Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: December 9th

December 9—Morning—

"For he said, surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour."—Isaiah 63:8.

Oh what a tenderness of expression is contained in these words! Jesus not only takes his people into relationship with him, but undertakes for their faithfulness. In the birth of God’s everlasting purpose, this was done from everlasting; so that in one and the same moment, we are his people, his children, his brethren, his wife, his redeemed, his fair one, made comely in his comeliness, and in his blood cleansed, and in his righteousness justified before God. And observe, my soul, the grounds of this relationship: surely, he saith, they are my people. Not only as God’s workmanship and property, but as his purchase. Not only in first giving them being, but in giving them new being in Christ Jesus. The Lord hath taken them into covenant with him in Christ, and granted them a charter of grace and salvation in Jesus. Sweet and precious thought. God the Father, whose right they are by creation, hath given them to his Son. And Jesus hath made them his, both by his own purchase, and the conquests of his grace therefore he hath an interest in them, and in all that concerns them. Surely, saith Jesus, they are my people, my jewels, my treasure, my hidden one. And observe further, how he speaks for them as well as of them they will not lie. How is this? Why, they are children of the covenant. And because he hath undertaken for them, therefore he was their Saviour. Oh the preciousness of such a Saviour, to every circumstance, to every state, in every way, and upon every occasion in life, in death, in time, and to all eternity. Jesus, thou art indeed a Saviour, thou art truly called Jesus, for thou hast saved, and thou wilt save, thy people from their sins.

December 9—Evening—Romans 14:23

"For whatsoever is not of faith, is sin."—Romans 14:23.

My soul, thou last long known, and I hope in a great measure felt, the vast importance of that blessed principle, faith, without the possession of which, "it is impossible to please God." But last thou also considered what the Holy Ghost here saith, by the apostle, that "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin? Pause over the expression: "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin!" Why then it will follow, that whatever is undertaken without an eye to God in Christ, and for God’s glory in Christ, is sin. All the acts of creatures, as sinful creatures, must partake of sin. It is by faith in Christ, that the iniquity of our most holy things is taken away. Hence, love to our neighbour, is no love, unless it be a stream from the love of God: for what doth not begin in God, will never end in God. Such views of faith are striking; and this portion of God’s word certainly opens to them, and the reason is obvious: it is by faith only that we hear what God saith, or regard what God appoints. We never can glorify God, till we hear and believe in God. All God’s promises are in Christ: but without faith in Christ, there can be no belief in the promises of God in Christ. My soul, this is a striking view of faith, and serves to shew its vast and infinite importance. If all I undertake, all I say, all I do, the whole, without an eye to God in Christ, partake of sin; it is high time to see that I make Jesus the bottom, the cementing principle, and the top-stone of the whole building. And as "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin," so the humble offerings in faith, humble and poor as they are in themselves, if offered in and through Jesus, come up with acceptance upon that altar which sancifieth both gift and giver. Hence saving faith gives glory to God, because it brings nothing, it offers nothing, but seeks all from God in Christ, and desires that God in all things may be glorified in Christ. Oh! for the continual outpourings of the blessed Spirit, to be strong in this grace which is in Christ Jesus. "Lord! increase our faith!"