Devotional Helps

The devotional helps offered here are the kind of thing that were disapproved of in the Assembly, where the approved "morning time" consisted of using the Cycle of Devotion and getting "a word" straight from heaven's kitchen by reading a passage of scripture--devotional books discouraged, commentaries forbidden. The brief article, Why Your "Devotions" Aren't Working, is a healthful antidote. These meditations focus largely on the imputed righteousness of Christ- - a key concept to breaking free from performance-based Christianity.


The Learning Bible: Contemporary English Version, American Bible Society
Learning Bible
If you have a hard time with the Bible, this might be one you can tolerate, and maybe even enjoy. On Amazon reviewer says, "So visually appealing you'll get lost in this Bible...It is SO colorful! The notes are in the margins rather than at the bottom of the page.... What this Bible has that I've never seen anywhere are the pictures and photos that really help you understand the text! ...use Amazon's wonderful "See Inside" feature to see what this Bible has to offer."
   

 

PodBible  

Audio may be the bridge you need back to the Bible, especially as it is read here by a whole bunch of everyday New Zealanders. The PodBible is a free daily podcast of the Bible. Subscribe and listen online, or put it on your iPod. One commentator had this to say about audio: "Disposing text on a page inevitably interprets it. So written Bibles are good, but they are not good alone. It is not good for print to be alone. Enter PodBible." When you think about it, Paul's letters were originally read aloud in the churches.
The Book of Common Prayer - Burial of the Dead. This prayer, a comfort in the face of great loss, will help those who have had a whole community ripped away from them. O Lord, our God, who art the disposer of human events, in whom we live and move and have our being; We beseech thee to grant us that sense of they presence, which will enable us to see that thy wisdom and love are involved in this dispensation of thy Providence. May we remember that thou art all wise and canst not make a mistake; that thou art also all love and canst not be cruel to an of thy children. Help us believe that all things are working together for our good, and that what we know not now, we shall hereafter fully know and understand. Sanctify to us this ordering of thy Providence. Comfort and uphold thy servants in this hour of their sorrow. Impart to them thy sufficient and sustaining grace, distilling in every wounded heart the solace of thy Holy Spirit; and when thy summons shall come to us, voushsafe, O Lord, that, having rusted in the atoning work of thine only-begotten Son, our Saviour, we may be received into thy presence, where there is fullness of joy for evermore; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Debtor to Mercy Alone"  (Toplady)

This hymn enlarges on the subject of Philippians 1:6, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." What a contrast between these words that were sung so often in worship, and the preaching that followed which threatened eternal loss.

The Heidelberg Catechism  Question 60. "How are you right with God?"

Answer: "Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God's commandments and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is to accept the gift of God with a believing heart."

The Heidelberg Catechism  Question 1."What is your only comfort in life and in death?"

Answer: "That I am not my own, but belong -- body and soul, in life and in death -- to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.  He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him."

The Belgic Confession  Article 20. The Justice and Mercy of God in Christ

We believe that God-- who is perfectly merciful and also very just-- sent his Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience had been committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter passion and death.

So God made known his justice toward his Son, who was charged with our sin, and he poured out his goodness and mercy on us, who are guilty and worthy of damnation, giving to us his Son to die, by a most perfect love, and raising him to life for our justification, in order that by him we might have immortality and eternal life.

The Belgic Confession Article 21. The Atonement

We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek-- made such by an oath-- and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted.

For it is written that "the chastisement of our peace" was placed on the Son of God and that "we are healed by his wounds." He was "led to death as a lamb"; he was "numbered among sinners" and condemned as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, though Pilate had declared that he was innocent.

So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered-- the "just for the unjust," in both his body and his soul-- in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like "big drops of blood falling on the ground." He cried, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins.

Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we "know nothing but Jesus and him crucified"; we consider all things as "dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever.

This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus-- that is, "Savior"-- because he would save his people from their sins.

Is. 53:4-12; Ps. 69:4; 1 Pet. 3:18; Luke 22:44; Matt. 27:46; 1 Cor. 2:2; Phil. 3:8; Matt. 1:21

The Belgic Confession Article 22. The Righteousness of Faith

We believe that for us to acquire the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts a true faith that embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, and makes him its own, and no longer looks for anything apart from him. For it must necessarily follow that either all that is required for our salvation is not in Christ or, if all is in him, then he who has Christ by faith has his salvation entirely.

Therefore, to say that Christ is not enough but that something else is needed as well is a most enormous blasphemy against God-- for it then would follow that Jesus Christ is only half a Savior. And therefore we justly say with Paul that we are justified "by faith alone" or by faith "apart from works."

However, we do not mean, properly speaking, that it is faith itself that justifies us-- for faith is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ, our righteousness.

But Jesus Christ is our righteousness in making available to us all his merits and all the holy works he has done for us and in our place. And faith is the instrument that keeps us in communion with him and with all his benefits. When those benefits are made ours they are more than enough to absolve us of our sins.  Rom. 3:28

The Belgic Confession Article 22. The Righteousness of Faith

We believe that for us to acquire the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts a true faith that embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, and makes him its own, and no longer looks for anything apart from him. For it must necessarily follow that either all that is required for our salvation is not in Christ or, if all is in him, then he who has Christ by faith has his salvation entirely.

Therefore, to say that Christ is not enough but that something else is needed as well is a most enormous blasphemy against God-- for it then would follow that Jesus Christ is only half a Savior. And therefore we justly say with Paul that we are justified "by faith alone" or by faith "apart from works."

However, we do not mean, properly speaking, that it is faith itself that justifies us-- for faith is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ, our righteousness.

But Jesus Christ is our righteousness in making available to us all his merits and all the holy works he has done for us and in our place. And faith is the instrument that keeps us in communion with him and with all his benefits. When those benefits are made ours they are more than enough to absolve us of our sins.  Rom. 3:28

The Belgic Confession Article 23. The Justification of Sinners

We believe that our blessedness lies in the forgiveness of our sins because of Jesus Christ, and that in it our righteousness before God is contained, as David and Paul teach us when they declare that man blessed to whom God grants righteousness apart from works.

And the same apostle says that we are justified "freely" or "by grace" through redemption in Jesus Christ. And therefore we cling to this foundation, which is firm forever, giving all glory to God, humbling ourselves, and recognizing ourselves as we are; not claiming a thing for ourselves or our merits and leaning and resting on the sole obedience of Christ crucified, which is ours when we believe in him.

That is enough to cover all our sins and to make us confident, freeing the conscience from the fear, dread, and terror of God's approach, without doing what our first father, Adam, did, who trembled as he tried to cover himself with fig leaves. In fact, if we had to appear before God relying-- no matter how little-- on ourselves or some other creature, then, alas, we would be swallowed up.

Therefore everyone must say with David: "Lord, do not enter into judgment with your servants, for before you no living person shall be justified."

Ps. 32:1; Rom. 4:6; Rom. 3:24 Ps. 143:2

The Belgic Confession Article 24. The Sanctification of Sinners

We believe that this true faith, produced in man by the hearing of God's Word and by the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerates him and makes him a "new man," causing him to live the "new life" and freeing him from the slavery of sin.

Therefore, far from making people cold toward living in a pious and holy way, this justifying faith, quite to the contrary, so works within them that apart from it they will never do a thing out of love for God but only out of love for themselves and fear of being condemned.

So then, it is impossible for this holy faith to be unfruitful in a human being, seeing that we do not speak of an empty faith but of what Scripture calls "faith working through love," which leads a man to do by himself the works that God has commanded in his Word. These works, proceeding from the good root of faith, are good and acceptable to God, since they are all sanctified by his grace. Yet they do not count toward our justification-- for by faith in Christ we are justified, even before we do good works. Otherwise they could not be good, any more than the fruit of a tree could be good if the tree is not good in the first place.

So then, we do good works, but nor for merit-- for what would we merit? Rather, we are indebted to God for the good works we do, and not he to us, since it is he who "works in us both to will and do according to his good pleasure" -- thus keeping in mind what is written: "When you have done all that is commanded you, then you shall say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have done what it was our duty to do.'"

Yet we do not wish to deny that God rewards good works-- but it is by his grace that he crowns his gifts. Moreover, although we do good works we do not base our salvation on them; for we cannot do any work that is not defiled by our flesh and also worthy of punishment. And even if we could point to one, memory of a single sin is enough for God to reject that work.

So we would always be in doubt, tossed back and forth without any certainty, and our poor consciences would be tormented constantly if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering and death of our Savior.

2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:4; Gal. 5:6; Phil. 2:13; Luke 17:10

Book of Common Prayer: Confession of sins.

See also the article Any Value to Liturgical Prayers?, and an Adversaria blog quoting Garrison Keillor on liturgy (GK was raised PB).

"Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen."

Book of Common PrayerPrayer before coming to the Lord's Supper

"We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table."

Book of Common Prayer: Collect for the First Sunday in Advent "Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen."
Book of Common Prayer: Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Advent O lord, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas we, having been deceived*, are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

*"having been deceived" has been substituted for "through our sins and wickedness" in the original, to make this prayer more appropriate for ex-Assembly folks.


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