October 31 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 19:

¹The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
²Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
³There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
⁴Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
⁵Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
⁶His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
⁷The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
⁸The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
⁹The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
¹¹Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
¹²Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
¹³Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
¹⁴Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Devotional

By nature all people walk in darkness, and "dwell in the land of the shadow of death." Wherever the Word of God enters, there is light and life and peace and joy. Where the Word of God does not come there is darkness, despair, death and damna­tion.

At the time of the Reformation it had become very dark. The Word of God was neglected. Commandments of men were sub­stituted for the Word of God, and all kinds of errors, abuses and corruption prevailed in the church. But God in his mercy raised up men, who called the people back to the Word of God, and who preached the doctrines of salvation with boldnesss, faith and courage—Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and others. On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses (pronouncements against errors and abuses) on the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg. He, with the other Reformers proclaimed the sover­eignty of God. They believed the Bible to be the Word of God, They preached the doctrine of justification of faith, and main­tained the priesthood of all believers, all doctrines clearly taught in Scripture. God is sovereign. "Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." The Bible is the Word of God. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." We are justified by faith. "A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." All believers are priests of God. "He hath made us kings and priests unto God." We have no need of a priest, a bishop or a pope, nor of Mary, the mother of Jesus. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." We are perfect in him.

Prayer

In this, the last and troublous day,
Grant perseverance that we may
Keep pure Thy Word and sacrament,
O Lord, until we reach life's end.   Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Isa. 9:2; Ps. 115:3; 2 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Rev. 1:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; Col. 1:28.

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