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Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
Devotional: January 12th

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January 12—Morning—Leviticus 25:25

"If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold."—Leviticus 25:25.

How poor was I and wretched before I knew Jesus! I had not only sold, as far as I had power to sell, some of my possession, but all. Indeed, dear Lord, I could not sell thee, nor my oneness and union with thee; for that was not saleable, since Christ had from everlasting betrothed me to himself for ever. But in the Adam nature in which I was born, I was utterly insolvent, helpless, and ruined: one like the Son of man redeemed me. But what a double blessedness was it to my soul, when I discovered that this Redeemer was so very dear of kin to me, that he was my brother. Hail, thou precious, precious Jesus! thou art indeed, a "brother born for adversity." Yes, blessed Jesus! thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise; and all thy Father’s children shall bow down to thee. My soul, see to it that thou make the most of this relationship. Never, Oh never, will thy brother suffer his poor indigent relation to want any more, after that he hath thus redeemed both thyself and thy possession. Now do I see why it was that the church so passionately longed for Jesus under this tender character. "Oh! (said she) that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother; when I should find thee without I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised."

January 12—Evening—Ruth 4:1

"Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there. And, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake, came by; unto whom he said, Ho! such an one! turn aside; sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down."—Ruth 4:1.

It is blessed to see, when from general calls in the gospel, the call becomes personal. The general invitation is, " Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." The personal call is, "Ho! such an one." Jesus calleth his own sheep by name; how is this done? When at any time the Lord speaketh by the ministry of his word to their particular state and circumstances: as for example, when Jesus saith, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Faith saith in answer, then it is, for me; for I am a sinner. So again when it is said, " God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!" Faith replieth, then is that love suited to my case and circumstances, for I am both by nature and by practice a sinner before God. So again, when Jesus ascended up on high, he is said to have received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Faith again ends similar encouragement to go upon, in order to make the thing personal; for the believer saith, I have been a rebel from the womb. In short, faith always discovers ground to rest for assurance, when, from general rules, there is found sufficient scope for special application; and in the suitableness of Christ to the sinner’s necessity, and the suitableness of the sinner for the Redeemer’s glory, the word comes with power to the heart, and with an energy not unlike the application of the apostle’s sermon: "to you is the word of this salvation sent." For then, like the kinsman of Boaz, the call becomes personal, changing the appellation from every one, to such an one; and the believing soul comes at the call, turns aside, and sits down, as the very one with whom the business is to be transacted. My soul! hast thou heard the gospel invitation, and found it personal? The answer will not be far to obtain, if such evidences be discoverable in thyself. Faith is a precious grace, which never rests until it hath acquired all it stands in need of as the invitation comes from Christ, so where it is personally received and accepted, it leads to Christ. Faith is never satisfied with general views, its whole aim is at personal enjoyments. There is a selfishness to appropriate and bring home all that is offered. Salvation is proclaimed from heaven for sinners. God the Father gives it; God the Son purchaseth it; God the Spirit sends it to the heart with an "Ho! such an one, turn aside, sit down." See to it, my soul, that thou hast this personal interest in it, and that Christ is formed in thy heart the hope of glory.

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