Pray Without Ceasing

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou deignest so far to condescend as to sustain the care of this life, nd to supply us with whatever is needful for our pilgrimage — O grant that we may learn to rely on thee, and so to trust to thy blessing, as to abstain not only from all plunder and other evil deeds, but also from every unlawful coveting; and to continue in thy fear, and so to learn also to bear our poverty on the earth, that being content with those spiritual riches which thou offerest to us in thy gospel, and of which thou makes us now partakers, we may ever cheerfully aspire after that fullness of all blessings which we shall enjoin when at length we shall reach the celestial kingdom, and be perfectly united to thee, through Christ our Lord. Amen.*

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians  5:14-18

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* Devotions and Prayers of John Calvin (1976)

The Ancient Love Song – Old and New

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”   2Tim3:16-17

In our study of “The Ancient Love Song, Finding Christ in the Old Testament,” we were reminded of the importance of reading and understanding God’s Word in total, in its entirely, as one consistent book of God’s sovereignty in words and salvation.  There are professors of Christ who do not subscribe to reading and studying the Old Testament and giving them equal value and weight to their own detriment and error.  Thus, a simple practical question arose: “What does a Christian believer miss by not knowing the Old Testament well?”

The Old and New Testaments are one book, the Bible. To only read and “know” the New Testament is only reading half a book. We know the middle of the story and end but not the beginning. Christ has given us the first 39 books of the Bible to tell us of the majesty and greatness of our God, His creation, of Christ, His story, our beginning, of His law and commandments, His poetry, His working in the lives of His people. It tells us of our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all of our other brethren. It is our family history, our genealogy. It is Messianic and prophetic; it shows us grace, judgment and mercy. It tells us of God’s attributes. It gives us hope and encouragement. It answers old, new and contemporary questions to life and godliness. It is what the Old Testament saints, Christ in His earthy ministry, the Apostles and Disciples used to teach and learn about God and to teach about Christ. It tells us the story of redemption, salvation, faith, justification and eternal security.  It holds the key to our past and our future. It is for our learning:

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”  Romans 15:4

As He has said,

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”   2Tim3:16-17

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“All Scripture; or, the whole of Scripture; though it makes little difference as to the meaning. He follows out that commendation which he had glanced at briefly. First, he commends the Scripture on account of its authority; and secondly, on account of the utility which springs from it. In order to uphold the authority of the Scripture, he declares that it is divinely inspired; for, if it be so, it is beyond all controversy that men ought to receive it with reverence. This is a principle which distinguishes our religion from all others, that we know that God hath spoken to us, and are fully convinced that the prophets did not speak at their own suggestion, but that, being organs of the Holy Spirit, they only uttered what they had been commissioned from heaven to declare. Whoever then wishes to profit in the Scriptures, let him first of all, lay down this as a settled point, that the Law and the Prophets are not a doctrine delivered according to the will and pleasure of men, but dictated by the Holy Spirit.”__John Calvin

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,…. That is, all holy Scripture; for of that only the apostle is speaking; and he means the whole of it; not only the books of the Old Testament, but of the New, the greatest part of which was now written; for this second epistle to Timothy is by some thought to be the last of Paul’s epistles; and this also will hold good of what was to be written; for all is inspired by God, or breathed by him: the Scriptures are the breath of God, the word of God and not men; they are “written by the Spirit”, as the Syriac version renders it; or “by the Spirit of God”, as the Ethiopic version. The Scriptures are here commended, from the divine authority of them; and which is attested and confirmed by various arguments; as the majesty and loftiness of their style, which in many places is inimitable by men; the sublimity of the matter contained in them, which transcends all human understanding and capacity ever to have attained unto and discovered; as the trinity of persons in the Godhead, the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, &c. The purity and holiness of them before observed, show them to be the word of him that is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; as also their harmony and agreement, though wrote by different persons, in different places, and ages, and at sundry times, and in divers manners; what seeming inconsistencies are observed in them may, with labour and industry, by divine assistance, be reconciled.” _John Gill

“That the scripture has various uses, and answers divers ends and purposes: It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction of all errors in judgment and practice, and for instruction in righteousness. The scripture is a perfect rule of faith and practice, and was designed for the man of God, the minister as well as the Christian who is devoted to God, for it is profitable for doctrine, etc. If we consult the scripture, which was given by inspiration of God, and follow its directions, we shall be made men of God, perfect, and thoroughly furnished to every good work.”  _Matthew Henry

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TheologyGirl-ReformedWomen, Editor-Publisher Copyright: Heavenly Notes & Devotions From The Heart, Copyright ©2001-2019, TheologyGirl-ReformedWomen, The JoyPals Network, All Rights Reserved

Behold, Thou art Fair, My Beloved

Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant…” Song of Solomon 1:16a

WE love Him because He first loved us; we presume to call Him our beloved, because He first calls us His love. It is much for such unworthy creatures to have the right of saying this; much to have the feelings and desires which prompt this language. When Jesus speaks to our heart, as in the 15th verse (“Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.”), there arises the trepidation of warm affection; and we would gladly give utterance to the strongest expressions of love; but we are so overwhelmed with His grandeur, and our unworthiness, as to hesitate in using words our emotions would justify. Hence the Holy Spirit has indited this language, and assures us we cannot do wrong in thus speaking of our Lord. Jesus is well pleased to have us call Him our beloved.

“THOU art fair.” How fair? Fairer than the sons of men; adorned with greater beauty than any of our fallen race; fairer too than the angels. (Hebrews 1) “Grace is poured into thy lips;” and when, in consequence of this, we wonder at the gracious words which proceed out of His mouth, we delight to add, “Yea, pleasant.” The pleasures of refined society, of society ennobled by intellectual culture and polished manners, in combination with the grace which purifies the heart for seeing God, are the most delightful possible for man. The society of Jesus, far from being gloomy and irksome, is captivating and delightful. In Him are united all conceivable charms, princely dignity, mind of infinite compass, illimitable influence, beauty, knowledge, and wisdom divine, a nature that is its self love. When in the form of a slave, in the flesh, emptied of His glory, there was a wondrous charm about His person, His presence, His conversation. “Never man spake like this man.” (John 7:46) What, therefore, must be the charm investing Him now in glory. Those who have been admitted to the gatherings in which the hospitality of high rank loved to assemble the courtly, the powerful, the learned, and the influential, delighted in those privileges as their happiest hours, and cherish the remembrance of them fondly in declining age. Of such privileges the humble saint may be deprived; but he mingles intimately in a more refined, more intellectual, more fascinating society — a gathering wherein He who presides as the King in the circle of His friends.

How pleasant is the society of Jesus, when He unfolds to us the way of salvation, opens the promises, encourages in difficulty, comforts in trouble, and speaks of the blessedness of heaven!

How rich the influence around His presence! In His presence is fullness of joy. When on earth, He must have possessed great attractions, to draw multitudes after Him into the wilderness, and retain them there for days without food. The indifference of the believer to the highest society among the irreligious, is the result of a deep and intelligent conviction of the superiority of the society of Christ. Entranced with His pleasantness, enchained with His wisdom, and rapt by the glorious visions of the ideal world unfolded by His promises, we exclaim, “This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.” (Psalm 76:25)

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The Song of Solomon, George Burrowes, c. 1853, Published by Banner of Truth Trust 1958, reprinted 1973

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Nevertheless I am continually with Thee:
Thou hast holden me by my right hand.
Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel,
and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth:
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
For, lo, they that are far from Thee shall perish:
Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from Thee.
But it is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Thy works.
Psalm 73:23-28

 

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TheologyGirl-ReformedWomen, Editor-Publisher Copyright: Heavenly Notes & Devotions From The Heart, Copyright ©2004-2019, TheologyGirl-ReformedWomen, The JoyPals Network, All Rights Reserved