Daily devotional

December 30 – The character of the King’s return

Daily devotional

December 29 – The timing of the King’s return

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” – Matthew 25:13 Scripture reading: Matthew 25:1-13 As our thoughts turn to...

Daily devotional

December 28 – Departure & arrival announcements

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” – John 14:3 Scr...

Daily devotional

December 27 – Enjoying the Savior’s presence: blessings flow far as the curse is found

Daily devotional

December 26 – Celebrating the Savior’s coming (2) with gentile Wise Men

“And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:10-11 Scripture reading: Matthew 2:1-12 On the night Jesus was born, an angelic choir announced His birth to Jewish shepherds who then hurried off to worship Him. Some time later, a special star announced to Gentile astrologers from the east that a Jewish king had been born. Guided by a special star, they arrived in the Jewish capital of Jerusalem. Guided the rest of the way by Micah's prophecy, they headed ten kilometers south to Bethlehem. There they found the King and worshiped Him. Notice that Jesus certainly is King of the Jews, but He is not King of only the Jews. The angel had told the Jewish shepherds that the birth of the Saviour was good news for all people. Now Gentile astrologers from the east travel from afar to worship King Jesus and pay homage with lavish gifts to celebrate this joyous event in a festal way. Just being a member of a church, having Christian parents, or setting up a Christmas tree doesn't mean you worship King Jesus. The Jews of Jesus' day had their church membership, Jewish parents, and customary clothes and religious rituals. But Herod, the religious leaders, and many common folk, wanted nothing to do with Jesus. In contrast, these wise Gentile men did! Though they worshiped Him with the limited knowledge they had, they worshiped Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords. In so doing, they foreshadow the worship that is now and ever will be offered to Jesus by Gentiles from all nations, tribes and tongues. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that He redeems the rich and poor, shepherds and sages, Jews and Gentiles, and is building a Church that consists of people from every tribe, tongue and nation. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 25 – Celebrating the Savior’s coming (1) with Jewish Shepherds

“And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.'” – Luke 2:10-11 Scripture reading: Luke 2:1-20 After not just hundreds, but thousands of years, the long-awaited Saviour was born. Although we don't know what day Jesus was actually born, it is certainly fitting that we set aside a day to remember His birth because His birth is the most important event in the history of the world. God certainly thought so. Look how He announced the birth of His Son. Suddenly, and without warning, the stillness of the dark night was broken. It was as if God switched on a set of bright spotlights, instantly transforming the field in which Jewish shepherds were sitting into an outdoor theatre where a spectacular sound-and-light show unfolded. First one angel pierced through the darkness with glorious, heavenly light while heralding good news of great joy: “Today, in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you.” Then a whole host of heavenly heralds appeared, bursting forth in praise, singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” After the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds hurried off to Bethlehem. Finding everything to be just as the heavenly heralds had said it would be, they returned home with hearts filled with uncontainable joy. Acting as the first evangelists, they imitated the angels by announcing the Good News of the Saviour's birth to those around them. Will you, like the shepherds, praise God for the gift of His Son and tell others that He is what Christmas is all about? Suggestions for prayer Praise God for fulfilling His promise to send the Saviour, and pray for an opportunity to share the meaning of Christmas with someone who might not know Who it's really all about. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 24 – A frequently forgotten advent figure: John the Baptist

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” – John1:29 “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” – Matthew 3:2,8 Scripture reading: Matthew 3:1-12 Tomorrow is Christmas Day. Pictures of peace and tranquility likely come to mind — perhaps that of a silent and holy night where all is calm and all is bright. So why consider John the Baptist? Didn't he wear clothes made of camel's hair, eat locusts and wild honey, and preach rather unsettling sermons? Yes, indeed. But despite his unusual personality and unpopular message, he is a very important Advent figure. John was born as little as six months before Jesus. As the last Old Testament prophet, he announced Christ's arrival with a declaration that contained a Passover connection: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But John suddenly switches his focus to Jesus' second coming. The fire John speaks about is not the warm glow of Christmas candlelight. The axe is not used for chopping down Christmas trees. John is speaking about the eternal fires of hell and the axe God will use to cut down the wicked. Then, like a parent who says, “I'm sick of hearing you say you're sorry. Show me you are sorry,” John calls us to bear fruit that shows our repentance and faith is genuine. We ought not to forget John the Baptist during the Advent season. By reminding us of the wrath of God that will be revealed at Jesus' second coming, John enables us to properly appreciate what Jesus came to do in His first coming: He bore God's wrath on the cross to give us peace with God. Suggestions for prayer Confess your sins, include your half-hearted 'sorries', to God. Ask for assurance that through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, this forgiveness has indeed been granted, God's wrath has been removed, and you have peace with God. Also, thank Jesus for His promise that all who abide in Him will bear much fruit (John 15:5). This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 23 – Prophets promise Christ’s coming (2): A backwater birthplace

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” – Micah 5:2 Scripture reading: Micah 5:2 The Israelites had returned from exile, rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, and re-instituted the temple. But the nation of Israel never returned to her former state of strength and glory. Not even close. Although the people of God were again living in their homeland, they never again enjoyed full independence as a nation. The Israelites were mere tenants who rented the land by paying tributary taxes to a succession of Persian, Greek and finally Roman rulers. As for the reconstructed temple, it was nowhere near its former size and splendor. And by Jesus' day, the throne in Jerusalem was occupied not by a righteous descendant of David, but by the ruthless, wicked Herod the Great. He stole his brother's wife. And to protect his position and power, he murdered not only the baby boys in Bethlehem, but many of his family members. With the palace occupied by a succession of corrupt, non-Davidic kings, how would the promised Ruler of David's line be born and come to reign? Micah's prophecy gives God's people a clue. Don't look to Jerusalem and its thoroughly corrupt corridors of power. Look to the backwater town of Bethlehem. This humble town would be the birthplace of Jesus, the Saviour. His lineage goes back not only to King David, who was born in this same town of Bethlehem (1 Samuel 17:12). This Ruler's lineage goes even further back into eternity past, He is not only the son of David, but the eternal Son of God. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that though Jerusalem was occupied by evil rulers appointed by Rome, God's ancient promise still stood. Thank Jesus for being a King Who gives His life so we might gain ours. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 22 – Prophets promise Christ’s coming (1): A Christmas stump

Daily devotional

December 21 – The exile: The end?

“Thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end is upon you, and I will se...

Daily devotional

December 20 – Picture #6: The Promised Land

“On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk...

Daily devotional

December 19 – Picture #5: The Tabernacle

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tented, tabernacled) among us.” – John 1:14 Scripture reading: Exodus 26:1,6-7,14; 29:43-46; 40:33-3...

Daily devotional

December 18 – Picture #4: A snake

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:14-15 Scripture reading: Numbers 21:1-9 By blessing the Israelites with bread and water every day, God made it good and clear that He could and would keep His people alive in the barren wilderness. And He did! After bringing them safely to the border of the Promised Land, twelve men went in and explored. They returned with a glowing report about the land, but a grim report about the people living there: “We can't attack those people. They are far bigger and stronger than we are” (Numbers 13:23-27, 31-33). What unbelievable unbelief! God got them out of Egypt. Surely He could get them into the Promised Land? Yes, He could! But their unbelief earned them forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Fast-forward forty years. Had their behavior improved? Not really. They were again complaining about the lack of water and moaning about the monotonous manna. So God sent venomous snakes to inflict death-inducing bites. Many died. Had God's grace run out? No! When His children confessed their sin, He gave yet another picture of Jesus: a snake on a pole. By looking in faith at the serpent, the poisoned person was cured. Shocking, isn't it? Serpents are cursed symbols of sin and Satan. How could this be a picture of Jesus? While suspended on the cross, God laid on Jesus all our sin and rebellion, making Him a symbol of all that is heinous and evil. And there, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of eternal death by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Suggestions for prayer Thank God that just as the Israelites who looked to the bronze serpent were saved from physical death, so all who look to Jesus as the sin-bearer are saved from eternal death. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 17 – Picture #3: Bread

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh which I will give for the life of the world.” – John 6:51 Scripture reading: Exodus 16:1-5, 15-18, 31-35; John 6:48-51 God got His grumbling people through the first two weeks in the wilderness by giving them water on multiple occasions. Then, when the supply of food they had taken from Egypt ran out, they were confronted with another crisis: starvation! Instead of turning to God in prayer, they turned against Him in protest: “You have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death. If only we had died in Egypt!” (16:3). What unbelievable unbelief! What would you do if you were God? Better question: What did God do? With an impulse of grace, He declared, “I will rain down bread from heaven” (16:4). When they woke up the next morning, the desert floor was covered with thin frost-like flakes called manna. The flakes were white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. What amazing grace! Grace for grumblers and gripers in the form of daily bread from heaven. But this manna was more than just physical food. It was a picture of Jesus. After miraculously multiplying five small barley loaves to sufficiently feed a crowd of five thousand people, Jesus pointed to Himself, saying, “Here is the bread that comes down from heaven.... Your forefathers ate manna in the desert, yet they died. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:50-51). Suggestions for prayer We eat physical food on a daily basis to nourish our body. Ask God to help you feed on Jesus, the Living Bread, on a daily basis, to nourish your soul. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 16 – Picture #2: Water

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:13-14 Scripture reading: Exodus 15:22-27 The Israelites escaped from Egypt and safely crossed the Red Sea. But they were not in the Promised Land yet. A vast wilderness now stood before them. Sand, sand and more sand. Scorching heat. Some poisonous snakes too. But no food. Rarely any water. This would be no picnic! But God was with them. They traveled for three full days without finding any water. Then, when they finally did find water, they found it was too bitter to drink. Since the desert is a drink-or-die environment, this was a state of emergency. Knowing that God graciously brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you would think they would believe God would continue to take care of them throughout their wilderness journey. But no! They doubted, disbelieved and grumbled. Yet God responded with grace. He told Moses to throw a piece of wood into the bitter water and suddenly it became sweet. Grace for grumblers. What a God! The next stop was at the oasis of Elim. The twelve springs and seventy palm trees symbolize the fullness of God's provision. Twelve springs, one for each tribe; seventy palm trees, one for each of Israel's elders. Full provision for the full number of God's people. This life-giving water in the wilderness was a picture of Jesus. He says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.... The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 7:37; 4:14b). Suggestions for prayer Thank God that the waters of His sin-cleansing, eternal life-giving grace flow in an unending stream and are available free of charge through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 15 – Picture daily #1: The Last Supper, the first Passover

“Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7b Scripture reading: Exodus 12:1-7, 12-13, 21-30 It would be another 1,400 years before Jesus was born. But God kept placing the promise of Christ's coming before His people by giving them pictures of Jesus. Not full-color photos of the man named Jesus, but simple pictures called shadows (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:5; 10:1). A shadow might not seem like much of a picture. But it is a picture of sorts. It shows the general shape of something. The first picture of Jesus that God gives appears in the last supper the Israelites ate prior to leaving Egypt. The first nine plagues were directed only against Egypt. But the tenth plague would affect Egyptians and Israelites alike. The destroying angel would kill the firstborn in every single home because this plague symbolized God's universal judgment upon sin, and Egyptians and Israelites alike were sinners. Thank God, there was a way to escape this deadly judgment. By sacrificing a Passover lamb and painting its blood on the door frame of a home, people were ensured that the angel of death would pass over their home. The Passover lamb was God's gift. It was a substitute that died instead of the sinner. More importantly, the Passover lamb was a simple, shadow-like picture of Jesus. Consider the shadow's shape: the lamb had to be a male; in its prime (one-year-old); without defect (Exodus 12:5). That's the same shape as Jesus! He was a man, without sin, and in His prime of life, He sacrificed Himself on the cross as our Passover Lamb. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for sending Jesus as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 14 – The deliverer: Moses

“Then the LORD said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry....And I have come down to deliver ...

Daily devotional

December 13 – Jacob’s son Judah: A lion to look forward to

Daily devotional

December 12 – Abraham (2): Looking forward from Mount Moriah

Daily devotional

December 11 – Abraham (1): Looking forward from Ur

Daily devotional

December 10 – Noah: Cleansing of creation through watery judgment

“Behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth....Everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.” – Genesis 6:17-18 Scripture reading: Genesis 6 Support for Satan's side surged during the days of Enoch's great-grandson Noah. The sexual sin that began with Lamech's bigamy soon reached unprecedented levels of perversion. Violence and corruption filled the earth and subdued it. Every inclination of the thoughts of peoples' hearts were only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5). The whole human race, except for Noah and his family, had sided with Satan. Was there anything to look forward to? Yes! Noah looked forward to the restoration of creation. But restoration began with the catastrophic waters of a cleansing judgment. Most people did not believe such a judgment would come. But it did. And it cleansed the earth of evil by burying all evildoers in a watery grave. Only Noah and his family were saved. They trusted God's word about the coming judgment and obeyed God's command to build an ark. This lifeboat saved them. And they stepped out safely onto the green grass of a cleansed and renewed creation. The watery judgment of Noah's day pictures the fiery judgment that will fall when Jesus returns. It will be a cosmic, cleansing judgment that burns away all evil and purifies all good (2 Peter 3:6-7,10). It hasn't happened yet, but it will. Maybe this sounds more like something to fear than something to look forward to. But evil must be removed before creation can be renewed. Enter by faith into Jesus. He is your ark. He will protect you from the fiery judgment and place you safely on the green grass of God's new creation. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that just as He provided an ark to save Noah from the watery cleansing judgment, so He provides Jesus to save us from the fiery cleansing judgment that is yet to come. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 9 – Enoch & Lamech: where loyalty leads

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” – Hebrews 11:5 Scripture reading: Genesis 4:13–5:6,18-24 The spiritual fault-line established in Genesis 3:15 divided humanity into two sides: Satan's side and the Saviour's side. Where does loyalty to Satan lead? Where does loyalty to the Saviour lead? Let's see by looking at the lives of two individuals who stand seven generations down the line on opposite sides of the fault-line. Why seven? Because the Bible uses the number seven not only to specify quantities, but also to symbolize fullness or the full extent of something. The life of the seventh man in Cain's line and the life of the seventh man in Seth's line shows us where our loyalties ultimately lead. Seven generations down Cain's line is Lamech (Genesis 5:18). Lamech defies God's norm for marriage by taking two wives. He kills a man who wounded him and memorializes the murder by composing a poem about it. Multiple wives. Murder. What a mess! That's where loyalty to Satan leads. Enoch is the head of the seventh generation in Seth's line (Gen.5:18). His life shows us where loyalty to the Saviour leads. Enoch walked with God, meaning he obeyed God's commands. As a result, he was ushered into the presence of God without experiencing physical death. Lamech and Enoch stood on opposite sides of the spiritual fault-line. As seventh in their respective lines, they symbolize the full extent of where one's loyalty leads. Loyalty to Satan leads to eternal death. Loyalty to the Saviour leads to eternal life. Where does your loyalty lie? Suggestions for prayer Pray that God would give you a heart that deeply loves Jesus and is wholeheartedly devoted to Him, for He is a Master worthy of our deepest love and loyalty! This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 8 – Cain & Abel: Two lines, two heads, the first quake

“Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.’”– Genesis 4:25 Scripture reading: Genesis 4:1-16, 25 Although Adam and Eve are no longer in Paradise, they still experience God's gracious goodness: they have God's promises, they are on God's side, and now they are the proud parents of two boys. Cain becomes a gardener; Abel a herdsman. Two different men. That's okay. Two different occupations. That's okay too. Not okay is that the two brothers stand on opposite sides of the spiritual fault-line because they are loyal to two different masters. The sacrifices show where their loyalties lie. God required their first and their best. Cain offered some of his produce. Not the first fruits, not the best fruits, just 'some.' In contrast, Abel offered the firstborn from his flock and gave the fat portions, meaning the best portions, to God. Cain grew jealous and angry because God looked with favor upon Abel's sacrifice, but not on his. God warned Cain to master his sin lest sin masters him. But Cain didn't listen. Hatred quaked within his heart. His brother became the victim. And Eve, the mother of all living, became the mother of one dead. Her two sons stood on opposite sides of the spiritual fault-line. Cain represents those who are loyal to Satan. Abel represents those loyal to the Saviour. But Abel is now dead and Jesus was supposed to descend from Abel's line. Could God's people still look forward to the Advent of Christ? Yes! God gave Eve another son, Seth, in place of Abel. From Seth's line, the Saviour would come (Luke 3:23, 38). Suggestions for prayer Thank God for keeping Advent hope alive when Satan sought to snuff it out. Ask God to reassure you that no matter how powerful Satan may be, God's plans will prevail and His kingdom will not fail. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 7 – One fault line, two lines of loyalty

“He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’”– Hebrews 12:26b Scripture reading: Genesis 3:15; Hebrews 12:25-29 Geographical fault-lines are deep, lengthy cracks in the earth's crust. They run through countries and continents, forming crevices so deep and gaps so wide that they physically separate people onto opposite sides of an impassible divide. Spiritual fault lines are both similar and different. In Genesis 3:15, God established a spiritual fault-line which separates the entire human race into two sides: Satan's side and God's side. But it is not a physical or spatial separation; rather, it is a separation based on a person's loyalties. By obeying Satan, Adam and Eve showed allegiance to Satan and joined his side. But God quickly fractured that loyalty by placing enmity between them and their respective seed. This was a good kind of fracture! It broke apart a deadly allegiance, separating Adam and Eve from Satan by setting them on the Saviour's side. But fault-lines are also dangerous. Just as geographical fault-lines are places where two tectonic plates press against each other, causing deadly earthquakes, so spiritual fault-lines are places where extreme pressure between Satan and the Saviour and between those loyal to them, results in deadly fighting. Tomorrow we will see how pressure between these two sides quickly builds to a quaking point. Today we note that when Jesus returns, His mighty voice will shake the entire earth. The final separation will take place as the earth opens its mouth, swallowing all those on Satan's side, but leaving those on God's side to enjoy the green grass of God's new creation. Whose side do you stand on? Suggestions for prayer Praise God for Jesus Christ Who is the bridge that allows us to cross from Satan's side to the Saviour's side where there is eternal safety and security. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015. ...

Daily devotional

December 6 – Promise in paradise (2): Through a new set of clothing

Daily devotional

December 5 – Promise in paradise (1): Through a curse on the serpent

Daily devotional

December 4 – Punishment

“The wages of sin is death.” – Romans 6:23a “Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” – James 1:15b Scripture reading: Gen...

Daily devotional

December 3 – Problems begin

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fru...

Daily devotional

December 2 – Permission & prohibition

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”– Genesis 2:16-17 Scripture reading: Genesis 2:16-25 Picture-perfect. That's how the world really was when God first created it. And Adam and Eve could have lived in this perfect state forever if they obeyed God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Was God being miserly and restrictive by prohibiting this one tree? No! God gave Adam and Eve permission to eat from any and all of the multitude of trees in the garden. They had a buffet-sized selection of food to sustain and satisfy them. Only one was off-limits. This tells us something about God. He is not miserly nor stingy. Not at all! He is generous. He delights to bless His children with an abundance of good gifts. Consider how He lavishly provided Adam and Eve with a Paradise full of pleasures to enjoy: food, drink, fellowship, friendship, and the pleasures of sight, smell, sound, taste and touch, too! Would they delight in the abundance God had provided for them? Would they willingly obey His command? If so, they would continue to enjoy this state of peace, tranquility and harmony with God and with each other. Paradise would be theirs. Theirs forever! But if they disobeyed, Paradise would be lost. And they would surely die. God continues to bestow many blessings upon us each day. His mercies are new every morning. Will we accept the blessings He gives and find pleasure in them? Or will we look for pleasure in that which is forbidden? Suggestions for prayer Every good thing you have is ultimately a generous gift given to you by God (James 1:17). Name some of these gifts, thank God for them, and pray that you would delight in them. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

December 1 – “Looking forward to the coming of Christ” series

Looking Forward: My guess is that as you turned the page on your calendar from November to December, your first thought might have been, “Wow! Christmas is almost upon us again!” For children and adults alike, Christmas day is often the first thing that comes to mind as we transition into the last month of the year. Understandably so because the celebration of Christ's birth is something that we look forward to with a sense of excitement and eager anticipation. Christmas lights come out. Christmas trees are put up. Christmas music is turned on. Jesus' birth is certainly an event worth remembering. While our thinking turns to Jesus' birth once again, we do well to remind ourselves that God began thinking about Christ's coming into the world long before the world even began. And did you know that the first promise about Christ's coming was given by God in the Garden of Eden over six thousand years ago? Jump in with us this month to journey through the Bible with the theme “Looking forward to the coming of Christ” as our tour guide. Since the first few chapters of Genesis are so foundational we will spend the first few days camping in the Garden of Eden. Our pace will then pick up as we travel into Egypt (Exodus), through the wilderness (Numbers), into the Promised Land (Joshua), then to a foreign land, and back to the Promised Land again where the long-promised Saviour is born. We will end our journey by looking forward to Christ's second Advent. Let's begin our journey. Picture perfect paradise “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” – Genesis 1:1, 31a Scripture reading: Genesis 1:1, 31; 2:1-15 When God created the universe, everything was perfect. Pristinely perfect! Adam and Eve lived in God's beautiful garden and pleasures abounded. Flowers to see and smell, birds to hear, playful animals to watch, satisfying sensations from the sense of touch, tasty food to savor, refreshing water to drink, cascading waterfalls, lush valleys and magnificent mountain vistas to view. And to top it all off – the closest of companionship with God and with a spouse in which to enjoy all these blessings. What a joy! Adam and Eve also worked the garden, but it was pure pleasure to work in God's service. It's been said, “Get a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.” That's the way it was for Adam and Eve in Paradise. In this state of supreme happiness and contentment, they did not have to look forward to a better state. They were living in a picture-perfect world. But it wasn't just a picture. It was real! Sadly, our experience of life falls so very far short of this perfect Paradise. It is hard for us to even imagine what life was like for Adam and Eve. But take heart! God will restore this world to its pristine and perfect state when Jesus returns. “Behold,” He promises in Isaiah 65:17, “I will create new heavens and a new earth.” You will be among those who enjoy life in this renewed creation if you trust in Jesus as your Saviour and the Lord of all creation. Suggestions for prayer As you worship today on this first Sunday of Advent, thank God for the promise of Jesus' second coming and the new creation He promises to usher in when He comes again. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Brian Zegers has been serving the Lord by working with Word of Life Ministry as home missionary to the Muslim community in Toronto, Ontario since 2015....

Daily devotional

November 30 – A certain knowledge

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 Scripture reading: Romans 8 Faith is not some blind leap in the dark. Christian faith is first and foremost a certain knowledge. Faith knows certain facts. First, faith knows the truth of this world. Faith deals with reality, this sad age is our fault. The problem in the world is our problem. Faith never says, “I know I do bad things, but deep down inside I’m a good person.” No, faith is honest, it knows that deep down is the problem. Faith also knows that we have been delivered from this problem. Faith knows that we are not alone. Faith knows that the Holy Spirit works in this sad age to bless us. It also trusts God’s omnipotence. Faith knows that “all things” includes “the sufferings of this present time.” Job sums up the “all things” best when He confessed in great adversity, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.” God makes the foulest clean. Faith knows that God is sovereign, which is a most comforting doctrine. The omnipotence of God is very practical. That’s right, I said doctrine is practical. Worried about your career? Your job is in His Almighty hands. Worried about your health? Your body is under His cosmic microscope. God’s providence undergirds and directs all of life. God’s power is not limited. Some ask, “if God is all-powerful, why pray?” We respond, “If He is not all-powerful, why pray?” Let me ask you, “Do you want a God in control of evil?” Before you answer, know that if He is not, then He cannot really ever help you. True faith rests in God’s omnipotent hands. Suggestions for prayer Pray that in church tomorrow your faith will be strengthened and pray that those without faith would find Christ as their only comfort in life and in death. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 29 – The Tree of Life

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1 Scripture reading: Romans 8 Romans 8 has been called the “tree of life in the midst of the Garden of Eden.” This chapter is a comprehensive study on how to live and die in the comfort of the Lord. It is the tree of life that sustains us in our earthly pilgrimage. Romans 8 concerns the blessings and privileges every believer has in Christ. These benefits result in Christianassuranceand assurance is the key to Christian living. Why? Because assurance comforts the weary soul, it relieves the wayward Christian of guilt, it provides confidence to those struggling with faith, it gives the peace that passes beyond this sad world, and takes us into the world to come. Romans 8 takes us into the Garden of Eden that we might continue to eat from the tree of life, that is to consume the Word in joyful service to the Glory of God and our enjoyment of Him forever. With evil close at hand, (Rom. 7:20) Paul says later in Romans, “who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” The answer? None! Why none? Because of two promises, Romans 8 promises: (1) no more condemnation; (2) no more separation. These promises are grounded in the gospel “for those in Christ Jesus.” What is the opposite of condemnation? Being in Christ Jesus. In Christ, we are the righteousness of God. Suggestions for prayer Give thanks to the Lord for His grace endures forever. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 28 – A new nature

“Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, ...

Daily devotional

November 27 – A twofold life

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with t...

Daily devotional

November 26 – Compelled by love

“For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are...

Daily devotional

November 25 – Enslaved to love

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which yo...

Daily devotional

November 24 – Devoted to grace

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” – Romans 6:15–16 Scripture reading: Romans 6 Amazing grace might tempt the flesh to think grace leads to freedom to sin (cf. Rom 6:1). The answer is obvious. While we cherish God’s mercy, we don’t cheapen it by thinking we should sin to get more. That would mean we sin because of grace. Just because grace guts the law of its power, does not mean we are free to do whatever we want. There is a greater purpose behind justification—justified to become slaves of righteousness. We don’t cheapen grace, no, we devote ourselves to it. Jesus said where your treasure is, there your heart will follow. Well, there is no greater treasure on earth than grace. It is greater in every way. In the ancient Greco-Roman world, needy people often sold themselves into slavery as a way to avoid financial danger. These were voluntary submissions and often wise choices. Masters promised to provide all that the slaves needed if the slaves devoted themselves completely to their masters. The masters then devoted themselves to the slaves’ care. We are likewise bound either devoted to the master of death or to the Lord of life. You must serve someone and there is no third-party option. If you do your own thing, you are serving the master of death. You want to be slaves of righteousness because there is no hope without it. Suggestions for prayer Pray that you and your church would be devoted to God’s grace that works in us together with a love for God and one another. May our love for one another show the watching world the greatness of grace. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 23 – Baptism saves

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” – Romans 6:3–4 Scripture reading: Romans 6 Christian living follows baptism. Baptism saves? Not the water, but the thing signified (“into Christ Jesus” and “into His death”). Baptism clothes us in Christ’s life and death. We are really united to Christ’s body so that His death brings forth fruit in our bodies. His flesh powers over our flesh that we might be changed. We are united to Christ not to increase in sin but to destroy it. Baptism is the means to the power of the Gospel Kingdom. Many hear this and think “baptismal immersion” as if this text speaks of submersion and emersion. Yet what does it say? Baptism is the means by which we were buried somewhere—where? In Christ! This text says nothing about the ritual of baptism or the application, but the event. Baptism is a burial event. It places us into Christ’s death. It is gospel, it is history—Christ’s death becomes our present reality. Here is its power to change—“It is no longer I who live, but Christ in me.” Baptism places us into the resurrection. Baptism is gospel, where the history of Christ’s resurrection becomes our present reality. What took place with Christ, what happened to His body and blood has taken place in us through baptism. In baptism, we are sacramentally judged with Christ, raised, gone into heaven, and are there hidden with Christ. We will also come again with Christ in glory. Here is the power to change. We are now in glory and sin’s power has forever been rendered powerless. Here is the power to change. The power is the gospel. Suggestions for prayer Pray that you never forget your baptism, but remember that you belong to Christ and therefore may grow and increase daily in the faith that is at work in every good deed. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 22 – The Gospel of the Kingdom of God

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” – Romans 6:1–2 Scripture reading: Romans 6 Over two thousand years have passed since Christ promised the Kingdom of God. Does it affect our lives today? According to Romans 6, the Kingdom of God has everything to do with the Christian life. In Romans 5, Paul explains how the gospel of the Kingdom has delivered us from the penalty of sin. Now in Romans 6, we learn how the gospel of the Kingdom saves us from sin’s power. In Adam, sin stormed into the world bringing with it destruction and death. Now, in Christ, grace has destroyed sin’s control. Christ has overcome this destruction and death with a grace greater than sin. The greatness of grace effects our justification and affects our sanctification. We live godly and quiet lives because we live in Christ. I’m not talking about perfection. Our lives are still messy. We are justified sinners. Evil still lies close at hand. How close? Too close, danger close, not beside, but in us, all around us, contacting and influencing our daily lives. We have carried into the Kingdom of God old baggage. We live with old habits that need to be broken – no, no, no, that need to be destroyed. Already sin is defeated, yet we must be killing sin or it will be killing us. We must put sin to death in our sanctification, not by our might or power but by the Spirit of the Lord. Suggestions for prayer Pray for continued victory over your sin and temptation. Here the Lord’s Prayer in helpful, “lead me not into temptation.” This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 21 – Total love

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” – Romans 5:10–11 Scripture reading: Romans 5 The power of God’s love is total: totally depraved we are now totally saved because Christ is a complete Savior. Paul has substituted the word “justified” for “reconciled.” Justification is forensic, legal language. It pictures the believer being declared innocent of all charges. Reconciliation language, on the other hand, comes from the world of personal relationships. “To reconcile” means to bring together or make peace between two hostile parties. The cross makes peace. It destroys sinners and makes us believers. It takes us from the kingdom of darkness and transfers us into the Kingdom of light. Who belongs to the Kingdom of God? Those who have been washed “by His blood,” that is, those who are presently clean “by the death of His Son” and whose final salvation is “by His life.” Salvation from beginning to end is all in, with, by, and through Christ. By His death, our sins forgiven, we have peace with God. By His life, our righteousness, we have access to God. Because Christ is a whole Savior, our salvation is secure now and forever. Christ is the assurance of faith. If Hewas only a half-Savior, then there would be cause for concern. Our half – have we met our half of the bargain? Have we done enough, loved enough, progressed enough? Our half would rob us of His love, yet because Heis our whole Savior, we have no fear of being cut off from His love in the middle of our Christian life. Suggestions for prayer Pray that you would see how much you have been forgiven that you might love more and hate sin more and turn from it. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 20 – Justification

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” – Romans 5:9 Scripture...

Daily devotional

November 19 – True love

“…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 Scripture reading: Romans 5 In ca...

Daily devotional

November 18 – Made by love

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps fo...

Daily devotional

November 17 – Spiritual glory

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but...

Daily devotional

November 16 – A new standing

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1 Scripture reading: Romans 5 To be justified means to be declared righteous. Justified, we stand in righteousness. Now you might ask, “When do I start standing in righteousness? I would like that much indeed because I still sin and struggle with failure.” We feel the way of death all around us. Now this verb “have been justified” is past tense, from Paul’s perspective. Heand the saints in the church in Rome were justified in the past. Justification is a past act because it happens only once. The moment you first believed you were declared innocent of all charges brought against you who “sin and fall short of the glory of God.”Why? Because we have a King and a powerful One at that, Who loses no one. The moment you first believed, from then on, nothing can stand against you, nothing can separate you from His righteousness: not death (5:12–21), not sin (ch6), not the law (ch7),—nothing! (ch8). The result of justification is peace. We have a new life of peace. In the OT, the prophets spoke about this peace, the shalom that God would bring about in the last days. This is our day. By faith we scale the heavens to quietly enjoy its blessings now. By faith, Thy Kingdom comes on earth. By faith we have entered the peace of Paradise. Suggestions for prayer Pray for church tomorrow, that we sinners, unworthy in ourselves, would be partakers of the new life in Christ. Pray that God would further sanctify us by His Holy Spirit that we would stand in grace. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 15 – The law of faith

“Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” – Romans 3:27–28 Scripture reading: Romans 3-4 Without faith there is no recovery of truth or life, no godliness, Christian discipline, good works, or pleasing God without it. Sound doctrine and good works emerge from faith itself. Thus sola fide is a hallmark of the Reformation, where we rediscovered how to be right with the God of the Bible. Other virtues make us like Christ, but faith alone makes us inChrist. You can love and follow Christ or you can believe and become one with the Savior. You can count the cost of redemption and try your best or by the hand of faith receive His merits and be justified. Faith is the sole means of salvation. Martin Luther said, “O it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith.” Faith is the sole means of salvation because, first, it excludes all works from justification. All works are excluded on two fronts. First, God has excluded them. The Greek verb excluded is passive and without an agent it is known by Greek grammarians as a divine passive. God is the agent of exclusion. How has Heexcluded boasting? By doing all the work of salvation, which has been Paul’s point all along. This is a defense of God’s righteousness. Not our doing, because we cannot do anything. All we do is unrighteousness. Grace then becomes the necessary cause of justification. Christ becomes the material cause of justification. Salvation is of the Lord. Justification is God’s justification, which eliminates any pride. God’s work has excluded any work we might offer. So, we believe instead. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God would preserve our missionaries from every danger. Pray that their work would prosper through their words and deeds. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 14 – The life of faith

“…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:” – Romans 3:22 Scripture reading: Romans 3 We are the subjects of faith. In the Bible, Christ is always the object of faith. This is Protestantism 101. This is Biblical Christianity, justification sola fide. The ESV translates this passage perfectly, “faith in Jesus Christ.” Paul’s use of faith is always faith in, that is a certain knowledge “for all who believe.” If you know and trust in Christ’s finished work, then today you belong with Him in paradise. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” – Colossians 3:1–4 By faith, we have been raised with Christ. It is a new day. By faith, we belong to a heavenly age. We belong to the age where righteousness dwells. It is no longer I who live, but Christ in me. We are citizens of a Kingdom not of this world. Christ has regained Paradise, the life we now live by faith in the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me. Suggestions for prayer Pray for the continued salvation of your unbelieving friends and family. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 13 – But now

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it…” – Romans 3:21 Scripture reading: Romans 3 Romans 3:21 begins with two of the most important words in all the Bible – but now. But now, instead of wrath, there is pardon. In the place of fear, there is now hope. Instead of guilt, now there is the righteousness of God, which comes apart from the law. Wrath of God was being revealed against the unrighteous, but now we have another righteousness that turns away wrath. None is righteous, we are condemned, but now, I, who once was lost, now I’m found. I was dead in sin, but now I am alive. The old is gone, but now it is no longer I who live but Christ in me. I was condemned, but now there is no more condemnation. We were without hope and without God in the world(Eph. 2:12b). In a sense, without Christ you still have God, in His wrath. But now the gospel redeems us from the wrath of God. There is now hope with the gospel because Jesus endured the wrath for us. The incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has changed everything for the better, to those who believe. Suggestions for prayer Don’t focus too long on your sin and misery, but focus on Christ Who has saved you from your sin and misery and thank God for the gospel. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 12 – Faith alone

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” – Romans 1:17 ...

Daily devotional

November 11 – The Gospel’s power

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” �...

Daily devotional

November 10 – The power of God

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For ...

Daily devotional

November 9 – A powerful word

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that s...

Daily devotional

November 8 – The means of faith

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” – Romans 1:9–12 Scripture reading: Romans 1 The word serve is also translated worship. The gospel is our worship. The gospel causes our worship. Worship then affects our service. The Reformed had this saying, “the way of worship is the way of life.” Worship, the means of grace, affects how we live. Proper devotion, through proper means, leads to true discipleship. The power of Paul’s service was found in the gospel, a gospel that empowered him to serve the church. Paul was gospeled through and through. It was the content of his service, it was the power behind his service. Prayer is not a means of grace, but a chief part of thankfulness for the means of grace. The means of grace is a gift from God that keeps on giving. That gift is faith. The word “gift” is the noun charisma. Paul longed to visit Rome that he might give them charisma. Did he want to make them Pentecostal? No, it was a gift that strengthened. Paul was called by God to dispense the means of strength. What kind of strength? The means of grace strengthens faith. Now we can better understand Paul’s “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” The means of grace is a spiritual gift that strengthens us spiritually. The all things is the strengthening of our faith and obedience. Suggestions for prayer Pray for strength and obedience to God’s Word. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 7 – A new tongue

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.” – Romans 1:8–10 Scripture reading: Romans 1 Paul thanks God. He doesn’t thank the church for their faith. Rome was an active church; they had an active faith. They were a mission-oriented church. They were worldly in a good sense as a light to the world. Paul swears to God that He will serve this church, hopefully by coming to preach the gospel and in prayer. But isn’t swearing prohibited? Didn’t Jesus say that we cannot make oaths? If so, what are we to say about all the Old Testaments saints who swore? What about Jesus, Who often testified, “Truly, Truly, I say to you.” That is an oath formula. What about Paul who made several oaths in Acts and in his epistles? Jesus did not condemn oaths. He condemned the unlawful use of oaths. He condemned lying. In context, the Jews would swear by lesser things, other than Yahweh, by His throne or heaven. In their legalism they found a loophole to get out of oaths, “I don’t have to honor that agreement, because I didn’t swear by God’s name.” As it says in James 5, let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no. Jesus condemned lying. Oaths are proper and good. An oath is nothing else but an appeal to God that we are telling the truth, “So help me God.” That formula is important for it recognizes that vengeance belongs to the Lord. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the Lord, “so tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Suggestions for prayer Pray for your tongue that it speaks truth, justice, and peace. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 6 – A new love

“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 1:7 Scripture reading: Romans 1 Here is the gospel of God – God simply loves us. The gospel of God is therefore free “grace to you.” Grace is God’s desire to love us. Grace is His longing to bless us. Grace gives us the greatest gift – the history of redemption. It gives us a Son. The result of this gospel of grace is peace. Peace is the best gift because this is not a peaceful life. Yet for us in Christ, in the midst of this sad world, in trouble, adversity, sickness, and health, we can draw on God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ for strength. We can come to the gospel of our Almighty God, Who is able, and to our Father, Who is willing to enrich us with His gifts; and to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has purchased grace and peace for us. The gospel of God is only found in Christ Who finished redemption on the cross and has been raised from the dead, the only One anointed with grace and peace. What is the gospel of God? It's what our faithful Savior Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross and what He continues to apply to us today through the preaching of the Word. The gospel of God is finished and it is finishing us more and more. Suggestions for prayer Pray for the calling of your minister this week, that He would work hard and good to preach Christ from all the Scriptures; that He would share the love of God to your family and all those in need. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 5 – A new belong

“…including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ…” – Romans 1:6 Scripture reading: Romans 1 Great leaders, like Paul, are called, but so too are the lowliest of us. All Christians are servants. There are not carnal Christians and victorious Christians. It is not that some Christians will never really show forth good works while others will. No, there is only one kind of Christian – servant of Christ Jesus, because there is one and the same application of the gospel. “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 1:7 Christ applies the same gift to all believers. All Christians are servants because all Christians are saints. Sainthood does not belong to a select few, a few victorious Christians. It's not as if some have achieved some high moral standard and thus become saints. Every Christian in Rome, who was set apart, called, regenerated, and believed was a saint. The word, “saint,” in Scripture is never used of an individual, like “St. Peter” or “St. Mary.” It is always plural. It is always used of believers. Christians are the holy ones, set apart because Christ accomplished the gospel of God and the Holy Spirit has applied it to us. Why did God send His Son to die on the cross? Why did Christ willingly die for sinners? One answer – “who are loved by God.” Why did God love us? Because we are saints? No, His love has made us saints. Does He love us because of our service? No, His love has made us servants. Why does God love us? He loves us because He loves us. Suggestions for prayer Pray for your calling, your vocation, that you would work hard and good for His glory. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Jared Beairdis the church planter and pastor of Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Missoula, Montana, USA....

Daily devotional

November 4 – A new creation

“…through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations…” �...

Daily devotional

November 3 – A new life

“…and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…�...

Daily devotional

November 2 – An Old Testament gospel

“…which He promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures…” – Romans 1:2 Scripture reading: Romans 1 Everyone has a f...

Daily devotional

November 1 – Introduction to Rev. Jared Beairdis' series on Romans 1-8

Daily devotional

October 31 – Preserving grace

But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. – Jude 1:20-21 Scripture reading: Jude You might have noticed in yesterday's reading that Jude bookends his short letter by reassurances that Christians are kept (Jude 1) and that God will keep Christians (Jude 24). That's God's preserving grace. But then in verse 21, Jude surprises us by pressing upon the believers the need to keep themselves in the love of God. What's Jude doing here? He's reminding them of what the Holy Spirit reminds Christians of everywhere in the Bible. Christians must persevere in the Christian life. God will finish the work He has begun, and Christians must complete the race they started to run. Christians must work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Or as we see in our reading today, God's power guards us through faith (1 Pet. 1:5). God has prepared an inheritance for His people. It will be revealed when Christ returns in glory. But will we be faithful to the end so as to receive what has been prepared? This is an especially poignant question in light of the various trials we face. The Bible answers that we must. The writer to the Hebrews warns us not to shrink back but to live by faith lest we throw away our confidence (Hebrews 10:37). The Bible also answers that we will be faithful. God enables us. God guards us, and He guards us through faith. Oh, how we must have Christ continually placarded before our eyes that we might always put our trust and confidence in Him Who is faithful. Suggestions for prayer Praise God that the light of the gospel was recaptured in the Reformation during the 1500s. Pray that God would enable us to be faithful with the deposit that we have been given and that we would continue to cling to Jesus Christ, the one mediator between God and man. Ask God to enable your pastor to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 30 – Preserving grace

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. – John 10:27-29 Scripture reading: Jude You probably have fastened a picture to the wall with Scotch tape only to have gravity yank it down. You re-attach it, applying pressure until your thumb is paralyzed. You watch it for a while and it stays put. You think you've succeeded, only to have it flutter to the ground the moment you turn away in triumph. Do you think the Triune God has that frustration with those whom He saves? Are they safe one minute and lost the next? The glad and glorious answer is “No!”. Christians are Christians forever. The God Who calls them is the God Who keeps them. As Jesus said, no one will snatch them out of His hand or His Father's hand (John 10:28-29). That is not to say that some won't try. Satan as always attempting to undo the work of God. And he has his allies. The world without seeks to form us in its mould and the flesh within fights against the Spirit to divorce us from Christ. The Christian is the battleground between the forces of light and darkness. And at times the battle can be so intense that Christians can wonder if they will remain Christians. But we have no reason to fear. The hand that measures the waters in its palm keeps us. The hands that were pierced on Calvary and now rule the universe protect us. For Christ there are no lost causes. Christians are kept (Jude 1) and God keeps them (Jude 24). Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that our salvation depends, from start to finish, on His sovereign grace and mercy. Ask the Lord to humble us so that we might not become either self-reliant or spiritually careless with our Christian walk. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 29 – Unstoppable grace

“...his dominion is an everlasting dominion. . . He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” – Daniel 4:35-36 Scripture reading: John 6:25-40 How can the Lord Jesus speak with such confidence when He says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me . . .”? How does He know they will come? What if they don't want to? Will they then be forced to come to Jesus? How can Jesus be so sure? Jesus’ confidence rests on a number of pillars. First, the Bible teaches that God's plans always come to pass and that no one can thwart His purpose. If God, the Almighty One, has purposed to save someone from eternal punishment, that will undoubtedly happen. Second, Christ knows what He is going to do. He knows that He is going to Calvary for the forgiveness of sins of those whom the Father designs to save. He also knows that His death will defeat Satan, the enemy of our souls. That means that Satan's grip on us will be broken and we can be delivered from the domain of darkness. Third, the Lord Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit upon completion of His work on earth. Christ knows that that Spirit, Who is the divine matchmaker, will bring the sinner and the Saviour together. The one chosen by the Father and redeemed by the Son will receive new life by the Holy Spirit so that he willingly and freely comes to Christ as He is freely offered in the gospel. It will happen. Guaranteed. The Triune God’s grace is unstoppable. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that the Holy Spirit persisted in His work to bring us to the Saviour, conquering our natural resistance to God and to grace. Pray that many would come to the Saviour that they might have life and that we might be instruments to point them to Christ. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 28 – Christ’s successful death

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. – Ephesians 5:25-27 Scripture reading: John 10:1-18 If you have ever given blood, sweat, and tears to something you desperately wanted to succeed, only to see it collapse in failure, you will know the sense of dejection and frustration that arises. Many have experienced this. Our Lord Jesus, however, did not. He went to the cross to save His people from their sins and everyone for whom He died will undoubtedly be saved. Imagine bearing God's wrath and curse for someone who ends up bearing the same in hell. That would be unthinkable! Jesus’ death really accomplished what Jesus set out to do. The Father had given Him a flock of sinful, wandering sheep who are on the road to eternal punishment. For them, Christ had to intervene. For them, Christ had to bear the judgment of God. And for them, He did exactly that. As the Lord Jesus Himself said, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15). But didn’t the Lord Jesus make propitiation “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2)? Not if you mean that he died for every man, woman, and child individually. If that were the case, all would be saved because Christ’s work can't be frustrated. We wouldn’t object to that if the Bible taught that. However, it does speak of outer darkness for some. But if by “world” you mean that He died for all sorts of people (not just one race) and for a great number that no one can count, then yes, we gladly declare that Jesus is “indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42) and, by grace, ours too. Suggestions for prayer Praise God that the death of Christ really cleanses from all sin and that we need to make no contribution to our salvation. Pray for missionaries, ministers, and evangelists that all those for whom Christ died will hear the voice of their Shepherd and be brought into the fold. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 27 – Chosen, not choice

..."For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peopl...

Daily devotional

October 26 – Very, very bad

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.– Ge...

Daily devotional

October 25 – Ascension and succession again

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine pow...

Daily devotional

October 24 – Ascension and succession

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be ...

Daily devotional

October 23 – Our God is a consuming fire

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. – Psalm 2:10-12 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 1:9-18 Evidently, Ahaziah wasn't keen on the prognosis. But God's announcements of judgment are often conditional. If he had done what Nineveh would later do, that is, repent, we can be confident the Lord would have had mercy and healed him.But Ahaziah doesn't respond this way. With arrogance, he declares hostility against Elijah and his God and demands Elijah come down. The Lord doesn't take kindly to such defiance against His servants and twice sends down fire to consume the king's messengers. The third captain sees what a jealous God has unleashed against His comrades and falls on his knees begging Elijah for mercy. Expectedly, the Lord spares his life when the poor man called and saved him from his troubles (Psa. 34:6). Here is a model response for Ahaziah and us all. In wrath, God remembers mercy. In the New Testament (Luke 9:51-56) Jesus is traveling through an unwelcoming Samaritan town. James and John asked if He wanted them to call fire down to destroy them. Jesus rebuked them, in part, because now was a time of grace. If fire was going to fall anywhere, it was going to fall on Him on Calvary just like the fire fell on the altar on Carmel. The story in 2 Kings falls between Carmel and Calvary and reminds us that, if the fire doesn't fall on the God-appointed sacrifice, it will fall on the sinner, if not on Christ for us, then on us. Another hair clad prophet with a leather belt around his waist preaching repentance (Mark 1:4) reminds us of what we ought to do. Suggestions for prayer Pray for the grace of repentance that we might know the blessing of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Rejoice that Christ willingly became the sacrifice for sinners to reconcile us to God. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 22 – Living like an atheist

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. – Psalm 9:9-10 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 1:1-8 Like father, like son. Like mother, like son. Both adages are true with regard to Ahaziah, Ahab's son and successor. Ahaziah’s significant injury left him quite unwell. Concerned about his future, he sends messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the Philistine god of Ekron and to see if he would recover. Everyone who knows the history of Israel sees the folly in this. In the days before the kings reigned, the Philistine gods were helpless before the ark of the God of Israel (1 Sam. 5). The narrator highlights the folly by mockingly changing the name of the god from Baal-zebul (Glorious Baal) to Baal-zebub (Lord of a Fly). What Ahaziah has done is plain silly. It's alsoplain sinful and this is what Elijah confronts him with. “Ahaziah,” Elijah asserts, “you are living as if God does not exist.” Ahaziah has rejected the God of Israel. That's his sin and that's his folly. God's judgement is that Ahaziah will surely die. Two things I wish to point out for you to ponder. First, who we go to in our troubles is an indication of where our trust is. Why is God often the port of last resort for many troubled Christians? Second, it is a signal kindness of the Lord that intervenes through Elijah to head off Ahaziah’s folly and sin. Ignoring the Lord doesn't make the Lord go away. This isn’t always true; sometimes He leaves us to our sin. But what a mercy when He does arrest us. How will Ahaziah respond to such kindness? How do you? Suggestions for prayer Pray that we would instinctively call on the Lord in times of trouble when we are convicted of sin, concerned about the future, or otherwise in distress. Ask that the Lord would give us sensitivity so that when the Spirit convicts us that we are going the wrong way, we would respond with repentance and gratitude. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 21 – Does the Lord not see?

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” – Jonah 4:1-2 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 21:25-29 We concur with God's announcement of judgment against Ahab. He deserves to die. And so we are wholly unprepared for what happens in vs. 27 to 29. Who would have thought that Ahab would show such humility after his arrogant accusation in v. 20? But what is even more surprising is the Lord's response. He relents. He postpones judgment. Is God gullible? Is He taken in by Ahab's repentance? It is clear from the next chapter that, like many unbelievers, Ahab's repentance is like the morning dew that quickly dries up. Many people show remorse for a time before life returns to normal. And yet God shows mercy to Ahab. How could He? We feel this even more intensely because of the description of Ahab in vs. 25 to 26. It certainly shows that the Lord loves to show mercy. Does that bother you about God, the fact that He is merciful? Jonah hated it. The Pharisees did too. The natural man tends to think that mercy comes to the deserving. God here demonstrates that it doesn't. Thank God it doesn't! It certainly is instructive that Paul describes himself in the same way Ahab was described. Paul complains, “I am of the flesh, sold under sin” (Rom. 7:14). No wonder he laments his wretchedness and lauds Christ for His redemption (Rom. 7:24-25). That is the kind of God we have, one Who delights in steadfast love (Micah 7:18). Just listen to the crucified Lord Jesus asking the Father to forgive those who clamored for His death. Who would have thought? Suggestions for prayer Pray that the Lord would humble us so that we would see and rejoice in the fact that our salvation is ‘mercy all, immense and free’. Pray that we might point all sinners to drink from the same fountain of grace that has refreshed our souls. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 20 – Does the Lord not see?

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering- since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels... – 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 21:17-24 Surely God must have seen what had happened to Naboth. Why then doesn't He do something about it? Well, He does. He sends his servant Elijah to confront Ahab and announce judgment against him. The vineyard was stolen through Jezebel’s schemes, but Elijah assesses blame to Ahab. Ahab killed a man and seized his property (v. 19). Ahab was wicked and weak. He should have led his household in righteousness and truth. Judgment will fall on Ahab and his descendants because he sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord (v. 20). Jezebel will be judged too and become dog food for her sin (Deu. 28:26). Though it might be tempting to pay back evil to those who mistreat us, remember the Lord’s declaration, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). The wicked will get what is coming to them. God will bring it about. But what about Naboth? Why didn't God intervene? Good questions. Here are some more. Why was Peter delivered from prison and James killed? Why are Syrian Christians crucified and we have freedom? Why does your friend have cancer while you have health? Good questions. We need to trust the wisdom of God Who makes no mistakes. And we need to be confident in His goodness. Naboth was treated unjustly but God, Who saw that, will also see to it that Naboth gets his reward. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10). Suggestions for prayer Remember the persecuted Christians throughout the world as they worship on this Lord’s Day and ask God to encourage them and fortify them to be faithful to the end. Pray that the Lord will teach us to trust His wisdom and goodness in times of difficulty and confusion. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 19 – The righteous sufferer

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear th...

Daily devotional

October 18 – From desire to death

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is ...

Daily devotional

October 17 – Carrying the cross for Christ

And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom ...

Daily devotional

October 16 – Joyfully serving Christ

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-contr...

Daily devotional

October 15 – The Voice of grace and judgment

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” – Matthew 11:28-30 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 19:9-18 So what does God think of Elijah's accusations? He agrees. Israel deserves judgment. When Moses was on the mount (Exodus 34) God passed by him giving Moses a revelation of Himself. Here in the mount, God reveals Himself to Elijah with four different manifestations: wind, earthquake, fire, and a low whisper. Notice that the first three are destructive, the last one is calm. What does this mean? The three correspond to the three judgments that God will unleash on His people through Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha (verses 15-17). But judgement is not God's only Word. Seven thousand will be reserved as true worshippers. Nor is judgement God's preferred Word. I get this from the contrast between the three and the one. He was not in the three, but He was in the one. That is, though God will bring judgement, he delights to show mercy. Some years later we find Elijah on another mountain with Moses and Jesus (Luke 9:28-36) discussing Jesus’ departure, His coming death, which was God’s Word of judgement against Jesus. Weren’t there also rocks splitting and an earthquake at Jesus’ death? His death was for His people’s failure to keep covenant and to worship God faithfully. And then a cloud enveloped them and a voice spoke. Was it a low whisper? The voice said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him.” Jesus is the voice we must listen to. Today His voice speaks grace and invites us to come. One day it will speak judgement and will command us to depart. Listen to Him! Now. Suggestions for prayer Adore God that the Lord Jesus was willing to take our judgement so that we might hear His voice of grace. Pray that through our personal evangelism and the ministry of Christ’s Church many would come to Jesus instead of bowing knees to idols and kissing false gods. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 14 – Covenant prosecution

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. –2 Corinthians 6:1-2 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 19:9-14 The first thing to notice is that Elijah is at Horeb/Sinai on covenant business. Horeb is where God met Moses to commission him to lead Israel out of Egypt in faithfulness to His covenant promises. Horeb/Sinai is where the covenant of God with Israel was given. Horeb/Sinai is where the covenant was broken when Israel worshipped the golden calf. Elijah is at covenant mountain, a place of both grace and judgement, to transact covenant business. When God asks, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”, God the Judge is inviting Elijah to state his case against Israel. Elijah is the covenant prosecutor laying charges against his own people for their failure to keep covenant with the LORD. Elijah doesn’t mince words: “For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword.” You might think Elijah should speak for Israel rather than against them. Moses often did. But that's not what all the prophets do, nor are they only ministers of grace. Jeremiah accuses God's people of unfaithfulness and God forbids him to intercede for them (Jeremiah 7:16). Instead, he must announce God's rejection of them (Jeremiah 7:29). Elijah's return to Mount Sinai marks the end of one era, one characterized by Divine patience, and the beginning of another, one characterized by Divine purification. The temptation for covenant people is to think God's patience lasts forever. That is simply not true which means that today is always the optimal day to seek the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God by His Spirit would protect us from receiving the grace of God in vain and that we would do the work of God which is to believe in Him Whom He has sent. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 13 – Discouraged

Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope. – Matthew 12:18-21 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 19:1-8 The ESV says in verse 3 that Elijah was afraid. The NKJV translates the same word as ‘saw’ and I think it's correct. It is not that Elijah became unhinged and ran in terror. It's closer to reality to say that Elijah determined from Jezebel's obstinacy that there wasn't much hope for change amongst God's people. Despite the people's confession, Ahab's weakness and Jezebel's opposition led Elijah to conclude that there was no sense continuing his ministry in Israel. In a quest to understand what has happened, Elijah intends to go back to where it all began, to Mount Horeb, where the covenant Lord had first met with His people. We meet up with Elijah in the desert where, exhausted and discouraged, he lies down under a broom tree and asks God to sweep him away. He feels ill-equipped for the ministry of turning the hearts of God's people back to Him. In a sense he's right. A greater Prophet than him or his fathers was needed, one Who could baptize with the Spirit. Elijah is too hard on himself. But God doesn't rebuke him and neither should we. There is something holy about his lament. Paul wept over the Jews (Romans 9:1-3) and Jesus did over Jerusalem (Luke 13:34-35). Don't you think we're too casual about the plight of millions who go to a Christless eternity? The angel ministers to Elijah in his discouragement and provides food for his continued journey to Horeb. Elijah might think he's finished but God has further plans for him just as Jesus did for the Christ-denying Peter. How tender He is to His often discouraged servants. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God would encourage His ministers as they preach the gospel today with evident fruit for their labours. Ask that God would give us a concern for Christ’s honour and the plight of the lost that we might be engaged in evangelisation here and among the nations. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 12 – Effective prayer

...I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. – Daniel 9:2-3 Scripture reading: James 5:13-20 What is the secret to effective prayer, prayer that is both heard and answered? The Apostle James tells us that the power of prayer does not lie in the person praying. Elijah prayed for the rain to stop and start and God stopped and started the rain. But notice that although Elijah was a righteous man, he was a man with a nature like ours. The power in prayer is to pray what God promises. Elijah knew that God promised drought if his people abandoned him and rain if they repented (See 1 Kings 8:35-36). Elijah turned the promises into petitions. God uses means to accomplish His ends, including the prayers of His saints. Further, God delights to be asked for the things promised. We see the saints doing this throughout Scripture. For example, Daniel knew that God was going to release Israel from Exile after 70 years. As the time approached, Daniel prays to that end. We know that the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD (Isaiah 11:9), and our Lord Jesus tells us to pray for the coming of God's kingdom. This is the prayer of faith. Pore over the Bible, discover God’s promises, turn them into petitions, and trust that God will be faithful to His Word. As the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us, we must ask God ‘for everything He has commanded us to ask Him’ (Lord’s Day 45, Q&A 117). Suggestions for prayer Pray that God would teach us to grasp His promises so that we may pray according to His will. Remembering His promise that His Word shall not return to Him without accomplishing what He intends (Isaiah 55:11), pray that God would bless the reading and preaching of His Word tomorrow in the public gathering of His people. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 11 – Showers of blessing

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not...

Daily devotional

October 10 – The contest

I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. – Isaiah 42:8 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 18:19-40 ...

Daily devotional

October 9 – Divided hearts

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot s...

Daily devotional

October 8 – The King and his servants

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all...

Daily devotional

October 7 – Resurrection life

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... – 1 Peter 1:3 Scripture reading: Luke 7:11-17 When hundreds of years after Elijah you read of a prophet raising a dead son to life and giving him back to his mother, who is a widow, you are encouraged to link Elijah’s miracle with that story. Though written by many writers the Bible has one divine Author and through the similarities between the stories, the Holy Spirit is alerting us that 1 Kings isn’t just about Elijah but about a greater than Elijah, the great Prophet Who has arisen among us, God, Who has visited His people. That is, the Old Testament is about Jesus Christ. So, in reading about Elijah, we should learn about Jesus. In this New Testament counterpart to yesterday’s reading, we learn of Jesus’ compassion for the needy. He is willing to enter enemy territory. By touching the bier, Jesus demonstrates that He shares our uncleanness. He bears our sins and enters our death by experiencing God’s curse on the cross. He engages in conflict with the devil and triumphs. The risen Christ is the victor over sin, death, hell, and Satan. His resurrection life revives our spiritually dead souls and He takes us and presents us to the Father, saying, “See, Your son/daughter lives.” If they glorified God in Nain because they saw the Lord Jesus’ miracle as an evidence of God’s visitation, how much more ought we to glorify God for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Himself and His resurrection power that raises the spiritually dead. Surely, God has visited us. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God would visit us and bring to life the spiritually dead in our church and nation and praise Him that He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 6 – Revive us again

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24 How painful! It isn’t just that her son died. That is hard enough. Some of you know this firsthand. He was taken after such a miraculous intervention that spared his life. That makes it particularly poignant. What kind of God had this widow just been introduced to? Does he sustain life just to snatch it? Even Elijah appears flummoxed by this providence (v. 20). In her confusion, she accuses God of being against her and treats this providence as punishment for her sin (v. 18). This is worth probing. Sometimes we feel this way in hard times because there actually is unconfessed sin in our life and the Holy Spirit is convicting us to repent. But at other times we feel this way because, prodded by the devil, we entertain harsh thoughts of God. More than a few Christians are always waiting for something bad to happen in their lives. They haven’t grasped sufficiently the sheer grandeur of grace. Tragedy isn’t God’s punishment for His dear children. We need to say to this woman (and each other), “Your son doesn’t die for your sin. God’s Son dies for your sin!” This is the blessing of the Lord’s Day as we are reminded again of God’s astonishing grace. God does graciously correct her misapprehension. Elijah takes the child and God’s resurrecting power revives him. Through that kindness her spiritual life revives too, and she boldly confesses the truth spoken by the man of God. This trial, like all trials sent by a gracious Father, is for the strengthening of faith. Behold the grace and wisdom of our God. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God would protect us from improper thoughts concerning Himself so that we would neither think Him too soft (that we continue in sin) or too hard (that we despair of forgiveness). Pray that He would keep the cross of our Lord Jesus fixed in our hearts and minds. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 5 – Marvelling at His grace

Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off. – Romans 11:22 Scripture reading: Luke 4:16-30 As Jesus said, God could have sent Elijah to many widows in Israel. So why to a foreigner? Our multi-tasking God did this for at least two reasons. First, as a judgment on His own people. God’s prophet was unacceptable in his “hometown” and so he was sent to shower grace to a foreigner. He came to his own but his own did not receive him. Second, to showcase His grace. Grace comes to those who don’t seek it. Clearly, the widow wasn’t a believer. She speaks about the Lord, Elisha’s God (1 Kings 17:12). But the Lord sought her. Grace comes to enemies. Zarephath is of Sidon. Wicked Jezebel introduced the worship of the Sidonian god, Baal, in Israel and to that place and those people the Lord sends His servant and His grace. As seen in the incarnation of the Lord Jesus and the Great Commission, God directs His grace to enemy-occupied territory. Grace stops at nothing to save the elect. God used the disobedience of the chosen nation to send His prophet to save this chosen foreigner. The Jews’ rejection means salvation for the Gentiles (Romans 11:11) and the death of His Son is a price God is willing to pay to save His own. Grace comes to those who believe. The widow’s faith is evidenced by her works. She trusted the word of the prophet and “did as Elijah said.” Christ, the final Prophet, invites us to come to Him and faith does precisely that, repenting and receiving the offer of salvation. Suggestions for prayer Pray for the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your hearts that you may marvel at the glory of His grace and mercy. Pray that your minister may faithfully proclaim God’s Word, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting, with complete patience and teaching and that you would receive Christ as He is offered to you. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 4 – Not by bread alone

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone.– Deuteronomy 8:3 Scripture reading: 1 Kings 17:7-16 What an encouragement the dried-up brook must have been to Elijah. God was fulfilling His promise of withholding dew and rain! It also meant that God was going to provide for Elijah some other way. He reaches Zarephath and, encountering the widow, he instructs her to bring him some water. As she leaves to comply he asks for a morsel of bread too. This unleashes an outpouring of her pitiable story. She has nothing baked, little flour, little oil, few sticks, and little time left to live. You might think that Elijah might respond with something like, “I’m sorry. Yes, I understand. I’ll ask someone else. Just the water will be fine.” You might even think that would be the kind and sensitive thing to do. But he doesn’t. He intensifies the request. Do what you are going to do “but first make a little cake of it and bring it to me.” Does it need to be said that God’s request should have given her no hesitation? If obedience meant that yesterday’s supper was her last meal she should have given a morsel of bread to the man of God. God doesn’t ask for our leftovers or what we can conveniently part with. He demands our all to be given without hesitation. But notice the Lord’s gentleness. He wins her obedience with a sandwich of assurance. Top slice: ‘Do not fear.’ Bottom slice: ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not empty . . .’ And every day thereafter was a reminder of the faithfulness of the Lord and His Word. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to teach us how generous and gracious He is, even in His demands, so that we might trust Him for His daily provision of grace and cheerfully give Him whatever He asks of us. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. John van Eyk is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta. ...

Daily devotional

October 3 – God’s gracious judgement

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? �...

Daily devotional

October 2 – God’s man

Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew ...

Daily devotional

October 1 – Introduction

The word of God is living and active. It is not only something we study, it studies us. As the Bible reveals truths about itself, it also, simultaneou...

Daily devotional

September 30 – One last consideration

Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD! – Psalm 144:15 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 It has b...

Daily devotional

September 29 – Happy in God, because of God

Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD! – Psalm 144:15 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 In our Psalm, David began by extolling the LORD. He ends exactly the same way. Through the twists and turns of the Psalm, as in life, there were challenges discussed and blessings rejoiced in. The constant through it all is the blessedness of our God and of the people who serve and follow Him. This is again the day to lift up praise to God for Who He is! The Lord’s Day is the day every reason for happiness comes together to be focused on praise to the “Father of lights” (James 1:17) Who is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Are you joyful today? God is the source of your joy. He is God, the LORD! Given who David was, it should not have surprised us that he thought a lot about war. But so should we. We struggle against evil enemies in this life. Knowing Who God is, we should be even less surprised that the Psalm is ending with praise. We are blessed with eternal life and none can take away what the Lord has given. This, then, is our “state.” We have been endowed with eternal blessing and joy from God through Jesus Christ. The knowledge of God, by His Word, works to remind us that He is “…eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, immutable, infinite, almighty, perfectly wise, just, good, and the overflowing fountain of all good”! Happy are the people who know Him – we are so blessed. Shout His praise this day! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to make this a Lord’s Day to remember His goodness and to find joy in His faithfulness. Ask Him, He is able! This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 28 – Walking in agreement with life and peace

That our oxen may be well-laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. – Psalm 144:14 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 The Heidelberg Catechism at Lord’s Day 7, gives us a description of true faith which includes, as a basic component part, knowledge. Knowledge is vital to faith. But it is also vital to the assurance of faith as Lord’s Day 32 explains the necessity of good works. That is to say, the richer our knowledge of God, the deeper will be our certainty that all is well with our soul. This truth counsels us as to how we “read” or interrupt the situations on-going around us. Do we take from these situations lessons as to Who God is and who we are? Again, do you know yourself to be a dependent creature, rather than an independent one? Knowledge of ourselves as needy will cause us to overflow with thanksgiving when we have peaceful streets and safety in home, at hearth. That knowledge of who we are as needy people builds faith. Faith has a fruit called contentment which we all need very much. The Psalm is ending on this high-note of peacefulness that should lead to contentment. But what do we do if we don’t sense or feel such contentment? Do you know the God of peace through Jesus Christ? Have you confessed your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation? If so, are you constantly thinking about how much God loves you and how He sustains, protects and provides all your needs? These are things we will finish with in the last two days of our devotional. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to give you a moment or two in this day to quietly ask yourself if you trust in Jesus Christ for salvation and all else you need. Pray for wisdom to answer truthfully. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 27 – God creates civilization

That our oxen may be well-laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. – Psalm 144:14 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 We have now read Psalm 144 around 27 times. Have you come to know and appreciate the Psalm? God makes Himself known in His Word, including Psalm 144. He is the help to the warrior and as this verse shows to us, God is the One Who creates society. For society to survive and thrive, basic components must be in place, namely, life, safety and peace. These are what we find coming from God’s own mind. Those words – life, safety and peace – describe the garden of Eden before the fall. That former beauty is hard – no, impossible for us to imagine. But this joyful truth comes at the end of the Psalm as the postlude to the victorious end of the war. When violence and warfare have ended, joy will fill the vacuum. Why? Because this is Who our God is. He is the God of life. Is it not curious that on Resurrection Sunday morning Mary mistook Jesus for the gardener (or was she right?) We can only begin in this life to understand what the New Heavens and New Earth will be like, but surely there will be no breaking in or going out, no outcry in the streets. All of life will be marked by safety and peace, primary components of joy. Do you yearn for what God yet has in store for you, for us all? Take a moment to ponder how knowing God now prepares us for what is to come! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to prepare your heart and mind for the glory to come. Ask Him to enable you to see something of His character in the joys we experience in this life. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 26 – Handling the blessing

That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands, And ten thousands in our fields; – Psalm 144:13 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings and see what God has done!” Wow, what a long list! As we have been reading this Psalm each day it may have begun to occur to you that the Psalm began with war, but ends with peace. Christ is the centre of the Psalm and His work on the cross – as the One Who allowed abuse to be heaped on Him – brings the peace needed, even while in this world remnants of warfare persist. We are doing “mop-up” work. The warring is ending. So also, the glorying is beginning. Glorification, that is, has already begun to break into this fallen world. One way we see this is the multitude of good gifts our God gives to us. We are richly supplied! This begs a question: How do we handle these blessings? Should we build bigger barns (or multiple thousand square foot homes with multiple car garages)? For what purpose, to what end does God supply His people, many times quite richly? Does money last? Riches wither and supply dwindles. How should we hold what we have? Ask Job. Loosely. Let’s be open-handed Christians. Once we are sure we are providing for our family and our congregation and paying all we owe, we need to be givers. Are you a generous Christian, or stingy? Believers, we give as a testimony to the God Who gave His Son, His only Son for us. Be generous. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to search your heart and reveal the ways you could be more generous. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 25 – God of food and finance

That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands, And ten thousands in our fields; – Psalm 144:1...

Daily devotional

September 24 – Erecting trees and pillars

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style; – Psalm 144:12 Scriptur...

Daily devotional

September 23 – God’s victory in covenant

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style; – Psalm 144:12 Scriptur...

Daily devotional

September 22 – Delivered by God from the worst attacks

Daily devotional

September 21 – Delivered by God to the worst attacks

Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouth speaks lying words, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood – Psalm 144:11 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 A few days ago we saw that these exact words (with one difference – see September 13) appear twice in this Psalm. While repetition in the Old Testament Hebrew is normal, repetition of a negative appeal is not. This devotional exercise has been a practice of repetition because God repeats in the Bible what He wants emphasized. These words are important to Him. He knows we need to have these words pressed into our hearts. This is what a kind and loving Father does. Knowing what we most need, He brings it to our attention twice. Take note of this. God wants us to know how He feels about what will happen to His beloved Son that day of His unjust trial and crucifixion. Those who will cast votes and cause nails to pierce His perfect Son will speak lying words and will be the epitome of falsehood. God wants us to know this. There is another reason we need to know this and we will look at that tomorrow, but first, know God. What we can learn about God today is that He wants you to know His love by what His Son endured for us. The shame and agony of the cross were but one aspect of His suffering – He also was betrayed, even by His closest friends. How He suffered, how terrible His grief. We are so blessed to be able to know Him well, for this is the Father’s desire – that we know and love His Son. Praise Him! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to show you something of Jesus Christ in your Bible reading every day. He is the finest gold and richest treasure we can ever mine in the pages of Scripture. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 20 – I need to be saved

The One Who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant from the deadly sword.– Psalm 144:10 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 What does it mean to be saved? King David faced enemies many times, not just once. Do we get into the mindset that “once saved, always saved” means I have no need to be saved continually? The Apostle Paul didn’t teach that. Actually, in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit brings further clarity to the believer about salvation by using the past tense, the present tense and the future tense. At 2 Timothy 1:9 we are told that God…has saved us and called us with a holy calling. 1 Corinthians 1:18 reminds us that we are those who…are being saved. And 1 Corinthians 3:15 tells us that even weak believers…will be saved. Much more could be shown to prove these points. The question is, who do you know yourself to be? Have you been saved? Are you being saved? Will you be saved? Contemplating these questions reveals what you believe about God and about yourself. Again, what does it mean to be saved? What have you said or done this week that required “saving”? Have you been forgiven? Of course! But did you ask for forgiveness? Do you apply the value of Christ’s work to each and every sinful failure you are aware of? We won’t know all our sins. There are too many to know – but the ones we do know, we should seek forgiveness for and praise Him when we again remember that we have been delivered. What a glorious God we serve! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to show you today how full and rich is the work of Jesus Christ in your life. Ask Him to enable you to truly be thankful for His salvation. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 19 – God saves

The One Who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant from the deadly sword.– Psalm 144:10 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Do you struggle with sin? Is that a ridiculous question? Most, if not all of us would say that we do struggle with sin. But what do we mean by that and why is that an important question in connection with this verse? King David says here that God gives salvation, delivers David and that deliverance is from a danger which would otherwise cause death. Stop and ponder that. Are you faced with death? At Romans 8:36 Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 to the effect that believers “face death all day long.” Do you believe that? Is sin and temptation that “deadly serious” that you look to God to rescue you from certain destruction? How would that frame of mind improve your appreciation for Who God is? We need to go back to this question again – Who is God? Well, He is the deliverer. He saves. God brings us out of death. He gives us life hour by hour, day after day. This is Who He is and what He does. Professing this, our frame of reference for understanding who we are is altered – improved. God keeps us safe, not we ourselves. God delivers us more than we make choices that keep us safe. We put on the full armor, but it is the “armor of God” that we put on. He saves! We need our thinking sanctified so that our behaving will follow in line. God is our deliverer, He saves! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to remind you that you are far weaker than you realize. Ask Him this, not to make less of you, but to make more of Him! This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 18 – So why sing?

I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, – Psalm 144:9 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 David is here responding to grace. This is why we sing. Songs of praise come forth from our hearts through our mouths because we do desire to honour, thank, extol and exalt the God Who has given so much to us. We remember, however, that this is a Psalm of warfare. David was a warrior king. The praise he offers to God through music is a response to military victory. God is the deliverer. He brought His people through battles and wars and they responded with songs of acclaim and thanksgiving. This makes the Psalm new to us again. Our battles are not with ‘flesh and blood’ but with spiritual forces of evil. Are our battles less important and less significant than were David’s and other Old Testament saints? We know enough to say, “No, our battles are not less important.” Neither are they less severe and challenging. When you know God has preserved you during a time of temptation or in the midst of a spiritual battle, do you feel like praising Him? Do you consider a song of adoration and thanksgiving? We need to ask questions of our own heart about how we respond to having been delivered. What I mean is, though we would never criticize King David for singing a song of praise to God for a military victory against an enemy of the covenant people…would we be very slow to sing songs of praise for deliverance out of temptation? If so, why? Praise God with Music! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to show you two or three ways He has delivered you in the past days so that you will know why praising Him with music is a blessing instead of a duty. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 17 – The God worthy of song

I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, – Psalm 144:9 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Martin L...

Daily devotional

September 16 – Living with liars

Whose mouth speaks vain words, And whose right hand is a hand of falsehood. – Psalm 144:8 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 The Lord’s Day was a ...

Daily devotional

September 15 – God contra mundum

Whose mouth speaks vain words, And whose right hand is a hand of falsehood. – Psalm 144:8 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 You have now read this ...

Daily devotional

September 14 – I can’t even lift my arm to say I need to be saved

Daily devotional

September 13 – Divine activity

Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, From the hand of foreigners, – Psalm 144:7 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 There is an ancient heresy which has plagued regular Christians for ages. This heresy espoused by high-brow academics, who are sure they know better, is also sometimes accepted by us regular Christians, where it would be termed an error. There is an issue we get wrong about how God acts. This very old teaching is called Deism. Deism says that God made all things and then decided to stay “out of our business.” He is sovereign, but totally uninvolved in the affairs of “we the people.” But sometimes we Christians act like that old lie is the truth. This verse is a comforting correction to that ancient error. God acts! God reaches down from above and pulls us out of the mess in which we find ourselves. He enters our world of trouble. God must or we are doomed! Into the quiet of Bethlehem, the heavens above were torn open and the angelic army choir poured into our world, singing of the arrival of the promised messianic Babe. Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace! What kind of peace do you need today? His hand is there. Do you need to be delivered out of “great waters”? Are you drowning in sorrow, in debt, in self-pity? God is still able to take hold of you because He decided to involve Himself in our affairs. Praise Him today for Jesus Christ Who entered to save. O, how God must come down. Then we are saved! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to reveal to you how important and significant to your daily sanctification is the fact that He involves Himself in your day to day choices. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 12 – Learning to be a child again

Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. – Psalm 144:6 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Once upon a time you cried out to your parent. You might be older – 80’s or 90’s, but you might still remember a day long ago when you cried out to your dad or mom. Were you hurt? Did you get lost? Maybe you woke up from a terrible nightmare. But you cried out – you needed help! And you probably never considered the possibility that your parent would ignore you. You expected to be answered! Here is King David, the most powerful man in the kingdom with guards and fighting men all around him, but he cries out to God. He knows that only God can rescue him. Is this our practical experience of faith? Is this why we pray, how we pray? Those two things we most need to know – Who God is and who we are – what do we learn about who we are in this verse? Do we learn that we need help? Do you know that you need to be delivered and do you think about it most every day? The Heidelberg Catechism tells us that we must know how great our sins and misery are…why? When your child acts out and sins blatantly, do you discipline him? Why? Because you want him to learn. So too with knowing our sins. We need to remember that God alone saves us. And in the daily struggles, too, God must rescue us. Is this why you pray? Is this how you pray? Suggestions for prayer Ask God to show you that being a child in His care is a position of peace and joy. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 11 – Asking God to fight our battles

Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. – Psalm 144:6 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Things are serious now. The Psalmist, King David is asking God to personally involve Himself in David’s conflict and not in a defensive or neutral way. David wants God to fight. Do you think God would fight? What kind of God is He? One way to think through an answer is to consider what a godly earthly father would do for his children. Would a good dad fight to save his child? The answer is obvious, right? Will God fight? In the context of the Psalm, the battle is raging. Man is weak and the war intense. God must fight. Is this not the whole story of the Bible? Man fought a battle at the beginning, in the garden which impacted all of history. He fought a fight with the grand liar and he lost. God had to fight. This is why Jesus Christ, the Second Adam, went into the wilderness to confront Satan. God had to fight. The only hope we have is God fighting our battles for us. Now we begin to understand. The Psalm is beginning to make more sense. The battle is the Lord’s! This is the way to start our day and in remembering this, we have real hope. God must fight. Today, this day, all day, God must shoot His arrows and destroy our enemies, applying the victory of His Son to our daily battles. Praise God and thank Him for fighting for you! Suggestions for prayer It's obvious, right? Ask God to fight your battles today. When you notice that He has conquered for you, stop and thank Him. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 10 – Will we be consumed?

Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. – Psalm 144:5 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 This verse is impressive. God speaks to us here about Himself. He wants us to know that were He to come down, the solid, rock-hard elements of this earth would erupt into fire and smoke. What about us? How could we survive being in the presence of this glorious and majestic, thrice holy God? Well, on our own we couldn’t. The entire Old Covenant system made this clear. The blood of animals was shed to point to cleansing from sin so that sinful man could be near to God. Yet, almost no people ever entered in the presence of God. The High Priest could enter, but only one day each year and again, only by shed blood. The glorious reality is, this verse tells us about what we have in Jesus Christ. All who believe on Him have everlasting life and will remain near to God for all of eternity, in His presence, but we have already now been granted full access into the holy of holies by the new and living way of the shed blood of Jesus. Will God consume sin? Yes, but that is why Jesus Christ died on the cross. The Father poured out His wrath for our sins on the cross and Jesus “took” (absorbed) that punishment for us. Here is where knowing God and knowing who we are is so important. We have come to know that we need a Saviour. Trust Jesus Christ! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to reveal who you are and Who He is so that you know clearly your need for Jesus Christ. No other prayer is more important. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 9 – The blaze of His glory

Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. – Psalm 144:5 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 I believe ...

Daily devotional

September 8 – Day of rest for those passing on

Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow. – Psalm 144:4 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 “The Sabbath was made for man…” (Ma...

Daily devotional

September 7 – God is not like us

Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow. – Psalm 144:4 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Well, it is good that God is the opposite...

Daily devotional

September 6 – Putting ourselves in place

LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man that You are mindful of him? – Psalm 144:3 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 R...

Daily devotional

September 5 – The condescending mercy of God

LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man that You are mindful of him? – Psalm 144:3 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 There is a perfect contrast displayed in this verse. This contrast is unlike any other contrast in all of creation. This is the contrast between the Creator and the creature. Every other contrast you could mention has less “distance” to cross, less difference to wrestle with than the Creator-creature contrast. God, the LORD has no need for anything. Man the creature is completely needy. God is entirely complete in Himself, we are fully dependent on Him for everything we have. In this verse the Psalmist asks why does the God Who needs nothing spend any effort, time or resource on us humans. This is an excellent question! Mercy is the answer. God is merciful. Do you remember from the introduction to this devotional that we are striving to know well two things: Who God is and who we are? This verse tells us by a question that seems to have no good answer, that God is merciful. Otherwise, what possible answer could we expect to the question of this verse? Since God is everything, what is man? Man is nothing, that’s what. Since God has all power, what power do we humans have? None. Since all life comes from God’s work and good pleasure, what life do we humans have on our own? None. Since salvation from sins comes from God’s plan in sending His Son to save us, what claim and authority over our salvation do we have? None. What is God like? He is merciful. Believe. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to give you greater clarity and trust in Who He says He is in the Bible. Ask Him to give you a greater interest in knowing Him each time you read the Bible. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 4 - Taking possession of what God gives

My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. – Psalm 144:2 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 We noticed yesterday that the structure and exact words of the Psalm are important. God determines exactly which Words He wants to teach His truth. In this second verse of the Psalm, there are personal pronouns of covenant significance “attached” to each comment about an attribute or description of God. In other words, God is not just “a” fortress, rather He is “MY” fortress. These personal pronouns are exactly what God wants to say. He says that He is the fortress or high tower or shield for His people. Do you see what that means?! “Since God is for us, who could be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Our personal application of this verse goes like this – since God sent His only begotten Son to save us (cf., John 3:16), He also promises to keep us safe, out of harm's way and ultimately safe out of hell. No enemy can take us down. We need this confidence because, as a latter part of the Psalm will show us, we don’t always “feel” well, safe, protected and peaceful. We need to believe it and tell our feelings to trust God’s Word. Have you had times in your life and experiences when your emotions got the best of you? Have you experienced fear and anxiety that has no realistic explanation? When we feel like that, we need a “High Tower.” God is our refuge and our strength (Psalm 46). Ask this question: On this day is God MY mighty fortress? Suggestions for prayer Ask God to remind you that He is able to do all we need and more! (Ephesians 3:20) This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 3 – My powerful fortress of safety

My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. – Psalm 144:2 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Since you are reading through Psalm 144 every day you will soon start to learn the structure of the Psalm. You will note its rhythm, cadence and poetic features. You will notice that certain words and phrases are significant in this Psalm. One such structural clue is that most of the verses begin with Who God is or what He has done. Verse 2 is no different. Seven statements about God fill up this verse. Can you find all seven? God is “my lovingkindness…fortress…high tower…deliverer…shield…One in whom I take refuge…and the One Who subdues people under me.” Seven aspects of a profession of faith in the nature and attributes of God are found here. God is the entire reason for any confidence we might have. He is full of power, able to protect us. We are weak and prone to all sorts of weaknesses. God is able to put us out of the reach of trials, disasters and mortal enemies. We are easily overcome both physically and emotionally. What matters the most is do we know the Salvation found only in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we safe from all alarm, hiding in the arms of Jesus Christ? To know anything about this world or about yourself you must first be able to give a concrete answer to this one question: Do you trust in Jesus Christ as your Saviour – is He your High Tower? What joy to know that God is the unchanging source of our well-being! Suggestions for prayer Ask God to give you greater faith and confidence about His ability to keep His people safe from all alarm. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 2 - My hands?

Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle – Psalm 144:1 Scripture reading: Psalm 144 Sometimes we read Bible verses or passages and are encouraged at how nice it sounds. The Bible can bring peace and joy and relief and comfort – especially in knowing our sins are forgiven when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. But it is also kind of easy to remain at a distance from the words, phrases and truths in the Bible. This verse is personal. Whoever you are as you read this, whatever you have known, no matter what your job or place in life is, God is training your hands and your fingers to fight. Maybe your fingers have knit blankets. Perhaps your hands have typed on a computer keyboard. Maybe your fingers often run through the soft hair of your grandchild. Each action we just listed is warfare. These hand-crafted items given in love defeat the lies of the enemy that people only, always hate one another. Word processing programs can advance gospel truth. Parents and grandparents know they are on the front lines of the battle. Whoever you are, whatever you do, God is training you for the battle. Yet, we know that “hands” and “fingers” in this verse is “part of the whole.” God is using His Word, corporate worship and Christian experiences to train you for the warfare of the Christian life. As you read this Psalm, think of your responsibility and your personal involvement in the difficult battle of the Christian life. Have you fought before? Suggestions for prayer Ask God to show you how important it is to be aware of the battle. Ask Him to reveal to you that it is because of this battle that He had to send His Son, Jesus Christ. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Harold Miller is the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church(URCNA) of Kansas City, Missouri....

Daily devotional

September 1 – Introduction to Psalm 144

Repetition. If you have lived for a few years, you have already learned the value of repetition. God has placed repetition into the Bible as a very he...

Daily devotional

August 31 – Choose you this day

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15 Scripture reading...

Daily devotional

August 30 – A witness between you and us

“Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifice, but that it may be a witness between you and us and our ...

Daily devotional

August 29 – Take careful heed

“But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you.” – Joshua 22:5 Scripture reading:...

Daily devotional

August 28 – Divine faithfulness

“Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” – Joshua 21:45 Scripture reading: Joshua 21:43-45 One commentator called the three verses of our passage today “the jugular vein for the book of Joshua.” So important are these truths! Here is the theological heart of the Book of Joshua. Verse 43 mentions the land. It nicely summarizes chapters 13 through 21 of this book. God had promised Abraham that one day his descendants would inherit all the land of Canaan. This verse testifies that God has kept His promise to the patriarch. Verse 44 speaks of Israel’s enemies. It summarizes chapters 1 through 12 and all the battles and conflicts found there. God had promised Joshua in Chapter 1 that not one of the occupants of Canaan would be able to stand against them and this verse testifies that God has kept that promise as well. Then verse 45 reassures Israel that as they settle into this new land they can trust in the Lord to keep His promise to watch over them and to bless them. Because Israel’s God has proven Himself to be persistent in keeping His promises, they can walk forward confidently into the future with Him. Because He is mighty, majestic and merciful“not a word failed” of what He had said in the past, and so, therefore “all will come to pass” in the future as well. This is the same message that we must hold to today. God’s Word is truth. As you too settle into life, or face conflicts and battles, never forget that your mighty, majestic and merciful God is walking with you and seeing you through. We have Jesus Christ, THE Commander of the Lord’s army who has fought the battle for us and has proven Himself victorious. Trust in Him. Suggestions for prayer Praise God for being mighty, majestic and merciful. Thank Him for being faithful to His covenant promises. Express your gratitude to Christ for His finished work in your salvation. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 27 – divine sojourners

“So the children of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their common-lands.” – Joshua 21:3 Scripture reading: Joshua 21:1-42 As the land was being divided in chapters 13 through 19, it was often mentioned that the tribe of Levi would receive no specific place because “their portion was the LORD.” They were God’s special servants with no earthly home. As such, the Levites foreshadow our life as God’s people on earth. This world is not our home, but we still have worldly needs. The Levites were set aside by God for special ministry, but they still needed to eat. So they come to Joshua in chapter 21 and ask for “cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for our livestock” (vs. 2); essentially, they needed a roof over their heads and a pasture for their animals. This tells us that we are to pursue the things of God with all our heart, but we also need to pay our bills! Our Heavenly Father knows this. He supplies all of our eternal and earthly needs. He calls us to be faithful in our service to Him wherever He has us sojourn in this world. Notice too how the Lord provides for the earthly needs of the Levites through the glad giving of the different tribes. Forty-eight cities are given for the Levites out of the inheritance that God has just given to the twelve tribes. This is their “tithe” given out of what God has just given to them. May we as God’s people hold loosely to earthly things. May we give gladly to God from the riches He has given to us. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for all His rich gifts given to you, both eternal and earthly. Ask Him to supply you with an eternal perspective which views earthly things in a way that honours Him. Thank Him for supplying all of our needs in the riches of Christ Jesus, our Lord. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 26 – Divine justice

“The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: “Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses”.’” – Joshua 20:1-2 Scripture reading: Joshua 20 In the ancient world the rule of “an eye for an eye” prevailed. Whenever an injustice was done, an “avenger of blood” was appointed to make sure that someone paid for the crime. With the cities of refuge, God sets a higher standard of justice for Israel. Anyone who killed a man accidentally could flee to the nearest city of refuge and be safe until a preliminary hearing could be held (verse 4). He is to be presumed innocent until a trial before his peers can take place (verse 6). If the fugitive’s story does not stand up, he is given to the avenger of blood for punishment. If the killing was indeed accidental, then the man-slayer would be allowed to live, but he had to remain in the city away from family and friends as punishment for not properly safeguarding his neighbour’s life. Only upon the “death of the high priest” was he free to return back to his home. Two truths are seen here. First, our God is the God of life! Because man is created in the image of God, all life matters to Him and should be protected by us. Second, is imputation. In God’s eyes, the High Priest’s death substitutes for the offender’s death, and he is allowed to go home. This foreshadows the work of our Great High Priest. God looks upon Jesus’ death and credits us with righteousness, so that we are allowed to go “home” into the presence of our Heavenly Father. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that in His Divine Justice He looks upon our Substitute and imputes our sin to Him and His righteousness to us. Ask that God’s justice would be known more and more across this land. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 25 – The deceitfulness of sin

“And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.” – Joshua 17:13 Scripture reading: Joshua 15:63, 16:10 and 17:12-13 In direct contrast to the whole-hearted faithfulness of Caleb seen in yesterday’s passage, these next chapters of Joshua testify to the whole-hearted failure of the tribes of Israel to follow the command of God and totally remove unbelievers from the land. In fact, with each description of failure, the sin gets worse. In chapter 15, Judah allows the pagans in one city to remain alive. In chapter 16, Ephraim also allows the sinners of one city to remain alive and they turned them into “forced laborers.” This is worse because if Ephraim had the power to turn the pagans into slaves, then they surely had the power to put them to death. In chapter 17, Manasseh allows the unbelievers in many cities found in “three hilly regions” (vs. 11) to remain alive. In this growing denigration of God’s will, in this half-hearted devotion to the Lord, in this purposeful sin and rebellion, we see an Old Testament picture … of us! Here, sad to say, is our own less than stellar life of faith and obedience. In God’s Church today, the Ten Commandments will be read. This practice is done because so easily we tell ourselves that “I’m not so bad. There are worse people than me. I am pretty good.” But God’s holy law and these verses of Scripture tell us the truth: we are great sinners. Thankfully, the Lord has sent us an even greater Saviour! Look in faith to Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the sin that hides within you. Pray for an ever increasing awareness of how great a Saviour we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. Pray that around the world today the great good news of the Gospel of our Lord would go forth with power. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 24 – Wholly following the Lord

“Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God.” – Joshua 6:8 Scriptu...

Daily devotional

August 23 – As the Lord had commanded

“As the Lord had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land.” – Joshua 14:5 Scripture reading: Joshua 14:1-5 ...

Daily devotional

August 22 – An ominous warning

“Nevertheless the children of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the I...

Daily devotional

August 21 – The divine promise

“Them I will drive out from before the children of Israel.” – Joshua 13:6 Scripture reading: Joshua 13:1-7 With Joshua 13, a very differen...

Daily devotional

August 20 – He left nothing undone

“As the LORD had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.” – Joshua 11:15 Scripture reading: Joshua 11:1-15 Because they forget that the Bible is God’s one account of His history of redemption, many view the Book of Joshua only as a tale of gruesome battles. We must see instead the sovereign Lord preparing for His Messiah: preparing an earthly place and a human line through which His Son can enter into time and space to redeem the elect. Joshua 11 records the battles leading to the complete conquest of the Promised Land, ensuring that God’s covenant of redemption can be fulfilled. This time, the pagan kings of the northern half of the land of Canaan assemble to fight against the Lord. Once again the Lord proves that the seed of the Serpent cannot stand against the Seed of the Woman. Four times, in verses 8 through 14, the complete annihilation of the Canaanites is emphasized (verses 8, 11, 12, and 14). Many consider this to be unnecessary, unloving and intolerant. This attitude reveals our ignorance of the Battle between Good and Evil that rages all around us. It shows we do not understand the holiness of God or our own sinfulness. This extermination of evil has nothing to do with love or tolerance, but with Divine justice against human sin. Joshua dispensed this justice and “left nothing undone.” As such he foreshadows the true Warrior King of Israel, Jesus Christ. He too “left nothing undone” when on the Cross He fought the final Battle with sin. Look in faith to this warrior King Who has fought so completely for you. Suggestions for prayer Pray for humility as you boldly enter God’s throne room of grace. Thank Him that you are part of His covenant of redemption. Praise Him for both His mercy and His justice. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 19 – The sun stood still

“The LORD heeded the voice of a man.” – Joshua 10:14 Scripture reading: Joshua 10:12-15 When they come to this passage, liberal Bible scholars focus all their attention on explaining why we no longer need to believe that the sun literally stood still for Joshua. Don’t listen to that lie. Of course we believe this literally! The same God Who created the sun and moon and Who hung them in space is fully capable of stopping them in space if He so chooses. If your “god” cannot do miracles like this, then you do not believe in the true God; and if you do not believe in the true God, then your fate will be no different than these five Canaanite kings. So our focus is not on whether God can make the sun stand still; of course He can! Our focus is on Joshua’s prayer and how the Almighty God of all Heaven and Earth would choose to “heed the voice of a man” (vs. 14). For think on this: this same God Who controls the spinning of this earth and the rising of the sun each day; Who rules every nation and controls every event of human history; this same sovereign, holy and majestic God STOPS EVERYTHING the moment He hears you call out His name! He answers the deepest sighing of your soul. He bends low to hear the weakest stammering of your hurting heart. Everything else takes a back seat when God hears you call His name, and He takes action on your behalf. Find comfort in the fact that God answers your prayers. Suggestions for prayer Praise God for His loving heart shown to you. Thank Him for hearing your prayer. Ask Him to bring you His comfort through the working of His Spirit within you. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 18 – The battle belongs to the Lord

“And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.’” – Joshua 10:8 Scripture reading: Joshua 10:1-11 and 16-27 With Israel’s defeat of Jericho and Ai, and with the treaty made with Gibeon, a military wedge has been driven east to west through the middle of the land of Palestine, dividing it north from south. The five kings of the south decide it is time to work together to put up a united front. This will be the first time that Israel’s army will face any kind of organized resistance and this offers the devil a perfect time to plant the seeds of doubt and fear into the minds of God’s people: “Will we be able to take on such a large number of highly trained soldiers? We are just shepherds and herdsmen. They live in fortified cities; we just live in tents. Sure, God helped us in the past, but how do we know He will help us in the future?” How easily Satan messes with our hearts and minds, and how easily we let him. Knowing our weaknesses, the LORD comes to Joshua and gives the comforting promise of verse 8, “Not a man of them shall stand before you.” God repeats here what He has often promised before, that He is fighting this battle for them. He goes before them laying waste all who stand in opposition to Him. We must simply believe and follow after Him. On this Lord’s Day, place yourself under the preached Word of God; for when doubt comes, it will be God’s Word that sees you through and brings you comfort. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord to make you a diligent student of His Word. Ask Him to make His Word powerful and effective as it goes forth today. Thank Him for fighting your battle against sin in Jesus Christ His Son. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 17 – The Gibeonite deception

“Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.” – Joshua 9:14 Scripture reading: Joshua 9 Israel easily succumbs to the deceit and trickery of the Gibeonites because they rely upon their own understanding and do “not ask counsel of the Lord.” These false ambassadors deceive Israel visually (vs. 4-6), verbally (vs. 9-10), and psychologically (vs. 11). This last deception was the most effective of all because it addressed Israel’s ego. When the Gibeonites confess, “We will be your servants.” they were saying, “You are better than us! We want to be more like you! You are great!” The devil still uses these deceptions today to great effect, especially the third, where he appeals to our natural love of self. Who doesn’t like their ego stroked? Their self-esteem built up? Israel falters because they do not seek out the will of God. They evaluate the situation only through their own eyes and convince themselves that they can handle this on their own. They tell themselves, “This is an easy decision. We’ve got this! The Lord can just relax. We don’t need His help. If something really big comes up, then we will consult Him. But for now, we’re good.” The devil is no less subtle and deceitful today. He “masquerades as an angel of light.” Are you fully aware of his tricks? Do you know who your enemies are? Daily we must work on walking ever closer to our God through Bible reading and prayer. For the closer we are to the LORD the easier we will see the deception that is all around us. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord for spiritual eyes so that you can see the temptations that surround you. Ask Him to guard and guide your mind and heart. Thank Him for His presence and power that we have in Jesus our Lord. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 16 – From conquest to covenant

“...and afterward read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.�...

Daily devotional

August 15 – The Church in the hands of an angry God

Daily devotional

August 14 – The Lord fought the battle of Jericho! – Part 2

Daily devotional

August 13 – The Lord fought the battle of Jericho! – Part 1

Daily devotional

August 12 – Judgment begins

“Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, ‘Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” – Joshua 5:15 Scripture reading: Joshua 5:13-15 This second main section of Joshua emphasizes judgment, destruction and death; this troubles many modern readers. Yet, it is a section that rings out with praise to Almighty God! Yes, God is praised even in the destruction of these pagan tribes. Such judgment shocks us today only because we have lost sight of God’s holiness and the sinfulness of sin. Eternal punishment testifies to God’s holiness and how much He hates sin. We prefer a “kinder, gentler” god, one more like a soft and sweet marshmallow who wouldn’t hurt a flea. But that is not the God of Holy Scripture. As Biblical Christians, we are to understand the judgment and destruction seen in Joshua as a foreshadowing of the LORD’s promised final judgment that awaits this earth at the end of time. We must remember how God promises to send to eternal destruction all who reject Him, while He also promises to welcome into eternal glory all who respond to Him in faith and repentance. This is why “the Commander of the LORD’s army” reveals Himself to Joshua, to remind Joshua Who he ultimately serves. This “Commander” is none other than Jesus in pre-incarnate form. He tells Joshua, “The place where you stand is holy.” What makes a place on earth “holy,” but that this “Man” Who is standing there with Joshua is Himself holy! This reminds us that the Lord goes with us too as we go out into the world. Go in His strength and serve your holy God today. Suggestions for prayer Praise God for His holiness. Ask Him to reveal to you even more of your own sinfulness. Ask the Lord to help you serve Him with all your heart. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 11 – Covenant renewal

“Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.’” – Joshua 5:9 Scripture reading: Joshua 5:1-12 This passage marks the end of the first main section of the Book of Joshua. From here the wars and battles begin. More significantly for Israel, however, this passage also verifies that her desert wanderings are now done. The divine judgment against that first generation of unbelieving Israel is fulfilled. The final obstacle of the Jordan River has been miraculously overcome and the Promised Land lies before them. But wait! Covenant renewal is needed before covenant blessings can come. Two essential Old Testament memorials that God had given His Church need to be restored: circumcision and Passover. Circumcision was God’s covenantal sign first given to Abraham in order to mark out the people who belonged to the Lord from those who belonged to the world while Passover was God’s memorial meal that testified to God’s redemption of His people from slavery and sin. So these testified to God’s claiming and saving of His chosen people. These truths must be professed by the people before the Promised Land can be enjoyed by the people. In church today you will be confronted by a very close correlation of these same two memorials: the baptismal font reminding you of how God’s mark of possession has also been placed upon you, setting you apart from the world. And the communion table reminds us of the crucified body and shed blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. These truths need to be professed by us before the Promised Land of Glory can ever be enjoyed by us. Suggestions for prayer Dwell on what these twin New Testament memorials mean to you as a follower of Christ. Pray that through His preached Word heard today, your heart, mind and soul would be filled with a greater appreciation for the redemption found in Jesus Christ alone. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 10 – A sign among you

“That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’” – Joshua 4:6 Scripture reading: Joshua 4 A quick reading of Joshua 4 would have us wonder why a pile of rocks is worthy of our consideration. Why all this fuss about 12 stones? The answer is that because weare all too forgetful concerning spiritual things, we too need “a sign among us,” a memorial testifying of the great and awesome work of Almighty God. Each generation of Israelites, when they walked past this memorial set up along the Jordan River, was to remember how mighty, majestic and merciful their God was. This teaching was to be passed down to each succeeding generation as well, so that all who follow would praise their God aright. God gives His New Testament Church such memorials as well. Tomorrow, as you attend church services, you will undoubtedly see a baptismal font and a communion table at the front of the sanctuary. Most churches will also have a cross displayed, either inside the sanctuary or outside on the front of your building. These are to be “a sign among you.” The water of baptism symbolizes the forgiveness of sin. The bread and the wine testify to how that forgiveness was obtained for us in the spent body and shed blood of our Lord. The cross is not just a mere decoration for the front of the church; it is the throne where the Lamb of God absorbed the wrath of God as our substitute. Because our hearts so easily forget, we too need these memorials to be “a sign among us.” Suggestions for prayer Think deeply about each of these signs among us. Praise God for giving us each of these “memorial stones.” Ask God to strengthen you that you may always remember and never forget what He has done for you in Jesus Christ your Saviour. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 9 – The marvelous miracle

"The waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away." – Joshua 3:16 Scripture reading: Joshua 3:14-17 Three truths need to be seen so that we understand just how marvellous this miracle was. The first is that God brings His people to the Jordan when it is at flood stage (vs. 15)! Humanly speaking this was the worst possible time to try to cross this river. Normally, the Jordan is no more than 90 feet across and the deepest hole only about 12 feet deep. But when the snows in northern Palestine melt, the Jordan becomes a raging torrent that is up to 30 feet deep and three-quarters of a mile across! This torrent is what the people must now cross. The second truth is that this is the torrent that God “rose in a heap very far away” (vs. 16). Imagine what the people witnessed as they watched the ark approach the raging water: as the lead priest enters the water … there is no water for him to enter! The hand of God pushes back the raging torrent so that it stands “in a heap!” Thirdly, and just as amazingly, not only is there no water for the priests to step into, but the muddy river bottom … is not muddy! The people and all their possessions pass over on “dry ground” (vs. 17). With this marvellous miracle, the people are assured that this endeavour of conquering the Promised Land is truly of the Lord. The LORD God Almighty goes before them and will watch over them. As God’s child, let this truth comfort your heart today. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that He is a miracle working God. Praise Him for working the miracle of grace within your own heart. Ask Him for His guidance and blessing in your life. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 8 – The glory of God

“The waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” – Joshua 3:13 Scripture...

Daily devotional

August 7 – The ark of the covenant

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go ...

Daily devotional

August 6 – The profession of a prostitute – Part 2

Daily devotional

August 5 – The profession of a prostitute – Part 1

Daily devotional

August 4 – Turning promise into possession

“Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, “Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.” - Joshua 1:11 Scripture reading: Joshua 1:10-18 Finally, God is delivering on His promise made years earlier to Abraham, to give the land of Palestine to Abraham’s descendants. Because “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1), Palestine can be given and taken as God sees fit. Canaan does not belong to the pagan tribes who now reside there any more than it does to the tribes of Israel who will soon reside there. For now, God has decided to give this land as His gift to Israel. Yet the LORD does not just drop this gift into Israel’s lap! Rather, He commands His people to cross over and lay hold of His promise. They are to fight for this land! Work to claim God’s gift. The people are expected to turn promise into possession. Notice the commands given them in verse 11: “prepare provisions,” “cross over,” “go in to possess.” God’s promises often come with expectations. You may have observed this in church today. In the sacraments, God’s great covenantal promise is put before us in picture form. The water of baptism and the bread and wine of communion picture for us the promised salvation of Jesus Christ. Yet, with that promise comes expectations. We must “cross over the Jordan”, as it were, and take possession of the promise. For water, bread and wine do not save. Only Jesus saves! God commands us to respond in repentance and faith to the promise pictured in the sacramental elements, for salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the salvation found in Jesus Christ. Repent of all your sins. Ask the Lord for a greater measure of His Holy Spirit so that you would look in faith to Jesus Christ alone. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 3 – Prophetic foreshadowing

“Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.” – Joshua 1:6 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:3-5 As we study Joshua, we must remember the Reformed hermeneutical principle of “prophetic foreshadowing”; namely, that throughout the Old Testament God reveals types and shadows of greater spiritual realities. “The Promised Land” is one of these types. In Joshua the people fight for land in Canaan, but this earthly land is only a shadow of the spiritual land of promise that awaits us in Christ. The “inheritance” in our text foreshadows the greater inheritance won by Christ. Peter uses “inheritance” as a kind of theological shorthand for all the spiritual blessings that become ours through faith (1 Peter 1:3-5). The most common foreshadowing found here is Joshua himself as a type of Christ. Not only do they share the same name, Ya-shua in Hebrew, Jesu in Greek, both mean “The Lord saves;” but earlier God had promised Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12). In Galatians 3:8, the Apostle Paul states that in this promise made to Abraham, God was speaking in Old Testament times of Jesus and “preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand.” Thus, in the conquering of Canaan, God is laying the groundwork for the fulfillment of His promise, first given to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15), that through the line of the woman, One will come Who will crush the serpent’s head. Adam and Eve believed this promise and were saved by faith. So did Abraham and Joshua. May you too look in faith to the long-promised and now revealed Saviour, Jesus the Christ. Suggestions for prayer Ask God, the Holy Spirit, to give you the eyes of faith in order to better see and understand these spiritual truths. Thank the Lord for fulfilling His great promise of redemption. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 2 – Divine assurances

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 Scripture reading: Joshua 1:1-9 Yesterday we were confronted with the sinfulness of sin. Today we are comforted with Divine assurances from our loving God. There are three assurances in our passage. First is God’s Divine Presence. In verses 2 through 4, God commands Joshua to cross over the Jordan River to take possession of the Promised Land. Israel knew there were hordes of pagans there, some of them giants, all of them living in fortified cities. How could they possibly take this land? Only by trusting in the promise God makes in verse 5, “No man shall be able to stand before you … I will be with you.” With God’s presence this is possible. Without Him there is only failure. Second is God’s Divine Courage. Twice in verses 6 and 7 God commands Joshua “Be strong and of good courage.” Joshua can be this - not by drawing on some inner pool of strength - but because God’s presence is with Joshua and so he has God’s strength and courage! Relying on self will only bring disaster, but relying on the LORD will bring blessing. Third is God’s Divine Success. In verse 8, God promises that by observing “The Book of the Law” there will be “good success.” God gives us His presence and makes us strong and courageous so that we will be people of the Word, doing His will and not our own, as a testimony to the world. Jesus Christ is the fullness of these Divine assurances. Rest in Him today. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord to teach you more of Himself. Ask Him to wean you more from yourself. Ask Him to make you “strong and courageous” through faith in Jesus Christ. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

August 1 – Introduction

For many churchgoers today, the Old Testament Book of Joshua is only about ancient battles and bloodshed. Sure the walls of Jericho fell down flat, but what does that have to do with me? Liberal church leaders will even condemn the book because it seemingly encourages “ethnic cleansing.” As Reformed Christians, we see a far bigger truth being played out in the pages of this book. These chapters demonstrate well the intense and intimate nature of the process that God used in order to bring about His promised Messiah: how God worked in man and through man in order to save man! We also see in Joshua how our Sovereign God is not only in control of the outcome of individual battles, but how He also determines and guides the rise and fall of every nation on earth. All nations, all kings, right down to every individual, play a role in our Lord’s eternally devised plan to bring about and secure the salvation of His elect people. That is the greater “Story” going on in this book: the sovereign work and almighty action of our God in redeeming His people. From our studies this month, may we learn of how our Redeeming God continues to work out His great plan of salvation in the hearts and lives of His people still today. All came to pass “Not a word failed or any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” – Joshua 21:45 Scripture reading: Joshua 21:43-45 We begin our study of Joshua with verses that explain why this historical record was written: as a testimony to God’s covenant faithfulness! God is sovereign and “all comes to pass” of everything He ordains, therefore He can be entrusted with our life. We can follow Him in all confidence. Liberal scholars take exception to this. They contend that this book should not be read by us. “Joshua is too gory,” they proclaim. “Here is an Old Testament God of vengeance Who commands the Jews to steal the land that belongs to others and to commit genocide in the process! We demand a ‘kinder and gentler’ God than Who we see here.” We respond by admitting that there is bloodshed in this book, but we read Joshua in the light of the first five books of the Bible. There God reveals Himself as being absolutely holy and morally pure. He created us perfect and He warned us that He hates sin, promising death for anyone who did sin. Thus, the elimination of the pagan tribes of Canaan must be seen by us as God sees it: the holy, moral, and natural outcome of human sin. God’s righteous judgment must be against man’s sinful rebellion. Divine justice. “All came to pass” just as God promised. God will judge our sin as well. Do not ignore this truth! Apart from Jesus Christ, we too are “sinners in the hands of an angry God.” Trust in Jesus, for only in Him is there salvation for our soul. Suggestions for prayer Confess God’s holiness and your sinfulness. Thank Him for this time of grace and for the sending of His Son. Ask Him to give you spiritual eyes to see the great truths found in the Book of Joshua. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Ed Marcusse is the pastor of the Oak Glen United Reformed Church of Lansing, Illinois....

Daily devotional

July 31 – The way to victory

“As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up int...

Daily devotional

July 30 – Doing the work of faith

“And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, a...

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July 29 – Coming to judge the living and the dead

Daily devotional

July 28 – Humbled by God’s grace

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God Who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandme...

Daily devotional

July 27 – Whose side are you on, anyway?

“Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you for us, or for our adversaries?’ And he said, ‘No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.’” – Joshua 5:13b, 14a Scripture reading: Joshua 5:13-15 The night before the conquest of Jericho, Joshua was alone, and at a certain moment, he was startled by a man standing before him, with his drawn sword in his hand. Joshua asked him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries? The man said, No. It’s a strange answer. He is obviously ready to fight. So he must be for Israel or for Jericho. One or the other. But he says, No; in other words, I’m not on either side. I am the commander of the army of the LORD. It will become very clear that this man is the LORD Himself, and Israel is His people, and they were there to take possession of the land that He had promised them. So why didn’t he say, “I’m on your side, Joshua?” Maybe it sounds strange to say it this way, but we always have to remember that the LORD isn’t on our side. The Bible says in lots of places that God is with us and for us. But, He’s not on our side, in the sense that He takes up our agenda, that He’ll always make sure things always work out the way we want them to. God is sovereign, and He’s working on His agenda. And that’s good news, because His agenda is infinitely more wonderful than ours. He has decided to glorify Himself not by doing what we want Him to do, but by saving us from our sin by grace through faith in Christ. Suggestions for prayer Glorify God for taking you up in His sovereign purpose, so that you receive the indescribable blessing as He vindicates the honor of His Name. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 26 – It’s all about God

“When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand.” – Joshua 5:13 Scripture reading: Joshua 5:13-15 The name of this book is Joshua, and people have the tendency to read the book as if it is all about him, about how faithful and wise and courageous he was. They do that because that seems to make the message of the book relevant and practical: we should be faithful and wise and courageous like Joshua. And when we read about this strange meeting between Joshua and the commander of the army of the LORD, and we try to understand how this is relevant to us and our lives, we might imagine that there are several things we should admire about Joshua and that we should imitate. Maybe Joshua was meditating or praying. That shows his faith. Or maybe he was scouting things out. That shows his wisdom. When the man approached him, Joshua challenged him. That shows how brave he was. And in the end, he asked the man what he was supposed to do. Joshua was humble. Those are certainly admirable qualities. But this story isn’t about Joshua. It’s about this mysterious figure who is called, the commander of the army of the LORD. It’s about God, and what He was going to do at Jericho. That’s what makes the whole Bible so absolutely relevant, and so utterly practical. Because in the Bible, God shows us Who He is, and what He is like, and what He does for our salvation. The Bible is the gospel, the foundation of our faith, and our only comfort. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that the story of your salvation is all about Him, and His glory, which He has chosen to reveal by showing grace and favor to you. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 25 – Taste the goodness of the Lord

“And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” – Joshua 5:11-12 Scripture reading: Joshua 5:10-12 The day after the Passover, Israel ate one of the best meals they had ever tasted. On that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased the day after they ate the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. Why was that meal so delicious? Not just because they’d been eating manna for forty years. Not because of an exceptional menu. This is about more than the food. God brought them into Canaan at harvest time. It was a land flowing with milk and honey, and they ate of the produce of the land. It was delicious because it tasted like grace, because it tasted like God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. God had promised, If you trust in Me and walk with Me in repentance and faith and obedience, I will give you a land with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant. A land where you live by grace. Israel tasted the goodness of the LORD. This is the gospel. Walk with God by grace, through faith, in Jesus Christ. He says, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalm 81:10) Suggestions for prayer Ask that God will help you to taste and see His goodness and faithfulness to you, in the good things with which He provides you from day to day. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 24 – Remember and believe, so that you can stand firm in faith

“While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.” – Joshua 5:10 Scripture reading: Joshua 5:10-12 You can be sure that it was no coincidence that God brought Israel into Canaan when He did, just before it was time to celebrate the Passover. From a military point of view, from a human point of view, celebrating the Passover at that moment and in that place made no sense. But, spiritually speaking, Israel said, We can’t go forward, we can’t take up the struggle of faith, without the strength that the LORD gives us, by faith in the gospel. Armies that depend on their own strength, on weapons and strategies, prepare for war by making careful plans and gathering as many weapons and soldiers as they can get. But for God’s people, the war is already won. And getting ready for the battle is a matter of nourishing our faith. At that moment, and at that place, on the plains of Jericho, Israel said, We need to celebrate the Passover. Yes, God commanded us to celebrate it every year. But we’re going to celebrate the Passover because we need to go to war and fight to take possession of our inheritance. So we need to strengthen our faith by remembering what the LORD did for us when He brought us out of Egypt. That is, we receive the strength to stand in the battle against our spiritual enemies – by hearing the gospel, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper – so that we remember and believe what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Suggestions for prayer Pray that by the work of the Holy Spirit, you will be strengthened for the fight against sin, the devil and his whole dominion when you hear the preaching of the gospel and participate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 23 – Trust, and obey, for there’s no other way

Daily devotional

July 22 – He has rolled away the reproach of Egypt

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July 21 – First things first

“At that time the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.’” – Joshua 5:2 Scripture readi...

Daily devotional

July 20 – Brought from death to life

“About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho.” – Joshua 4:13 Scripture reading: Joshua 4:10b-...

Daily devotional

July 19 – A monument at Gilgal

“…the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” – Joshua 4:23, 24 Scripture reading: Joshua 4:19-24 Israel crossed the Jordan and encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. Joshua set up the twelve stones which they had taken out of the Jordan as a monument at Gilgal. And throughout the generations, parents would point at those stones, and explain the meaning of the stones. Pay careful attention to the way the parents had to explain to each new generation, what those twelve stones were all about. They had to tell them that the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever – as if the children had been there that day. In the unity of faith, they shared in the great miracle of salvation that God performed that day. What God did for Israel that day was a picture of what He has done for us in Jesus Christ, our Joshua. Just as the LORD went ahead of Israel into the river, He has gone ahead of us, into death and the grave. And when He raised Him from the dead, He exalted our Saviour in our eyes. He showed us, and all the peoples of the world, that Jesus is the only One Who saves from sin and death. Suggestions for prayer Pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to keep your faith fixed on Jesus Christ, living in the knowledge that He has already won the victory by His death and resurrection. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 18 – The last enemy to be defeated

“… the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho.” – Joshua 3:16 Scripture reading: Joshua 3:14-17 Israel was standing along the banks of the Jordan. Every eye was fixed on the ark, as the priests carried it, step by step, toward the river. (Don’t forget, dear readers, don’t forget, that the Jordan overflows all its banks, the narrow ones and the wider ones, all through the time of the harvest.) The tension was unbearable. Would the river really stop flowing? Or would it do what flooding rivers do, sweep those men off their feet, and carry them and the ark downstream and away? Of all things, says the Spirit, when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water, the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap – all the way back to Adam, more than thirty kilometers upstream. Where the river used to be, there was dry ground. And there was the ark, in the middle of the riverbed, a kilometer away. It was shining, gold and glittering in the sun, and it was all they saw. The Jordan River stood between Israel and her inheritance. It was the last great obstacle, the last enemy that stood between them and life in the Promised Land. If they had to cross it on their own, it would have swept them away. But God went into the river ahead of them; He was in the river with them. They weren’t afraid; God made it safe for them to pass through the river. Suggestions for prayer Pray that you will face the struggles and the sorrows of life in confidence, knowing that God is with you and that He will never leave nor forsake you. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 17 – All things must work together for your salvation

“The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.’” – Joshua 3:7 Scripture reading: Joshua 3:7-17 In a certain respect, the people of Israel had to believe in Joshua as the instrument of their salvation. That’s why the LORD said, Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. The LORD let Joshua announce what He was going to do, so that it looked almost as if Joshua made it happen. If the people tried to cross the Jordan River, it would swallow them up, and sweep them away. But the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, was going to enter the river ahead of them. The Holy Spirit uses the Name, Adonai – that means, the sovereign Ruler. Yahweh is Israel’s covenant God, and the Master of the creation. And Joshua said that the river is going to recognize Him, and what He is doing, bringing His chosen people into their inheritance. And it is going to submit to Him, and to His work of salvation. The waters will be cut off from flowing and stand in a heap. And that is exactly what happened. As soon as the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water, the river simply disappeared. All Israel could see was the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God’s presence. And God showed them that under Joshua’s care and leadership, all things must work together for their salvation. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to help you by His Word and Spirit to live and die in the comfort of knowing that all things must work together for your salvation. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 16 – Consecrate yourselves

“Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.’” – Joshua 3:5 Scripture reading: Joshua 3:1-6 Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves because the LORD was going to do wonders among them. That meant that they had to wash, and put on clean clothes, and abstain from sexual relations. But consecration isn’t just a matter of doing those outward, symbolic things. God wanted them to do those things because He wanted them to be spiritually alert and open, to see and understand the wonders that He was about to do among them. You might wonder why they had to get ready for that. If God was going to do miracles, wouldn’t they be able to see that they were miracles? And wouldn’t they know, just from seeing what happened, that God had done it? But think about what happened when Jesus came. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind and fed the crowds and He even raised the dead to life. But they crucified Him. Unbelief is stubborn. If your heart is not open, you cannot see what the Lord is doing, or hear what He is saying to you. So God wanted Israel to be in a frame of mind, spiritually, for what He was going to show them. We need to have this spiritual posture, of looking to the Lord with expectation, to see and receive His salvation. And we cultivate this attitude by consecrating ourselves. That means, seeing ourselves as we are, sinners who can only be saved by the wonder of God’s sovereign grace in Christ. Suggestions for prayer Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you to be spiritually alert and open and expectant each time you read or hear the gospel. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 15 – Keep your eye on the ark

“As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and ...

Daily devotional

July 14 – Do not fear; only believe

“Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there...

Daily devotional

July 13 – Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone

Daily devotional

July 12 – The scarlet cord

“And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” – Joshua 2:21 Scripture reading: Joshua 2:8-21 People wonder about the meaning of that scar...

Daily devotional

July 11 – The battle belongs to the Lord

“…we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” – Joshua 2:10, 11 Scripture reading: Joshua 2:8-14 Paul says in Romans 10, Faith comes from what is heard. Rahab heard what Yahweh had done, and she believed in Him. She called Him, Yahweh. That’s the covenant Name of God. She said, I know that Yahweh has given you the land. In fact, Rahab said, Everyone in Jericho, everyone in Canaan, is afraid of you. Because we’ve heard what your God has done for you. It’s all anyone can talk about. Think about her faith, and Canaan’s fear of God, and compare it to the way Israel behaved. Israel saw what God had done, but they grumbled and complained and doubted. Rahab and the Canaanites had heard what God had done, and they knew what He could do. Rahab said, As soon as we heard about what you did to Sihon and Og, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. This is the gospel of the conquest of the Promised Land. Before a single soldier had set foot in the land, before a single Israelite arrow was shot or spear was thrown, God had given the land of Canaan to Israel. And this is the gospel of our inheritance. Yes, there are enemies, and you have to fight; you have to stand. But in Christ, the LORD has gone before us and defeated our enemies. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to help you to believe that your sworn enemies – the devil, the world and your own flesh – are defeated in Christ, and pray that His victory would be displayed clearly in your confession and life. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 10 – Rahab the prostitute

“And she said, ‘True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.’” – Joshua 2:4b-5 Scripture reading: Joshua 2:1-7 The people of Jericho knew that Israel was camped just on the other side of the river, so they were keeping a close eye on any strangers that came to their city. When they figured out who these men were who had gone to Rahab’s house, they went straight to the king and told him. Somehow, Rahab found out that the soldiers were on their way, and she hid the two spies before they got there. She admitted that the men had come to her house, but she said, “I did not know where they were from. They left Jericho just before the city gates were closed, but if you pursue them quickly, you will overtake them.” She lied. Was that right? We get hung up on that question. But the Bible says that Rahab was acting out of faith. In Hebrews 11, the Holy Spirit puts Rahab in the same category as Abel and Enoch and Abraham, and all the “heroes of faith” that He mentions in that chapter. “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” James 2 says, “Rahab the prostitute was justified when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way.” The Holy Spirit highlights the faith of this Canaanite prostitute, as the sovereign and gracious work of God. It was a sign for Israel, that He had gone before them, and would give Jericho into their hands. Suggestions for prayer Pray that you would be encouraged by the knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is right now gathering God’s elect from every nation, and joining them by faith to His body, to be your brothers and sisters in Him. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 9 – Commitment to exercise Church discipline

“Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death.” – Joshua 1:18 Scripture reading: Joshua 1:10-18 Israel had shown herself to be a stubborn and rebellious people. But here, on the doorstep of Canaan, they made an absolute commitment to obey Joshua. And they promised, “Whoever rebels against your commandment, and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death.”This has to do with who Israel is, as God’s people. That means, it has to do with us, and who we are. God had spelled out how Israel would receive their inheritance. In a certain way, they had to believe in Joshua. He was their appointed leader, and they had to trust him, and obey him. This is why they promised to put to death whoever rebelled against his commandment or disobeyed his words. Because disobedience was unbelief. Rebelling against Joshua and disobeying his commandment was rejecting the promise of the gospel, and refusing to live by faith. So, those who rebelled against Joshua, and disobeyed his commandment showed that they didn’t belong to the people of God. The church is finally the body of believers, of all those who are hungering and thirsting for salvation in Jesus Christ. And anyone who rebels against the Word of Jesus Christ, who disobeys His commandment, is rejecting the gospel, and refusing to live by faith in Christ. He or she forfeits the right to be included among His people. Our commitment to exercise church discipline is an expression of our loyalty to Christ, and our desire for the salvation of our brothers and sisters. Suggestions for prayer Pray that the Holy Spirit will keep you from falling away from Christ and that He will bless the work of believers and of the elders as your church exercises mutual and official church discipline. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 8 – Commitment to the unity of faith

“And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, ‘Remember the word that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, “The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.” Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them.’” – Joshua 1:12-15a Scripture reading: Joshua 1:10-18 When Moses gave the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan (Numbers 32:28-32), they promised that they would send their soldiers to fight alongside their brother Israelites. Humanly speaking, the bigger your army, the better. But time and again in Deuteronomy, Moses told Israel that the LORD would be fighting for them. So Israel didn’t need a big army. They didn’t need any help from Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. So why did the two-and-a-half tribes have to send soldiers to fight along with the rest of Israel? This is about the unity that’s created among God’s people by faith in the gospel. Think about what’s going on here; think about it in the light of the New Testament. Israel is an Old Testament picture of the congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they were about to receive their inheritance. We confess that we believe and profess one catholic or universal church, which is a holy congregation and assembly of the true Christian believers, who expect their entire salvation in Jesus Christ. That’s who the church is. And this is what that looks like in Joshua 1: a congregation of people who were expecting their salvation in Joshua. Joshua is saying, Every Israelite must do all that he can to make sure that every one of his fellow Israelites receives his inheritance. That’s what our Joshua says, too. That’s the demand and the purpose of our unity in Christ. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord Jesus, by His Spirit, to deepen your love and your commitment to your brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray and to work out their salvation. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

Sunday July 7 – Only believe

“Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go...

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July 6 – Israel’s savior was careful to do what God commanded him

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July 5 – Salvation through the obedience of the Savior

Daily devotional

July 4 – Only be strong and courageous

Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very cour...

Daily devotional

July 3 – Immanuel is our comfort

“Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” – Joshua 1:2b-5 Scripture reading: Joshua 1:1-9 It sounds as if the LORD was standing with Joshua, at a place where the whole land was spread out before them. And the LORD says, It’s all yours: every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you. God says it three times, in verses 2, 3 and 6. There it is. You only have to go and take it. Moses says in Deuteronomy 8 that Canaan was a paradise. There was plenty of water, wheat and barley, vines and fig trees and pomegranates and olive trees; there would be honey, and they would eat bread without scarcity. They would lack nothing. The stones were iron, and they could dig copper out of its hills. But the Jordan was at flood stage, running high and fast, overflowing its banks. And Joshua remembered the fortified cities and giants that were waiting for them. So, the promise was wonderful, but the idea of entering Canaan was intimidating. The LORD knew that Joshua needed encouragement. He said, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave or forsake you.”That’s how we know that we will receive the inheritance that God has promised us: we have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it (Ephesians 1:13,14). Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the presence of the Holy Spirit in you, and pray that more and more, by His work, you may be confident of your inheritance in Christ. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 2 – Not even Moses could save them

“Moses My servant is dead.” – Joshua 1:2 Scripture reading: Joshua 1:1-9 Moses’ name is mentioned three times in the first sentence of the book. He was the only leader the people had ever known. He had met with God and talked with Him, face to face. He had brought the good news of freedom from slavery in Egypt and he was God’s instrument of salvation, at the Red Sea and the entire way through the wilderness. And now he was gone. Israel had finally reached their destination, but after all the sorrows and frustrations of leading those thankless people through the wilderness, God wouldn’t let him enter Canaan. Yes, he had sinned. At Meribah, Moses made the worst mistake he could have made as a mediator. God wanted to show Israel His mercy and patience, but Moses was angry, and he misrepresented God. But Psalm 106:32,33 says that Israel angered God at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account, for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke rashly with his lips. The people were impossible. They were unsavable. Just like we are. That’s always the great obstacle to our salvation. Who can save us from our slavery to sin, and make us inherit eternal life? Jesus said, With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)That’s the answer: only God can save us. And in the name of Joshua, God promised Israel, and He promises us, that He will save us. Remember and believe: salvation is from the LORD. Suggestions for prayer Confess that you and your sin are the greatest obstacles to your salvation, and thank God that your salvation is from the LORD. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

July 1 - Introduction

How do we approach the book of Joshua, the story of the conquest of the promised land, the story of this great leader of Israel? The book is named after him, and his name is on every page. He’s meant to be central in the story. His parents had called him, Hoshea. Hoshea means, salvation. But when Moses sent him to spy out the land of Canaan at Kadesh-Barnea along with eleven other men, he changed his name to Joshua. Joshua means, salvation is from the LORD. That’s a promise; in fact, that’s the gospel. And when the Lord sent His own Son into the world, He told Joseph and Mary to give Him that name, too. We think of Joshua as a history book. But when the people of the old covenant described their Bible, there was no section called history books. For them, it was simply, the Law, or the Law and the Prophets, or maybe, the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms, or the Writings. And they put Joshua into the section called, the Prophets. That’s how we have to understand the message of Joshua: salvation prophecy. Biblically speaking, prophecy means, in the first place, telling the wonderful works of God to save His people, because God’s actions in the past shed light on the future, and how God is going to save His people in Jesus Christ. So this book is the gospel of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Joshua, and the gospel of the greater Joshua, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has defeated our enemies and causes us to receive the greater inheritance of a new heaven and a new earth. How can we be saved? Scripture reading: Joshua 1:1-9 There’s a lot of tension hanging over this opening passage of the book of Joshua. In Genesis 13, the LORD promised Abraham that He would make his offspring as the dust of the earth and that He would give them the land of Canaan as their inheritance. 400 years later, Abraham’s offspring had become a nation that was growing in number, just like God had promised. But the promise of the land was still unfulfilled. Israel was standing on the border of the land at that moment. If they climbed up one of the hills in the area, they could see the whole land, from north to south, and all the way out to the west, as far as the Mediterranean Sea. But they had been this close once before, forty years earlier, at Kadesh-Barnea. That time, when they heard about the people who lived there and the fortified cities, they were afraid, and they started looking for someone to bring them back to Egypt. What reason did Joshua have to think that this time things would go better than they had the first time? The journey through the wilderness showed that Israel was an unbelieving, thankless, complaining people. There was no way that Israel would ever enter the land, and receive the inheritance God had promised them unless it was by grace and unless God did it for them. And that was the gospel He proclaimed to them in the name of their leader: Joshua – salvation is from the LORD. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that He has provided us with a salvation that is all His work, and that we receive by grace through faith. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Dick Wynia is the pastor of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, Ontario....

Daily devotional

June 30 – You shall not live by bread alone

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God. – Deut. 8:3 Scripture reading: Deut. 8 Why do churches reject God? We see the slow degradation of churches in our neighborhoods. People will give any number of causes: not following the confessions or the church order, or external causes like TV, cellphones, rock music, the internet, cultural degradation or secular universities. Ultimately these are symptoms. The central problem is that we have forgotten God, His statutes and His rules. We have forgotten the Word: our Lord Jesus Christ. We have grown rich and tell ourselves that we ourselves have brought about the peace and prosperity that we experience. We have left our Bible on the shelf, or interpret it so it no longer pierces our hearts. We’ve forgotten what God did for us in Jesus Christ. We no longer desire to fully seek and obey every word that comes from God. We’re starving for spiritual food and seek to fill that hunger with the filth of entertainment, with vague platitudes of loving and respecting everyone, or with comfort. God warns us in Deut. 8, “If you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish because you would not obey the voice of the Lord.” If you love God, you will dig deep into His Word and seek Him. GodHimself encourages you in this task, “Strengthen yourself and be of good courage.” May He be with you. Suggestions for prayer Repent of your failures to put the Word at the center of your life. Seek the bread of the Word of the Lord and the strength of the Spirit in comprehending and applying that Word. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveld is the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 29 – Elected unto victory

And when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with ...

Daily devotional

June 28 – Elected unto obedience

You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today. – Deut. 7:11 Scripture reading: Deu...

Daily devotional

June 27 – Election and God's character

The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. – Deut. 7:8 ...

Daily devotional

June 26 – Covenantal allegiance

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie do...

Daily devotional

June 25 – Centered on God

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. – Deut. 6:5-6 Scripture reading: Deut. 6:4-9 God is one. He has one law, one Christ, one Spirit and one Bible. God calls us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth and to love His mercy and His justice. He calls us to love Him with heart, soul, and mind. With our heart: Our heart is our center; all things we do come from the heart, so it needs to be set on God. We can think of our heart as a compass. For accurate direction, the needle must be set toward the north. Our heart must always be directed toward God. We should be immersed in the Scriptures, the revelation of God, always seeking to obey it. With our soul: The soul refers to the whole animating force of the body and to all bodily action. To love God with our soul is to love Him with everything we do, to love God in the very way that we use our bodies. For example, when we stand at the beginning and end of worship, we honor God as we enter and leave His presence. With our mind: God teaches our hearts through the mind. We use our mind to contemplate God’s Word, to apply it to our lives, to judge those who live in disobedience to God and to judge those who teach heresy and error. In the freedom that Christ brings in the Spirit, the mind grows even more important in using the wisdom that comes from above to apply God’s Word. This is the way of flourishing. Suggestions for prayer Acknowledge your failure in loving God. We have all fallen short of God’s commands. We have only a small beginning of obedience to this, the greatest of all commands in this life. Seek God’s help in calibrating your life toward His righteousness. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveldis the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 24 – The only Holy God

Hear, Oh Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. – Deut. 6:4 Scripture reading: Deut. 6:1-6 There is more in these words than the assertion that God is one. If that was all this text was teaching, we might be left with the arbitrary God of the Muslims or the silent God of the Deists. The oneness of God reveals He is uniquely God, uniquely one in His love and promises to Israel. He is one in being and will. There is no contradiction or change in Him. There is no division or disagreement within Himself. We call this the simplicity of God. Any attribute of God describes the fullness of God. He is mercifully just. He is righteously loving. He is lovingly holy. The unique goodness of God, His constancy, His faithfulness, is something we can rely on. Those who claim that there are many ways to God, contradict the truth that God is one. God does not provide contradictory ways to Himself. In the Old Testament, the way was through the promise He gave to Abraham and through Israel, whom He set apart as holy. In the New Testament, that way is found in Christ. Israel was tempted by the teaching that there are many ways to God, just as we may be today. Remember the story of the golden calf? Israel had received the Ten Commandments and instead of waiting for God, they choose to directly contradict the second commandment. They set up an image of the Lord God, a golden calf. They replaced the center of God’s worship, drawing near to fellowship with God through sacrifice, with a golden calf. Suggestions for prayer Pray for growth in your relationship with the one true God. Seek His grace as you seek to love Yahweh before all other gods. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveld is the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 23 – God's prayer

Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever! – Deut. 5:29 Scripture reading: Deut. 5:22-33 The Lord sees that Israel’s request for a mediator comes out of a recognition of who He is and who they really are. The request is a humble one. Israel recognizes her weak and sinful nature and that she does not have any inherent right to speak to God. God praises her for that and He grants her a mediator. But God goes further; He reveals something about Himself in the wish that He expresses in verse 29. He desires that the same heart that responded in a proper fear of God on hearing His voice on the mountain, would continue in that fear and keep all His commandments. God’s prayer should be at the forefront of the minds of all those who are tempted to question their salvation. God is not an arbitrary God, willfully sending some to hell and some to heaven. He is a God of compassion and love, Who desires that those who are in covenant with Him might live out the commandments that He has given them. He is a loving Father, for all who are willing to humble themselves before Him, recognizing their rebellious nature. This is because God has made men to glorify and enjoy Him forever. The fact that God chooses out a people for Himself is rooted in His loving nature. He has proven this through the cross of Christ. Ask, and He will give. He offers the sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in the task of living as a Christian. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for how He reveals a disposition of love and kindness toward His people. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveld is the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 22 – Israel's prayer

For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have and has still lived? – Deut. 5:26 Scripture reading: Deut. 5:22-33, Hebrews 12:18-29 Israel is devastated. The unveiled Word is before them. They know that they cannot continue to stand before God and live. The leaders come to Moses as soon as God has finished and told him that if they continue listening to God, they will die. They need a mediator between God and their sinful flesh. God affirms their prayer. They have rightly understood their status before Him. They affirm God’s choice of Moses as mediator. He will pass on the words of God to Israel. But Moses prefigures someone far greater. In Christ, God will provide a Mediator Who brings us to Mt. Zion, where we may hear the Word of God in the light, not in the darkness and flame as Israel did. Our recognition of the holiness of God is often missing in the church today. People tell us that we can approach God in any way we want, but the advent of Christ makes this recognition of holiness more important. Christ brings us to a new intimacy with God, but Christ also calls us to come before Him having purified our hearts and prepared our hands and feet to approach His throne. This is done through a knowledge of our sin and the One who takes away our sin… and a desire to do His will. Israel’s fear is demonstrating the importance of preparing our hearts for worship. We are called to prepare and examine ourselves as we approach God on Sunday to hear the Word of God and to partake of the sacrament. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God may strengthen you as you approach Him both in your daily worship and your worship among the people of God. Acknowledge the Lord’s almighty works and His holiness. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveldis the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 21 – The unveiled word

These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; an...

Daily devotional

June 20 – Trust and obey

Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep...

Daily devotional

June 19 – Knowing God and the discipline of God

Out of heaven He let you hear his voice, that He might discipline you. And on earth He let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the ...

Daily devotional

June 18 – Going deep into history

For ask now of the days that are past which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the ot...

Daily devotional

June 17 – A fading glory

Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. – Deut. 3:27 Scripture reading: Deut. 3:23-29, 2 Corinthians 3 The covenant that God established through Moses was glorious. We read about the glory of God in Moses’ face in 2 Corinthians 3. When Moses descended from Mt. Sinai after talking to God, his face shone so brightly that the people could not look at him and he had to veil his face. The glory that Moses had at the foot of the mountain faded away. He would not live forever and would not continue to stand as a mediator between Israel and God. Even as the glory faded from Moses, so it faded from the people. They eventually rebelled against God and not long after Moses and Joshua died, the people began to fade again. Flesh decays and is corrupt. It cannot be overcome unless a new principle of life can be found to overcome it. What can be done about this problem? God gives glory in the Old Covenant, but it fades away under the weight of the sin of the people. Moses eventually died and stayed dead. He sent a successor into the Promised Land: Joshua. Joshua had a short-lived glory. He died and the people failed to take the rest of the Promised Land successfully. Therefore, his death could not take care of sin. But the ministry of the law of Moses, or as Paul calls it, the ministry of condemnation, has been replaced by the ministry of the Spirit through the righteousness of Jesus. Christ died. Through Him, death becomes an entrance into the Promised Land. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for the great glory that is given in Jesus Christ. Pray that we may live by the Spirit in all that we do. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveld is the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 16 – Punished in order to picture Christ

But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. – Deut. 3:26 Scripture reading: Deut. 3:23-29, Romans 4:16-25 The Father of all good things, the fount of mercy denies Moses' request. Why? Moses says, “The Lord was angry with me because of you.” To clarify this, we need to go back to chapter 1:37, “Even with me the Lord was angry on your account and said you shall not go in there.” If Numbers 20 tells us that the Lord was angry at Moses for his sin, how is it that God’s anger is on account of the people? Ps. 106:32-33 gives us helpful words: “They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account, for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke rashly with his lips.” The evil of the people partly accounts for Moses’ anger. This in no way clears Moses of fault, but it helps us understand why he was angry. Moses, like Christ, is called to accept the consequences of the sin of the people. God has a reason for denying Moses’ request. He wants to typify the life and death of the Son that He will send for the sake of the sins of the world. Of course, Moses' death does not cover sin, but it foretells Christ’s coming. It is only in the resurrection of Christ that the faith of God's people is vindicated, for it is by His resurrection that we are justified. When we suffer the consequences of other peoples’ sin, we too point to the suffering of our Lord and Saviour. Suggestions for prayer Pray to the Lord that He might give you the strength to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveld is the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

Daily devotional

June 15 – The prayer of a righteous man

Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon. – Deut. 3:25 Scripture reading: Deut. 3:23-29, Numbers 20:2-13 In God’s denial of Moses’ request, we see some of the complexity of God’s relationship to us. God is a good Father. God freely forgives sins in Jesus Christ. But God does not acquiesce to Moses’ request. The book of James tells us, “The prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Is Moses’ prayer the prayer of a righteous man? Moses failed to represent the righteousness of God before His people. In Numbers 20, we read that God told Moses to speak to a rock so that water would come from it. Instead of reflecting God’s merciful answer to a selfish request, Moses struck the rock with his rod and shouted at the people, calling them “rebels.” He failed to present God’s holiness to the people. But Moses was also a righteous man through faith in God. He pleads with a heart that loved the Lord. We need to think of the prayer of Moses along the lines of Christ in Gethsemane. Like Moses, Christ prays, “Let this cup pass from me.” Christ’s desire is not evil. Moses’ desire is not evil. Moses prayer is a good prayer. However, it doesn’t seem to be a perfect prayer. Christ, unlike Moses, adds, “Lord, let your will be done.” Jesus, the truly righteous man, is better able than Moses to accept the verdict of the Lord. Moses sets an example, just as Christ does, in bringing all our burdens and hopes before God. However, we should also be willing to accept the verdict of the Lord, even a verdict we do not understand. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for being a faithful Father as our Lord Jesus Christ showed us. Pray that He may strengthen us in accepting His will in our lives. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. James Zekveld is the pastor of the Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church In Niverville, MB....

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Daily devotional

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