Reality and Symbolism in the Sacraments

On June 18, 2021June 26, 2021 By charlieIn baptism, Lord's Supper3 Comments

Discussing reality and symbolism in the sacraments, Berkouwer writes, "Only if we reject false dilemmas... it will be possible to delve deeper, to discern the sovereign manner in which God stoops down to us, taking up simple earthly elements and using them for the affirmation and strengthening of our faith" (p. 26).

What’s the point of having plenty of friends, if we fall out with You, Lord?

Praying Though God’s Word 1 Chronicles 3:1-4:23 “Jabez called upon the God of Israel, ‘Oh that You would bless me …’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:10). Help us, Lord, when we ask for Your blessing, to pray for your mercy – “Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Help […]

We’re not only praying for God’s glory in the place of worship. We’re praying for His glory in our lives.

Ezekiel 43:1-27 – This is not only about the glory of the Temple. It’s about ‘the glory of the God of Israel’. This is the greater glory – ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Temple’ (1,5). God is not only concerned about the creation of a beautiful place of worship. He wants our lives […]

Jesus Christ – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

Ezekiel 46:1-24 – We read here about the ‘offering’ of ‘a lamb without defect’. This was to happen ‘morning by morning’ (13). From these offerings , we look on to another Offering, ‘a single Offfering’, the ‘once for all’ Offering of Jesus Christ as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the […]

God wants to bless us. He wants us to seek His blessing.

Psalm 81:1-87:7 Psalm 81:1-16 – God calls us to worship Him with joy – ‘Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!’(Psalm 81:1). He has blessed us with His salvation – ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt’. He will continue […]

Praying Through God’s Word: Mark’s Gospel

Mark 1:1-20 Lord, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus, has triumphed over Your enemy, Satan. To us, Satan can seem so strong. Help us to remember that Jesus is stronger than Satan. With Jesus as our Saviour, we shall triumph over Satan, our enemy. Mark 1:21-2:12 Lord, help us never to think that prayer […]

Keep on believing that God hears and answers prayer.

2 Samuel 21:1-22:7 – There’s no two ways about it. God’s people were getting it rough. There seemed to be so many problems. Were they to give up hope? – Not a bit of it! Read verse 14 – ‘After that God heeded supplications for the land’. What happened when God heard and answered the […]

Show us, Lord, what we really are – without You.

Deuteronomy 23:1-25 Show us, Lord, what we really are – without You. Make us, more truly and more fully, what You want us to become – by Your saving grace. Fill us with Your holiness – and fill us with Your love. You’ve lifted us out of our sin and into Your salvation. This is […]

Praying Through God’s Word: Matthew’s Gospel

Matthew 1:1-17 Lord, we’ve only just begun – to experience Your love and enjoy Your blessing. We’ve started out on the journey of faith – but we haven’t reached our destination. We’re still travelling. We dare not stand still. We must keep on going forward – with You and for You. Sometimes, we can forget […]

Lord, we come to You in our weakness. You give to us Your strength.

John 14:15-15:17 Lord, we come to You in our weakness. You give to us Your strength. Without Jesus, we can do nothing (John 15:5). With Jesus as our Saviour, His Word abiding in us (John 15:7) and the Holy Spirit teaching us all things (John 15:26), we are led into a life of fruitfulness (John […]

To You, Lord, be all the glory.

Genesis 18:16-33 To You, Lord, be all the glory. You have done so many great things for us. So many blessings – and they all come from You, Lord. Our sins have been forgiven. You’ve come to live in us. Such great blessing – but this is just the beginning! You’re leading us on to […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year One – March

1st March: Genesis 15:1-21 God is greater than our circumstances. God had given great promises to Abraham, yet there appeared no sign that His promises were being fulfilled. The circumstances seemed bleak, and Abraham felt despondent. Abraham was full of questions. In verse 2, he asks, ‘What can you give me…?’. This is the question […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Two – March

1st March: Ruth 1:1-2:23 Ruth meets Boaz. It seemed like a ‘chance’ meeting – ‘she happened to come…'(2:3). It was more than that. God was at work. Ruth had committed herself to the Lord (1:16-17). She was being guided by the Lord (Psalm 37:3-5; Proverbs 3:5-6). Ruth was unassuming and grateful, hardworking and responsible (2:10,13,7,18). […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Two – February

1st February: Judges 1:1-2:5 ‘You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? (Galatians 5:7). Everything seems to be going well – ‘From victory to victory His army He shall lead till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed’ (1-18; Church Hymnary, 481). Things went badly wrong. God commanded His people […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Two – January

1st January: Joshua 1:1-18 For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God’s future. For God’s future there is God’s command – ‘Be strong’ – and God’s promise – ‘the Lord your God is with you’. We wonder what […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Three – January

1st January: Psalm 77:1-20 Sometimes, we have more questions than answers (7-9). The questions keep flooding into our minds. We wonder where the answers are going to come from. What are we to do when this happens? We must remember what the Lord has done for us (11-12). Look back over the ‘years’ – and […]

Daily Devotional Readings : Year One – January

1st January: Psalm 119:105-112 We begin the year with the words of verse 105: ‘Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’. This a great text with which to begin the year. It is a great starting-point for these studies in God’s Word. As we journey through life with […]

My One Year Bible

Day 1 Genesis 1:1-2:17; Matthew 1:1-25; Psalm 1:1-6 Genesis speaks of the beginning. Matthew speaks of a new beginning. The God who created us is the God who has provided for our salvation. If we are to enjoy God’s salvation, we must learn to follow the wisdom of Psalm 1:1-2 – “Blessed is the one […]

Jesus – the King of kings and Lord of lords

Matthew 2:1-12 ‘King of the Jews’ (2). Jesus came from the Jews. He came for ‘all nations’ (28:19). He is the ‘King of kings’ (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). Here on earth, we are learning ‘to worship Him’ (2). We are being prepared for heavenly worship (Revelation 7:9-12): ‘Kings and queens and beggar men, presidents and servants, […]

Luke 2:1-20

‘A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord’ (11). The Name, ‘Jesus’, means ‘Saviour’ (Matthew 1:21). Focus your thoughts on Him: The Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a prayer to help you make your response to Him: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us, You are one with us, Mary’s Son. Cleansing our souls from […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year One – December

1st December: John 10:1-42 The Christian life is not easy. The devil ‘comes only to steal and kill and destroy’ (10). Satan was working through the religious leaders. They were trying ‘to stone’ Jesus (31). ‘Again’, they failed (39). They could not take Jesus’ life. ‘His hour had not yet come’ (18; 7:30; 8:20). When […]