SUFFERING & THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD (1)
SCRIPTURE TELLS US that God ordains everything that comes to pass, and Lamentations 3:37 clearly illustrates this point, “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?” The prophet Isaiah proclaims concerning the Lord, “And who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it. Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, from the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place.” Clearly, nothing comes to pass that the sovereign God of Scripture has not ordained.
THE WORD ORDAINED comes from the Latin word “ordinare”, which means to order. Thus, the Scripture declares that God orders everything that comes to pass, and His eternal decree is the basis for everything that happens (Eph. 1:11). Scripture reveals that God has at least two purposes in everything He decrees: 1. His glory: “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). 2. The good of His elect people: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). The Scripture also reveals that the God of glory can do nothing that does not glorify Himself. He also cannot do anything that does not work for the good of His elect. God is omnipotent (all powerful); therefore, we must always be careful when we say that God is not able to do something. But we also must never be timid in proclaiming what the Scripture reveals concerning our sovereign God. He does all things for His own glory, and for the good of those whom He has given to His Son from before the foundation of the world (John 6:37). This is what God has revealed in His Holy Word, and so we must proclaim with all boldness that everything God ordains has its chief end in His glory and in the conforming of His elect people into the image of Jesus Christ.
SUFFERING, AFFLICTION, and tribulation are all used by God to conform the believer into the image of Jesus Christ; and our sovereign God ordains all such events to that end. 1 Peter 4:19 says that we suffer according to the will of God; “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” Knowing that any suffering experienced by believers is part of God's overall sovereign plan provides its own comfort. “What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto Him” (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A #1). All trials, tribulations, persecutions, slanders, reproaches and infirmities that inevitably come our way in this life are all ordained by our loving heavenly Father for the furtherance of the believer’s salvation.
Friday Devotional: March 28, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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CHRIST RULES OVER ALL
“Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
—Hebrews 1:3
SCRIPTURE TEACHES that Jesus Christ upholds, preserves, and governs the world which He has made. “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).
THEREFORE:
• ALL CREATURES: from the smallest creepy crawly insect which can be seen only by the microscope, to the archangel which worships before the eternal throne of God.
• ALL EVENTS: from the uprooting of a tiny hair of our head and the sparrow falling in a dense wooded forest, to the destruction of great nations by famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, or war.
• ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY: from the city official, to the thrones, principalities and powers in the heavenly places.
• THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE: from the smallest subatomic particles which float in the beams of the sun to the greatest galaxies in our solar system —each, every, and all these things depend upon our Lord’s powerful providence.
AND IF ONE link in the chain of this dependence is broken, they would all rush headlong to destruction. Jesus has always governed this world, and He shall always hold the scepter over it until His last enemy is defeated and His Church is made victorious. For Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18), and Isaiah wrote the following words about Jesus Christ: “For 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, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Therefore, the Psalmist writes, “Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name” (Psalm 30:4).
Tuesday Encouragement: March 25, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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A SABBATH BLESSING
Psalm 92:1: A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath Day. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High."
This psalm was designed for the “Sabbath Day” worship.
This means that it is appropriate for the church to sing praises to the Lord on the Sabbath Day.
The Lord's Day, or Sabbath Day, is a good day to recall the mercies of God to our mind.
Remembering God's mercies, and singing His praise spreads joy over the other six days of the week.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. Literally, “Good is it to give thanks unto Jehovah.”
The act of giving thanks is appropriate, and the effect of giving thanks produces good results.
It is appropriate under all circumstances to be thankful for: life, breath, health, food, houses, clothes, air, water, friends, etc.
And above all, thanks to the Lord for the blessings of redemption, and the assurance that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
All these temporal things shall fail, but the hope of heaven, the assurance that Christ died as our Redeemer and Substitute, cannot fail.
"For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18).
Salvation merited by Christ is ours, and can never be taken away.
Jesus said, "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish" (John 10:28).
Knowing that our redemption by Christ can never fail, no matter how bad or good the believer may be, causes joy, contentment, and peace.
This is why we are called to "think on these things" (Phil. 4:8).
And notice that all our singing in worship is "to sing praises to Your name."
In other words, our singing is to the Lord Most High for He is good!
That God is the O Most High means He is exalted over all.
That “He” is exalted over all, the world and all things in it, is an appropriate thought when we come before Him to praise Him.
Our thinking on the Lord as the Most High should be at all times, and in all circumstances of life, but especially during worship.
This will elevate our thoughts and worship of the Lord in a wondrous way!
When we dig down deep in theology, we will rise high in doxology, which means praise to our God!
May the Lord be "Enthroned in the praises of this His people" (Psalm 22:3) this Lord's Day and always!
—Pastor S. Henry
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A CHRISTIAN'S SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER
O my God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, You alone are almighty, but I am weak and I daily feel my weakness, frailty, sinfulness, and ignorance. You alone are wise, but I know I am foolish. You alone are all-knowing, but I am ignorant and stupid of so many things! You alone are holy and glorious, but I am sinful and defiled and I daily feel the pull of sin in my heart (Rom. 7). You alone are the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, but I am simply dust and ashes. My life is like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Therefore, my Lord and my God, look upon me in Your mercy, and fill me with your Spirit and Word. Teach me, O Father, to walk in wisdom's way, to stay upon the highway of holiness, and to be clothed with humility as my Lord and Savior Jesus! Grant me a greater desire for Your Word, Your righteousness, and Your holiness. Keep me back presumptuous sins; keep me from sinning against You and my fellow man! As David wrote, "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression" (Psalm 19:13).
Strengthen me for today's work and service, and make me walk faithfully and obediently for Your glory. Continually bring my mind captive to the obedience of Christ. Bless our corporate worship this morning as we remember the resurrection of Christ and the blessings bestowed upon all believers because of these blessed words of Scripture, "He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:6). Strengthen my faith in Christ, cause me to love You, Your Word, Your Son, Your Spirit, Your Church, and all things true, holy, righteous, good, and just in a greater measure, and help me to love and esteem others as better than myself. Help me, O my God, to take the lowest place of service towards those who cross my path. Let me be my brother and neighbor's and foot-washer! Thank You, Lord Jesus, for living and dying in my place that I might be granted everlasting life! Thank You, dear Father, for sending Your Son into this world "To make a wretch His treasure." As the song writer wrote, "How deep the Father’s love for us, How vast beyond all measure, That He should give His only Son, To make a wretch His treasure."
Help me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, my neighbors, and even those who hate me. Keep back my tongue from gossip, backbiting, and slandering others. Cause me to mind my own business and not to meddle in things that do not concern me. Teach me wisdom, boldness, and humility. Teach me godly love. Father, I love You, but teach me and cause me to love you more deeply, more comprehensively. Teach me to love others more deeply. Forgive me for so often loving in a shallow, superficial manner! Keep me dependent upon You in all things, at all moments, and for all time! O Father, I am sinful, needy, foolish, broken, and weak, and I need You every moment. Strengthen me to resist sin and the temptations of the flesh. Keep me from sinning against you and my neighbor. I confess what the hymn writer wrote, "I need Thee ev'ry hour, Most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine, Can peace afford. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev'ry hour I need Thee; Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee."
Hear my feeble prayer for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ. O Holy Spirit, teach me by Your Word and indwelling power to pray effectively for Your glory and the good of Christ's Church. As it is written, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. 8:26). Teach me to pray more consistently and constantly in accordance with Your Word. "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14). Use me up for Your glory. Fill me up with Your power and presence for Your service!
In Christ's holy name I pray!
Amen!
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If I’m United to Christ, Why Do I Still Sin?
by Sinclair Ferguson
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Dr. Sinclair Ferguson explains why Christians continue to struggle with sin even after accepting Christ, offering biblical insights and relatable examples to address this common spiritual question.
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If I’m united to Christ, why do I still sin? Let me come at the answer in two ways by reflecting back on the fact that this is the case for us as Christians. And maybe the easiest and best place to do that is by thinking about what Paul teaches from let’s say Romans 5:12–7:25. In Romans 5:12–21, he is saying, Christians have been brought out of their union with Adam and the flesh, and they’ve been brought into union with Christ. And then he explains that in Romans 6 by saying, one of the things this means is that you have died to the dominion of sin, and it no longer reigns over you. But then he makes clear already Romans 6, but I think very obviously in Romans 7, the fact that sin no longer reigns over you because you’re united to Christ does not mean that sin’s presence has been destroyed.
So, Christians are set free from the reign of sin, but they’re not yet set free from the influence of sin. We’re still in the same bodies; still of the same minds. We actually still have the same memories of sin, and sometimes they haunt us.
The way I try and illustrate this as somebody who is British and never became an American citizen, even though I lived here a long time, is to say, if I had become an American citizen and Great Britain had gone to war, and the queen or the present king had written to me saying, “Ferguson, you are called up to serve in my army.” I could have written back to him and said: “Sir,”—I would’ve been polite—but—“Sir, you are no longer the person who is an authority over me. I’m no longer under your dominion.” Yet at the same time, there might have been emotions in me, feelings in me, instincts in me that would’ve said part of me still seems to belong there. I still sound as though I’m from there. I still have instincts that aren’t totally American. I still eat with a knife and a fork, although I try just to do it with a fork. And maybe that’s not the greatest illustration to help everybody, but I think it’s helpful to me to see the difference between the fact that sin’s reign over me has ended, and yet sin is still present in me and it will be until I’m finally glorified. And I think that’s part of the explanation for the struggle that Paul goes on to speak about in Romans 7. So that’s one way of thinking about it. To think about it in terms of that specific section in Romans.
A much simpler way to think about it is this, that if you’re a Christian, the Lord Jesus Christ dwells in you. And if you’re a Christian, sin continues to dwell in you. And if that’s so, there is what the Westminster Confession calls “an irreconcilable war in your life,” and there will be times when the enemy seems to defeat you. There will be times when indwelling sin seems to rear its ugly head. But the great thing to remember is that the One who is in you, the Lord Jesus Christ, is far greater than any remnants of indwelling sin that remain. Because I think Satan has a very subtle way of saying to us: “Look, there’s sin there and there’s sin there. It isn’t possible that you’ve been set free from sin’s dominion,”—when the truth of the matter is the very fact that you are concerned about the presence of sin and that you fight against it, that’s only possible because you’ve been released from the dominion of sin and been brought into the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And all this, I think reminds us that the Christian life is a battle all the way to glory. Only then as [William Cowper]’s hymn, “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood” has this line in it: “There will come a time when all the ransom church of God will be saved to sin no more.” And that’s a day that we do not yet experience, but thankfully we’re looking forward to one day.
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THE DOWNCAST SOUL
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.”
—Psalm 42:5-6
“CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGY” is an entire movement that has steered the church away from dependence upon Christ, His Word, and His Holy Spirit as the only sufficient means to deal with all our spiritual problems. There is such a thing as Biblical psychology since man is created as body and soul. The Greek word for soul is “psuche” and from this word is derived the English term psychology. Scripture deals with man’s psychology as regards the heart, mind, or soul and directs him to Christ and the Word of God at every point. Today’s psychologists focus upon humanistic therapies and theories, which essentially eclipse Christ’s Word and Spirit (1 Cor. 1:17-21). They teach such things as the basic goodness of human nature, that answers come from within, that attitudes and actions are changed by looking to one’s past, that individual problems are the result of other’s actions done to me, etc. However, these humanistic therapies and theories are based upon presuppositions that are contrary to the teaching of Scripture and do a great disservice to the church by telling Christians that there are other means to heal the soul other than Christ, His Word, and Holy Spirit.
TODAY THE THERAPIST calls sin a sickness and therefore prescribes therapy rather than repentance. Habitual sin is called “addictive behavior” and the solution of today’s therapist is medical care rather than the spiritual correctives of Scripture. According to Scripture, the path to spiritual wholeness in the Christian life is sanctification, which comes about only by God’s grace, Word, and Spirit. Jesus Christ alone is the wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6) who leads His sheep to living waters, green pastures, and restores their soul (Psalm 23). When David was downcast in his soul his only response was to turn to God (Psalm 42). When he was spiritually depleted after his sin with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah his only recourse after a year of trying to cover it up and deal with it in a humanistic way was to confess his sins to the Lord. “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Therefore, let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:3-8). Also read Psalm 51 and see how David addressed the issue of his sin-grieved soul.
JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED more trauma in His soul than any person who ever lived or shall live, and yet His response was always to run to God the Father through prayer and Scripture as He walked by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus cried out, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death" (Matt. 26:38), you will notice that He went immediately to His Father in prayer to address the sorrowful death-like depression of His soul (Matt 26:39). As believers, we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) and therefore we are called to walk as Christ walked (1 John 2:6; Col. 2:6; Phil. 2:5) as those being conformed into His very image (Rom. 8:29). Therefore, in all our struggles in life, which are ultimately soul issues, we must turn to the only remedy for the soul, which is Christ, His Word, and Spirit. The Apostle Peter wrote, “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:2-3). Everything we need to live the Christian life is found in Christ and therefore we must seek Him (Col. 3:1) through His Word (Heb. 1:2, 4:12) by the power of the Holy Spirit and in diligent prayer (Rom. 8:26) as we deal with every issue regarding our soul in this troubled life. As the writer to the Hebrews declared, we must keep on “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:2-3).
DEAR CHRISTIAN, examine this matter in light of Scripture and let the Holy Spirit deal with your soul and direct you into all truth by His Word for His glory, honor and praise!
Friday Devotional: March 21, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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OUR HOLY GOD
“And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"
—Isaiah 6:3
HOLINESS IS arguably God’s most significant attribute. The angels don’t sing, “Eternal, eternal, eternal” or “Faithful, faithful, faithful” or “Mighty, mighty, mighty.” Rather, they sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty” (Rev. 4:8; Isa. 6:3). God’s holiness sums up all that He is. The psalmist wrote, “Holy and awesome is His name” (Psa. 111:9). Moses sang, “Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?” (Ex. 15:11). And Hannah prayed, “There is no one holy like the Lord, indeed, there is no one besides Thee, nor is there any rock like our God” (1 Sam. 2:2).
WHAT DOES it mean that God is holy? The word translated “holy” in the Bible has the root meaning of “separation.” God’s being and character transcend everything in the created realm. He is not subject to the frailties and limitations of His creation. God is completely without sin, change, or defect, and He does not simply conform to a holy standard –He is the standard. God doesn’t simply do good things, perform righteous acts, or declare the truth –God is good, God is righteous, and God is truth! Therefore, whatever is determined to be good, righteous, and true must be measured according to God’s character, which is revealed in His Word, because God is the standard of all virtue. And whatever does not measure up to God’s character is therefore regarded as evil and wicked.
GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS is related to His holiness. Holiness is the standard, and righteousness is its active fulfillment. We might say God’s holiness is His complete separation from all that is sinful, and His righteousness is the manifestation of that holiness. David understood how holy and righteous God is. He said, “The Lord is righteous in all His ways” (Psa. 145:17), and “Thy righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, Thou who hast done great things; O God, who is like Thee?” (Psa. 71:19). Sadly, most people in our day completely misunderstand God’s righteousness. If they really understood how holy God is do you think they would live the way they do? If we truly understood God’s holiness we would respond as the prophet Isaiah when he received a glimpse of God’s holiness: “So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (Isa. 6:5). And according to John 12:41, the One Isaiah saw on the throne was the Lord Jesus Christ. But sinners ignore God’s holy standard and deceive themselves into thinking that they are good people and therefore God won’t really judge them. But God is a righteous judge who has indignation every day toward the wicked (Psa. 7:11). Since God is holy, the penalty for any sin, however small the sin might seem, is death, both temporal and eternal (Rom. 6:23).
THEREFORE, CHRISTIAN, don’t let the world corrupt your view of God. Don’t treat your sin lightly. Rather, confess it, forsake it, and, by faith, seek to please our holy God by walking in accordance with His Word, relying upon the strength of the Holy Spirit, and looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who is also our righteousness before God. And when you fall short, confess it to the Lord for “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Tuesday Encouragement: March 18, 2025
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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