Daily devotional

June 5 - The Spirit as wind and fire

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of ...

Daily devotional

June 4 - A sobering message

“In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not repay acco...

Daily devotional

June 3 - Serious about sin

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reb...

Daily devotional

June 2 - The call of Isaiah

“And He said, "Go, and tell this people: Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people ...

Daily devotional

June 1 - Introduction to the book of Isaiah

This month we will focus primarily on the riches of Isaiah chapter 40. We’ll begin to refresh our understanding of Isaiah and the nature of his ministry by witnessing God’s call to Him in chapter 6. Then we’ll dip into Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 39 to help us set chapter 40 in its proper context. Isaiah chapters 1 through 35 focus on God’s judgment upon Israel by Assyria. Chapters 40 through 66 focus on God’s gracious deliverance of His people from the predicted Babylonian captivity and upon their ultimate spiritual deliverance through Jesus Christ. Chapters 36-39 are a historical bridge between these two sections, paralleling 2 Kings 18:13-20:19. The two main sections are so distinct that critics say they are written by different authors, especially since they assume that an author can only be writing about the past or present. Yet the New Testament clearly attributes the entire book to Isaiah. As someone else has written, “Isaiah’s remarkable prophecies about Christ’s suffering and death put the case for supernatural prophecy beyond reasonable doubt!” God authors amazing prophecies designed to comfort His people during a captivity 150 years in the future. This inspiring message of salvation for God’s people through Jesus Christ, which Isaiah unfolds, continues to thrill the hearts of God’s people through the ages! Isaiah 40 trumpets the call to “Behold Your God” and to prepare yourselves for His coming! Behold Him in all the facets of His glorious Being! He brings an end to warfare and pardons our iniquities! Isaiah sets before our minds both God’s gentleness as our Shepherd, as well His immeasurable power and majesty. Isaiah calls us to 100% confidence in His care, His knowledge, and His provision for our lives. Nothing is hidden from Him and those who wait upon Him will truly renew their strength! The cleansing of Isaiah “And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."” - Isaiah 6:7 Scripture reading: Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah’s vision of the Lord defies imagination. He sees the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, His train filled the temple! The glory of the Lord is so awesome that even the perfect seraphim cover their faces and feet with wings while they call to each other declaring, “Holy Holy Holy is the LORD of Hosts!” Isaiah feels himself ‘undone’, which means to be ‘cut off’ or ‘destroyed.’ His lips are so unclean that he does not see how he can survive his encounter with God. Isaiah is not far off the mark, because no man with sinful lips can see God and live unless something drastic happens. And it does! The seraphim takes a burning coal from the altar of sacrifice, flies to him and touches his mouth with it. This fire takes away his iniquity and purges the guilt of his sin! How deadly our unclean lips are! If nothing drastic happens to us, encountering God will leave us destroyed by His holiness as well! To enter into God’s presence and not be consumed, you must believe in Jesus Christ. The coal of the altar of His sacrifice on the cross has to touch your mouth and your heart. Don’t avoid it. Don’t put it off. Let it take away your iniquity and purge your sin. Then you’ll be cleansed and ready both to meet Him and to serve Him faithfully in whatever He calls you to do today! Suggestions for prayer Pray for a deep sense of the holiness of God, an intense awareness of your sinful nature, and great peace and joy in knowing that your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is purged! Pastor Maurice Luimes serves as the pastor of the Immanuel Reformed Church (recently relocated to Bolton, ON). Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 31 - Living to the praise of his glorious grace!

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” - Ephesians 1:11-12 (NKJV) Scripture reading: Ephesians 1:1-14 If you were to receive a great inheritance, perhaps your parents’ home, retirement accounts or family items that bring back fond memories, would you be grateful? I am sure that you would be! How much more grateful, then, we should be that through saving faith in Christ, we have an eternal inheritance! Furthermore, our inheritance in heaven is not based on our natural parents. Rather we are all adopted children. Our Elder Brother is Christ Himself and we are fellow heirs with Him (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7). Our heavenly Father has pre-planned our adoption according to the purpose of His will (11). The Holy Spirit has given us new life from above and lives within us, guaranteeing our inheritance (13, 14). How grateful we should be! There are no partial blessings in our spiritual inheritance. Rather our heavenly Father has given us “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (3). He has done so because of Christ, for “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (7). No wonder the purpose of your life and mine is to gratefully praise our triune God! We read about that three times over in this brief passage (vs. 6, 12, 14). As the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever” (Q. & A. 1). May that be the chief end – the purpose and testimony – of your life and mine, today and forever! Suggestions for prayer Pray, sing and live the familiar hymn, “Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise…” (Robert Robinson, 1758, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing). Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 30 - Growing in grace, knowledge, and gratitude

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” - 2 Peter 3:18 Scripture reading: Psalm 19:1-14 Whenever we consider our guilt and the magnitude of God's grace, we cannot help but be filled with gratitude. But that gratitude must not stagnate. Our gratitude cannot rest on a plateau; rather as we grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord, our gratitude must also grow. Scripture repeatedly calls us to grow spiritually. We see that in the last verse of Peter’s second letter. David also wrote eloquently about the blessings of spiritual growth through the study of God's Word. In Psalm 19, David paints a vivid picture of God's glory and power, both in creation and His Word. Verses 7 to 9 describe the perfection of God's Word, how His testimonies are sure and His precepts are right, of how His commandments are pure and His judgments righteous. And then he points out that they are to be desired more than gold; they are sweeter than honey. He points out that through the faithful study of God's Word, we are both warned and rewarded. David wrote more than 1000 years before Peter, but both have the same message. Both point out the importance of growing in grace and knowledge of God's Word. By doing so we will see our guilt more clearly, God's grace more magnificently, and our gratitude will become deeper and richer as we look forward to an eternity in the presence of our gracious God! May we never rest on a spiritual plateau, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Suggestions for prayer Ask forgiveness for a lethargic attitude toward spiritual growth. Pray Psalm 19 back to the Lord, thanking Him for His creation which reveals His glory and His Word which reveals Christ, “in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 29 - Gratitude for God’s grace and peace

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 1:3 Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; Philippians 4:4-9 One of the most precious greetings in God’s Word is often just received as a formality. Because we hear familiar words of greeting, we sometimes take them for granted. But what gratitude we should have for God’s grace and peace! Grace refers to unmerited favour. We who by nature are objects of God's wrath, we who have transgressed God's law, and who are prone to wander and struggle against the Holy Spirit with our sinful nature, are yet cleansed by Christ, loved by the Father and in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit. That is unmerited favour! Knowing the grace of God in our lives gives us true peace: peace with God, peace with one another and peace with our circumstances, no matter what they may be. But only a prayerful Christian, focused on Christ, experiences that peace which surpasses all understanding! (Philippians 4:6-7). Knowing God's grace and peace leads to the sanctified life that 1 Corinthians 1:2 calls us to live; it leads us to truly thank God for His grace (1 Corinthians 1:4). It does so because God’s greeting of grace and peace consists not just of words, but is rooted in the faithfulness of God who calls us into fellowship with Himself (1 Corinthians 1:9). May those words of greeting, often heard on Sunday, not be taken lightly. Instead, may they result in deep and joyful gratitude expressed through obedient living every day of each new week! Suggestions for prayer Thank God for His grace and peace, and “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7). Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 28 - Praise from a grateful heart

“Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous ...

Daily devotional

May 27 - Living as grateful adopted children

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.” “…I will not leave you as ...

Daily devotional

May 26 - Grateful praise to our ascended Lord!

“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the pre...

Daily devotional

May 25 - Gratitude for immeasurable riches

"But God, being rich in mercy…made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places…so that...

Daily devotional

May 24 - Contentment and gratitude

“… I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” - Philippians 4:11 Scripture reading: Psalm 73:1-28 Contentment is crucial to gratitude. We see that in verse 3 where Asaph writes, “For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” When we look at what other people have, we can easily become discontent with what God has blessed us with. The grass always looks greener on the other side. Instead of looking at what others have, we need to focus on what God has given us. Asaph eventually did that when he entered the sanctuary of God and began to understand the plight of those who don't trust in God (17). In the sanctuary of God, as he studied God’s Word and reflected on God's grace to him, he found true contentment and described how God was the strength of his heart and his portion forever (26). It is only by focusing on God and His goodness that we find true contentment, and then the gratitude flows from God's provision for us. The apostle Paul wrote about the same truth. In Philippians 4:11 he described how he had discovered contentment in every situation of life, whether living in plenty or in want. His focus was on Christ; his contentment came by trusting Him. In 1648 Jeremiah Burroughs wrote a book based on Philippians 4:11 entitled, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. Contentment is indeed a jewel, but it is rare. By God’s grace, may it be a reality in your life and mine, today and always! Suggestions for prayer Ask forgiveness for envy and discontentment, and pray for eyes to clearly see the greatest blessing: Salvation from sin and eternal life through saving faith in Christ alone, “for from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” (John 1:16). Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 23 - Gratitude for cleansing

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.” - Luke 17:15 Scripture reading: Luke 17:11-19 The hardest arithmetic to master, it has been observed, is that of counting your blessings. We see that truth in the healing of ten lepers. All ten were in the same situation. All ten were afflicted with leprosy. All of them called out to the Lord for mercy and asked for healing. Jesus, kind, compassionate, gracious, merciful and all-powerful, healed all ten. But how many expressed gratitude? How many were filled with praise and adoration for their cleansing? Only one, and he was a Samaritan, not even a true Israelite. Unfortunately, that scenario is not a one-time event that took place thousands of years ago. That event has repeated itself throughout history innumerable times. Leprosy is a dreaded disease indicative of our sinfulness. Just as Jesus mercifully cleansed the lepers, He cleanses everyone who comes to Him when they acknowledge their sin with genuine repentance and ask for forgiveness with true saving faith in Him alone. That describes you and me, if by grace our faith and trust is in Christ alone. But how often do we get so busy with our lives that we fail to reflect on the cleansing that we have in Christ? I have to admit that my arithmetic is not so good. I have often failed to count my blessings and express my gratitude to God. What about you? Seeing that you and I are cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, do we daily express our gratitude to Him? Suggestions for prayer Ask God to enable you to express gratitude for salvation more consistently and faithfully. And if you have never been cleansed, pray for salvation with assurance, for Jesus has promised, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37) Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 22 - The law and our expression of gratitude

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” - Exodus 20:2-3 (NKJV) Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 5:1-7 Each Sunday we are reminded that God’s law reveals our guilt. But the law also serves as a rule of gratitude, enabling us to express our thankfulness to God for His deliverance from sin. We see that truth in the prologue to the Ten Commandments. The prologue sets the stage for the commandments. It is only after the people are reminded that God delivered them from Egypt (6; Exodus 20:1-2) that they are given the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” And just as the LORD delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt, so too, He has delivered us from our bondage to sin and misery. He has delivered us from the tyranny of the devil, who is a far worse taskmaster than Pharaoh ever was. Just as Israel was given the law to express her gratitude to the LORD for deliverance, so are we. That is a distinctively Reformed view (as we are Reformed to Scripture) of God’s moral law. We see the law in three ways: It drives us to Christ as we see our sin. The law restrains evil in society. And, for those who have true saving faith in Christ, the law serves as a rule of gratitude, a way to live obedient lives that express praise to God for delivering us from our sin. This Sunday, and always, may we see our guilt in the light of the law, our redemption in Christ, and then strive to live in obedience to God’s commandments out of gratitude! Suggestions for prayer Pray for increasing obedience, that by it you may express your gratitude to God. And thank Him that He loves you even though your obedience is far from perfect in this life. Praise Him that throughout eternity our obedience will be perfect! Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 21 - Living a life of gratitude

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” - Romans 12:1 Scripture reading: Romans 12:1-21 In Romans 12, the apostle paints a picture for us of what a life of gratitude looks like. Gratitude is more than syllables from our lips; gratitude must be expressed by the way we live our lives. After urging us to live lives that are sacrifices of praise to God (v. 1, 2), the apostle describes specific ways to live out that gratitude. In verses 3 to 13, he points out our need to humbly evaluate ourselves and the gifts God has given us. He points out that we don't all have the same gifts, but we all have gifts. Did you notice how diverse the gifts are? They include, among other things, teaching, contributing financially, cheerfully doing acts of mercy and extending hospitality. In other words, as you look at yourself, and look around at others in the church and the community where you live, you will see many practical ways to express gratitude to God. We express gratitude by using our time and gifts for God’s glory and the good of others. As the chapter closes it stresses that we are not to take revenge. Few things rob us of gratitude more than the feeling that we have been wronged and a desire to retaliate. Instead, we are to express gratitude to God, recognizing that He will right all wrongs; and in the meantime, we are to overcome evil with good. Syllables of praise are necessary and good, but actively living a life of gratitude is too! Suggestions for prayer Pray that as He sanctifies us, God would enable us to use the gifts He has given (4-8), focusing on love for Him and others (9-13). And pray that He would guard us from retaliation and enable us to overcome evil with good (14-21). Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 20 - God’s grace: The cause for our gratitude

Daily devotional

May 19 - The immeasurable grace of our triune God

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” - 2 Corinthians 13:14 Scriptu...

Daily devotional

May 18 - The inward yet abiding grace of the Holy Spirit

Daily devotional

May 17 - Grace upon grace through Christ

“For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” - ...

Daily devotional

May 16 - Our gracious father in heaven

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17 Scripture reading: Psalm 103:1-22 There is no timeline for God’s grace to us; the love of our heavenly Father transcends time and is eternal. In eternity past, long before you and I were born, we received the love of the Father as He predestined us to live to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:4-6). He also set the exact moment in history for our lives to begin and to end here on earth, for all our days were written in His book before one of them came into being (Psalm 139:16). And during each day of our lives, He provides for us. We are taught to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and who is it who supplies our daily needs? It is our Father in heaven. He watches over us, provides for us and protects us (Matthew 6:25-34). He holds us in the palm of His hand as we are given triple protection, held in the hands of the Father and the Son (John 10:28-30) and in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22). And throughout eternity we will experience the fullness of God’s Fatherly love and grace. In the parable of the prodigal son, recorded in Luke 15, we see a picture of the Father’s love for us. Just as the prodigal son was welcomed home and given a joyous feast, so all who have saving faith in Christ alone will bask in the love of the Father at the wedding feast of the Lamb – and throughout all eternity! Suggestions for prayer Pray Psalm 103 back to the Lord. Thank Him that He is merciful and gracious and does not treat us as our sins deserve, but has compassion on us. Ask Him to enable all of us to praise Him more fully and gratefully! Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 15 - God’s grace in the sacraments

“…for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” - Matthew 26:28 Scripture reading: Matthew 26:17-29 It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures reinforce truths that words convey. Between the words and the pictures, we have a clearer understanding of what is conveyed to us. In the church, the Lord has also given us “pictures” to convey the spiritual truths of His Word. The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper portray the reality of what the Word teaches. In Baptism we see that just as water cleanses, so the blood of Christ cleanses His people. The Lord’s Supper portrays the same truth as we “take, eat, remember and believe” that the precious blood of Jesus Christ was shed for us. The picture in the sacraments is not photo-chopped. It is a mirrored copy of the Word of God, and it is signed and sealed by the Holy Spirit to deeply ingrain in our hearts the blessed assurance of salvation. For instance, when the Lord’s Supper is taken with true saving faith, then Christ is truly in those elements. He is in the elements not in a literal sense, but spiritually, causing us to be drawn closer to Him and closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Whenever a sacrament is celebrated, it is a blessed opportunity to relish the depth of the Lord’s love. His love is so deep that He not only tells us about it in His Word, but He also portrays it, signing and sealing it in the sacraments for all who partake with saving faith. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that He has structured the church so that we are nurtured by both the Word and the sacraments. Pray for those who have seen and participated in one or both sacraments, yet failed to understand their true meaning and the proper response. Pray that the Holy Spirit would draw them to Christ and back into His church. Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 14 - Grace for the chief of sinners

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” - 1 Timothy 1:15 Scripture reading: Psalm 130:1-8; 1 Timothy 1:12-17 There is a timeline for introspection. Both the Psalmist and the apostle Paul reflected on their past sins. By doing so they saw God's grace more clearly. The same principle applies to you and me. The reason why introspection – examining our heart (2 Corinthians 13:5) – requires a timeline is that we see God's grace most clearly when we see the enormity of our sin. God's grace shines through the darkness of our depravity like a brilliant ray of sunshine cutting through stormy clouds. It was when the apostle Paul honestly reflected on his past (13) that he recognized the enormity of God's grace (14). In reflecting on the past, he came to realize the present reality that Christ came to save even the chief – foremost – of sinners (15). With that knowledge he could look forward with confidence to the future because Jesus Himself has promised, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). May the same be true for you and me! As we acknowledge sins of the past, we may have the present reality of forgiveness, with future confidence through faith in Christ alone, knowing He came to save sinners. And there is a time to let the past go, trusting with blessed assurance that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord to convict and comfort you through the Spirit’s work. Thank Him that His Word is “sharper than any two-edged sword…discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). And pray for those whom you misled, or caused to stumble, that they too would come to repentance and faith. Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 13 - God’s grace sufficient to remove our shame

“For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”” -1 Peter 2:6 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 2:4-12 Of all people, we who are Christian should be the most joyful! We know what it means to have a sentence of condemnation changed to a full and complete pardon. We who have saving faith in Christ are cleansed and have no fear of the judgment to come for “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Consider Peter’s first letter as he quoted from Isaiah 28:16, where the Lord promises that “whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6). How encouraging do you think that was for Peter? He had done many things that he was ashamed of, including his denial of Jesus, repeated three times over with curses before the rooster crowed. When the rooster crowed and Peter caught the gaze of Jesus, he went outside and wept bitterly. By contrast, what joy he had when he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write about the promise of God that “whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” No wonder Peter had written, in 1 Peter 1:8, about inexpressible and glorious joy! And the same response of sorrow for sin and joy for salvation should well up in our hearts. I have done many things that I am deeply ashamed of. And I am sure you have too. But Christ bore the curse of those shameful actions and in their place He imputes – credits – His perfect record of righteousness. What joyful, thankful people we should be! Suggestions for prayer Thank God with deep gratitude that as He forgives our sin, He removes our shame. Ask Him to sanctify us so that we reflect the joy of salvation to others. Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 12 - Grace given us before the beginning of time

Daily devotional

May 11 - Grace far greater than our sin

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” - Luke ...

Daily devotional

May 10 - “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—the righteousness o...

Daily devotional

May 9 - Your own worst enemy

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” - James 1:14 (NKJV) Scripture reading: Genesis 3:1-24 Blam...

Daily devotional

May 8 - The law, our guilt, and God’s grace

“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” - Galatians 3:24 (NKJV) Scripture reading: Galatians 3:1-25 Churches that are Reformed to the truths of Scripture focus on both the law and the gospel in their services. The law reveals our sin and the gospel reveals our Saviour. The two go hand in hand. You cannot worship “in spirit and in truth”(John 4:24) unless both elements are proclaimed. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the law. The law is the needle, and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man's heart unless you first send the needle of the law to make way for it. If men do not understand the law, they will not feel they are sinners. And if they are not consciously sinners, they will never value the sin offering. There is no healing a man until the law has wounded him, no making him alive until the law has slain him.” By the Holy Spirit’s power, the preaching of the law and gospel work repentance and faith in the hearts of God’s people. And the means that the Holy Spirit uses, both to save us from our sin and to sanctify us, is the preaching of the whole counsel of the Word He inspired. Today, may we be convicted of our innumerable sins. But as we confess our sin, may we rejoice in our Saviour! By His sacrificial death and perfect life, we are acquitted of our sin and credited with His righteousness! Rejoice always in those truths from the law and the gospel! Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for faithful churches where both our guilt and God’s grace are clearly proclaimed. Thank the Lord for the law and the gospel, for conviction and comfort. And pray for your pastor as he proclaims the whole counsel of God. Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 7 - Guilt and our conscience

“…Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…” - 1 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV) Scripture reading: Genesis 42:1-28 Joseph’s brothers were hardened men. Their hardened consciences gave them no qualms as they contemplated the murder of their brother, but sold him to the Ishmaelites instead (Genesis 37:18-28). But years later, God pierced their consciences through their confrontation with Joseph whom they did not recognize (v. 28). Our conscience is the sentry of our heart. It is the guard at the door of our heart that sounds the alarm when we are tempted to sin. In 1 Timothy 4:2 Paul describes consciences that have been seared as with a hot iron. He is pointing out that you can harden your conscience so that it won’t convict you when you are tempted to do wrong. But anyone who hardens their conscience is like a homeowner who tells his watchdog to be quiet when the burglars are coming. Just as you can command a dog not to bark over and over, until that dog is no longer a worthy watchdog, the conscience can be hardened to the point where you will hardly feel a twinge of guilt even when you sin wilfully. The conscience has been likened to a sundial. Sundials are used to tell time, but they are only effective when the sun is shining. In a similar way, God has given us a conscience, but it is only accurate when the light of His Word is shining on it. Although Joseph’s treatment of his brothers may seem harsh, it was gracious, for it awakened their deadened consciences. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for giving you a conscience and pray that instead of hardening it, you would seek the light of God’s Word to guide you as it illuminates your conscience and your heart. Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 6 - Our sinful nature enticed by the law

“For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.” - Romans 7:7b, 8a Scripture reading: Romans 7:1-25 These verses speak of a tragic reality: Our sinful nature is so strong that even a knowledge of God’s law incites sinful thoughts within us. Some people are surprised by that truth, yet every true Christian has experienced that sad reality in their life. If you and I truly see that our sinful nature is so evil that we are enticed to sin even when we think about the law, we will be brought to the same sad conclusion of Paul, “Wretched man” – or woman, boy or girl – “that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” But if, by God’s grace, you see beyond your sin to see the only Saviour, you can joyfully exclaim with Paul, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” He is the only One Who can, and Who has, delivered those who trust in Him from both their acts of sin and their sinful nature. The Heidelberg Catechism, following Scripture, assures us, “that God, because of Christ's atonement, will never hold against me any of my sins nor my sinful nature which I need to struggle against all my life. Rather, in His grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ to free me forever from judgement” (Lord’s Day 21). May you and I always confess our sins before God, but also always rejoice in His grace with the knowledge that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Suggestions for prayer Thank God for His law, which reveals the depth of our sin. And thank Him for the gospel which assures us of salvation through saving faith in Christ alone. Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 5 - Guilt and our sins of omission

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” - James 4:17 Scripture reading: Matthew 25:14-30 James 4:17 is such a convicting verse; it reminds us that sin is a double-edged sword. One edge that cuts deeply is the sin of commission; and the other cutting edge, which convicts all of us, is the sin of omission. In the parable of the talents, we read about a man with one talent who was consigned to hell. What did he do to incur eternal sorrow in the reality of hell? Did he murder someone? Or commit adultery? Or steal a great sum of money? None of those sins of commission are mentioned. Instead, it was the sin of omission springing from a lack of saving faith that led to his eternal condemnation. He took the talent that the Lord had given him and buried it in a field. The Lord chastised him by saying that he should have at least put the money in a bank to earn interest on it. He was condemned and sentenced to eternal judgment for his sin of omission. But what about you and what about me? How many sins of omission are in your life? I know there are more than I could ever count in my life. But by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone, all those sins of omission are forgiven, as well as the sins of commission. If you have experienced that forgiveness, then use your talents to praise your Redeemer, for His glory and for your good! Suggestions for prayer Thank God for His Son, “Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14), remembering that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Pastor Ted Gray is a retired minister in the United Reformed Church of North America. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

May 4 - Sinners and sin

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” - ...

Daily devotional

May 3 - The problem is within

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” - Matthew 15:19 Scripture read...

Daily devotional

May 2 - Guilt, grace, and gratitude intertwined

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” - Psalm 51:12 Scripture reading: Psalm 51:1-19 In David'...

Daily devotional

May 1 - An introduction to this month's study on guilt, grace, and gratitude

Daily devotional

April 30 - A lesson on God’s timing

"But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do….”" - Exodus 6:1 Scripture reading: Exodus 5:21-6:13 Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh did not go well; matters worsened. Moses, not understanding God’s timing, complains: “Why has God not come through with His promises?” Moses wants instant results. Moses’ need for patience is clear. He needs a lesson on submitting to God’s timing. In our age of instant gratification, we can appreciate such a necessary lesson. We want things now, but God may say, “Not yet,” or “Not at all.” We are called to get our timing in sync with God’s. Life is not about what we think is best, but what God thinks is best. The quicker Moses discovered that, the quicker he could get back to serving the Lord. God sees everything going exactly to His plans. We see that, too, when we remember His Word. When we leave God’s Word behind, we lose proper perspective. Jesus’ disciples could not see the death of Jesus as reason for rejoicing. However, they had forgotten Christ’s Word. God’s timing is always good. It may not fit our plans, but that does not matter. God has always timed things well. His Son came in the fullness of time. Those who humble themselves before Him, He will lift up in due time. As we watch for the Lord’s return, this too will be at just the right time, in accordance with God’s plans. We don’t know exactly when that day will come, but we can count on it—a good note on which to end the month! Suggestions for prayer Pray with adoration for the Lord’s timing in the history of redemption and the ways He has worked in your life with remarkable timing. Pray to the Lord for the patience needed to submit to His timing in your life. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

April 29 - The ploy of false-god pharaoh

“The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” - Exodus 5:21 Scripture reading: Exodus 5:1-21 The other ploy of Pharaoh was to play God’s people off on one another. It had temporary success. Turmoil can turn people against one another. This is a problem that plagues the history of the church. It is not that God is not clear with His promises; instead, people lose sight of them, turning against those whom God has entrusted to their care—or turning against one another. How difficult it can be for people to live contentedly within the church of Jesus Christ. Harmony can be an elusive pursuit far too many times. Christ knew such betrayal and discontent. When we pray for patience and submission, though, we will devour each other less and be united more in the Lord as we wait on the Lord. Spiritual arrogance and ignorance are disappointing. But God is not on the side of arrogance and ignorance; He is on the side of those whom He has saved and will deliver in Christ. They are the ones with peace. They are the ones who have the privilege of worshiping Him—and why wouldn’t they? They are not praising Him for what they have done, they are praising Him for what He has done in giving peace from evil, peace with God, the peace of God and true peace among Christians. In the end, it will all work out for those who are followers of the God of grace. We just need the patience to believe that good news for our lives. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord if you live in a harmonious relationship with your fellow-church members and leadership. Pray to the Lord for the submissive spirit that is needed to promote the harmony of the church even when turmoil strikes. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com....

Daily devotional

April 28 - The ploys of false-god Pharaoh

“The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” - Exodus 5:21 Scripture reading: Exodus 5:1-21 Moses said that if Pharaoh would not let God’s people go, the people would be plagued by the sword (5:3). Yet Pharaoh in false imitation has his own sword (5:21) to plague God’s people so that they would lose heart and lose sight of the promises that Pharaoh calls lies (v. 9). In a pleasure-seeking world, the temptation for everyone in Christ when life is unpleasant is to lose sight of the joys set before us and the promises that await. It is hard to live by faith and not merely by sight or our feelings. Yet looks and feelings can be deceiving. Wickedly, Pharaoh, as an agent of evil, thought he could take God’s place; yet the Word of the Lord declares differently. The Word comforts when sight or feelings cannot. We are to live by what we hear: Christ says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. I am with you until the close of the age.” Faith recalls Who is LORD and Who is to be followed. Pharaoh’s plagues were nothing compared to the plagues of the Lord. Pharaoh’s injustice could not compare to the justice of the Lord. The trials of this life are nothing in comparison to the joys set before us. Pharaoh wanted to think he was the ultimate boss. We are tempted to find another boss. But there is only One and He sits at God’s right hand. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that in His inscrutable ways He can turn all things to the good of those who love Him. Pray that the Lord will grant you the spiritual vision to see the eternal joys that are set before you in Jesus Christ, so that you won’t live a disheartened life. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 27 - The initial resistance of false-god pharaoh

“But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go?”” - Exodus 5:2 Scripture reading: Exodus 5:1-21 Pharaoh’s initial response to God’s Word is no different from many who respond to the gospel—arrogance and ignorance; “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?” Arrogance stems from ignorance of God—a problem that the Lord will solve (Exodus 7:17; 8:10, 22). The spirit of spiritual arrogance and ignorance brings disappointment, discouragement and even dissension within the camp of God’s people, including Moses and Aaron. However, this arrogance and ignorance were predicted. It wasn’t going to be easy for Moses and God’s people, but God way would prevail. God was still with Moses and the people despite the arrogance. It didn’t look like it, but looks can be deceiving. That is the comfort that we can draw when we encounter unbelief. Anti-Christian attitudes are to be expected. However, God will still work it all out. Such arrogance and ignorance persist: “Who is the LORD that I should listen to Him?” When we sin as Christians, such arrogance arises. It calls for pleas for pardon to God. Godlessness offends, but should not surprise, given man’s heart, nor should it cause despair. By God’s grace, we come to know Who the true God-incarnate is and Whose kingdom lasts forever. It is Christ—not Pharaoh. Don’t despair. Be still and faithful! Continue to be God’s ambassador to the ends of the earth. Reflect your Saviour—God-incarnate, Jesus Christ, Who knew no arrogance, nor ignorance, so that you can shine to the world as His godly reflection. Suggestions for prayer Seek pardon from arrogance and spiritual ignorance. Pray to be a godly ambassador of Christ in word and deed. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 26 - God further prepares the deliverer

“And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, they bowed their...

Daily devotional

April 25 - God further prepares the deliverer

“Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!�...

Daily devotional

April 24 - God further prepares the deliverer

“When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he w...

Daily devotional

April 23 - God further prepares the deliverer

“And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”” - Exodus 4:19 Scripture ...

Daily devotional

April 22 - No reason for reluctance

“But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”” - Exodus 4:13 Scripture reading: Exodus 4:13-16 Moses has run out of excuses with God, but at least we get to the bottom of his unwillingness: Excuse #5: “Send someone else.” No grounds here! Moses just doesn’t want to go. We can empathize with Moses. It is quite a job to be a mediator for God’s people, to be the one used by God to go and save His people from slavery, to be God’s representative here on earth. In Moses we see that we needed a better Mediator, a Mediator who would not go reluctantly, kicking and screaming, but willingly, of His own accord, saying, “Not My will, but Yours be done.” That Mediator was Jesus Christ. The only One, “For there is only one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). It is for Christ’s sake that when we run out of excuses, the answer is not to say to God, “Use someone else to do what I have been called to do.” We cannot have that attitude as Christians, to expect everyone else to do what we are called to do, or are called to be. Our motto in the Christian life cannot be, “Send someone else; let someone else do it,” whether it is because we feel inadequate, or simply because we don’t want to do it. Instead, our attitude has to be like our Saviour’s: “Here I am, send me.” Go and serve the Lord and just watch how God will be with you. Suggestions for Prayer: Thank the Lord for providing the willing Mediator to restore peace between you and God. Pray that the Lord will equip you so that more and more you will seek to be a willing and obedient servant of the Lord. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 21 - No reason for reluctance

“But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent….”” - Exodus 4:10 Scripture reading: Exodus 4:10-12 As we have noticed, the sinful attitude comes up with excuses to turn from the Lord’s callings. Here is another from Moses: Excuse #4 “I won’t know what to say.” It seems odd that someone trained in the courts of Egypt would use such an excuse, especially when we read that Moses was “strong in speech and power,” according to Stephen in Acts 7. Yet, that is what Moses says. Moses is getting low on excuses, but even so, the Lord counsels him graciously: “Who made the mouth? If this is what I have called you to do and if I am the Lord over everything, doesn’t that include your vocal cords? I am going to be with you in every way—including what you have to say. Now go!” Jesus said that when it comes to defending the faith, we would not need professional orators; He would give the courage to speak for Him (Luke 12:8-12; Luke 21:12-19). It wasn’t so much that people would listen right away or be convinced at all. Look at the hardness of Pharaoh, after all. However, the Spirit would give us the courage to honour the Lord with our speech. We may not all be called to be missionaries in the formal sense, but we are all called to be ready to give an account of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for the ability to live a life worthy of the gospel, but then ask the Lord for the courage to be ready to speak about that life when people ask you about the hope that is within you. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 20 - No reason for reluctance

“Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”” - Exodus 4:1 Scripture reading: Exodus 4:1-9 We can come up with plenty of excuses not to serve the Lord. Moses could, too: Excuse #3 But what if they don’t believe me? God said that the elders would believe him, but as with us in Christ, God is long-suffering. God gives us His Word and also signs to believe Him. He did it with Adam, Noah and Abraham. He does it also through Christ and the apostles, and here with Moses. “I will give you signs to perform, Moses. Drop the staff and pick up the snake by the tail that the staff has become.” Typically, you don’t pick up a serpent by the tail. It will bite you! Not this serpent! All it represents in a world of evil is under the control of the God of creation and redemption. Warn Pharaoh with the sign of the cloak as to Who is in charge of pain and pleasure; it is not Pharaoh; it is Almighty God. Turn the Nile into blood to show Who is God and that He is aware of the injustices against the covenant youth who are thrown to the gods of the river. God gives us an abundance of reasons to trust and serve Him, His creation, His miracles, His promises, the crucifixion, the resurrection and the testimony of the Word of God—plus His sacraments! He gives His Word; He gives His signs. So, go! Be strong and courageous and serve the Lord! Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that He makes it so clear in His world and His Word that He is to be trusted and served in Christ. Pray that you might have the strength and courage to serve Him in a manner worthy of the gospel. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 19 - No reason for reluctance

“God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And He said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”” - Exodus 3:14 Scripture reading: Exodus 3:13-22 Moses has five reasons to stiff-arm God’s calling to serve Him. Here is another: Excuse #2 What if the people ask about Your power to help them? What if they ask about Your name? This is not a question of who, but what. This is not a question of whether they have ever run across this God before. The excuse is the fact that the people may not think that the name of this God is going to be good enough to save them, so Moses is asking, “What should I say then? I don’t like the idea that they will say to me that this God couldn’t possibly do them any good.” To bolster Moses’ confidence, God replies, “Just tell them that I AM Who I AM is sending you to them—the Name above every name. Then they will listen to you.” That’s the kind of God that we have when we are in Christ, the exact same God in Jesus Christ, Who says I will be with you always. Never will I leave you nor forsake you. I transcend your times and I know your times. No time is too difficult for Me to be in the midst, no time is able to constrict My authority over those times with My Word and My promises. I AM has sent you. Before Abraham was, I AM. I AM the light of the world. I AM the resurrection and the life. I AM the Good Shepherd. I AM is sending you. Now go into all the world and serve Me well. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for His steadfast love and dependability. Pray that you might dwell on that steadfast love and dependability in Christ as you are called to serve Him well in the days that lie ahead for you. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 18 - No reason for reluctance

“But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you...

Daily devotional

April 17 - The God of the living

“But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and...

Daily devotional

April 16 - Enlightened by the burning bush to the calling of God

Daily devotional

April 15 - Enlightened by the burning bush to the mercy of God

Daily devotional

April 14 - Enlightened by the burning bush to the holiness of God

“Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”” - Exodus 3:5 Scripture reading: Exodus 3:1-10 These commands refer to “holy ground.” This area had become the house of God, His sanctuary, because He was dwelling there. In this sanctuary, God had made ground that was unclean, clean. God had cursed the ground in Genesis 3:17. In this event, however, God overcomes the curse by His very holiness. He can sanctify what would otherwise be perverse. Moses was called to respect that restored sanctity. Such a sense of sanctity and godly respect are to extend to farther ends for the followers of Christ today, where “holy ground” is found wherever God’s Spirit-inhabited people worship and work; both are realms of holy endeavour. As temples of God’s Spirit, our bodies are to be respected in a stewardly and chaste way as well. In all places and things, God’s people are called to godly respect for Christ’s sake—a respect that goes lacking in much of our world today. We are called to respect what God has given us to use for His glory. We are called to respect authority for the sake of Christ Who endows it. We are to respect the time that we have been given and to approach all our callings as holy and pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship. As we live reverentially, we do so, anticipating the return of Christ, Who will make all things new and holy unprecedentedly. “Respect My holiness,” says the Lord, “wherever you go, and certainly whenever you gather to worship to hear My Word.” Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for the various ways in which you can carry out holy endeavours in His name and thank the Lord for His Spirit’s presence in your life that allows such holy endeavours to take place. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 13 - Enlightened by the burning bush to the holiness of God

“Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”” - Exodus 3:5 Scripture reading: Exodus 3:1-10 Moses sees an unusual sight, a burning bush that is not consumed. He comes closer, only to hear the Word of God coming forth from the bush urgently telling him to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground. In those days, as is often the case today, people did not wear their shoes indoors. It was a matter of respect, of cleanliness, because your shoes were carrying in dirt from the outside. However, Moses is not inside, but outside. Yet, Moses is asked to take off his shoes for where Moses stands has now become a sanctuary; God is present. Shoes are removed out of respect for the person whose house you entered—even more so for the sake of God, Whose sanctuary Moses was entering. Without a respect for the person and Word of the Lord, we will not be ready and willing to serve Him. Such respect is missing from much of our world today. People’s actions today of impurity, discontent and destruction betray their irreverence for God. God demands and deserves our reverence. Whenever He meets with His people to supply His gospel Word, that is a holy place. Wherever people are, that is a place where they ought to live as if they are in the holy presence of God, for they are. When we know Christ as Saviour and Lord, such reverence makes us respect every moment as a holy endeavour before God, which is what makes life worth living. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord to help you appreciate the holy act of worship all the more and to be more sensitive to the Christian ideal that we live Coram Deo—in the presence of God. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 12 - God prepares a deliverer: A lesson from Midian

“She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”” - Exodus 2:22 Scripture reading: Exodus 2:11-25 In Midian, we again see Moses’ tie with the past. Isaac received a wife after an episode at a well (Genesis 24). So did Jacob (Genesis 29). Moses increasingly is identified with God’s people and his forefathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. By grace, God was blessing Moses in Midian, equipping him with power, hospitality, and providing a wife and a son. Israel, in Exodus 1, knew similar blessings. God’s deliverer identifies with his brothers. Exodus 22:21 says that Israel was to treat the sojourner with respect because they too were aliens in Egypt. Moses has no land to call his own so God can use him to save His people. Moses pictures Jesus Christ, Who had no place to lay His head, humbled to the point of crucifixion. No one can relate to us like Christ, tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin, so that we can seek Him out in time of need. If we follow Christ, we too are aliens and strangers in a world that is alienated from Christ. We know God blesses us now, but the lasting and greater blessings are yet to come, lest we get cozy with the passing things of this world. We do not see perfection yet, but we know it is coming, so we are content to be strangers now, called to a holy life of faith in Christ as lights to the world, salt to the earth, as reflections of the Light of the world Himself. Suggestions for prayer Be thankful if you find that your different life in Christ is shining forth as a light to the world. Pray that the Lord will use you to be a difference in the world and that you will be ready to give an account of the hope within you to anyone who asks. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 11 - God prepares a deliverer: Lessons from Egypt

“When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian.” - Exodus 2:15 Scripture reading: Exodus 2:11-25 Another lesson of Egypt is that what man means for evil, God will use for good. In our passage, we see other ties back to Genesis. Moses’ situation resembles that of Joseph. Joseph goes out to his actual brothers (Genesis 37) and is rejected by them. Moses goes out to his “brothers,” and he is rejected by them. Joseph is exiled to Egypt by Midian traders (Genesis 37:25-36), while Moses is “exiled” to Midian by the hand of the Egyptians. Yet both Joseph and Moses experience final victory in Egypt. Here again, we see the tie to the past of Genesis as a foretaste of the victory that God will bring about in due time. What is meant for evil God will turn to good. Such is true for Joseph, for Moses, for Christ and for all those who are in Christ. We have to cling to such hope in evil times. God will work it all out. He always does. He always has and we see it no better than at the cross of Jesus Christ. That’s why there is always gospel hope. That is why there is always good news for those who follow Christ. Part of what makes the gospel such good news is not only that we are reconciled and redeemed by Christ, but that the transformation that He has accomplished for us as Christians is of such a nature that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Suggestions for prayer Recall times when God has worked evil in your life for good and give thanks to the Lord for such times. Pray to the Lord for the consoling vision to see how God will work out all things in your life for His glory and your good, so that hope may reign even more in your life. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 10 - God prepares a deliverer: Lessons from Egypt

Daily devotional

April 9 - God prepares the deliverer: Lessons in Egypt

Daily devotional

April 8 - God prepares deliverance through an unlikely rescuer

Daily devotional

April 7 - God prepares deliverance through a special infancy

Daily devotional

April 6 - God prepares deliverance through a special infancy

“Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.” - Exodus 2:1-2 Scripture reading: Exodus 2:1-10 Looking at the special infancy of Moses, we see that Moses’ mother “saw that he was a fine child” (v.3). Literally, she “saw that he was good.” Exodus 1 already alluded to Genesis, because Exodus continues the covenant revelation of Genesis. Genesis 1 speaks often of how God saw the good creation. Someone reading Hebrew wouldn’t miss the same refrain here, his mother “saw that he was good.” Why use this creation-type language? When God delivers, it is like a re-creation. In the flood event of Genesis, God uses creation terms as He delivers His people from judgment. The New Testament says that anyone who is in Christ Jesus is a new creation, the old has passed and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We also await a new heaven and a new earth where there is complete deliverance for the people of God, the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). Here God prepares a deliverer associated with new beginnings, a new land, a new creation, if you will. This newness is part of what makes this infancy special. Moses will be used to deliver God’s people and bring them to a new land. He will be a saviour of sorts, picturing the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, the reason why we can live in hope of a new heaven and earth, and the reason we can be new creatures, saved and delivered by Christ, so we can serve God as His new creatures. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for His transforming grace that makes us new creatures in Christ. Pray for the opportunities to display that new creation before a world in need of spiritual transformation. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 5 - God prepares deliverance through a special infancy

“Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.” - Exodus 2:1-2 Scripture reading: Exodus 2:1-10 Yesterday, we saw that God delivered through a special infancy. Part of what made that infant special was the times in which he was born—a time when male Hebrew infants were not allowed to exist. Pharaoh decreed that all the males should be thrown into the Nile River—considered a god of life, yet used for death. The river of life is used as a river of death by the one who wishes to destroy the covenant seed of the woman. The days of Exodus were anti-Christian days governmentally, but the parents of Moses did not let those days become reason to give up hope or faith, for the Almighty God had promised a deliverer. Hebrews 11:23 says that the parents of Moses hid Moses for three months and were not afraid of the king’s edict. They feared God rather than men, even as the midwives of Exodus 1 had done. Their assurance of things hoped for and their conviction of things not seen moved them to do the right thing. Things did not look good, but they still did not fear men more than the Almighty God of promise—to save, preserve and provide for His people. In essence, they were saying, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what shall man do to me?” Things may not always look good, but those things give no reason for us to trade in our fear of the Lord for the fear of men. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that we might find our peace with Him in Christ, and our peace in life through Him in Christ. Pray for the courage to place our reverence for God before our fear of others. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 4 - God prepares deliverance through a special infancy

“Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.” - Exodus 2:1-2 Scripture reading: Exodus 2:1-10 God’s plans prevail for His glory bringing hope to God’s people for deliverance. Here, God is preparing a deliverer for His people. God’s preparation for deliverance includes a special infancy. Two from the house of Levi marry. Their names are not as important as their lineage. Soon, the Levites were going to be priests mediating for God’s people before the Lord. Moses’ infancy is special in part because he would be a special instrument from the tribe of Levi used by God to deliver His people. This special servant and work would picture an even more special person and work—the greater priest and apostle over the house of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. In this special infancy and preparation, we get a foretaste of God’s desire to commune with His people through the priesthood. God’s plans to deliver His people are being made clearer, slowly but surely. Deliverance begins with small things, a birth of a child—but that seed blossoms to a grand deliverance from Egypt, a testimony to the power of God to overcome the powerful through weakness. In due time, an even grander deliverance would begin with a special birth, Christ the Lord, born to deliver His people from their sins. Our passage teaches, in part, that God will not leave His people without a deliverer, despite evil’s power. How thankful we can be for that truth. How thankful we can be when we find ourselves to be beneficiaries of this deliverance through faith in Christ. Suggestions for prayer Pray with thanks for the desire and the power of God to provide spiritual deliverance through the coming of Christ. Pray that the Lord would help you to glory in Him all the more for His sovereignty over evil and His sovereign grace at work in your life. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 3 - God’s promises prevail over evil

“But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.” - Exodus 1:17 Scripture reading: Exodus 1:8-22 Today is the day of worship for Christians. Worship is meant for the covenant God alone, but sinful humanity wants to substitute God for something else. Some make that object of worship the “princes” of this world—royalty, or other politicians. Often, such “princes” would oblige or even coerce the masses to such a state of worship. However, passages like ours remind us that we ought not to put such confidence in mere human potentates, simply because they are no match for the sole-worthy, covenant God. Ignorant and arrogant Pharaoh is being used by Satan as his instrument to try to kill off the covenant promise of God to bring a Redeemer. Pharaoh may not know Joseph, but he does know that he wants to keep what he considers his supremacy whatever cost. While the most powerful of kings seem to be able to do what they want, they are still subservient to the plans of God—Pharaoh’s plans are in fact foiled at every turn. He thinks he is great, but God is greater still and the only One worthy of worship. The midwives realize this and so must we. Whenever the kings of the earth take counsel against the Lord, it is all in vain. God has them in derision (Psalm 2:4). This vanity was so at the cross of Christ and continues to be so today. God alone is worthy of our worship for His plans alone prevail in Christ. May He, therefore, receive our worship today. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord for His sovereignty over the powers that be, and petition the Lord that He might fill your heart with the joy of worshiping Him well today on this Lord’s Day. Rev. John Vermeer is the pastor of Doon United Reformed Church in Doon, Iowa....

Daily devotional

April 2 - Signs of hope for succeeding generations

Daily devotional

April 1 - Introduction to the book of Exodus

This month we reflect on Exodus 1 to Exodus 6:13. These introductory chapters of Exodus can fill our days well with lessons on the relevant truths of ...

Daily devotional

March 31 - No enemy can stand in the way of our salvation in Christ

Daily devotional

March 30 - No enemy can stand in the way of our salvation in Christ

Daily devotional

March 29 - The Arc de Triomphe

“Now these are the kings of the land whom the people of Israel defeated and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the Valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, with all the Arabah eastward. . . . And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan.” - Joshua 12:1,7 Scripture reading: Joshua 12 Even if we’ve never been to Paris to see the real thing, many of us have at least seen pictures of the Arc de Triomphe. It’s one of the landmarks of that city. It was commissioned by Napoleon, in imitation of the emperors of ancient Rome, who built more than fifty triumphal arches celebrating glorious victories. You could almost describe Joshua 12 as a kind of triumphal arch, a monument built in words, because it records the great victories of the first two Israelite generals, Moses and Joshua, for the same reason that those arches of the Roman Empire did. It doesn’t only mean to say, here are some things that happened in the past. It wants to make an impression; it wants to communicate a message that goes beyond just passing on the historical information. You can divide the book of Joshua into several parts. Chapter 12 closes off the first part of the book, which tells the story of Israel entering the Promised Land and conquering it. And the writer of Joshua closes off the story of the conquest of Canaan with this catalog of the cities that were conquered by Moses and Joshua in order to show that the conquest was complete. This record of Israel’s complete conquest of Canaan is a prophecy of the complete conquest of the world, when the God of peace crushes Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20), and the great Conqueror Jesus Christ establishes His eternal kingdom. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the promise, embodied in this passage, that Jesus will carry out a complete conquest of the world and on the day when His victory is complete, we will enjoy eternal rest and never be troubled by our enemies. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 28 - Victory through Joshua

“Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel . . . And the land had rest from war.” - Joshua 11:23a Scripture reading: Joshua 11:21-28 To hear the Holy Spirit tell it, you’d almost think Joshua defeated all Israel’s enemies singlehandedly. Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. Joshua was faithful to God; he was careful to follow all the law that Moses had commanded him. And he won the victory. Not even the Anakim, who were giants, who had terrified ten of the spies in Numbers 13, could stand before him. Who would have imagined, who would have believed, that Israel would ever conquer Canaan? Who would ever have imagined that they would ever possess the inheritance that God said He had prepared for them? They had been slaves in Egypt. And they were up against powerful enemies. Giants. But Joshua was faithful and through him, God gave them the victory. Joshua gave all the land for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war. That’s the gospel. It is for us. The Spirit highlights Joshua’s faithfulness and the victory that God gave him and the inheritance he gave Israel because they’re pictures and promises of the faithfulness and the victory of our Joshua. God gives us this picture and this promise to encourage us: Put all your trust in Joshua; follow Him. That’s the way that leads to salvation. That’s how you share in victory over your enemies, even sin and death and how you receive all the wonderful things that God has prepared for you. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the faithfulness of Jesus and for His victory over His enemies and ours in His death and resurrection. Pray that soon we will enjoy the rest that God promises when we receive the inheritance Jesus has won for us and go to live with Him in the new heaven and the new earth. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 27 - Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” - Psalm 46:1 Scripture reading: Psalm 46:1-11 We know that we’re not in control of what happens in our lives, or in the world. But in another way, we all feel like we can steer things in the right direction, that the way things go depends on what we do. We have an expectation that everything’s going to turn out the way it should like it does in our favourite stories. Maybe you feel like the ground is shifting under your feet right now; maybe God is making it clear to you, in one way or another, that you’re not in control. Things in your life and in the world might not turn out the way you think they should. It’s frightening. It’s disorienting. Psalm 46 says, Don’t be afraid, because as complicated as things may seem, as big a mess as you might feel you’re in, the almighty Creator, your faithful Father in heaven, is your refuge and strength. He will keep you safe. He will bring you where you need to be; He knows the way. Worship is a time for us to be reminded and to rejoice, that God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. He loves you in Jesus Christ; He is absolutely faithful; His promises are sure. “Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with their surging” (Psalm 46:2-3). Suggestions for prayer Thank God for a day of rest, in which you can hear the gospel, remember God’s work of salvation in song and confess your faith in Him, and, ask the Holy Spirit to make you thoughtful and attentive and intentional, so that you may genuinely worship Him and be encouraged to live in faith. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 26 - Preserving in obedience by faith in the promises

“It was God’s will to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.” - Joshua 11:20 Scripture reading: Joshua 11:16-20 After what the LORD did to Jericho and Ai, and to the coalition of five Amorite kings, it really made no sense for the Canaanites to keep trying to fight Israel. But, apart from the Gibeonites, they all did. The Holy Spirit explains in verse 20, It was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy, but be destroyed. It reminds us of how Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, even when the plagues were destroying Egypt. God said, “I will harden his heart.” God is sovereign and He has the right to do whatever He pleases in this world. But that’s not all there is to say. The LORD had told Abraham in Genesis 15 that He would give the land to Abraham’s descendants when the iniquity of the Amorites was complete. That time had obviously come: the sin of the inhabitants of Canaan was complete. God doesn’t treat people like puppets. People make choices and God holds them responsible for that choice. It was not wise for the Canaanites to keep fighting Israel when it had become perfectly obvious that they could never win. God let them suffer the consequence of their foolish decision. In fact, God uses the foolish choices of His enemies to bring them to their destruction and to accomplish the salvation of His people. Suggestions for prayer Praise God for His sovereign direction of all things, leading to the judgement of His enemies and the salvation of His people, and thank Him for the grace He has shown you in bringing you to Himself in repentance and faith. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 25 - Preserving in obedience by faith in the promises

Daily devotional

March 24 - Until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet

Daily devotional

March 23 - There has been no day like it before or since

Daily devotional

March 22 - The victory that overcomes the world

“And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-ho...

Daily devotional

March 21 - The Lord’s friend is their enemy

“Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.” - Joshua 10:4 Scripture reading: Joshua 10:1-5 We don’t know how much military or strategic sense this attack made, or what those kings were hoping to achieve from a strategic point of view by attacking Gibeon. But the author of Joshua says they didn’t attack Gibeon for military reasons, or for strategic reasons. They did it for spiritual reasons. Notice what Adoni-Zedek said: We have to attack Gibeon because they made peace with Joshua, and with the people of Israel. The name of Joshua was bound up with everything the LORD was doing, to judge the nations and to give their land to Israel as an inheritance. And in their minds, when Gibeon made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel, Gibeon became their enemy. The Spirit is showing us again how the world instinctively reacts when God enters the world to bring salvation. The world reacts with hatred and violence to the church and to anyone or anything that seems to be connected in any way to the name of Jesus Christ. And whatever differences there are between the West, Islam and communism, they’re united in their hatred for Christ and in their warfare against Him and His people. This is how the world reacts to anyone who identifies himself, or in their eyes seems to identify himself with Jesus Christ. It doesn’t always make very much sense, logically speaking. It’s actually irrational. But this is what it’s all about; we shouldn’t be surprised and we should remember the history of Joshua and the history of Jesus. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to recognize that the world’s hatred for the church is rooted in its instinctive response to Jesus and to strengthen our faith by the gospel that God has triumphed over our enemies in Him. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 20 - Who shall dwell on God’s holy hill?

“Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right.” - Psalm 15:1b-2a Scripture reading: Psalm 15:1-12 Today is our day of worship. When we worship, we enjoy fellowship with God. But Psalm 15 says that only the blameless may have fellowship with God and that might make you wonder whether you have the right to enter His presence in worship. That’s because we think that blameless means sinless. But if you look the word up in a concordance, you’ll find out that David, Noah and Job were blameless, and some who are called upright in the sight of God and righteous. Since the Bible says that every person is conceived and born in sin, the Spirit can’t be saying that these people were sinless. We know from the Bible that Noah got drunk; Job demanded that Lord explain Himself to him and Zechariah didn’t believe the angel Gabriel who told him that he and Elizabeth were going to have a son. So blameless doesn’t mean sinless. In the Bible, blameless means, trusting in God’s Word and seeking Him with all your heart. It means, living in repentance for your sin, claiming God’s forgiveness for the sake of Christ’s death and seeking to live the holy life that David describes here in Psalm 15 – the life God gives you through faith in Christ. If you are a sincere believer, if you live by faith in the promises that the triune God made to you when you were baptized, you have peace with God and stand in grace. You are welcome to enter the presence of God in worship. Suggestions for prayer Thank God that in Christ, He has opened the way for you to worship Him with a clear conscience today and to live with Him forever. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 19 - People loved the darkness rather than the light

“As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction … and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel … he feared greatly.” - Joshua 10:1-2a Scripture reading: Joshua 10:1-5 We’re not sure how much difference it makes why the king of Jerusalem responded the way he did to the news that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel, but the writer of Joshua obviously thought that was an important part of the story. The Holy Spirit keeps coming back to this in the book of Joshua, how the Canaanite kings and their people responded to the news of what the LORD did to Jericho and to Ai, and before that, to Sihon and Og on the far side of the Jordan. They’re always afraid. On the one hand, we say, of course, those people were afraid when they heard what the LORD had done. The foundations of their world were shaking. This is how the world naturally feels and responds when God comes into their land and into their world, so to speak. They don’t welcome the arrival of this righteous and almighty God. It terrifies them. But they don’t surrender. Of all the people in Canaan, it seems like Rahab was the only one who repented and believed. The overwhelming response is fear and hostility. Jesus explains this natural response to God in John 3: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. This is the suicidal impulse of the guilty conscience: to fight God rather than repent of sin. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for His sovereign grace, by which you were brought to repentance and faith in Jesus, so that you would not perish, but have eternal life. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 18 - Every knee shall bow

“But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place that he should choose.” - Joshua 9:27 Scripture reading: Joshua 9:22-27 Look at what God did for these lying Gibeonites. The people of Israel wanted to wipe them out, but Joshua delivered the Gibeonites out of the hand of the people of Israel. In His sovereign goodness, God let these deceivers live and stay in their cities. In that respect, we might be inclined to say that their lie paid off. But Joshua made them day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place that He should choose. Don’t just skip over that. The Gibeonites were allowed to live, even though they didn’t repent and believe in Israel’s God. But throughout their generations, they cut wood and drew water that was used in the worship of the LORD. Paul says in Philippians 2 that when Jesus comes again, every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. This is a picture and a promise of what will happen on that day. Not every knee will bow in worship; not every tongue will confess His Name with joy. The world will still hate Him. Just like it says in Revelation 16, in spite of experiencing the wrath of God, the world refuses to repent. But willingly or not, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is LORD to the glory of God the Father. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord to haste the day when we will see the whole world kneel before Jesus and hear every tongue confess that He is Lord and to give you faith to live in expectation of that day. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 17 - Love your enemies and do good

“… the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.”” - Joshu...

Daily devotional

March 16 - When pride comes, then comes disgrace

“So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD.” - Joshua 9:14 Scripture reading: Joshua 9:3-15 The men ...

Daily devotional

March 15 - Deception rather than repentance

“Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, becau...

Daily devotional

March 14 - Disguised hatred is still hatred

“…when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning” - Joshua 9:3b,4a S...

Daily devotional

March 13 - God calls his people to worship him before the world

“…they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings. And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.” - Joshua 8:31b-32 Scripture reading: Joshua 8:30-35 The altar Joshua built on Mount Ebal wasn’t the first altar to Yahweh in this part of Canaan. Both Abram (Genesis 12:6-8) and Jacob (Genesis 33:18-20) built altars to Him at Shechem, which is right between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. That history was probably one of the reasons the LORD chose this place for this worship service. Geography was another reason: Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim were also close to the very centre of the land of Canaan. He said, “I want you to go to that place, in the heart of this land, where Abram and Jacob confessed their faith and set up an altar to Yahweh. In public worship, I want you to testify before all the gods and all the people of Canaan that Yahweh has done all that He promised, that He has given you this land as an inheritance and that the worship of His Name has been established in the land.” In the shadow of the stones on which Joshua had written the law of God, Israel showed their thankfulness to Yahweh by offering burnt offerings and rejoiced in their fellowship with Him by offering peace offerings. This is what our worship today is all about: before the world and in the company of His people, we will offer ourselves to Him in thankfulness and commit ourselves to live in obedience to Him, because He is our God and we are His people, and in Christ, He has redeemed us and given us an eternal inheritance. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to help you worship the Lord in thankfulness, to consciously and intentionally present yourself to Him as a living sacrifice and to sincerely submit your life to His Word. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 12 - God calls his people to confess him before the world

“At that time Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded … “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.”” - Joshua 8:30-31a Scripture reading: Joshua 8:30-35 You could compare the ceremony that’s recorded here at the end of Joshua 8 to a public profession of faith. In our tradition as Reformed churches, pretty well from the moment they’re baptized, parents and elders and ministers are leading the children of the congregation to make a profession of their faith. In their baptism, God has shown and confirmed His covenant commitment to them and as His covenant partners, He expects our children to commit themselves to Him, to believe His promises, to walk in His ways and to confess Him before a watching world. That’s what this ceremony is about. In Deuteronomy 11:29, Moses said, “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.” And in his instructions in Deuteronomy 27:12, Moses told them that they had to do all of these things on the day they crossed over the Jordan. Moses didn’t mean, literally, “Hold this worship service on the first day you get into Canaan.” He meant, “The LORD wants you to do this as soon as you can.” You might say that Israel had been headed toward Mt. Ebal pretty well from the moment they entered the land of Canaan. As soon as they could, in response to the proof of God’s commitment to them, they answered Him with their public commitment, to walk with Him in covenant fellowship, namely, in repentance, faith and obedience. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be ready to profess your faith in God and your commitment to Him, both privately and publicly, in response to the faithfulness and mercy He has shown you, above all, in the gift of salvation through Christ. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 11 - God lures his enemies to their destruction

“And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, then they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. And the others came out from the city against them, so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And Israel struck them down, until there was left none that survived or escaped.” - Joshua 8:21-22 Scripture reading: Joshua 8:10-29 It’s confusing for us to follow the action of Israel’s battle with Ai, but God commanded Israel to use a strategy that involved deceit. Joshua and the soldiers in front of the city had to pretend to run away when the soldiers of Ai came out after them and 5,000 soldiers, lying in ambush, ran into the city and captured it. Our holy and truthful God told Joshua to deceive Ai. That’s our God: He lets our enemies rush to their own destruction; in fact, He lures them into doing that. When our enemies think they’re going to finish us off, God has them right where He wants them. Goliath was offended when David was sent out against him, all alone, with only his staff and a sling. And David brought him down. Satan and Jesus’ enemies thought they would destroy Jesus by getting Him crucified. But they destroyed themselves. In Revelation 20, Jesus showed John how Satan will be released and will deceive the nations to gather them for battle against the church. With their number like the sand of the sea, they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them. That’s the way God works. Right now, our enemies are growing strong, on every side. But that doesn’t mean the end for us. Because God will use their pride, their presumption, their thirst for our blood, to lead them to their own destruction. And their destruction is our salvation. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to use this story, and others like it, to encourage you as you see the enemies of the church and the gospel growing in strength, and to help you stand firm in faith in spite of the way things seem to be going. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 10 - We receive our inheritance in the way of humble faith

“Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night. And he commanded them, Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it.” - Joshua 8:3b-4 Scripture reading: Joshua 8:3-9 Strictly speaking, the LORD didn’t need a strategy, or Israel’s fighting men, to defeat Ai. The purpose of the strategy was not first of all to win the battle, but to show Israel what He is like and to teach them how to receive their promised inheritance. The way Joshua and Israel approached Ai the first time showed that they had forgotten those things. They lost the battle against Ai because God wasn’t with them, and God wasn’t with them because they hadn’t asked Him to go with them. They thought that they could defeat Ai without His help. But the way God’s people defeat their enemies and receive the inheritance God has promised is by living from day to day, in complete reliance on the Lord and in close communion with Him. Without God, you can’t defeat the weakest enemy and you won’t know the way you have to go. The way of salvation is the way of faith, the way of prayer, of dependence on God and of careful obedience to His will. Unlike Joshua, that’s what Jesus did: He prayed regularly and fervently because He needed to. You might think that if anyone could make it on His own, it would have been Jesus, the Son of God. But His confession was, “I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7). That’s the kind of Saviour we need – a Saviour Who knows what God is like and leads us in the way that will bring us to live in fellowship with Him. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the faithful leadership and instruction of the Lord Jesus and pray that the Spirit would help you to live by humble faith in God. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 9 - Repentance leads to reconciliation

“And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not fear and do not be dismayed.” - Joshua 8:1a Scripture reading: Joshua 8:1-2 We have a chapter division...

Daily devotional

March 8 - History that prophesies

“And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into...

Daily devotional

March 7 - Our God is a consuming fire

“And Joshua said, Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today. And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them wit...

Daily devotional

March 6 - The Lord’s throne is in heaven

“The LORD is righteous; He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face.” - Psalm 11:7 Scripture reading: Psalm 11:1-7 We don�...

Daily devotional

March 5 - Judgement day

“And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.” - Joshua 7:18 Scripture reading: Joshua 7:16-22 You need to think about the way God exposed Achan’s sin. He conducted the investigation, so to speak. And He did it in front of the whole nation. We don’t know exactly how it happened, but it sounds like they cast the lot. By casting the lot, they called on God to judge. Think of what God is showing us here. Early in the morning, the whole congregation of Israel stood before the LORD to be judged. This is as real as it gets. This is a picture of judgement day. We tend to think of ourselves and the things we do in terms of what other people know about us or think about us. We miss the boat altogether. The Spirit says to us here, You live before the face of God and He is your Judge. Hebrews 4 says, No creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account. Step by step, the circle grew smaller and smaller. And finally, only Achan was left. You have to wonder why he didn’t step forward and just admit what he had done. Maybe he kept hoping, kept fooling himself that he wouldn’t be found out. But even when God exposed him as the guilty one, he didn’t confess. That’s the stubborn nature we all inherited from Adam and Eve. We think that confessing our sin is suicide. In fact, it’s the only way to save our lives. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you that you live before the face of God, that you are naked and exposed to the eyes of the One to Whom you must give account, and to help you live a life of integrity. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 4 - God’s wrath on a covenant child

“He who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.” - Joshua 7:15 Scripture reading: Joshua 7:10-15 Joshua had asked the LORD, “What will You do for Your great Name?” (Joshua 7:9). That was a good question, because that is the heart of the matter when it comes to our salvation. God saves sinful people for the glory of His Name. But Joshua asked the right question for the wrong reason, you might say. We can be extremely thankful that God has chosen to glorify Himself by showing grace to sinful people like us, by saving unsaveable people. But we should never let ourselves imagine that being a church member somehow makes us immune from God’s judgement. God glorifies His Name by showing grace to repentant and believing sinners, not by tolerating spiritual adultery. James says, Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. We make a mockery of His Name if we become unfaithful and live in friendship with the world. Then we cannot expect God’s blessing, but His curse. The world is our enemy and we cannot stand before our enemy. We cannot defend ourselves from the world, much less overcome the world, as long as we live in friendship with the world. To love the world is to do an outrageous thing and transgress the covenant of the Lord. It makes us the enemies of God and we will fall, along with the world, under His wrath. Then God will defend the glory of His Name by justly judging us. Suggestions for prayer Pray that God will keep you and all His people from wishing to be friends of the world, and that He will help you to seek the glory of His Name by your complete devotion to Him. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 3 - Repentance is a condition of fellowship with God

“I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.” - Joshua 7:12b Scripture reading: Joshua 7:2-13 Joshua didn’t know what had happened, but when God didn’t go with Israel’s soldiers when they went to fight against Ai, he tore his clothes and put dust on his head and fell on his face before the ark of the Lord, together with the elders. It never occurred to him that it might be Israel’s fault. He pointed the finger at God, Why have You brought these people over the Jordan, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? The LORD was having none of that. He told Joshua, Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? There’s a special stress there on you: Joshua, you of all people should know better than this! Do you really think that I would break My Word? This didn’t happen because I broke My promise. Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. That’s why they can’t stand before their enemies: because they have become devoted to destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Israel had committed adultery and there was only one way to restore the relationship and receive their inheritance in the promised land: repentance, and just judgement. We cannot live in fellowship with God unless we are cleansed of our unfaithfulness. Suggestions for prayer Thank the Lord that He calls you to repentance and provides atonement for your sin and an open door to life with God, through the death of Jesus Christ. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 2 - What fellowship has light with darkness?

“… Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel.” - Joshua 7:1b Scripture reading: Joshua 7:1 The Spirit identifies Achan in terms of his genealogy to underline the fact that he is a covenant child of God. But when he took some of the devoted things from Jericho, he identified himself with the city that was under God’s judgement. Achan was one of God’s holy people. He had the covenant promises; he had witnessed God’s great acts of salvation and he had an inheritance in Canaan. But what he had as a child of God wasn’t enough for him. He wanted what the world offered. That’s spiritual adultery. It’s when we’re surrounded by the evidence of God’s mercy and love, when we’ve tasted His goodness and we can see His judgement falling on the world, but we still want what the world has. Paul says in II Corinthians 6, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” We usually think that he’s forbidding us to marry unbelievers, and he is. But he’s not only warning young people not to look for a boyfriend or a girlfriend in the world. He’s warning all of us not to identify with the world, to love the world, to want its life, even though as His children, we have everything in Christ and we can see that God is pouring out His wrath on the people and the culture around us. We can only stand firm against the temptation to love the world in the way of faith, being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be satisfied with God’s promises, to set your mind on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth and to put to death what is earthly in you. Rev. Dick Wynia is currently the minister of the Vineyard Canadian Reformed Church in Beamsville, ON....

Daily devotional

March 1 - Introduction to the book of Joshua

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 aft...

Daily devotional

February 28 - The final words

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prop...

Daily devotional

February 27 - Judgment and comfort

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them...

Daily devotional

February 26 - The Lord remembers

“Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of ...

Daily devotional

February 25 - Complaining about God?

"Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, 'How have we spoken against you?' You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'" - Malachi 3:13-15 Scripture reading: Psalm 73:1-28 The people weren’t directly shaking their fists at God. Rather, they were complaining to one another, but the LORD knew their hearts. He always does, of course! He knows all that we think or say. What is their complaint? It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? (3:14). You can almost hear the disdain in their voice. What’s in it for us if we serve God? The word for “profit” refers to a weaver cutting a piece of cloth free from the loom. The idea is that these people expected their “cut” or percentage and they were grumbling because they believed the LORD was not giving them their fair share. Whenever we grumble about our circumstances or wrong treatment, we are really elevating ourselves above God. I’m trying to serve You LORD, but all I get is trouble. The arrogant and evildoers are prospering and seem to escape judgment. I also deserve some happiness. Perhaps we even say, “God doesn’t truly love me because He would do more to make me happy.” Does Christ exist to make you happy? Is He your personal vending machine to give you what you want? Be careful! The flesh is inclined to self-pity, self-focus and self-centredness. Christ came to save you from the guilt and judgment of your sin. What’s in it for you if you serve the LORD? More than you can imagine when you think about eternity! Suggestions for Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you see what you have in Christ when you feel like grumbling. Thank the Lord that we can truly have rest for our souls in Christ (Matthew 11:28). Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 24 - The Lord’s rebuke

“I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.” - Malachi 3:11-12 Scripture reading: Proverbs 11:1-31 This rebuke is one that we are very happy to accept! When we bring the full tithe to the LORD, His promise of blessing includes rebuking the devourer for us. The reality was that Israel’s crops and vines were being devoured because of their lack of trust, true devotion and covenant faithfulness to the LORD. They were putting forth a lot of effort with little favourable results. Farmers know that a lot of money, time and resources go into planting a field with the expectation of a good harvest in the fall. It's very disappointing when the corn or beans don't grow well, the harvest is poor and the investment of all that labour and money yields little. No one likes to work only to have their paycheque disappear with too many bills and expenses! No one likes working for little! The LORD says without Me your labour will not know true blessing. Now, we must be careful not to fall into the prosperity gospel mindset, thinking if I give my full tithe to the LORD, He will, in turn, give material wealth and happiness as a result. The LORD does not promise health and wealth because we give money or some other resources to the church. Rather, His promises start with spiritual life and blessings in Christ. He provides our needs and enables us to be content with what we have. Christ gives true life and salvation and nothing can take that away. Trust Him today and receive real heavenly prosperity. Suggestions for prayer Thank the LORD He is faithful so that we can truly depend upon Him. Praise the LORD that He promises to supply our needs and helps us to trust Him so that we experience life and blessing in Christ. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 23 - The Lord’s challenge

“Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” - Malachi 3:10 Scripture reading: Philippians 4:1-23 As we continue in this passage, the LORD now challenges His people to test Him and then promises to pour out His blessing on those who fully tithe. This is the only place where testing the LORD is a positive thing to do. Recognize also that this test is not just about your money, but it is really about how much you are willing to trust the LORD. Testing Him is about proving Him to be true to His Word even when circumstances seem to say otherwise. God allows Himself to be put on trial. He didn’t have to make this promise. He could have simply told us to give our tithes because He demands it and that’s it. But His desire is for us to trust Him fully. Is God true? Is He faithful? Will He keep His promises? Will He provide? One of the best ways to find out is to fully tithe. His blessings may not come in the way we expect, nevertheless, He will fulfill His Word when we fully trust Him. It is said, when windows of heaven are open over your home, there is His blessing. When they open over your business, there is His blessing. When they are open over your mind, there is His blessing. When they are open over your body and soul, there is His blessing. The LORD never breaks His promises! Christ is worthy of your trust when you place your confidence in Him by faith. Do you accept the LORD’s challenge? Suggestions for prayer Pray the LORD will give you true faith and trust in Christ. Ask the LORD to help you take the LORD at His Word, to trust His promises, and to accept His challenge to fully tithe. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 22 - Bring in the full tithes

“Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” - Malachi 3:10 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 5:1-14 Notice in this verse, that the LORD tells His people to bring the full tithes into the storehouse. The verb bring is a causative command. The LORD is telling them to make this happen and that they are required to give. They were also commanded to give the full tithe and not just a partial offering so that there would be full provision in God’s house for His work. They were giving something, but just weren’t giving all that the LORD required. They weren’t obeying completely. They were like those who soothe their conscience by dropping a few dollars in the offering plate every once in a while. Partial obedience isn’t really obedience; it’s just doing what is convenient for you. If I was audited on my income taxes, what would happen if I told the CRA/IRS, “I pay most of my taxes. You should be happy I gave you something.” Do you think they would accept this reasoning? Does the LORD accept this type of reasoning? The reality is that for many Christians, giving ten percent would be a huge increase because they don’t really give to the LORD as they must. Tithing should not be that difficult for us. You need to budget and be disciplined, but it ought to be routine. Remember, we give the full tithe so that the full work of the ministry is accomplished. Are you giving a full or partial tithe to the LORD? Are you being faithful to Christ in this regard? Partial obedience isn’t really obedience. Suggestions for prayer Pray that the LORD will help you to be faithful and give your full tithe to Him to support His work. Ask the LORD to prosper Christ’s church through the practical giving of His people. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 21 - Robbing yourself?

“You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” - Malachi 3:9 Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-17 The ...

Daily devotional

February 20 - Will a man rob God?

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions.” - Malachi 3:8 Scripture ...

Daily devotional

February 19 - Return to me

“From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD ...

Daily devotional

February 18 - I do not change

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” - Malachi 3:6 Scripture reading: Romans 8:28-39 Our ...

Daily devotional

February 17 - He comes in judgment

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.” - Malachi 3:5 Scripture reading: Psalm 40:1-12 The LORD is a purifier of His people, but He also declares that He will draw near to judge those who continue in rebellion and sin against Him. The LORD gives a representative list of vice, each of which was a breaking of His law and a cause for judgment. Sorcerers refer to those who use occult practices. Adulterers are those who are unfaithful in the covenant of marriage and spiritually unfaithful to the LORD. Those who swear falsely are those who tell lies in personal relationships and those who commit perjury under oath in court. Those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner. These are the wealthy and powerful who take advantage of those who are weak, vulnerable and unable to defend themselves. The underlying problem that creates all the other problems is that they do not fear the LORD. This is God’s covenant people and not some heathen nation! He is the LORD of Hosts, the God Who saved them, restored them and provides for them. He calls them out for their wicked ways. This should make us pause and consider how we think, live and act as Christians in our generation. He comes in judgment. If you have gone astray, return to Him in true repentance and faith. Fear the LORD and recognize that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save and restore you. Look to Him to help you live for His glory. Suggestions for prayer Thank the LORD He has taken us from the pit of destruction and placed us on the Rock which is Christ. Thank Him that Jesus saves us from judgment and restores us to a right relationship with our God. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 16 - He comes to purify

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.” - Malachi 3:2-4 Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:1-9 In Christ, we no longer stand guilty before a holy God. Nevertheless, we still need sanctification. He purifies us. He is like a refiner’s fire and a fuller’s soap. It is said, silversmiths took ore and refined it to get the purest silver they possibly could. God himself wants to refine His children so that they become pure. The greatest and most important part of the refining process was the heating of the metal. The silversmith would hold a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. In refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest to burn away all the impurities. He had to sit in front of the fire, holding the silver and had to keep his eyes on it the entire time it was there. For if the silver was left in the flames even a moment too long, it would be destroyed. The silver is fully refined when the silversmith could see his face reflected in it. Remember, your covenant God desires to refine you and remove all impurities. He is working to sanctify you. Sometimes, this takes the fires of affliction and pain. Whatever the situation in your life, He will sit and watch you in the fire ever so patiently. He carefully pulls us out of the fire at just the right time as He works His purposes in us. All so that He sees Christ reflected in us. Suggestions for prayer Praise the LORD that He has given us Jesus, the One Who purifies us. Ask the LORD to sanctify you so that you reflect Christ more and more as you look to Him by faith. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 15 - My messenger

“Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.” - Malachi 3:1 Scripture reading: Malachi 3:1-17 The LORD, in grace, sends His messenger to prepare the way for His coming into the world. I read that the imagery of preparing the way before the LORD came from the custom of clearing the road and preparing a town for the visit of the king. Before the king would travel, he sent out his messengers who proclaimed his coming. They didn’t have road crews to maintain the roads like we have today. So when the townspeople heard the king was coming, they would go and repair the road, fill in the ruts and potholes and clear away any rocks and debris. Once everything was prepared and his coming announced, then the king would come. The first messenger here points to John the Baptist, the forerunner whose ministry God used to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. The second messenger of the covenant, is Christ, the One in Whom you delight. He has come into His Temple. The LORD declares His coming and warns the people to take notice and to be prepared. He graciously sends His messenger to declare, “The KING is coming! Be ready! Come to Him in repentance and faith for He alone is your salvation! He is coming to His Temple to make Himself a sin offering for us and to restore us to our God. He comes to fix the potholes of sin. He clears out the rocks of self-centeredness and pride. Are you rejoicing at the news the King has come and He seeks to save His people? Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to help you deal with any type of vice and sin in your heart. Pray that the LORD would grant you a strong desire to know His Word and that you would look to Christ as your Saviour. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 14 - Guard yourself

“Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” - Malachi 2:15 Scripture reading: Isaiah 40:1-31 The LORD commands His people to “guard yourselves in your spirit” so that they will be faithful in their marriages. The word “guard” comes as a picture of a sheepfold. When a shepherd was out in the wilderness with his flock, he would gather thorn bushes to build a safe place for his flock for the night. The thorns would protect the sheep from predators and harm. Hence, we are to guard and protect ourselves in our marriages, like the shepherd guards the sheep, so that the predators of carnality, adultery, and sin do not break in to harm and destroy it. How do you guard your spirit? We must protect our minds against the constant bombardment we have from our culture that is contrary to the Word of God. The Psalmist declared, How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word (Psalm 119:9). The only way to effectively guard our spirits is to be constantly immersed in God’s Word. That is going to take more than a 30-minute sermon twice a week. Think about how often we are exposed to secular media that is contrary to God’s Word. We are constantly being fed with ungodliness through advertisements, music, TV shows and movies. What we believe and follow certainly affects our relationships and marriages. The LORD calls us to be faithful. As the Proverb says, Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life(Proverbs 4:23). Are you seeking to guard yourself through Christ? Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to help you to be faithful and to use your time for spiritual life and growth in God’s Word through Christ. Pray the LORD will protect your heart from the corruption of the world. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 13 - Faithful and committed

“Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he...

Daily devotional

February 12 - The LORD is faithful to his covenant

Daily devotional

February 11 - We are messengers!

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity...

Daily devotional

February 10 - A covenant of life and peace

“So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant with him was one ...

Daily devotional

February 9 - Harsh words?

“Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.” - Malachi 2:3 Scripture reading: Psalm 29:1-11 In verse 3, the LORD becomes very graphic by saying that He will spread dung on the faces of the priests and rebuke their children. This will cause them to be despised and humiliated by the people. These proud priests were trying to keep up their image as important and influential men. But God will expose them for what they are, defiled and unclean. The LORD is saying that because His priests have not honoured Him or His holiness, He is going to take the excrement from the sick animals they are sacrificing and smear it on their faces. Imagine these self-righteous religious leaders with their faces covered with feces! Horrible to imagine, but that’s how serious God is about His servants approaching Him acceptably with right offerings. The LORD is telling these men He rejects them completely. As the dung is to be taken away, so the LORD says He will remove them. What is the Lord’s desire for you? We are called to honour the Lord and to keep His covenant as those who are in Christ. Your covenant God is not passive about how we treat His name. Are you able to truly prosper if you rebel against Him and His Word? How would you react if the LORD was rebuking you the way He is rebuking these priests? May it be our prayer, LORD, help me not just give lip service to You. Help me to reverence Christ. Help me to truly know Christ as Saviour and to live to glorify Him. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to give you a right view of the holiness and majesty of God and give you the desire to live in a manner that shows reverence and respect for Him, to live for Christ and not just ourselves. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 8 - Are you listening?

“And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.” - Malachi 2:1-2 Scripture reading: Malachi 2:1-14 Notice that because they didn’t honour the LORD, they didn’t bother to listen to Him. The term “listen” means to hear intelligently and to respond with obedience. To “take it to heart” refers to an active decision of the will. He also warns them that if they do not take it to heart to honour His Name, He would curse them. In fact, He had already cursed them. Not a good position to be in! It was time to pay attention and listen up. But they didn’t seem to care. The first step down the slippery slope of superficial religion is to dishonour the LORD and His holiness. A.W. Tozer said, “What you think about God is the most important thing about you.” And yet, because of God’s love and grace, He offers them a chance to return. Look at the very first word of verse 2, “If.” God is giving them a condition and if they persist in their wicked ways, then He will punish them. On the other hand, if they turn to God and set their hearts to honour and obey Him, then He will give them His blessings. Should we not also take it to heart to make sure we are giving honour to the name of Christ? If you are seeking to be obedient to the LORD by grace through Christ, then thankfully enjoy His blessings. However, what happens if you ignore Him and don’t bother to listen to His Word? Don’t be in a place where He sends His curse upon you. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to help you pay attention to His Word and that you will be able to more and more die unto sin and live unto righteousness through Christ Who makes you holy. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 7 - A proper attitude toward God

“But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised.” - Malachi 1:6b-7 Scripture reading: Ephesians 2:1-22 When the LORD confronted the priests through Malachi, they didn’t get it: “How have we despised Your name?” “How have we polluted You?” They looked at all their activities: they were busy offering sacrifices and leading the people in worship. They were doing everything they were required to do. However, in all their activities they did not have a God-ward focus. They were not offering their sacrifices to please the LORD. They were not focused on magnifying His Name. Their attitude reflected their arrogance and lack of reverence for Him. They were going through the motions of worship, but their hearts were not seeking to exalt and glorify God as He deserves. There is a story about a missionary who received a shipment of used clothing and other items from some dear older saint. Included in the box was a jar full of used tea bags that the lady had faithfully dried out and sent for the missionary’s use. Used tea bags! Why not send a case of new ones? If you hear about a missionary who needs a new computer, don’t give your old, outdated one. Buy a new one! If it’s for the LORD, shouldn’t we give our best? Ask yourself these questions: Am I valuing what God values? Do my priorities, the way I spend my time, money and efforts, reflect the things that matter most? Am I seeking to honour Christ above all else in my life? May we seek to magnify the Name of the LORD in all we say and do. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to give you a heart that desires to obey Christ rather than to surrender to human passion and sin. Pray that, by grace through faith, you will also live for Christ and grow in sanctification and holiness. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 6 - Come with true worship

“But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil?” - Malachi 1:6b-8a Scripture reading: Psalm 26:1-12 This charge is serious since priests were supposed to be holy, faithful and offer right sacrifices. Rather than coming to the LORD in His appointed manner, what are they doing? Arguing with Him. How have we despised your name? How have we polluted you? They are saying, we are coming with animal sacrifices, this is what you want isn’t it? What’s the problem? The problem was that they assumed they could offer any animal, blind, lame or sick. If it is being sacrificed anyway, it is a great way to get rid of unwanted animals! Better to offer blemished animals than none at all, isn’t it? They were trying to make worship more convenient and affordable for the people. The LORD tells them their offerings are polluted and that they despised His name. To offer blemished sacrifices was evil and an affront to His holiness. Remember all of the offerings pictured the perfect spotless sacrifice of Christ! Don’t be like these priests, to argue with God rather than submit to Him when things don’t go your way. Don’t think, better to give God something rather than nothing at all when it comes to your devotion, worship and giving. Don’t come to God with a polluted heart, holding on to sin while only giving lip service to Him. On this Lord’s Day, come to Him in sincerity of heart, with true repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, your only pure and holy sacrifice for sin. Come with true worship today as you meet with the LORD. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to grant you sincerity of heart in true faith to Christ. Pray that you will see Christ as the perfect sacrifice for your sin and that He will give you grace so that you will give Him true worship. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

February 5 - Our father and master

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD ...

Daily devotional

February 4 - God’s love declared

“"Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his he...

Daily devotional

February 3 - How have you loved us?

“"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?"” - Malachi 1:2 Scripture reading: Hebrews 12:1-29 These people, un...

Daily devotional

February 2 - I have loved you

“"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?"” - Malachi 1:2 Scripture reading: Romans 5:1-9 The first stateme...

Daily devotional

February 1: Introducing the book of Malachi

For February, we will focus on the Old Testament book of Malachi. In the prophecy of Malachi, we find that the LORD was not pleased with His people. The LORD had been put on the national "back burner." He desires honesty and truth and rejects all hypocritical shows of paying lip service to Him. Worship had degenerated into nothing but an external form and the hearts of His people were not truly engaged. There was no powerful, dynamic relationship between the holy, covenant God and His people. Israel had allowed both their sacrifices and their attitudes toward the LORD to become "blemished." The church today must also be careful to offer acceptable worship to God through Christ our only mediator. We can fall into a place of complacency, rather than doing what pleases our covenant God. It is very easy to come to church week after week and to allow the worship of God to become mundane and old rather than dynamic, refreshing and reviving to your soul. Ask the LORD to make Himself known to you afresh today. You come before the living God and He is glorious and exalted before you! Ask the LORD to help you see Jesus, the King, Who humbled Himself, was made in the likeness of sinful flesh for you, to take away your sin and make you righteous before the presence of His holiness. Malachi raises issues very relevant for us today and I trust this study will be very profitable for you this month. The oracle of the Word “The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.” - Malachi 1:1 Scripture reading: Malachi 1:1-14 Malachi begins with an oracle of the word from the LORD to His people. An oracle is a means of revelation and points to a message that weighs heavily on the messenger or prophet. It is a message that is not to be disregarded or ignored, but to be taken seriously in light of God’s covenant Lordship over His people. However, as we will see in this chapter, God’s people will not take the LORD’s Word as seriously as they should and will argue against Him. There is also a danger for us here because it is very easy, especially if you were raised in the church, to shrug your shoulders at the gospel, since you have heard it all your life. We hear, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,” and we nod, “That’s true (yawn)! Hey, did you hear about last night’s game?” or we want to talk about something else rather than the things of Christ. Our response to Christ and the gospel should never be indifference. We need to praise and thank Him for His salvation as the One Who saved us from God’s judgment. Do you find yourself in that place, ho-hum the gospel? Have you lost joy in Christ and feel indifferent to the truths of the Bible? Don’t allow this fallen world to draw you away from Christ. His Word speaks to your needs. Where is your heart? How do you respond to Him? Seek Christ today to help you deal with apathy and coldness. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to give you a fresh view of Christ today so that you do not become cold or indifferent to Him and the gospel. Ask the LORD to grant you fresh grace and strength for each day as you face the challenges of living in a fallen world. Rev. Michael Jaatinen is the minister of Mount Zion Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moncton, NB....

Daily devotional

January 31 - All things made new

“Behold, I am making all things new.” - Revelation 21:5b Scripture reading: Revelation 21:1-27 New and not new; nothing new under the sun and yet God will make everything new under the SON. Another month is about to dawn. We are again one day closer to eternity. Are you ready? Believers, in spite of their sin, struggle and pain, live in the strong confidence that God, in grace, gives new life to all who trust in Christ’s finished work of salvation. Do you share in that trust? The book of Revelation closes with a picture of eternity. All tears wiped away, death will be no more—no pain or sorrow—for all the former things have passed away. And what is more, true believers shall fully be with our Triune God—body and soul. As Christ dwelt (tabernacled) for a time on earth, we shall enjoy the eternal blessing of the dwelling place of God that is with man. This is not simply a reunion, but an eternity of fellowship and friendship with God and His people—covenantal fullness! How marvellous! What wonder to behold! Eye-popping glory! Heart thumping wonder! A new Jerusalem (the temple in heaven above) whose description is beyond describing. A new creation, the new heavens and the new earth (Isaiah 65:17) prepared for a prepared people. Suggestions for prayer Give praise and thanksgiving for a life to be lived in anticipation of the glory of the life to come. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 30 - New creatures

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 Yesterday we considered together the blessed truth of our home in heaven above. That home is made possible only through the ministry of reconciliation. In order to enter that home, we need to be reconciled to God. Our sins have driven us apart. Only Christ can bring us back together again. The good news of Jesus Christ is that God, through Him, makes us new creatures. Being united to Christ through faith is to enjoy the benefits of the new birth and a life that is made new in Christ. The words in Christ profoundly speak of the believer’s redemption. In Christ, believers are secure from the wrath of God against sin. In Christ, believers are accepted by God. In Christ, believers enjoy the assurance of the life to come. In Christ, believers participate in the divine nature of Christ (cf. 2 Peter 1:4). Christians are changed people. To be sure, too much of the old remains, but those who are genuine believers know something of a life that has a new direction. While there have been many times where we have fallen back, the joy of the believer is knowing that we can go forward, in Christ, in this world as we prepare for the next. Praise God for such a life! Suggestions for prayer Thank our heavenly Father that believers are made new in Christ! Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 29 - A new song

“And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy…” - Revelation 5:9-10 Scripture reading: Revelation 5:1-14 The book of Revelation was written during a time of intense persecution as a word of encouragement and preparation. It remains a timely message to all those who are looking forward to Christ’s return. It assures us that Christ, Who gathers, defends and preserves His Church, is well aware of the circumstances of His people. And while we may not fully grasp every detail of this prophetic book, the main message is clear: Stand fast for Christ is the Victor! Our Scripture lesson finds the Apostle John receiving a heavenly vision. There is a scroll with seven seals. John weeps because no one had been found worthy to open the scroll. John is then reminded of one Who can open the scroll and its seven seals—the Lamb of God. He is the Worthy One because He is the One who unlocks the mystery and purposes of the Triune God’s sovereign plan. Jesus takes the scroll. This testifies to His authority to fulfill God’s will, and the response is a chorus of praise. This is a song that flows from a heart that has experienced God’s redemption, His glorious work of deliverance and rescue from the tyranny of the devil. It is a song celebrating God’s finished work. It is new because the full scope of Jesus’ work is finally visible. Praise God. Suggestions for prayer Praise God for His ripening purposes. Sing a song of praise. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 28 - Living the new life

“Give no opportunity to the devil” - Ephesians 4:27 Scripture reading: Ephes...

Daily devotional

January 27 - The world’ smallest but largest trouble maker

Daily devotional

January 26 - Great is thy faithfulness

“But this I call to mind…” - Lamentations 3:21-26 Scripture reading: Lamentations 3:1-27 Yesterday, we reflected with...

Daily devotional

January 25 - Anything new?

“What has been is what will be… and there is nothing new under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 1:9 ...

Daily devotional

January 24 - Ask for the ancient paths

“Thus says the LORD: Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths…” - Jeremiah 6:16 Scripture reading: Jeremiah 6:1-30 Before the age of GPS (Global Positioning System), when people traveled, they often found their way by familiar markers along the way. Head north until you get to Vandersmithsma’s dairy farm and then turn right; drive on till you cross the bridge over the little creek and it will be the second place on the left. You’ll notice the red mail box at the road. The travel of life requires familiar markers, landmarks. There may be times where we are not sure where we are—was it left or, was it right. And then the landmark reminds us. It helps us get our bearings and ensures we are heading in the right direction. Jeremiah preached in an age where the Old Testament church no longer held to the landmarks given by the LORD. They refused to look to the ancient paths. We live in a similar age where God’s given landmarks are rejected. When you come to the crossroads, as you will many times this year, where will you turn? Will you ask for direction? Will you seek the ancient path prepared by the blood of Jesus Christ? Jesus is God’s Positional Sacrifice, Who is the way. The markers found in God’s Word and the Sacraments all point us to Christ. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD for the grace to seek the ancient paths. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 24 - Ask for the ancient paths

“Thus says the LORD: Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths…” - Jeremiah 6:16 Scripture reading: Jeremiah 6:1-30 Before the age of GPS (Global Positioning System), when people traveled, they often found their way by familiar markers along the way. Head north until you get to Vandersmithsma’s dairy farm and then turn right; drive on till you cross the bridge over the little creek and it will be the second place on the left. You’ll notice the green mailbox at the end of the driveway. The travel of life requires familiar markers, landmarks. There may be times where we are not sure where we are—was it left or, was it right. And then the landmark reminds us. It helps us get our bearings and ensures we are heading in the right direction. Jeremiah preached in an age where the Old Testament church no longer held to the landmarks given by the LORD. They refused to look to the ancient paths. We live in a similar age where God’s given landmarks are rejected. When you come to the crossroads, as you will many times this year, where will you turn? Will you ask for direction? Will you seek the ancient path prepared by the blood of Jesus Christ? Jesus is God’s Positional Sacrifice, Who is the way. The markers found in God’s Word and the Sacraments all point us to Christ. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD for the grace to seek the ancient paths. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 23 - The danger of backsliding

“Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy (backsliding-NKJV) will reprove you…” - Jeremiah 2:19 Scripture reading: Jeremiah 2:1-19 Backsliding is a grave danger. It never comes overnight. It is little by little. The devil is content to use small measures so long as we move in the wrong direction. Before you know it, you are in a bad place. Time and again, people of the Old Testament Church turned their backs on the LORD. They wanted to be so much like the culture all around them. They lived with a false confidence. They thought that because the temple stood in their midst they would be saved from threatening enemies. They listened to false prophets. Their ears were tickled. They “went after worthlessness, and became worthless” (verse 5). The LORD uses His servant, Jeremiah, to contend with His people, to call them back over and over again. He lamented for His people and urged their repentance. The call fell on deaf ears. The Lord’s Day we are given is filled with many blessings. In freedom, we are unhindered from attending public worship services to be served by God’s Word. But if we are backslidden and refuse to heed God’s Word to us, we lose the blessing. Sitting in the church pew is of itself no guarantee of salvation. Faith needs to be living and lively. Be on your guard. Suggestions for prayer Pray that you would not be complacent. If you find yourself lukewarm, pray for rescue. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 22 - Be an ambassador

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,... be reconciled to God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:20 Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 5 Our nation has a particular set of principles and values which (at least historically) it holds near and dear. They are enshrined in the constitution and other historical documents. To let the rest of the world know, we appoint ambassadors, respected officials acting as the nation's representatives, to speak on behalf of the nation. It is extremely important work. The Bible speaks of the role of the believer as an ambassador. We serve the LORD, appointed as prophets, priests and kings. While believers recognize that the Christian’s primary citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), they also understand that they represent heaven here on earth. In his letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul presents the ministry as one that is rooted in reconciliation—the making of peace between God and man. Our reconciliation with God is only possible because Christ went to the cross and received the punishment due for our sin. Our reconciliation is based on the finished work of our Redeemer. In this world, believers represent another Kingdom (John 18:36) and it is both our responsibility and privilege to reflect the official position of heaven. The message of the King must go to the ends of the earth urging others to be reconciled to God. How do you see yourself as an ambassador? Suggestions for prayer Ask for the Holy Spirit’s favour to be faithful ambassadors for Christ. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 21 - Oh give thanks to the Lord

“Oh give thanks to the LORD” - 1 Chronicles 16:8 Scripture reading: 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 A contemporary catech...

Daily devotional

January 20 - Praying thy kingdom come

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom…” - Psalm 145:13 Scripture reading: Psalm 145 Jesus t...

Daily devotional

January 19 - Waiting

“Wait for the LORD…” - Psalm 27:14 �...

Daily devotional

January 18 - Choose

“Choose this day whom you will serve... but as for me…” - Joshua 24:15 �...

Daily devotional

January 17 - Responding to the world

“...the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them (God’s Words) into the fire... until the entire scroll was consumed…” - Jeremiah 36:23 Scripture reading: Jeremiah 36:1-32 God’s people are known as the people of the book. The Bible is God’s love letter to us proclaiming the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Bible opens up for us Kingdom Life. Our Scripture meditation today speaks of one who closed his heart to God’s Word. Jehoiakim symbolically testified to his rejection of God’s Word by burning the scroll, literally burning God’s message to him. Today much of Western society has rejected God’s Word. They give it no attention. Many scorn God’s Holy Word. What about you? Do you hold to the trustworthiness of Scripture from cover to cover? Are there parts of Scripture that we cut out with our “pen-knives”? May God in His grace give us this ongoing conviction: "He who has once got fairly into the Scriptures can never leave them. The book holds you as a magnet holds a needle, or as a flower holds a bee. If you want great thoughts, read your Bible. If you want something simple, read your Bible. The book talks to us in our own mother tongue. Why should I have to ask another what my Father says?" - C. H. Spurgeon Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to find us humble before Him and His Word of Promise. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 16 - Don’t forget to remember

“Take care lest you forget… You shall remember…” - Deuteronomy 8:11, 18 Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Our Scripture lesson instructs the Israelites just before they entered the promised land. In the strongest terms, Moses, on behalf of the LORD, warns the people not to become complacent. Complacency is a danger in any age. Some time ago, I read an account of one who went for a leisurely swim. The water was very accommodating and he covered a long distance with ease. He decided to swim out of the bay and into open water. But when he tried to return he couldn’t make any progress. He had been deceived by the current. The ease of swimming had not been due to his strength, but to the movement of the water. God had blessed the Israelites abundantly, but over and over again they became self-assured. They came to believe that it was by their own strength that they enjoyed the success they received. Already then the “spirit of the selfies” was alive and deadly. It is our sinful nature to go with the flow. It may be following trends in society at large or even wrong-headed trends in the church. It is only dead fish that flow with the current. By nature, we tend to forget that we are not self-reliant. Self-assurance is always deadly. Constantly we must remember that our help comes from the LORD. Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD for protection from deceptive currents. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 15 - The joy of the Lord is our strength

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” - Philippians 4:4 Scripture reading: Philippians 4:1-23 Do you know Christian joy? Do God’s promises give you strength in the midst of life’s challenges? Are you discouraged? Is your life seemingly adrift? Focusing on the joy of the Lord will help. Be encouraged by these words from Octavious Winslow: The religion of Christ is the religion of joy. Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prison house, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Is this not joy? Where can we find a joy so real, so deep, so pure, so lasting? There is every element of joy—deep, ecstatic, satisfying, sanctifying joy—in the gospel of Christ. The believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The child of God is, from necessity, a joyful man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality, his future is a heaven inconceivable, unthought of, untold, and endless blessedness. With such a God, such a Saviour, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not to be a joyful man? Suggestions for prayer Ask the LORD to help us focus on the joy of our salvation. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 14 - Dealing with our desires

“Desire without knowledge is not good... What is desired in man is steadfast love…” - Proverbs 20:2a & 22a Scripture reading: Proverbs 20:1-30 What is desire? It is to have an appetite or fondness for something outside of oneself. It is a longing or craving for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment. Someone once said “desire is like a river, as long as it flows within the banks of God’s will, all will be well. But if, it overflows those banks, it leads to all sorts of problems” How true! Desire can lead to sin. James speaks of temptation as being enticed by one’s own desire flowing out of our sinful flesh. One way to define the flesh is to drop the h and spell the remaining letters backwards. What do you have? SELF! Misplaced desire is self-centeredness, selfishness tending to focus on my own needs while being thoughtless and inconsiderate of the needs or feelings of others. However, we are also to earnestly desire the higher gifts (I Corinthians 12:31), the greatest of which is love. Proper desire requires knowledge and is rooted in steadfast love (Proverbs 20:2 & 22). In the context of fretfulness (because of evildoers), the Psalmist encourages the believer to delight in the LORD, and He “will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). But our greatest desire must always be the glory of God rooted in Christ. Suggestions for prayer Pray that Christ may always be our hope and heart’s desire Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 13 - Look to Jesus

“Therefore since we are surrounded... let us also lay aside... let us run... looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith…” - Hebrews...

Daily devotional

January 12 - Away from the body, at home with the Lord

Daily devotional

January 11 - Do your work

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” - Ecclesiastes 9:10a Scripture reading: Proverbs 23:23-27 Work is a blessing an...

Daily devotional

January 10 - A living hope

“...He has caused us to be born again to a living hope…” - 1 Peter 1:3 S...

Daily devotional

January 9 - Devote yourself

“Until I come, devote yourself to…” - 1 Timothy 4:13 Scripture reading: 1 Timothy 4:1-16 The letters to Timothy were written to encourage him in his work as a pastor. When you skim through them, you will immediately notice the wide range of instruction such as dealing with false teachers, prayer and instructions for both the church leadership and the life of the church. In our Scripture lesson today Timothy is encouraged to devote himself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and to teaching. To devote oneself is to concentrate on a particular pursuit, occupation, purpose, or cause. It is to be dedicated to our calling. Our Scripture lesson warns that some will depart from the faith because they have devoted themselves to “deceitful spirits and teaching of demons” (verse 1). The Christ-follower, however, presses forward in the faith delivered once for all. The believer understands that life is a journey that by God’s grace leads to the world to come, a journey that is fraught with danger and difficulty. To navigate that journey as good servants of Jesus Christ requires devotion. Today is already the second Lord’s Day in this new calendar year. God’s people will attend their local house of worship to give special attention to the Word of God. Will you devote yourself to receiving the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching? And for each day that follows? Suggestions for prayer Pray for God’s continued blessing on devoted public worship and devoted daily service. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 8 - A good soldier of Jesus Christ

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier…” - 2Timothy 2:3-4a Scripture reading: 2 Timothy 2:1-26 Yesterday we were reminded that the life of faith involves a fight. There are skirmishes and battle wounds. That fight is a fight for the truth. Even in the church at large, there are many who deny the truth. By nature, we do not focus on the faith delivered once for all. But if we are to be a Christian, we need to learn what true faith is, and believe it, and live it. Don’t get entangled by unnecessary snares. We need to learn what it is to starve our doubts and feed our faith, never forgetting this vile world is not a friend to grace. But also remember it is a good fight. It is a fight of victory. Remember Who has fought for us and won the victory. In the strength of our Saviour, we answer the call to stand up and live for the Truth. It is the fight that lays hold on eternal life. Eternal life is the prize of the high calling of God. Christ’s followers know that one day the battle will be done. They know that they shall enjoy every fruit of every promise. Will you fight? Suggestions for prayer: “Since I must fight if I would reign, increase my courage, Lord; I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word.” – Psalter Hymnal #465:4 Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 7 - Faith is a good fight

“Fight the good fight of faith” - 1 Timothy 6:12a Scripture reading: 1 Timothy 6:1-21 Our Scripture meditation today reminds us of three vital truths. There is a fight; it is a fight of faith and it is a good fight. If there were no enemies to faith, there would be no fight to it. We need to know the enemy and in God’s grace confront the enemy. Timothy as a young pastor needed encouragement to keep focused on the raging battle. The good fight of faith is the spiritual conflict with Satan’s kingdom of darkness in which believers are necessarily involved. As Paul began his letter to his understudy, Timothy, so he concludes it. The gospel is opposed from all sides. The world has declared war against Christ and His Kingdom. All around us the Word of God is ridiculed and spurned. Even within the church at large, the trustworthiness of the Scriptures is questioned and sadly denied. We have no option but to take up our post. The Greek word for “fight” gives us the English word “agonize”. It was used in both military and athletic endeavors to describe the concentration, discipline and extreme effort needed to win. Paul urged Timothy to fight, that is, to agonize for Christ’s cause. Are you a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb? Do you fear to own His cause, or blush to speak His Name? Suggestions for Prayer Ask for ongoing grace to be found faithful in the fight. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

January 6 - This will be a year of battle

“…wage the good warfare.” - 1 Timothy 1:18 Scripture reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-20 Our calling in this year remains the same as in the days gone by. To be a people of faith and faithfulness involves battle. Being a Christian is not smooth sailing. Already in this young year you have faced numerous temptations, whether you recognized them or not. We need to fight against sin - our sinful nature, the sinfulness of this world and even the devil himself. Are you fighting? What do you know about your sinful nature? Do you recognize the snares of this world for what they are? The world offers empty frivolity and hollow enticements which would have us become idol worshippers. Do you realize the enemy would always seek to accuse, to break down, to lead us astray? He is busy luring, ensnaring, goading into sin. Do you recognize the powers and principalities spoken of in Ephesians 6? Paul, by the Holy Spirit, instructed Timothy and by extension every Christian to fight the battle against the enemies of Christ and the gospel and to do so with a good conscience. A good conscience serves as a rudder that steers the believer through the rocks and reefs of sin and error. Be careful not to make shipwreck of your faith. Plan your strategy. Know your position in the battle. Suggestions for prayer Ask the Lord to help you wage the good warfare. Pray for wisdom and courage. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment. ...

Daily devotional

January 5 - He calls me by name

“...and I know you by name” - Exodus 33:17 Scripture reading: Exodus 33:1-...

Daily devotional

January 4 - Exalt the name of the Lord

“Oh magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” - Psalm 34:3 Scripture reading: Psalm...

Daily devotional

January 3 - Pay attention to God’s Word

“Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words.” - Jeremiah 18:18b Scripture reading: Jeremiah 18...

Daily devotional

January 2 - He leads me!

“He leads me beside… He leads me in…” - Psalm 23:2b-3b ...

Daily devotional

Introduction to January

In some ways, the New Year simply marks the passage of one day into the next. There is nonetheless, real significance in the turning of the calendar from one year to another. The beginning of a New Year especially draws our attention to the unfolding journey that brings us from this world to the next, a journey through time until time no more. The believer, confident in God’s sovereign design, trusts that his or her times are secure: our times are in His Hand! This month we want to take some time reflecting on our unfolding journey. We will meditate both on how we are to live before the LORD and on His provisions for us on the way. Together, we will be both challenged and encouraged to seek the Lord and His purposes. Our meditation D.V. will help us focus on the Lord’s promise and call in our lives. Be encouraged day by day to know that the LORD is our Helper. Keep your eye on that day when time shall be no more. “Hours and days and years and ages swift as moving shadows flee; "As we scan life’s fleeting pages, naught enduring do we see; "On the paths our feet are wending, footprints all will be effaced; "Present time to past is tending, though its page is not erased.” – Psalter Hymnal 474 Stanza 1 May you experience a blessed New Year! May God’s peace be your joy! May God’s purposes be your desire! January 1 - Teach us... “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” - Psalm 90:12 Scripture reading: Psalm 90:1-17 A blessed New Year to you! Psalm 90 teaches us the frailty of man in the context of God’s eternality. It is a prayer offered by Moses in which he asks our heavenly Father to have mercy on His children who live in this sin-cursed world. Life is short and apart from God’s blessing, that curse consumes. We see it in the world all around us. Psalm 90 reminds us of the brevity of life. Seventy years soon fly by. But we may live each day given us, knowing that God’s promises are sure. His ear is open to the believer’s cry. The favor of our heavenly Father, His beauty, is upon His children. They can and must trust that He will satisfy us with His steadfast love (vs.14) and establish the work of our hands (vs.17). May this new year find us often in prayer asking for the Lord’s nearness in all that we are called to be and do. Pray for a heart of wisdom so that we may redeem the time. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). Seek His holy will. Suggestions for prayer Pray in earnest for a heart of wisdom. Pray for the grace to live according to God’s will. Rev. Peter Vellenga is presently serving as itinerant preacher waiting upon Lord for continued assignment....

Daily devotional

December 31 - Alpha and Omega

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” - Revelation 22:12-13 Scripture reading: Matthew 2:8-23 The history of the Lord Jesus Christ has not ended. Even today, we are still a part of the story and we will be part of the end, one way or another. The Bible ends with reminders that He will return and that it will be sooner than is expected. For many, it has been too easy to think that tomorrow will be like today and the next year smoother than the last. The Lord, however, often reminds us to be ready for His return. When He comes again, it will not be as a Child laid in a manger. He will come as the Judge and the conquering King. He will come as the all-powerful Son of God. Many people were not ready for His first coming. By and large, as time passed, they rejected Him. Only a few faithful women and one disciple were at His cross. Very few, at first, came to the tomb. When it is your time, or His time to return, will you be ready? Will you meet Him with joy? As you enter another year, know that you are reconciled to God through His blood! Be sure that you have kissed the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way! (Psalm 2:12). It will not be long, when rather than seeing Him dimly, it shall be face to face. May you be one of those that looks forward to His coming with joy, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" Suggestion for prayer Pray that the church of Jesus Christ would be ready to meet her bridegroom! Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 30 - No reputation

“Christ Jesus… made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” - Philippians 2:7-8 Scripture reading: Philippians 2:1-11 We cannot forget the purpose of the incarnation of Christ. Taking on flesh was a means to an end; it was a step to a much greater commitment. He was born so that He might die in place of sinners. Now is a good time to be reminded of this and to remind others as well. If this time becomes a time of focusing merely on His birth, there will be little profit in it. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ was one of humble obedience, even from his youth (Luke 2:40, 52). He refused to sin; He refused to take shortcuts when tempted (Luke 4:8). He kept the law of God perfectly. On the cross, He Who knew no sin became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). This was a lifetime, and death, of intense humiliation and yet perfect obedience and glory. In a world that has twisted the history of the Saviour and even forgotten the real reason for His coming, let us never forget the rest of the story. This is a time when good news is needed and when the fields are white for the harvest. Jesus Christ came to save sinners and His incarnation is the start of a sobering and joyful story. When people speak about the birth of Christ, let us not be afraid to “spoil the party” by also telling of His death and resurrection and the need for that death. This will be the greatest gift you can give, the gift of the good news! Suggestion for prayer Pray for a growing understanding of the humble obedience of the Son of God and how it was necessary for the forgiveness of our sins. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 29 - Wise men

“…when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.” - Matthew 2:11 Scripture reading: Matthew 2:8-23 This group of wise men, or Magi, would not have been ordinary men. They had the resources to make a significant journey and to bring treasures as gifts. Their presence had caused quite a stir in Jerusalem. They would have been some of the most educated men of their time. By earthly standards, these were prominent men. Yet we see them “rejoicing with exceeding joy” when they are led again by the star, then falling down and worshipping a poor child! J. C. Ryle says about this scene, “We read of no greater faith than this in the whole volume of the Bible.” While we may not be able to judge whether that statement is strictly true, there is something to Ryle’s sentiment. This was a poor family, in a small, obscure village, in what was undoubtedly an ordinary house. Yet these mighty men fall down and worship! The Lord had indeed given them true wisdom and great faith! It is not natural or normal for accomplished wise men to bow easily to anyone, much less in such a place. It is not natural for anyone, apart from the Holy Spirit's work, to seek or bow before the Lord Jesus. These men, however, had been given eyes to see Who was before them. Our own pilgrimages have the same goal: to know Him, enjoy Him and worship Him forever. Will you join these wise men in the eternal worship of the King of kings? Come, let us adore Him! Suggestion for prayer Pray for the true wisdom that seeks the King of kings and leads to His worship! Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel. ...

Daily devotional

December 28 - A troubled city

“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” - Matthew 2:3 Scripture reading: Matthew 2:1-7 We should no...

Daily devotional

December 27 - Anna’s evangelism

“…she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” - Luke 2:38 Scripture reading: Luke...

Daily devotional

December 26 - Simeon’s joy

“…my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the g...

Daily devotional

December 25 - The shepherd’s testimony

“Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.” - Luke 2:20 ...

Daily devotional

December 24 - The firstborn son

“She brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” - Luke 2:7 Scripture reading: Luke 2:1-7 The word firstborn has a special meaning here. We would already know this reality from the context; it would be obvious. The term “firstborn” highlights the special status of this Son. The birth of a firstborn child is always a special moment; it is the moment we start parenting. There was even more to this status in Bible times. God had taught his people from the moment they left Egypt that their firstborn children belonged to Him (Luke 2:23). They had to pay a special redemption price for their firstborn sons, similar to what they had to offer the first fruits of their harvest. There was an expectation that the Messiah would be a firstborn King, made evident by prophecy (Psalm 89:26-27). The word “firstborn” here is as much a title as it is a description. It indicates that despite the poverty and shame in this scene, this Child is indeed the Chosen One. Mary gives her Son the very best care, respect and love that she can. She is deeply impressed by these events (Luke 2:19). She was caring for the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29). He is the firstborn over all creation, the owner of everything (Colossians 1:15). He is the only firstborn that is worthy of worship (Hebrews 1:6). He is the firstborn from the dead and the ruler over the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5). His birth would change everything. The coming of the Lord’s angels in the following verses was a sign of these truths! Suggestion for prayer Pray that God’s gift of His firstborn Son would once again be seen as the hope of all the earth. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 23 - A sad journey

“Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea… to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.” - Luke 2:4-5 Scripture reading: Luke 2:1-5 The birth story of Jesus Christ begins under tyranny. Caesar Augustus, who was even thought of as a god, was busy ensuring that his empire would be taxed efficiently. This meant that lives were upended, all so that the Romans could have the information necessary to dominate their subjects. People like Joseph, who worked as a tradesman, were not wealthy. A command to travel like this meant hardship and loss. To make matters worse, his fiancé was expecting. This did not look good to the community and it was not an ideal time for a journey. Pregnancy was very hazardous in those times. Everything about the scene is sad and difficult. When they came to their destination, things did not get better. There was no comfortable place to stay; there was no room for them in a dwelling or inn. They ended up in a stable, a barn, or perhaps the courtyard of a home where animals were kept. Sadly, much of what is thought of as “Christmas” romanticizes this scene. This is not good! There was little or nothing cozy or ideal about this situation. These would have been miserable and degrading circumstances. The Lord had chosen to “make Himself of no reputation” and “take the form of a bondservant” (Philippians 2:7). This scene is about the Lord Jesus beginning to take the place of sinners. The reason for this situation is that “…He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Suggestion for prayer Pray for a realistic view of the incarnation and that many would see the true reason for the humility of Christ. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 22 - His name is Jesus

“She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21 Scripture reading: Matthew 1:18-24 Joseph had a unique role in the history of salvation. It was his calling to be stepfather to the Son of God! He would have a difficult life, being forced to move multiple times. The angel's visit must have been precious to him, as he may have done things far differently had he not received it. One of his most important assignments was the naming of Jesus. In ancient times, names were not chosen for their appealing sound. Most new parents did not discuss whether first names "fit" well with middle names or last names. They chose names that were significant to families and that a child was expected to live up to. In this case, the name was ultimately chosen by God for His Son. Jesus is a short form for “Jehovah-saves.” Jehovah, or Yahweh, is the covenant name of the Lord. It means that He is the truly existing God Who also visits His people. Jesus is also the Greek version of the Old Testament name Joshua. Joshua was called to lead the army of Israel into battle, with impossible odds against them. Time and time again, they learned that the battle belonged to the Lord. Jesus would become a far greater saviour than Joshua, however. He would not merely save from enemies, but from sin itself. He was not simply a symbol of Jehovah’s help. He was and is Jehovah Who saves. Joseph was given one of the most important tasks in all of history: declaring the name of Jesus! Suggestion for prayer Pray for a greater understanding of the true significance of the name Jesus in a world that uses His name so lightly! Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 21 - A miracle child

“Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John… he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” - Luke 1:13,16 Scripture reading: Luke 1:1-25 The Lord chose, on several occasions, to mark His work in history with unusual birth stories. Some examples include the births of Isaac, Samuel, Samson and John the Baptist. These births were like signposts, or markers, reminding that the Lord alone could provide deliverance for His people. These occasions were also surrounded by signs such as announcements by angels. Strange, miraculous things happened! Elizabeth was “well advanced in years” and yet was expecting a baby. Zacharias was visited by an angel and was unable to speak for months. The baby boy was given an unusual name and was filled with the Holy Spirit. He would live an extraordinary life in the wilderness, even as a youth. All of these things were proof that the Lord was working out his plan in history. John the Baptist was sent to get the attention of God’s people. They needed a wake-up call, a call to repentance. They needed to be prepared to meet the Lord Jesus. Though we live in different times, is it not true that many need the same call today? A call to be turned, away from themselves, away from worldliness and away from superficial religion? Are you prepared to meet the Lord when He returns? Are your friends and your family ready? One day, all of us will have to meet Him face-to-face. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and His impending arrival ought to fill us with reverence! Suggestion for prayer Pray for those that do not see their need to be turned to the Lord God, that the preaching of the gospel would lead them to true repentance. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 20 - Called out of Egypt

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.” - Hosea 11:1 Scripture reading: Hosea 11:1-9 It is interesting t...

Daily devotional

December 19 - A ruler from Bethlehem

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Isra...

Daily devotional

December 18 - The root and the branch

Isaiah 11:1–2 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon ...

Daily devotional

December 17 - The Prince of peace

“...unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,...

Daily devotional

December 16 - Kiss the son

“Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way.” - Psalm 2:11–12 Scripture reading: Psalm 2:1-12 Psalm 2 pictures the nations of the world and their leaders engaged in rebellion against God. They are even foolishly plotting together to break free from God’s control. God’s response to their plots is laughter! (v.4) It is a rare scene in scripture, almighty God laughing, and so it should cause us to take notice! This laughter highlights how utterly foolish it is to resist God. Rather than bend to the will of rebels, He promises to install His Son as King of Kings and have Him rule with a rod of iron. We still live in a time where Psalm 2 is playing out. The nations rage and rebel against God. But the reality is that Christ rules over them and He will completely conquer them in the end. He will also conquer you, if He has not already. The call of Psalm 2 is to recognize His Lordship and to bow before Him before it is too late. It is a call to stop rebelling and to start serving the Lord with fear. The command given is: “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry.” A kiss was a symbol of intimate friendship and trust. But here it comes with a warning. We might say, “kiss and make-up” before it is too late! Would you consider yourself a rebel or a loyal subject to Christ the King? Have you come before Him, confessing your sin and professing your trust in Him? Blessed are those who put their trust in Him! Suggestion for prayer Pray for rebellious leaders or acquaintances that they would repent and bow to the King of Kings before it is too late! Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 15 - The Redeemer

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.” - Job 19:25-26 Scripture reading: Job 19:1-29 The suffering of Job was emotional, physical and spiritual. He lost his family, possessions and health. By chapter 19, however, Job was in the process of losing even more. His relationship with his friends was strained. Rather than comforting him, they began to attack his reputation. In this intense suffering, Job came to a strong, prophetic confession of faith in his Redeemer. He had faith that his Redeemer was alive, even already at that time. He also trusted that this Redeemer would one day come to stand on the earth. His Redeemer would be his champion and vindicator, the One Who would conquer death on Job’s behalf. We don’t know precisely when Job lived, but it was more than 1500 years before Christ, perhaps more than 2000. Certainly, this account is very, very ancient. And yet this man, in the midst of his intense suffering, had a very clear view of the Son of God. Job’s hope was fulfilled in the incarnation and the resurrection of Christ. Yet, he even looks further forward, hoping for the time when Job himself would be resurrected and see his Saviour with his own eyes! This enduring faith has lived in the hearts of God’s children for thousands of years. Still to this day, believers who suffer greatly often display great faith. One day, that faith will be replaced by sight “...we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Suggestion for prayer Pray that your hope in the Redeemer and His resurrection would grow in the face of trials. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 14 - A house, father, and son

“He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.” - 2 Samuel 7:13–14 Scripture reading: Psalm 122 A good king, president or prime minister can undoubtedly make a difference. Try to imagine the changes in Israel a few years after David became king! Enemy nations had been driven back. Strong borders were established. Tensions between tribes were subdued. A new capital city, Jerusalem, had been established. There was, however, one thing that David was not allowed to accomplish. David had hoped that he could build the temple, a house for God in Jerusalem. But God told him that rather than David building Him a house, God would build David’s house (2 Samuel 7:11). It would be his son, Solomon, that would build the temple. Also, David’s sons, if they kept God’s commandments, would rule Israel forever! God even promised that He would be like a Father to the son of David! Sadly, however, David’s descendants did not end up keeping God’s law. They began to rule wickedly and even to encourage idolatry. They failed to keep their side of the covenant. Finally, even the kings ended up in exile as slaves, far from the promised land. That story, however, ends with a glimmer of hope. Jehoiachin, the last king of Judah, was spared and allowed to eat at the emperor's table (2 Kings 25:29). Though they were far from home, God preserved the line of the kings of Judah so that Jesus Christ could be born as the true Son of David (Matthew 1:16). Though the merely human sons of David were incapable of maintaining a kingdom, the Son rules all nations forever! Suggestion for prayer Pray “...for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:2). Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 13 - Israel needs a King

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 17:6 Scripture reading: Judges 17:1-13 It is not natural for people to admit that they need the King of kings to rule over them. Our culture has taught us that every person knows what is best for themselves. It is thought that as long as people can freely choose their path, all will be well with them. A similar worldview prevailed in the time of the Judges. The Israelites quickly forgot the leadership of Moses and the law of God. They began to assume that they knew best what was right. The result was one of the darkest periods in Israel's history. Idolatry, covetousness, perversity and violence multiplied. So the refrain of Judges was, “...there was no king in Israel.” The book recounts some of the worst times in the Bible. This period was like a dark backdrop being painted in preparation for the anointing of the kings. In time, David and then Solomon would be appointed and they would unite the nation and establish the house of God at its center. Under their rule, there would be greater peace, safety and justice. Their kingdom, however, was a mere shadow of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. When the wise men came in Matthew 2, they were directed to Bethlehem. It was out of Bethlehem that would “...come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:6). The need for this King is more profound than the need for good politicians or godly leaders. You need Him to rule over you: your thoughts, words, and deeds! Suggestion for prayer Pray that many will see their need for the Lord Jesus to rule over them by His Word and Spirit. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 12 - The star of Jacob

“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Sceptre shall rise out of Israel.” - Numbers 24:17 Scr...

Daily devotional

December 11 - Standing in the breach

“He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.” -...

Daily devotional

December 10 - Spiritual drink

“...all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock...

Daily devotional

December 9 - The baptism of Israel

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into M...

Daily devotional

December 8 - Separated from Egypt

“And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel.” - Exodus 14:19–20 Scripture reading: Exodus 14:1-20 Egypt was a mighty empire, and its kings were used to getting what they wanted. They had the most impressive cities and building projects. Like many empires throughout history, however, their prosperity depended on slaves. When Moses finally led the nation of Israel out of slavery, Pharaoh soon realized what he was losing. But when Pharaoh’s army came after them, Israel was not alone. The LORD Himself, Jehovah, was leading them out of Egypt in a pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21). When Pharaoh approached that evening, this cloud moved between the camps. Can you imagine setting up camp that evening? Just a few moments ago, it had seemed that they were doomed. Fear had taken over. But that night, it did not even get dark for Israel! The cloud, which was dark to the Egyptians, was light on their side. All through the night, the LORD stood with His people. They had nothing to fear. Thousands of years later, Jesus would make the same journey out of Egypt as a child. His family would live in that foreign country for a time so that it could be said, "Out of Egypt, I have called my Son" (Matthew 2:15). He took the form of a slave for His people and He walked the same paths they did. He was tempted and tested, and He proved His perfect love and care for us. He is truly God Who is with us and He will never leave or forsake His people! Suggestion for prayer Pray that you will not slip into fear of enemies or dangers, but have faith in the God who is near to His people. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 7 - Saviour of many

“...as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” - Genesis 50:20 Scripture reading: Genesis 50:15-21 In the Old Testament, the people of Israel often found themselves in trouble. There were famines, plagues, wars and exiles. In these times of crisis, however, God repeatedly raised up saviors for His people. There were great leaders who ruled wisely or fought battles with courage. The first of these “national” saviors was Joseph. An unlikely candidate, Joseph was a younger brother and disliked by his siblings. His brothers were so evil that they even sold him into slavery, to be taken into a far-away land. Then, things got even worse for Joseph: he was falsely accused and thrown in prison! Yet the Lord blessed him and made him a wise counselor and an interpreter of dreams. Joseph eventually became the prime minister of Egypt, preparing that nation for a famine. His wisdom was used so that his own family could be provided with food! His brothers, however, began to fear Joseph. They expected that after their father died, now-powerful Joseph might take revenge. But Joseph understood that God meant his trials for good so that he could save his family. God had taught him, and was now teaching his brothers, that they needed a savior. They needed one who would suffer for them and have wisdom that was greater than theirs. They needed a savior who could feed them and "save many people alive." What a privilege it is to know the Saviour Who went to a lower place than Joseph did for sinners, Who is perfectly merciful and patient, and Who nourishes our souls! Suggestion for prayer Pray for grace and patience to forgive those that have wronged you in the past. Pray for the wisdom to see that God’s difficult providences will work for the good of His people. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 6 - God will provide

“Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.”” - Genesis 22:8 Scripture reading: Genesis 22:1-24 Abraham and Sarah had waited decades for a son. Though they had been led by the Lord and blessed with possessions, the future seemed bleak without an heir. Yet Abraham believed in the Lord’s covenant promises (Genesis 15:6), and in due time they were blessed with the birth of Isaac. He filled their home with joy, but then that difficult day of Abraham’s testing came. God said to him, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:2). Obediently, Abraham set out, even leaving early in the morning! It seems unthinkable for us; how could a father sacrifice his son? But Abraham went with faith in his heart. He trusted God’s promises that Isaac would be his heir. Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham had concluded: “...that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead.” Abraham walked up that mountain because he had faith, faith that God would preserve his son, confidence in the Resurrection and the Life. He had faith that God would provide a substitute. By his obedience, Abraham proved that he had the same faith that we are called to: faith that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and the Lamb of God. Many people have a deep sense of guilt; they think they need to sacrifice to cover their sins. Christ, however, has been provided as the perfect substitute for sinners! Suggestion for prayer Pray for forgiveness for sins of unbelief and for strong faith as you face trials or tests. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 5 - The comfort of rest

“...he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed.”” - Genesis 5:29 Scripture reading: Genesis 8:1-22 Although Genesis 5 is only a few pages into the Bible, we see what a mess the world had already become! Violence and vengeance had multiplied. Minds and hearts were filled with wickedness. It was hard work to survive. In the middle of this cursed world, however, some believers called on the name of the LORD (Gen. 4:26). There was a line of fathers and sons who feared God. One was Enoch, who walked with God. We can see that Enoch’s grandson Lamech also trusted the LORD, because he prophetically named his son Noah. Noah means “rest.” In the middle of a world of sin and fearsome violence, Lamech hoped that God would use Noah to bring rest. Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). He would build the ark for the flood that would wash the world. His household would be preserved (Hebrews 11:7). When they stepped off of the ark after the flood, they would be safe from the wicked hordes that used to roam the earth. The reality, however, was that even a gigantic flood was not enough to fix the world’s problem with sin. Noah, and his sons, would still be sinners. Even building a massive ark could not save them from themselves. Lamech’s ultimate hope would be fulfilled in his descendant, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ promise was, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Those that believe in Jesus Christ have entered His rest! (Hebrews 4:3). Suggestion for prayer Pray for Christians who struggle in a world of temptations and threats, that they would find rest in Christ and that households would be set apart. Pastor Robert VanDoodewaard currently serves the Free Reformed Church in Powassan, Ontario, Canada as a minister of the gospel....

Daily devotional

December 4 - The seed promise

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” - Gen...

Daily devotional

December 3 - All the scriptures

“...beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” - Luke 24:27 Scripture ...

Daily devotional

December 2 - The word who created

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him,...

Daily devotional

December 1 - Introduction to "things concerning [Christ]"

Daily devotional

November 30 - Life through death

“And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” - John 12:23-24 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 13:20-21 It is a bizarre episode in the life of Elisha. That statement is actually inaccurate. It is a bizarre episode after the death of Elisha. What does this quick end to a funeral teach us? First, whatever we accomplish is done by the power of God. Elisha is dead and God still works, without human cooperation. This is a fitting capstone to Elisha’s ministry. He was just the instrument; God was the power. Elisha can leave the scene, but God can still work. Second, God restores. The body was thrown into the grave, like Israel would later be thrown into exile. Just as the body was restored, Israel would be too. What an encouragement to them and to us who feel so strongly sin’s devastation. God can restore. Third, God is preaching the gospel here. There is life through Jesus’ death. Death is defeated through Jesus’ own death. Or think of it another way. Exile from the garden was the punishment for Adam and Eve’s sin. Exile from the Promised Land was the punishment for Israel’s sin. Exile from the presence of God was the punishment Christ received for His people’s sin. He was exiled, but then raised to life. In His death and resurrection is our life and salvation. How do you receive the benefits of the gospel? Through contact with the Prophet of the Lord. The man touched Elisha’s bones and sprang up and revived. The woman touched the hem of Jesus’s garments and was healed. For us, the point of contact is faith in the Lord Jesus. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the willingness of Christ to enter into our exile that we might know the restoring grace of God. Pray for grace to be willing to be an instrument of His power. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

Daily devotional

November 29 - Containment not destruction

“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.” - Romans 6:11-12 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 13:10-25 Joash could have completely destroyed the Syrians if he had only struck the ground five or six times. Elisha had told him that the arrow signified victory. Joash was not availing himself of the promises of God. Evidently, he had more arrows. He wasn’t eager to destroy the Syrians; for some reason he was content to have them contained. Before we blast him for such foolishness, consider that that isn’t unlike how we often are. We live sub-par lives because we don’t avail ourselves of all the resources God has offered us. He has told us that sin will not have dominion over us since we are not under law, but under grace. He has told us that we are to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. Why then, are we still content to serve sin? Why don’t we finish with those life dominating sins that only lead to death? Why do we go back to drunkenness or pornography or greed or self-centredness? Why not strike them down and make an end of them? Is it because we have foolishly befriended our enemies and are loath to be completely free from them? May God have mercy on us! Thankfully King Jesus completely destroyed the enemy. He was tempted to make concessions, but He didn’t. In the power of the Spirit, He was valiant, even when the enemy’s destruction meant His own death. Trust in Christ for His victory and in God for His promised strength to put our enemy to flight. Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the victory of Christ in His death and resurrection. Pray that we would know the resources God has promised us in Christ and be eager to destroy remaining sin in our lives. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

Daily devotional

November 28 - The assembly assembled

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly1 of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” - Hebrews 12:22-24 Scripture reading: Revelation 7:9-17 What a day of rejoicing that will be! The saints of God from all times and places gathered in one multitude in the presence of God and the Lamb, lifting up their hearts and voices in loud cries that adore the God of our salvation. What a day of rejoicing that will be! Our weekly worship is a foretaste of that and we should experience it as heaven on earth. It is a microcosm of heavenly worship. We gather with the saints in the presence of God to declare His glory. Of course, the saints are not yet the saints made perfect. Of course, our worship is still tainted by sin. Of course, our vision of God in all His Triune glory is still not as sharp as it will be. After all, we now see by faith; then, by sight. Of course, we come to corporate worship from lives that are marred by living in this sin-cursed world. What we experience each Lord’s Day is not exactly what we will experience. However, it is the closest experience we have to what the saints will one day experience when Christ returns in all His glory. That should make us cherish the weekly assembly of the saints. That our experience now differs from what we shall experience then, should make us long for the coming again of our Saviour when He will finally usher us into the presence of God and say, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Suggestions for prayer Thank God for the joy of corporate worship. Remember in prayer the saints scattered throughout the world who will one day be gathered together with us before the throne of God. Pray that the Lord Jesus may come quickly so that we may worship God in perfection. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

Daily devotional

November 27 - Judgement!

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”” - Revelation 6:9-10 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 9-10 These chapters don’t make for easy reading. We might feel we need to apologize for God, but it is better to understand than to be embarrassed by it. These events fall out according to His Word. Why did God ordain such a severe judgement? It is important to note that those who are judged are judged justly. They were Baal worshippers like Ahab, his wife and sons. They did evil in the eyes of the Lord and some were prophets of Baal who sought to turn God’s people away from the Lord. We also note that this slaughter is the outflow of God’s love for His own. He avenges the blood of His children. Note 2 Kings 9:21 where Jehu meets Joram at the property of Naboth, the righteous man killed by Ahab. Judgement followed His patience. It had been years since judgement was announced against Ahab’s family. There was ample opportunity for them to repent. They squandered God’s mercy and ripened themselves for God’s wrath. Jehu was God’s agent of judgement, but even he did not walk in the law of the Lord with all his heart. Christ, the King, is greater than Jehu. He served the Lord with all His heart and carried out the judgement of God with His shed blood. Not judgement against His enemies, but judgement for His enemies. That is the first part of Christ’s ministry. After years of patience He will tread the winepress of God’s wrath. Be sure that you have sworn allegiance to Him as your Sovereign and Saviour. Suggestions for prayer Ask God to give you a sense of the seriousness of His judgement. Thank Him for the willingness of Christ to be condemned in our place. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

Daily devotional

November 26 - A weeping prophet

“And when drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on his day the things that make for pe...

Daily devotional

November 25 - The restorer of fortunes

“When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongues with songs of j...

Daily devotional

November 24 - Deliverance delivered, declared, doubted, and denied

Daily devotional

November 23 - Devastation and deliverance

“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 pr...

Daily devotional

November 22 - Sweet revenge

“Let all the house of Israel, therefore, know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” - Acts 2:36-38 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 6:15-23 Sometimes the Lord brings deliverance through His people’s actions. Think of David against Goliath. Sometimes it is through prayer. That’s what happened here. Elisha prays and the enemy is subdued. Then something surprising happens. Elisha leads them to the king of Israel and rather than being destroyed, a great feast is prepared for them before they are sent home. It is a foretaste of the Gentile inclusion in the Church when the gospel comes. It is also an illustration of how God has commanded us to treat our enemies. More than that, this story shows us the way God, in Jesus Christ, settles the score with His enemies. In this time of grace, God repays their evil with good. Think of how Jesus prayed for His killers’ forgiveness while on the cross. And how Peter, His ambassador, offers forgiveness to those who had Jesus’ blood on their hands. Don’t you love that about the gospel? We are God’s enemies and the Lord Jesus shows us hospitality instead of hostility as He welcomes us to feast on Him and with Him. Of course, this isn’t the only way God deals with His enemies. If His offer of grace and kindness is spurned, He will punish, and all the more severely because of that rejection. God’s revenge. Is it possible to think about God’s revenge as ‘sweet revenge’? I don’t mean that He takes malicious delight in judging His enemies. What I mean is that His way of paying back evil is by giving good. And that is sweet revenge. Suggestions for prayer Pray that we would be dumbfounded and astonished by the surprising grace of God in Jesus Christ. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

Daily devotional

November 21 - Our worship leader

“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.” - Hebrews 8:1-2 Scripture reading: Hebrews 2:1-13 Today we gather for worship. As a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:3), we assemble in the presence of God. Do we grasp the glory of what is going on? Understanding what this passage tells us about the presence of Christ in our worship should both humble and excite us. First, the Lord Jesus is the One Who leads us into the presence of God. It must be Him because we have no access on our own. Verse 13 tells us that He comes into God’s presence and that He comes together with those whom He has brought into God’s family by the new birth. Christ leads us into the presence of God. Second, verse 12 tells us that Christ is the One Who sings with us. The Lord Jesus, as He gathers with His people, sings the praises of His God. Isn’t it a wonderful thing to think that Jesus leads us in God’s praises? Third, verse 12 tells us Christ is the One Who preaches to us. The Lord Jesus, as He gathers with His people, tells of God’s name to His brothers. When the Word of God is faithfully preached, it is the Lord Jesus Who is preaching. Jesus Himself mentioned that His Church is gathered into His sheepfold as they listen to His voice (John 10:17). There really is nothing humdrum about our public gatherings. Christ, the ascended high priest, gathers with us to lead us to God, to sing with us and preach to us. Who would want to miss such an assembly? Suggestions for prayer Pray that we would cherish the blessing of corporate worship and have a sense that our worship leader, the Lord Jesus Christ, is amongst us. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

Daily devotional

November 20 - Seeing with our ears

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” - Psalm 119:18 Scripture reading: 2 Kings 6:8-19 To the king of Syria’s thinking, the only person standing between him and victory over Israel was Elisha. Remove him and victory was his. This particular episode is a single battle in the great war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, and this is the same strategy Satan would later use against Christ. Take Christ down and victory was his. That’s why all the forces and strategies of Satan are unleashed against our Lord. Unsuccessful in that, Satan continues to fight against the believers, the soldiers of Christ. We might not see him, but he is the one behind all the trials and temptations of our lives. It isn’t only the invisible Satan we must see. Like Elisha’s servant, we need the Lord to open our eyes to see the power and victory of God. As the servant saw the mountains full of horses and chariots, we need to see that “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). We need to see the unseen victor Who shall one day be the undisputed Lord of lords. We need to see the unseen enemy and the unseen victor. How do we see the unseen? It’s not the optometrist we need, but the audiologist. We see through our ears. We learn of the schemes of our enemy and the victory of our God in Christ as we listen to the reading and preaching of the Word of God with ears that have been opened by the Spirit of God. Suggestions for prayer Remember to lift up your Pastor as tomorrow he enters the pulpit to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. Pray that you will hear and be encouraged by the recounting of the wonderful works of God. Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017....

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Search CATEGORY: Daily devotional

Daily devotional

June 6 - Her warfare is ended

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June 5 - The Spirit as wind and fire

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June 4 - A sobering message

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June 3 - Serious about sin

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June 2 - The call of Isaiah

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June 1 - Introduction to the book of Isaiah

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May 31 - Living to the praise of his glorious grace!

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May 30 - Growing in grace, knowledge, and gratitude

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May 29 - Gratitude for God’s grace and peace

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May 28 - Praise from a grateful heart

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May 27 - Living as grateful adopted children

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May 26 - Grateful praise to our ascended Lord!

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May 25 - Gratitude for immeasurable riches

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May 24 - Contentment and gratitude

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May 23 - Gratitude for cleansing

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May 22 - The law and our expression of gratitude

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May 21 - Living a life of gratitude

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May 20 - God’s grace: The cause for our gratitude

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May 19 - The immeasurable grace of our triune God

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May 18 - The inward yet abiding grace of the Holy Spirit

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May 17 - Grace upon grace through Christ

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May 16 - Our gracious father in heaven

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May 15 - God’s grace in the sacraments

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May 14 - Grace for the chief of sinners

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May 13 - God’s grace sufficient to remove our shame

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May 12 - Grace given us before the beginning of time

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May 11 - Grace far greater than our sin

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May 10 - “But now…”

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May 9 - Your own worst enemy