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Friday, March 29th, 2024
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: March 29th

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Morning Devotional

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.- Psalms 51:17.

It is the wisdom and joy of disciples to see somewhat of Jesus in every page of the lively oracles. Then the word is searched with pleasure, studied with delight, and is made exceeding profitable to the soul. To this end the sins and backslidings, the humiliations and repentings, the joys and experiences of saints of old are recorded. We see their deserts to be the lowest hell: but grace reigns. Though sin abounded in them, yet grace super-abounded over them. But all is through Jesus; no mercy for sinful man, but through that dear man and blessed Mediator.

So he glorifies his name, so he makes known his power to be "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," in saving his people from their sins. Though sin may blind the eyes to his love, and harden the heart against his fear, and the spirit become stout and rebellious for a season, yet see his amazing love; behold the effects of his almighty grace: a cruel, murdering, adulterous, yet beloved David shall be arraigned, plead guilty, sue for mercy, and hope for pardon. But did a broken spirit and a contrite heart entitle him to this? Did he plead his present griefs and humiliations to atone for his past transgressions? No, alas, if he had no other hope than this, horror and black despair would have been the portion of his backsliding soul. God will not, doth not, cannot bestow pardon of sin, till he makes the soul sensible of, and sorry for sin. Nor will he ever despise, abhor, or reject broken-hearted, contrite souls. For his Spirit effects this in them. Though no plea can be founded for this, yet the soul is sweetly encouraged hereby to hope; because here is an evidence that the Lord hath not given up such to a reprobate mind; still he works in them; they feel the effects. A sense of guilt is dreadful to be borne, distressing to feel; therefore such cry for deliverance: "Restore unto me the joys of thy salvation."

Our loving Lord breaks the heart for sin, though sin cannot break the covenant of his love; therefore sin shall not reign unto death. O soul, art thou mourning for thy sins? Remember HIM on whom the iniquity of us all was laid. Look to him "who bore our sins in his own body on the tree; by whose stripes we are healed." A contrite spirit flies from the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season: it cannot rest till former joys are restored; it is also solicitous about his future walk, lest he fall again: therefore cries, "Uphold me with thy free spirit." Psalms 51:12.

I cannot live without thy light,

Cast out and banish’d from thy sight:

Thine holy joys, my God, restore,

And guard me that I fall no more.

O may thy love inspire my tongue;

Salvation shall be all my song;

And all my powers shall join to bless

The Lord, my strength and righteousness.

Evening Devotional

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted? Isaiah 2:22.

This precious text my dear Lord preached to my heart, day after day, upwards of twenty years ago; when it first pleased him to make me happy in his love: though not then, yet I have seen abundant cause for it. That soul is in good health, that can say, I am sick of sin, sick of men, and sick of myself. The Lord is teaching us this lesson day after day: it is a hard one to flesh and blood. For we are naturally prone to look to, trust in, and depend upon an arm of flesh. But this is to depart, in heart, from the Lord: a curse is denounced upon this, (Jeremiah 17:5.) Consider, man’s breath is in his nostrils. The best of men are subjects of sin, and liable to the stroke of death: the breath that promises you to-day, ere to-morrow’s drawn, may be vanished into air, and all your hopes blasted: the arm of flesh, which to-day is strong and stretched forth in your service, tomorrow may be stiff in death, all your expectations buried in the grave of despair, and you left in disappointment and vexation. Whereof is man to be accounted? in his best estate he is altogether vanity. “Cease ye from man.”-Yea, from professors too. You are in danger of being hurt by them also: I have, and therefore speak from experience. Here is our danger; we are apt to think too high of ministers and professors. Even St. Paul cautions against this: “Lest any man think of me above that which he seeth me to be.” (2 Corinthians 12:6.) You entertain a very high opinion of such an one: perhaps you may soon see something in him you little expected. You are stumbled: you get into reasoning; he falls away from the hope of the gospel, (how many awful instances have I known, both of eminent ministers and great professors!) You are staggered: you know not what to think. Up comes Mr. Devil, with ‘Ah! you see it is all a delusion: give all up: follow the gospel no longer.’ But our Lord would have our hearts simply looking to him; therefore, he bids us “cease from man.” He, he alone is the only precious Man we are never to cease from. In him there is none occasion of stumbling: he is a perfect man. Fix your eye steadily upon him: seek all your perfection in him: look for all your comforts from him. Cease from yourself: avoid all self-confidence: flee all self-complacency. Cease from self-righteous, vain-glorying, self-deceived liars, who say they are perfect, and have no sin in them. Ever look at, ever glory in that dear MAN, in whom we are perfect; “presented to the Father, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight.” Colossians 1:22.

We’re prone, alas! to trust in man,

And from our God depart:

Convince us of this foolish plan;

Lord, take and keep our heart.

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