew 23:4.

In sharp contrast, Christ tied up the heavy loads of the law and laid them on His own shoulders and gave us His Spirit as a yoke:  “in order 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 8:4.

Jesus said:  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart;  and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light”. Matthew 11:28-29.

Paul also condemned those who tried to do so.

“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.”  Galatians 3:24-25. 

“So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.  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 4:3-7.

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?  You observe days and months and seasons and years.  I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”  Galatians 4:9-11.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free;  therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.  And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.  You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law;  you have fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”  Galatians 5:1-5. 

“You were running well;  who hindered you from obeying the truth?  This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.  I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view;  but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.  …  I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.”  Galatians 5:7-10 and 12.

In conclusion, if ever there was a time for Jesus to give long strict instructions, it would have been in response to the following question.  But, notice His reply.  Jesus turned the focus from what man should do to what God did, and Jesus turned the focus from works to faith. Even faith is the work of God as Jesus said: “This is the work of God …”.  

“Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:28-29.

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