Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: October 27th

October 27—Morning—Isaiah 41:9

"I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away."—Isaiah 41:9.

Is this thy portion, my soul? Hath the Lord thy God indeed chosen thee? Hath he manifested his love to thee in so distinguishing a way? Take comfort, then, in all thine exercises, when seasons of darkness .and discouragement are around; think of God’s choice, and venture on God’s love. Art thou distressed, exercised, afflicted? Dost thou call on God, and find no answer? Doth the enemy tempt thee to doubt? Doth thine own unbelieving heart misgive thee? Still recollect, Jesus knows all. He chose thee—and he that chose thee knows all thine exercises; nay, he himself hath appointed them. And remember, thou wast not forced upon him. It was his own free choice first made thee his; and his own love will be the security of thy present dependence. Jesus resteth in his love; he hateth putting away. Cast down as thou art, thou art not cast off. Though fallen, he can raise. Though dejected, he can and will comfort. Sweet thought! He will turn. again; he will have compassion upon us, and he will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Hallelujah.

October 27—Evening—Acts 4:31

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled."—Acts 4:31.

Think, my soul, what a blessed testimony this must have been, in confirmation to the disciples, that their God was a prayer-hearing, and a prayer-answering God! And what a full reply to all they had been praying for!’ The enemies of God, and of his Christ, had threatened the poor disciples what they would do to them, if they persisted in preaching Jesus to the people. The purport, therefore, of the apostles prayer was, not that the Lord would stop their malice, and silence all their opposition: this they sought not to avoid. But the single prayer was, that their souls might be animated to go on, let the malice of their foes manifest itself as it might. In answer, "the place is shaken." As if the Lord had said, "He that shakes the place, can make your enemies hearts tremble." And so it proved. Now, my soul, take thine improvement from it. Jesus sees all, knows all, hears all, as well of thine exercises, as of thine enemies attempts upon thee. Carry all complaints therefore to him. Depend upon it, that it is blessed to be exercised; blessed for thee, that the enemies of God; and of his Christ, threaten thee; blessed to be opposed, that thou mayest not recline upon thine arms, or, like stagnant waters, become corrupt for want of running. The hatred of the foes of Jesus affords occasion yet more for Jesus to manifest his love; and though the place be not shaken whence thy cries go up, the word of his grace gives the same sure answer. Jesus looks on, Jesus upholds, Jesus supports. Do thou call every Bethel place as Abraham’s handmaid did: "Thou, Lord, seest me." No weapon formed against God’s people can prosper; and every tongue that riseth against them in judgment, the Lord will condemn. "This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."