Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: January 18th

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.- Psalms 139:23-24.

"He that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God."- John 3:21. This is an infallible touchstone of true conversion, given by the Oracle of truth. "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool."- Proverbs 28:26. Sincerity may be attended with diffidence. Sincere upright souls know they have to do with a heartsearching God: to him they appeal, and desire to be searched and tried by him. What avails the soul, to obtain a favorable opinion from our vain fellow-mortals, if we are conscious all is not right within! What peace, what comfort, what joy, though men approve, and the soul itself be ever so confident, while conscience testifies my ways do not please the Lord, my walk is contrary to his will! True love to Jesus excites godly jealousy in the heart.

While in the flesh, we are ever exposed to deceit from a subtle foe, a deceitful heart, and an ensnaring world, yea and from false teachers also. Intricate paths may present- darkness may overtake-and Satan may thrust sore at the soul that it may fall, or be driven into byways of error and wickedness. Here is the wisdom and patience of saints when they cannot see their way, to cry to their guide. Jesus is the way-the only way-the way everlasting; in which the saints in all ages walked to glory. Faith in Jesus is inconsistent with every wicked way. Though in our present state there is no entire freedom from sin, which dwelleth in us; consequently no perfection in righteousness performed by us: yet the more we abide in Jesus, the closer we cleave to him, the more stedfastly we behold him, so much the more, through the grace of the holy Spirit, we shall be dead to sin, and alive to holiness. We shall experience the ways of wisdom to be "ways of pleasantness, and all her paths to be paths of peace."- Proverbs 3:17. This is the end of simple-hearted, sincere souls, in their appeals at a throne of grace, that "with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, they may be changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."- 2 Corinthians 3:18.

His spirit purifies our frame,

And seals our peace with God;

Jesus and his salvation came

By water and by blood.

O let thy grace surround me still,

And like a bulwark prove,

To guard my soul from ev’ry ill,

Secur’d by sov’reign love.

I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good. Jeremiah 32:40.

A minister lately preaching on the tremendous solemnity of the last day, at the close of his sermon, thus addressed his hearers: “Most awful as my subject has been; most solemn as the things which you have heard have been-yet I have one thing more to add, which is as awful. ‘Tis this.-Ere tomorrow’s sun, perhaps, you will have forgotten all you have heard of this solemn subject!” Awful conclusion! is not this too much our case, respecting the covenant love and faithfulness of our God? Else, why those unreasonable doubts, groundless suspicions, heart-rending jealousies, and soul-dejecting fears which possess us? Else, whence that slowness of heart to approach the Lord, to cast our care upon him, put our trust in him, glory of him, live upon him, and rejoice in him? The Lord will ever be mindful of his covenant. (Psalms 111:5.) But, shame to us! we do not remember, as we ought, that we are the Lord’s covenant people; that he has made an everlasting covenant with us, in Christ, our head and representative. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The moment we believe in Jesus, we have that one heart which is towards him, and we choose him as our one way. This the Lord promises in the former verse. Then, we enter on the everlasting covenant. This is said to be made with us; for the grace of it is applied, the blessings bestowed, and the promises of it made good to us. But here is a future prospect. The Lord gives one special promise, which includes every mercy, comfort, and blessing our souls can wish for.-I will not turn away from them, to do them good. Lord! make us strong in faith, that we may give glory to thee, for this exceeding great and precious promise. Consider, (1st.) This and every other promise is in Christ Jesus. All the promises are in him. (2 Corinthians 1:20.) (2d.) It is absolute and unconditional in regard to us: for Christ, our head, has fulfilled all the terms and conditions of the covenant for us. Hence, every blessing comes freely by him, and through him to us. Our every plea, for every promise and grace, is for Christ’s sake. Most precious and most prevailing plea! A perfect atonement, and perfect righteousness, faith has to present and plead to divine justice. Therefore, let us come with boldness to a throne of grace. (3d.) Will God never turn away from us, to do us good? O, how should this endear him to our souls! how watchful, how careful ought we to be, not to turn away from him, to do evil! Lastly. We may bid defiance to sin, the world, Satan, death, and hell. For if the Lord will do good, what shall harm us? if God be for us, who shall be against us? if every good be thus promised, heaven, the chief of all good, is secure to us.