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Search TAG: Nearer to God daily devotional

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Daily devotional

Thursday July 26 - The graves were opened

The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised… – Matthew 27:52-53 Scripture reading: Matthew 27...
Daily devotional

Wednesday July 25 – "Not one of His bones will be broken"
Daily devotional

Tuesday July 24 – "Today you will be with me in Paradise"
Daily devotional

Monday July 23 – They divided my garments among them
The Rest
Daily devotional

Sunday July 22 – The last Passover celebration

“… I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” – Luke 22:14-16 Scripture reading: Luke 22:7-20 Now, for the last time, the Lord Jesus wants to celebrate the Passover with His disciples. It provides an opportunity to place His own suffering and death as the Lamb of God in their sight! Ever since its institution, Passover signified the joy of deliverance, the gratitude over the escape from death (not only of the firstborn, but of all God’s people!). The Passover lamb made them look forward to the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God! At the beginning of His ministry, John the Baptist had pointed Him out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” And now, He is ready to fulfill the Passover and to do so for them, for us! That’s the gospel that has been proclaimed ever since. Today again, we may hear that He has placed us in the glorious liberty of the children of God. We may celebrate this too, in the Lord’s Supper. However, just as the Israelites celebrated Passover in the midst of their Exodus, and continued it throughout their wilderness journey, we too must celebrate the Lord’s Supper in faith and believe that we have been set free… even though we may not yet see this clearly. We have the promise that Christ will celebrate this with us in the Kingdom of His Father! He will set us in the glorious freedom of His children in God’s Kingdom! The wilderness journey will end up in Canaan, the Promised Land, on the new earth where He will drink the wine new with us! Suggestions for prayer Pray for enlightened eyes of faith. Ask God for the power of His Spirit and Word, for the strengthening of our faith. Thank Him for the gifts and benefits we receive by faith in Christ. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Saturday July 21 - O Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets...!

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…! – Luke 13:34-35 Scripture reading: Luke 11:37-54 Although Christ’s suffering and death was a divine necessity, this does not excuse His murderers, not His killers in the church either. This is the reality the Lord Jesus exposes in this lament over Jerusalem. Throughout the ages, God’s prophets were abused and even killed. Even today, this same abuse of God’s servants continues with the poor attitude of ignoring the Word that’s proclaimed, sleeping in church, criticizing the preaching, rejecting the admonitions and bad-mouthing the preachers. Ultimately, however, those who so conduct themselves in the church of Christ are treating Him again the way He suffered! Jesus articulates this sad fact powerfully in the image of a hen gathering her brood under her wings. Thus, Christ is seeking us by His Word and Spirit, with the means of grace, through the instruments of preachers: He wants to gather us, protect us and care for us, especially against the fierce attacks of Satan, against the wolves in sheep's clothing! Why is this so? We don’t see the dangers, sense the need for protection and heed the admonitions? Instead of saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD!” we approach Him again and again with the words “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Let us never forget how He bore for us the scorn and abuse, that He might protect us and spare us for life. He protected us from the severe wrath and curse of God that we may be blessed and preserved in God’s love and care by the preaching of the gospel! Suggestions for prayer Pray for your minister, for your elders, and ask that God may help them in speaking and us in listening. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Friday July 20 – Get away, Herod wants to kill you!

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go, and tell that fox…" – Luke 13:31-33 Scripture reading: Luke 12:1-12 The Lord Jesus’ preaching was effective in Galilee. The Pharisees didn’t like this, neither did Herod. For the Pharisees, He is competition, while Herod is afraid of Him, thinking that He is John the Baptist, raised from the dead. Herod doesn’t want to kill another one, but, with the Pharisees, seeks to get rid of Him a different way. They plan to scare Him away, but the Lord Jesus knows their intent and He stands firm in His opposition to this fox, Herod, and his accomplices, the Pharisees. The Lord Jesus continues in His way, to complete His task. A few more days and He is ready to depart to Jerusalem, where He has to die. He cannot be dissuaded by circumstances; something that happens easily to us in the execution of our tasks in His Kingdom. He firmly proceeds in His work of salvation, for us and in our place. Yet, though He proceeds strong as a lion, He does so to offer Himself like a lamb to be slaughtered by Herod and his accomplices. Then, it may seem as if Herod has won after all, but Herod doesn’t realize that the Lord Jesus does so as a divine necessity, willingly giving Himself as the Lamb of God! He did so for us and in our place; for us, who are meant to be slaughtered as sheep by the greatest fox ever, Satan. Thus He becomes for us the beautiful Shepherd, Who lays down His life for the sheep, that we may find shelter in His sheepfold! Suggestions for prayer Pray for confidence and strength in our tasks in God’s Kingdom. Ask for His protection and for determination and courage; thank God that we have a Great Shepherd who leads us and keeps us. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Thursday July 19 – You give them something to eat!

Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away …to find lodging and get provisions." But He said to them, “You give them something to eat." - Luke 9:12-17 Scripture reading: Luke 9:10-17 It’s often been said that faith and religion make people unrealistic, unaware of the real needs of our time and of this world. The disciples, too, were inclined to think that Jesus was for spiritual needs, while the crowd should look elsewhere for physical needs. The Lord Jesus, however, shows that His kingdom encompasses all of life. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well," He has said. That’s the lesson He teaches the disciples (and the crowd) here too: “You give them something to eat!” Unbelievers seek their bread in their own ways, strikes, revolution, with socialists and unions, if need be. They work to eat. Believers, however, eat to work! They receive their bread from God in Christ, which enables them to seek His kingdom and church. That’s what the Lord Jesus shows here in the miracle of the multiplication of bread. He manifests Himself in His divine power, just as His Father shows His almighty power in every season by growth and prosperity: you plant one potato and you harvest ten of the same plant; you sow one grain of wheat and it will harvest thirty, sixty, or hundred fold! It’s a rich blessing, every year again, to see how God provides, much or little, yet always enough! Today as well, Christ mobilizes and activates His disciples to pray and work: you give them something to eat! He uses them also with Word & Deed to share the gospel and bring relief of people’s needs! Suggestions for prayer Pray for your daily bread and thank God for your place and task in His Kingdom, and for His provisions from day to day. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Wednesday July 18 - Take up your cross and follow Jesus!

And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me…” – Luke 9:23-26 Scripture reading: Luke 14:25-35 Time and time again the Lord Jesus called people to follow Him, including His disciples and others like the rich young man. It was wonderful when people accepted this command, but He also made it clear that following Him was not easy. His way would go through suffering to glory via the cross to resurrection and eternal life. Those whom He called to follow Him, He also commanded to take up their cross. What this meant differed for every disciple and follower, today also. It could mean trouble, persecution, rejection, and hatred. It also means fighting against our sins, as Christ bore our sins on the cross. Today, still, we are called to crucify our old nature and walk in newness of life. It means that we should deny ourselves, denouncing our own will and submitting to God’s will. That’s never easy! There is much in this world that appeals to us; to sacrifice ourselves and abstain from anything sinful and selfish won’t be easy. It will help a lot, though, when we realize that the reward for sin is death, eternally, while the reward of righteousness in Jesus Christ (a life of obedience) is eternal life. It may seem as if believers have to give up a lot as if their lives lack pleasures and joy. Looking at the destiny, however, of those who live for themselves (which is death), will make the yoke of Christ seem light. Take up your cross, therefore, and follow Him! It’s not a heavy cross, but a way of joy and hope and love! Suggestions for Prayer Pray for endurance, and ask the Lord for His Spirit to strengthen you as you follow Christ and bear your cross, whatever it is that you may have to bear or sacrifice in love to Him. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Tuesday July 17 – Fasting while the Bridegroom is away

Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away…" – Matthew 9:14-15 Scripture reading: John 3:22-36 The people of Israel fasted on the Day of Atonement. Also on other occasions, when the situation demanded it, they would fast and pray. For instance, they fasted for their sins, for their unfaithfulness, and for their longing for the Messiah. When the Lord Jesus had come, however, and manifested Himself as the Messiah, the matter of fasting became an issue between the disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus’ disciples. That’s when Jesus’ disciples had their Bridegroom with them and therefore didn’t fast. His presence, however, at this time was only temporary. This is the explanation Jesus gives the disciples of John to justify why Jesus’ disciples weren’t fasting while the Bridegroom was with them. This also is His explanation for the fasting in the time following His departure; no, not a fasting as a good work to merit salvation (as some made it to be), but fasting as a longing for His return, or for their sins and weaknesses, and their struggle with temptations. This New Testament fasting, however, differs in practice and meaning. Today we may spend extra time in prayer, or abstain from worldly pleasures for the sake of His kingdom; also the situation of the church in certain times (of persecution) could necessitate a time of fasting and prayer. “Fasting and prayer” have become an expression that doesn’t necessarily mean abstaining from food, but as an expression, it denotes a time of sobriety and prayer. For God’s kingdom, we may have to sacrifice as well, prayerfully in love for our Lord! Suggestions for prayer Pray for the persecuted church. Ask for help to abstain from worldly pleasures and worldly conformity, instead, seeking His kingdom. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Monday July 16 – "I came not to call the righteous but sinners"

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he rose and followed Him… – Matthew 9:9-13 Scripture reading: Luke 15:1-10 By the preaching of the Lord Jesus, God’s kingdom is opened or closed. It was opened, for instance, to the tax collector, Matthew. As tax collector, he was known for his crooked business, defrauding his fellow Jews. This man was far from the kingdom of God, far from a place among Jesus’ followers. Now to this man, Jesus gives a place among His disciples. How could that be? What would people say of such a gospel? Still, as the Lord Jesus shows in this passage, that’s exactly why He had come: He came to those who were lost; He came for the sick; He came to call sinners! Imagine that Jesus would have come to call the righteous, people who were worthy of being God’s child and office bearer in God’s church and kingdom. There would be no one who qualified! That’s what should make this event so amazing; yes, that’s what should amaze us about the fact that we may belong to Jesus! Just like Matthew, who followed the Lord Jesus all his life and served Him, so we should wish to respond in thanksgiving and service! Yes, just like Matthew, who brought many more sinners to the Saviour, so we should share this gospel with whomever we can! The Pharisees and scribes did not like this approach to the gospel. They wanted a church for the elite, of people righteous in themselves, righteous like them. The Lord Jesus, however, sends them away with the message that God desires mercy and not sacrifice, not self-righteousness and an unforgiving attitude! Suggestions for prayer Pray for humbleness and for a clear knowledge of our sins and misery. Thank God for His mercy to you and for the gospel. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Sunday July 15 – "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"

And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea… – Matthew 8:23-27 Scripture reading: Romans 8:18-30 During Christ’s life on earth, Satan used every way to obstruct the work of Jesus. He possessed people by his demons, brought terrible diseases, bound people for a long time, used his powers over nature, sweeping up the waters and winds where Jesus went, seeking to kill Him and His disciples. The disciples feared these powers of the sea while Jesus was sleeping in the boat. They woke Him up, and cried, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” It’s no wonder these disciples were afraid, fearing death at such a time. As believers, we too have times of fear for the powers of Satan, and understandably so. In this event, however, the disciples have Christ on board. They could have known that His work wasn’t finished, that Satan’s death and demise would come, though not at this time. They had God’s promises and had seen Jesus’ works, and yet… They did not think in faith, live by faith all the time; they had an interrupted faith. At moments like these, they had to learn again Who they had on board. Jesus manifested His power over wind and water; He silenced the storm and settled their fears. This is Jesus Who would conquer all powers of sin and Satan, all powers of destruction in nature as well. He would come again to establish a new heaven and a new earth in which there would be no satanic powers in nature that could affect the creation of God. Suggestions for prayer Pray for peace and tranquillity; ask the Lord for His protection, guidance; and for Christ’s return to make all things new! This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Saturday July 14 – Jesus delivers from sickness and death

And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” – Matthew 8:4  Scripture reading: Isaiah 53:1-12 The Lord Jesus conquers death; He restores life, in communion with God. That’s what He showed in the healing of the leper, who was dead (figuratively speaking). This healed leper, however, could not return to God’s people just like that. He first had to go to the temple, make the required sacrifices and show himself to the priests. By his sacrifice, he would testify that he actually did deserve death, but now an animal may die in his place. It pointed at the Messiah, Who would die in his place an eternal death; He would take upon Himself this man’s death and the death through sin of every believer! This man was healed, not because of his kind request or faith in Jesus; he was healed, thanks to the work Christ would perform at Golgotha. On the basis of that work, symbolized in the sacrifice of the animal, God (in His priest) would declare him clean and admit him to the communion of His people again. At the same time, as the priests would hear the man’s story and the manner of his healing, they would know that the Messiah had come. He would take over their task and fulfill the meaning of every sacrifice they make! That’s when these sacrifices will become redundant. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, He will deliver those who are His from suffering and death and restore to them life, even eternally! That’s the light of the gospel that shines today over all manner of suffering and over death! Suggestions for prayer Pray for patience and endurance, for faith and hope in all the promises of the gospel. Pray for those who suffer among your loved ones or in the congregation. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Friday July 13 – Jesus cleanses a leper: "I will; be clean!"

And behold, a leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean!” – Matthew 8:1-3 Scripture reading: Leviticus 13:1-8 Jesus came to deliver us from sin and death, to restore life to us, the new life that will end in eternal life. That’s what He proclaimed in His preaching and manifested in His healing. If there was one disease that projected the power of death and held the verdict of death, it was leprosy. This disease showed itself by turning the skin white, making the sufferer look like a corpse. God hated death and by this disease showed the reality of death. Hence, Jesus Who came to deliver from sin and death used this opportunity to show Himself the Redeemer and King over death! Lepers could no longer be among the community of people; outside the camp, they had to wander around finding a place to stay and food to eat. When people approached them, they had to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” Healing a leper, therefore, was like calling someone back from death. The leper in this passage knew Jesus and believed that He could heal him; that He had power over life and death. He desired to live again among the people and in communion with God. Then Jesus defied the powers of sin and death and touched this leper. He wants to heal the man and deliver him from the powers of death. “I will; be clean!” He said. His Word is powerful and effective, conquering death in this man. His Word and Spirit are still powerful and effective, saving those who believe in Him from sin and death! His Word is life and gives life eternally! Suggestions for prayer Pray the Lord for His compassion and care in times of illness, dealing with a chronic disease (or for loved ones, a fellow-member). Ask God for comfort and hope with a view to eternal healing. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Thursday July 12 - "Be silent and come out of him!"

 And He went down to Capernaum… and in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, who cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?" – Luke 4:31-37 Scripture reading: 1 Timothy 4:1-10 From the unbelieving people in Nazareth, Jesus went to Capernaum. There, too, He taught on the Sabbath and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. One of the hearers was a man with an unclean spirit. This demon knows the heart of this man he possesses and he knows the authority of the Preacher. The Son of God has come to drive him out of this man, out of this town, out of this world, into eternal condemnation! Therefore he challenges Jesus, but Jesus rebukes him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” Jesus knows of the sins of this man and He knows the desire of these demons. They will get their day at Golgotha, where He will bear the sins of this man and of all those who seek their life in Him; there He will also be attacked by all the demons to give up on His work of salvation. Yet, Jesus knows His power and knows that He will overcome these demons, death and Satan, and showing His authority, He drives out this demon! Nothing can separate this man from His love! Jesus, therefore, is also the refuge for everyone who is beset with the power of the evil one. He will be there with His power to help us fight against the demons in our hearts, the evil spirits that beset us in our life of faith! He knows how hard the struggle is and how desperate the battle can be! His Word and faith in Him is the only way to overcome! Suggestions for prayer Pray that God may strengthen you in this spiritual battle. Ask Jesus Who can empathize with you, He Who was tempted like you are. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Wednesday July 11 - No prophet is acceptable in his hometown

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and He stood up to read. And the scroll of Isaiah was given to Him… – Luke 4:16-17 Scripture reading: Luke 4:16-30 Jesus had been working, preaching and healing for some time already when He appears on the Sabbath in the synagogue of His native town of Nazareth. Luke places this event right after the account of the temptations of Jesus and following a few verses in which he sums up Jesus’ first work and glorious reception elsewhere. In this way, Luke, the storyteller, increases our suspense as we wonder about His reception in His hometown. So far He had manifested Himself in His victory over Satan, in His work of redemption from sin and sickness. These and other events signal the beginning of the Year of Jubilee! That's what He reads about now in the synagogue of Nazareth. Although the people of Nazareth appreciated His preaching, they were more eager to see His miracles. The Lord Jesus, however, knew their thoughts and negative sentiments, their reservations about this son of Joseph, the carpenter. His preaching was not received with faith in the hearers; rather, they were waiting for the miracles of their town’s magician. They were not interested in redemption from poverty, slavery, oppression by Satan, or any of the promises that would be fulfilled in the Year of Jubilee. They refused to see Him as the Messiah, the Saviour who would deliver them from sin and Satan, from sin and death! The Lord Jesus exposed them in their unbelief and foretold that this gospel of redemption would be believed in the world! Nazareth rejected it and so the light was extinguished there, but He will be the Light of the world! Suggestions for prayer  Ask God for a believing heart, for the enlightening of our mind, and for a response of faith to the hearing of His Word. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Tuesday July 10 - The temptation of Jesus: “All these I will give you…”

Again, the devil took Him to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” – Matthew 4:8-11 Scripture reading: Psalm 2 Satan’s offers are always attractive and presented in an inviting way. As the prince of this earth, he thinks he can use his power to tempt Jesus into a much easier way: just fall down and worship me. Jesus, thus, could get everything this world has to offer, all peoples and nations, all glories of culture and entertainment. Just worship me and it will all be yours. We recognize this temptation today too when we see the glories of this world and the attractions in the world of arts and entertainment. But, like Jesus, we should not even want it, knowing how sinful and godless these things are, and knowing how deceitful this worship and service of Satan will be if we submit to him. Satan doesn’t have a chance tempting Jesus. Jesus certainly will receive all the kingdoms of the earth, as we can read in Psalm 2, but only in the way of obedience to God! In fact, Satan has nothing to give, though he pretends he does, since all things are God’s in the first place! Jesus will receive it in God’s way and at God’s time. He knows that this will be in the way of suffering and death before He will receive all authority in heaven and on earth. We, too, in submission to Jesus, will need to wait for the day that we will inherit the earth and that all its glories will be entered in the kingdom of God! Let’s wait for it with patience, in faith and hope! Suggestions for prayer Pray that God will strengthen you in your struggle with the temptations of the world. Ask God for a true faith and a firm hope as we await the return of Christ in glory with the gift of our inheritance. This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. William den Hollander (Sr.) is minister-emeritus of the Bethel Canadian Reformed Church of Toronto....

Daily devotional

Saturday June 30 - Conclusion

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one to save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love. – Zephaniah 3:17 Scripture reading: Zephaniah 3 Our journey through the seven deadly sins should move us to a more serious understanding of the deceptive nature of sin and our own hearts. We are never safe from its clutches, we can never rest, the devil is always out to destroy us and our witness, and we never graduate from the school of grace as long as we are in this broken world. Lord's Day 44 of the Heidelberg Catechism includes this line: “While praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, we never stop striving to be renewed more and more after God's image...” This work of renewal is the work of the Triune God. Behind it we experience the presence of our Heavenly Father, in our midst, mighty to save. We know the love of Jesus Christ, rejoicing over us with gladness, quieting us by His love. We feel the inward strivings of the Spirit, purifying our hearts and minds. But in response to all this good news, and in His strength, we strive and we purpose to live a life of holiness. Christian, weep and lament – and at the same time, laugh and rejoice. Grace is always good. Suggestions for prayer “Let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty, Thy glory in my valley.” – The Valley of Vision: Intro Prayer This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Friday June 29 - Lust: a way forward

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. - 1 Timothy 2:22 Scripture reading: 1 Timothy 2 The writer of Proverbs would agree with Paul: the answer to lust is to run hard in the opposite direction. A serious Christian response would be to recognize the gateways in our lives that tend to allure us to lust and provide a strong defense. Walking is not enough; we are called to run and flee. When I reported smelling gas in our house foyer, the gas company came the same day. Their first response was not to search for a leak: it was to shut off the gas at the source. There are practical steps we can take, including internet filters and accountability programs for ourselves and our children. But we need to go deeper. Sexual sin is by its nature selfish, it turns in on itself. Surely part of the solution is to look on my neighbour with respect, to pursue meaningful relationships, especially in the church, and to look outside of myself to ways in which I can serve others. This cannot remain a lonely battle. We need to help one another and pray for each other. It is an issue facing the entire church and we need to stand up to it together. It will not be enough to avoid sexual sin. We must pursue something better, develop an appetite for real love, real pleasure in God's good gifts, and ultimately real joy in Jesus Christ Himself. Suggestions for prayer “I long for nothing but Thyself, nothing but holiness, nothing but union with Thy will. Thou hast given me these desires, and Thou alone canst give me the thing desired.” – The Valley of Vision: Longings After God This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Thursday June 28 - Jesus Christ and our lust

Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. - Ephesians 5:25-26 Scripture reading: Ephesians 5 There is no sin that puts us beyond the reach of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Martin Luther once said, “We are not to look upon our sins as insignificant trifles. On the other hand, we are not to regard them as so terrible that we must despair.” Preach the good news to your own broken heart 100 times a day. Do not turn away from Christ, but towards Him in solemn repentance and fervent hope. The Song of Solomon is most definitely a marvelous picture of human love in all of its realms; its description of holy sexual love is not easy dinnertime reading. But it also serves as a picture of Christ's love and affection for His church. The entire Bible can be seen as the Heavenly Bridegroom's pursuit of His Bride. Do you see His love for her, His desire for her welfare, His pleasure in her response, His devotion to her joy and future? Sexual sin is partnered with shame and thus is often left in the shadows, where it feels like there is no help or hope. But Jesus Christ pursued death on the cross for sexual sinners, to remove shame and guilt, to break the hold that lust has on so many. This is the great hope for all of us, and the hope we hold out to a world that is so broken. Suggestions for prayer “May I never forget that Thou hast my heart in Thy hands. Apply to it the merits of Christ's atoning blood whenever I sin. Let Thy mercies draw me to Thyself.” – The Valley of Vision: Penitence This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Wednesday June 27 - Lust defined

The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body...Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. - 1 Corinthians 6:13, 18 Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 6 Lust is disordered desire, for we were made to desire within the covenant between a man and a woman. Lust is wanting too much, unbridled desire, foolish desire. Lust is also wanting too little, satisfied with pleasure and relief rather than the superior satisfaction of trusting God and engaging in the hard work of a lifelong relationship with another person. Jesus said in Matthew 15, “Out of the heart proceed adulteries, fornications, sexual immorality – these are what defile a man...” Someone once wrote, “lust is a problem with the heart above your belt before it is a problem with the heat below.” Lust is a rival to the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, one that is seeking to destroy us. It fits in well with today's consumer attitude: my paramount demand is that my demands are met. Lust is a party for one. When we lust our world closes in; it feels like we are quenching a natural thirst, but we are entering a world without real water. Jesus Christ said, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.” Suggestions for prayer “My every sense is a snare to me...If I behold beauty it is a bait to lust...Keep me ever mindful of my natural state, but let me not forget my heavenly title, or the grace that can deal with every sin.” – The Valley of Vision: Self-Deprecation This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Tuesday June 26 - Lust defined

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. - Proverbs 7:25-26 Scripture reading: Proverbs 7 In his Confessions, Augustine compares his struggles with lust to slavery: “The truth is that disordered lust springs from a perverted will; when lust is pandered to, a habit is formed; when habit is not checked, it hardens into compulsion.” It would be difficult to overemphasize the problem with lust in our culture and how that has affected the church of Jesus Christ. The writer of Proverbs pictures Wisdom as a Person crying out in the streets for all to be heard. The Folly of lust is right there as well and, for many, they are so compromised that they can no longer hear Wisdom, loud as she may be. The father of Proverbs takes his son on a tour of the city to view the dangers of lust and expose its emptiness and slavery. We live in a world that seeks to fulfill every base and debauched thirst. It is a world that feels more lost and unsatisfied every day. It is actively preying on our children. Sexual lust of every kind attacks and maims, damages relationships and marriages and future marriages. It fills our hearts with shame and guilt. It sucks the energy out of gospel courage and confidence, leadership in the home and church. Nowhere else do we find such a need for gospel light and a church motivated to help. “Say to Wisdom: You are my sister, and call insight your intimate friend” (Prov 7:4). Suggestions for prayer “Subdue my corruptions, and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind bring my soul into subjection, but do thou rule over me in liberty and power.” – The Valley of Vision: Confession and Petition This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Monday June 25 - Gluttony: a way forward

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. - Matthew 5:6 Scripture reading: Matthew 5:1-20 Eating good food today requires some degree of discipline. We can often eat based solely on an appetite that demands to be instantly and easily satisfied, often with food that lacks nutritional value and the ingredients for long-term health. A pathway to change includes a slow change in our appetite. As we learn to eat healthier foods, to cook with fresher ingredients, we will find our appetites themselves changing, where we develop a desire for something better. Gluttony, as we have defined it, is inordinate desire, particularly for food and drink. Desire is not the problem, for our Maker designed us with desires to be fulfilled. We need to cultivate desires for what is truly meaningful and lasting, for Jesus Christ Himself. C.S. Lewis once wrote: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. Earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only arouse it...If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy...I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country...” Feed on Christ and His Word. Fast while we wait for the Bridegroom to return. Believe Jesus when He said, “I am the Bread of Life.” Come, believe, take the bread and the cup. Suggestions for prayer: “May I seek first Thy kingdom and its righteousness. May I value things in relation to eternity. May my spiritual welfare be my chief solicitude.” – The Valley of Vision; Desires This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Sunday June 24 - Jesus Christ and our gluttony

Jesus said...My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work. – John 4:34 Scripture reading: John 4:1-38 Jesus enjoyed His Father's world, including the blessing of food and drink. We find Him often in homes, enjoying table fellowship with a wide array of folks. However, He never allowed the enjoyment of food and other physical pleasures to distract Him from His calling. At the beginning of His ministry, the Spirit showed Him the self-sacrificial nature of that calling by driving Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus fasts for 40 days to stay sharp, aware, focused as He battled Satan's wiles and deceptions. Every day of His life He fought against the temptation to find His joy in the gifts of His Father, rather than in His Father Himself. To His opponents, His eating and drinking presented a reason to criticize Him: “Look at Him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (Matt. 11:19). To those who believe, it is another display of His true identity; He has become like us in every way, sin excepted. He is the Bread of Life. He is the One we hunger and thirst after, that we might be filled. He is the one who, on the eve of His betrayal and crucifixion, ministered to His church: “This is my body, which is given for you...this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Faith in Jesus Christ is the cure for all gluttony after the treasures of this world. Suggestions for prayer: “As the outward elements nourish my body, so may thy indwelling Spirit invigorate my soul, until that day when I hunger and thirst no more, and sit with Jesus at his heavenly feast.” – The Valley of Vision: The Lord's Supper This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

Daily devotional

Saturday June 23 - Gluttony defined

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has set his seal. – John 6:27 Scripture reading: Psalm 63 Here's a definition of gluttony: an inordinate desire for food and drink. We take God's good gifts and we want them too much. Ultimately we hunger for something more than for God. Gluttony is more about our hearts than our mouths or stomachs. Frederick Buechner once wrote, “A glutton is one who raids the icebox for spiritual malnutrition.” We easily escape into food instead of drawing near to Jesus. We can fill the void in our stomach as a way of masking our desperate need to cry out, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you...My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food” (Psalm 63:1, 5). Is gluttony really that serious? Does it deserve mention alongside pride and lust? If we are not careful, we will lose our appetite for our true home, the place where true satisfaction lies, and for the true bread, the Bread of Life. We will lose our taste for true spiritual pleasures, we will joy in lesser things, we will notice the smell of meat grilling on the BBQ but miss the presence of the Spirit convicting us of sin and calling us to obedience. Be careful: you live in a land full of abundance. You will have to fight hard to find your joy in Christ. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Suggestions for prayer “Deliver me from every evil habit...everything that dims the brightness of thy grace in me, everything that prevents me taking delight in thee.” – The Valley of Vision: Confession This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mark Stewart serves the Burlington URC in Burlington, WA....

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