the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.- Habakkuk 3:19.
"The righteous are as bold as a lion."- Proverbs 28:1. The words of wisdom are not like the pithy sayings of the Heathens, which merely describe states and things to which men never arrive nor enjoy; but they assure us, such and such has been, and still is the knowledge and experience of God’s saints. So children of wisdom are taught their privileges, and their souls are drawn out in prayer and diligence, that they may also partake of the fulness of the blessings described. Whence is the boldness and courage of the righteous derived? See the young stripling David, how boldly he advances to the mighty giant Goliath, with an insignificant weapon in his hand, yet assured of success. For the faith of Omnipotence was in his heart, and these soul-encouraging words in his mouth, "I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts."- 1 Samuel 17:45.
Faith receives all its courage and strength from its author, Jesus. It is armed with Omnipotence; therefore he saith, "All things are possible to him who believeth."- Mark 9:23. So Paul, "I can do all things." Why? because he was a great apostle? No: prophets and apostles are all of one mind, even with the weakest believer: "It is Christ who strengthens me." "The Lord God is my strength." Are our hearts weak and low, ready to sink and faint? are our graces upon the decline? are our enemies strong, and our troubles increased? To whom should we fly, but to our almighty God and Saviour, Jesus?
For this very end he makes his dear members’ "feet like hinds’ feet:" swift to run from danger, and to fly to him for safety; so also "to run the way of his commandments with great delight."
Such happy souls shall also walk with composure and comfort upon the high places of safety and security, above the reach of their implacable foes. O, those are sweet seasons, when we mount up with wings as eagles; soar aloft in the exercise of faith; dwell high in the contemplation of love; converse much with Jesus in glory, though on earth in the body. How safe are the people of God! how joyful should they be in faith! how confident in hope! how fervent in love! "For they shall dwell on high; their defence shall be the munitions of rocks; their bread shall be given them, and their waters shall be sure."- Isaiah 33:16.
Salvation is forever nigh
The souls that fear and trust the Lord,
And grace descending from on high,
Fresh truth and glory shall afford.
He answered and said unto them, my mother and my brethren are these, who hear the word of God and do it. Luke 8:21.
Looking at things which are not seen keeps the soul from fainting, and invigorates it to every holy duty. Do I believe Christ now thinks of me, and is this moment pleading my cause in heaven? how then can I live unholy, and walk uncomfortable on earth? True, if I did but know that Christ loved me. How do you expect to know it? Do you believe he loved his mother and his brethren after the flesh? It cannot be doubted. See then how near and dear to Christ, in a spiritual sense, are all who hear the word of God and do it. They hear Christ in their hearts, as truly as his virgin mother carried him in her womb. They are as verily allied to him by faith, are his brethren in spirit, as others were by blood. (1st.) To hear the word of God, implies to have such an understanding of it, faith in it, hope from it, and love to it, as to cause our souls to delight in God the speaker, and our affections to cleave unto him. (2d.) St. Paul speaks of tasting the good word of God. (Hebrews 6:5.) There is a precious savour in the word. To hear it, is to have a spiritual relish for it. Just as food is savory to the palate, so is the word of God to the soul. (3d.) The word testifies of the word: the letter of the word, of the spirit of the word: the written word, of the essential word, even the Lord Jesus. God speaks in the word of Christ, by Christ, and of himself in Christ. Therefore to hear the word of God, is to receive Christ into the heart by faith, to know the Father’s love in him, and to expect full and final salvation by him. (4th.) There is a still small voice, in which our beloved speaks internally, the words of his gospel. He says, “My sheep hear my voice.” We know the voice of our Shepherd. It is the delight of our souls to hear him. Is this all? Do we only hear? Are the brethren and sisters of Christ all ear only? No, blessed be God, we are born again by the word of God. (1 Peter 1:23.) Therefore we not only hear the Word of God, but do it. What is implied in this? that God’s precepts are regarded by us, as well as his promises to us. The one, being fulfilled in us, causes the other to be dear to us. In one word, where there is a heart to hear the word of God, there is a desire to do the will of God. These are inseparable. Let us not deceive ourselves. “This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.” (1 John 3:23.) “In believing we have everlasting life.” (John 6:40.) “In loving we enjoy the comforts of it.” (2 Corinthians 6:6.) “In doing the will of God, we evidence that we are born of God.” (1 John 2:17.) “O may the word of Christ dwell in us richly, in all wisdom,” etc. (Colossians 3:16.)
