November 5

Morning

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. — Isa 54:17 BSB

This day is significant in English history, marking two great deliverances God performed for us. On this day, the plot of the Catholics to destroy our Houses of Parliament was discovered in 1605. It’s also the anniversary of King William's landing at Torbay, which put an end to hopes of Catholic dominance and secured religious freedom. This day should be celebrated, not with worldly festivities, but with the songs of the saints. Our Puritan forefathers made it a special time of thanksgiving, and we still have records of the annual sermons preached by the godly Matthew Henry on this day.

Our Christian faith and love of liberty should lead us to remember this anniversary with deep gratitude. Let our hearts and voices declare, “We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us—the wondrous things You did in their day, and in the times before them!”

Lord, You have made this nation a home for the gospel, and when enemies have risen against her, You have protected her. Help us to sing songs of thanksgiving for Your repeated deliverances. Give us an increasing hatred for the errors of the Roman Antichrist, and hasten the day of her complete downfall. Until then, we trust Your promise, “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper.”

Shouldn’t every lover of the gospel of Jesus feel the need to pray on this day for the defeat of false doctrines and the spread of divine truth? And wouldn’t it be wise to examine our own hearts, rooting out any remnants of self-righteousness that may still be hidden within?

Evening

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name. — Ps 100:4 BSB

Our Lord desires that all His people hold rich, joyful thoughts of His blessed person. Jesus is not satisfied when His followers think little of Him; it pleases Him when His people are captivated by His beauty. We are not to think of Him as just a bare necessity, like bread or water, but as a luxurious delight, something rare and truly satisfying. To help us think highly of Christ, He has revealed Himself as the “pearl of great price” in its unmatched beauty, as the “bundle of myrrh” in its refreshing fragrance, as the “rose of Sharon” in its lasting perfume, and as the “lily” in its spotless purity.

To encourage our thoughts of Christ, consider how He is viewed in heaven—where everything is measured perfectly. Reflect on how God values His only Son, His unspeakable gift to us. Think of the angels, who consider it their greatest honor to cover their faces at His feet. Imagine how the redeemed, those washed in His blood, never cease to sing His well-deserved praises.

The higher our thoughts of Christ, the more we will live in line with our relationship with Him. The more exalted we see Christ, and the more humbly we bow before His throne, the more we’ll be able to serve Him as we should.

Our Lord wants us to think highly of Him so that we’ll submit to His authority with joy. The more we value Him, the more we’ll love Him. Love and admiration go hand in hand. So, believer, dwell often on your Master’s excellencies. Consider His essential glory before He took on human nature. Think of the powerful love that drew Him from His throne to die on the cross. Marvel at how He conquered hell itself. See Him risen, crowned, and glorified! Bow before Him as the Wonderful, the Counselor, the mighty God—because only then will your love for Him be what it should be!