the Fourth Week after Easter
Click to donate today!
Daily Devotionals
The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions
September 17—Morning—1 Thessalonians 5:25
Brethren, pray for us."—1 Thessalonians 5:25.
My soul, mark how earnestly the apostle sought an interest in the prayers of the faithful. And if so eminent a servant in the church of Jesus thus entreated to be remembered by the brethren at the mercy-seat, how needful must it be that the brethren should remember one another; not only ministers to pray for the people, but the people for their ministers. "Brethren, pray for us," should be the constant request of every lover of Jesus. Methinks I would ask every one that I knew to be a constant attendant at the heavenly court, to speak for me to the king when he was most near, and in the enjoyment of his presence. Tell the Lord, I would say, that his poor prisoner needs his alms, longs for his grace, and is waiting the anxious expectations of his visits. Beg for me, that I may live always under the blessed tokens of his love, that I may be ever living near the Lord, and strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. And do tell his Sovereign Majesty that the one great object of my soul’s desire is, that I may have increasing views of the infinite dignity of his person, work, merit, offices, relations, characters, and in short, every thing that relates to one so dear, so lovely, so glorious, and so suited to a poor sinner, as the Lord Jesus Christ is in all things. And do add for me, that my humble suit is, that after he hath given me all in gifts and graces that he sees needful for me in my pilgrimage state, that Jesus will give me yet more than all, by giving me himself, and causing my heart to be dissatisfied with all but himself; for until Jesus himself be my portion, I still have not what I want. It is not enough to give me life; but he himself must be my life. It is not enough to give me rest, unless he himself is my rest, and I rest in him. Precious Jesus! I would say, in thyself is all I need: all to pardon, all to justify, all to sanctify, all to glorify, all to satisfy, all to make happy here and for ever. Brethren, let this be your prayer for me, and it shall be mine for you; that Jesus be the all in all of our souls, and our portion for ever.
September 17—Evening—Psalms 22:30-31
"A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this."—Psalms 22:30-31.
It is precious, yea, truly blessed also, to discover the happy correspondence subsisting between the several parts of scripture, in their testimony concerning the features of God’s people. Jehovah, in his threefold character of person, is always found as engaged in it; and each One in the holy and undivided Three gives assurance to it. "I will pour my Spirit, (saith God the Father speaking to the person of his dear Son, as the Israel of his people) upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring," Isaiah 44:3. "A seed, (saith Christ, or, as it might be rendered, and indeed is rendered in the version of the psalms read in the churches, my seed) shall serve him." This is the very seed which the Lord hath blessed, and which all that see shall acknowledge; Isaiah 61:9. "the people which Jehovah formed for himself," which he gave unto his Son, and "which shall shew forth his praise," Isaiah 43:21. And as both the Father and the Son have thus marked them with these striking particularities, so the Holy Ghost as plainly sets his seal to the great truth, and confirms who they are, by making them" willing in the day of his power." Now, my soul! behold, in this most blessed scripture, how decidedly the characters of the seed of Christ are marked, and trace thine own features in them. The seed of Christ, his offspring, his people, his redeemed, more or less delight in the Lord; they serve the Lord; and they are numbered, accounted to the Lord as his people, his generation. And they are as truly his by the new generation in grace, as they are by the old generation in nature, the seed of Adam after the flesh. So they are accounted, accepted, and received, in God’s sight. Mark also another blessed property by which they are known: "They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness." Yes! for the language of every one of them is, "I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine own," Psalms 71:16. Yea, the name by which they call their Holy One their Redeemer is, "The LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!" Neither is this all: for they shall not only renounce every thing in themselves, as in any way a procuring cause to this blessedness; but, both in original design, and in actual possession, they shall refer all unto the unsearchable goodness, and mercy, and grace of God. The work, and glory, and praise, are all the Lord’s, and all the declarations of it shall be to this amount: that the Lord "hath done it!" What sayest thou, my soul, to this precious and blessed testimony of Jehovah? Surely, thou canst, and wilt set to thy seal, "that God is true!"
