Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: February 1st

Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.- Isaiah 8:13.

In consequence of a blessed union between Jesus and his believing members, the word discovers the sweet concord and delight that mutually subsists in the heart to each other. Thus of old it is declared, "The Lord’s portion is his people."- Deuteronomy 32:9. And the church claims Jesus under the same appellation: "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul."- Lamentations 3:24. "Ye shall be to me a holy nation."- Exodus 19:6. "I will dwell in them, and walk in them," saith our gracious Immanuel. Therefore, such highly favored souls are called to the most special and peculiar service on earth ere they attain the perfect enjoyment of Jesus in glory. What more exalted pitch of honor, than for creatures of a day to sanctify the Lord of the heavenly hosts, the Lord of the armies of the whole earth?

Is Jesus the Lord thy God? worship thou him; give him the glory due unto his name. The heart is his temple; there sanctify thy Lord. Separate every idol of self-righteousness, every vain pretension, every boasted plea for mercy, but what is in Jesus, and flows through him. Spurn from thee all things else as detestable, that would rival Jesus, detract from his glory, or cast a veil over his finished salvation, by the life of his obedience, and the blood of his atonement.

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice,"- Philippians 4:4 -but rejoice with trembling; for the Lord our God is a holy God. Fear his frown, dread his displeasure, stand in awe of his majesty daily. The righteousness, the peace, the joy of the soul is from him; therefore thy heart should be ever towards him-thy eye looking up to him-thy affections placed upon him-thy hands labouring to work those things which are well-pleasing in his sight-and thy feet running the way of his commandments with delight. But, who is sufficient for these things? From daily experience we are constrained to confess, "when I would do good, evil is present with me." This is humbling, but not discouraging. Thy Master knows thy compound state-the desire to good is from him-the evil from thyself. Inspired Paul is upon a level with the weakest believer, alike naturally prone to evil, destitute of inherent power; but yet saith he, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me."- Philippians 4:13. This is the daily exercise of faith, to oppose Christ’s righteousness to the feeling of sin: the sanctification of the Spirit to every lust: the strength of Jehovah to the weakness of nature. For this is the hope, the joy, the triumph of every believer, "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory."- Isaiah 45:25.

And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his own place. Genesis 18:33.

Love is the bond of friendship. Unless love be mutual, friendship cannot subsist. The sweets of friendship are enjoyed in free communications. Friends are delighted with each other’s presence. Long absence causes pain. This is true between God and the soul. If you feel concern at the absence of God, you love God: you are a friend of the Lord’s. The Lord stoops to earth: He takes our flesh: He visits and converses with us as friends. This same Lord communes with Abraham. Consider, (1st.) Abraham was a poor sinner, as we are; he could no more behold the essential glory of the Godhead, without a mediator, than we can. Nor can God in his essential glory, as perfectly holy and righteous, draw near to fallen man, without a mediator, but sudden destruction must be his awful doom. Therefore it was Jesus the Lord, the sinner’s friend, mediator, justifier and Saviour, that communed with Abraham. It is Jesus “with whom we have to do.” “He is the word of God to us,” (Hebrews 4:13.) This revives and refreshes our dejected spirits. (2d.) Though this visit and communion with the Lord was precious, yet it did not last long. The Lord went on his way. Do not you frequently find it so? Christ comes and pays a love-visit to your soul. He sweetly communes with you. He warms your heart. He comforts your soul. It is but for a season. He goes his way. You cannot but be sorry. You reckon those moments tedious that intervene between one loving visit and another. You say, with the disciples, “did not my heart burn within me?” (Luke 24:32.) And with others, “O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour, why shouldst thou be a wayfaring man, who tarries but a night?” (Jeremiah 14:8.) But faith lives upon Jesus, though sensible comforts are wanting. (3d.) Abraham returned to his own place; to the tents in Mamre: which signifies rebellion, or bitter. He must again feel the rebellions, and taste the bitter of his fallen nature: there is love in this, as well as in the Lord’s visits and communings. Wisdom prescribes this portion. Love administers it. Grace makes it profitable. Says our dear Lord, “what I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter,” (John 13:7.) Our Lord’s love is ever the same. His affections change not. Though he may leave off communing with thee below, yet he never ceases praying for thee above. This is precious to the faith of our hearts. Do we come unto God by him? He is able to save us to the uttermost. “He ever lives to make intercession for us,” Hebrews 7:25.