Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: January 5th

January 5—Morning—Solomom 7:10

"I am my beloved’s, and his desire is towards me."—Song of Solomon 7:10.

Yes, dearest Jesus! I am truly thine, by every tie which can make me thine. I am thine by the gift of GOD the FATHER; by thine own betrothing me to thyself; by the HOLY GHOST anointing me in thee, and making me one with thee, and in thee, before the world. And I am thine in the recovery of the church from Adam’s fall and transgression by the sacrifice of thyself: for thou hast bought me with thy blood, and made me thereby the conquest of thine HOLY SPIRIT. And now through thy divine teaching I can and do discover, that from everlasting thy desire was towards thy redeemed ones, and even when dead in trespasses and sins, it was thy desire to quicken them into life, and bring them to thyself. And even now, notwithstanding all my backwardness to thee, thou restest in thy love, and thou art calling me by thy grace, and seeking continual fellowship in ordinances, and by thy word and providences; all which prove that thy desire is towards me. And as to the everlasting enjoyment of all thy church above, thy prayer to thy Father manifested thy desire, when thou saidst, "Father, I will that they whom thou, hast given me be with me to behold, my glory!" Are these then the desires of my God and Saviour, my Husband, my Brother, my Friend? And shall my heart be thus cold towards thee? Oh for the reviving influences of thy Spirit, that I May cry out with, the church, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for thy love is better than wine."

January 5—Evening—Genesis 14:18

“And Melchizedeck, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the Most High God"—Genesis 14:18.

Was it not in the evening of the day, when Abrabam, returning from the slaughter of the kings, met this illustrious person? And will Jesus, my Melchizedeck, meet and bless me in, the evening of this day, after my return from conflicts, trials, and exercises? I would fain indulge the sweet thought. Surely this Melchizedeck could be no other than Jesus. And did he love his people then - and doth he not love them now? Did Jesus witness their battles, and come forth and refresh them? And is, he not, Jesus still?—Sit down, My soul, and attend to what the Holy Ghost saith of this Melchizedeck; and see whether, through his teaching, thou canst make no discoveries of Jesus. Was this Melchizedeck priest of the Most High God? And who but the Son of God was ever sworn into this office with an oath? Was Melchizedeck a priest for ever? Who but Jesus was this? Had Melchizedeck neither beginning of days nor end of life? And who but Jesus is the first and the last? Was Melchizedeck without father, without mother? And who of Jesus shall declare his generation? Did Melchizedeck bless the great father of the faithful? And hath not God the Father sent his Son to bless us, in turning away every one of us from our iniquities? Did the king of Salem bring forth bread and wine to refresh the patriarch and his people? And doth not our King of righteousness bring forth at his supper the same, as memorials of his love: yea, his own precious body, which is meat indeed, and his blood, which is drink indeed? Precious Jesus, thou great Melchizedeck! bring forth anew, this night, these tokens of thy love. Make thyself known to me in breaking of bread and prayer. And whilst thou art imparting to me most blessed views of thyself, give me to apprehend and know thee, and richly enjoy thy soul-strengthening, soul-comforting presence. And Oh! for grace from thee, Lord, and the sweet influences of thine Holy Spirit, that, like the patriarch Abraham, I may give thee tythes of all I possess! It is true, I have nothing, and am nothing, yea, in myself am worse than nothing. But of thine own would I give thee. Like the poor widow in the gospel, I would cast all my living into thy treasury. The two mites, which make a farthing, my soul and body, do I give unto thee. And those are both thine, by creation, by gift, by purchase, and by the conquest of thy grace. Take, therefore, all; and enable me to present my soul and body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto the Lord, which is my reasonable service.