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December 27 Daily Devotional

Thine Is My Heart: Devotional Readings from the Writings of John Calvin

John Calvin (compiled by John H. Kromminga)

Bible Text:

Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. —I Timothy 6:15,16

Devotional:

Men's knowledge is not certain. They know not that men were made to the image of God, and that God provided an inheritance for them above in the heaven. All the wise men in the world could never devise this doctrine. Yet we are so stuffed and filled with all the vanities of the world that we cannot cast our eyes toward heaven.

Even when we have confessed that our true happiness is in heaven, and that we are pilgrims here beneath, and that we have no abiding place but with God; when we have confessed all this, and that without dissembling and hypocrisy but as those who are thoroughly persuaded; yet we do not cease to be entangled in this world and lie grovelling here as though we should remain here forever. We see what pains men take and how they torment themselves. If a man ask them, "Is there no better life?" every man will confess, and that without hypocrisy, that there is. For they know it to be so.

But yet they become beasts because their unbelief has gotten a firm hold on them, and their affections are out of line, and they cannot so master them as to withdraw themselves from those things that are nothing. —Sermons


John Calvin was the premier theologian of the Reformation, but also a pious and godly Christian pastor who endeavored throughout his life to point men and women to Christ. We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for permission to use John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart as our daily devotional for 2013 on the OPC Web site. You can currently obtain a printed copy of that book from Reformation Heritage Books.

Dr. Joel Beeke, who is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, has this to say:

"Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God’s will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day."

These devotional readings from John Calvin were compiled by John H. Kromminga. Be sure to read his "Introduction" to John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart.

 

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