Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: February 24th

Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart.- 2 Chronicles 32:26.

Outward, gross, abominable sins, self-righteous Pharisees cry out against, and profess to humble themselves for; but to mourn over, and be humbled for heart sins, spiritual pride, etc. is peculiar to gracious souls only. We read of two things in the word, the most opposite to each other: Hear and adore! the high and lofty ONE, that inhabiteth eternity, "humbleth himself" to visit man.- Psalms 113:6. Hear, and be astonished! "Man opposeth and exalteth himself against God."- 2 Thessalonians 2:4. "Pride proceeds out of the heart," saith Jesus,- Mark 7:21. This makes us murmur against the God of providence, fretful under his dispensations, forgetful of his benefits, and unthankful for his mercies. Pride opposeth the sovereign God of grace, and would snatch the crown of glory from the everlasting God of love, and place it upon the head of that guilty creature of a day, man. Pride swells the haughty mind with indignation against the truths of Jehovah. That salvation is wholly by grace, free favor, unmerited love, unconditional election of God the Father by Jesus Christ, is contrary to the proud vain thoughts of man; therefore man is against this. For this leaves him nothing whereof to glory in himself that he has done, or can do, to fulfil terms and conditions, to gain an interest in salvation, or procure a title to glory.

Here God alone is glorified-Christ exalted-grace reigns-and truth established; while the poor sinner’s mouth is stopped, his honor laid in the dust, and in self-abasement he humbles himself for the pride of his heart. So grace triumphs over all the ruin of the fall. Thus it affects sinners when it reacheth the heart. All boasting is excluded. "O righteous Father! thy will be done," in sovereign grace and electing love. Thou hast a right to do what thou wilt with thine own. Grace, favor, mercy, faith, repentance, hope, peace, love, holiness, heaven, all is thy free gift by Jesus. None hath any claim on thee; guilt has forfeited all. But to the wretched and helpless thou hast made thyself a debtor by free promise and sovereign proclamation in Christ Jesus. Do I see this? Is my heart soft and yielding to submit to salvation by grace only? Wherefore is this to me, while others are blinded to the truth, and their hearts hardened against it? The work is thine; all the glory is due to thee alone; for "even so, righteous Father, it seemed good in thy sight."

Such are the sentiments of gracious, humble souls; to such he "giveth more grace." "For God resisteth the proud, (who oppose the Father’s electing love, and the righteousness of his Son) but giveth grace to the humble," (whose hope is not in himself, but in the Lord his God). "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."- 1 Peter 5:6.

Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20.

Our hopes and comforts rise or fall, according to our conceptions and belief of what Christ is in himself, and what he is to us. Attend to this. You will find this true in your experience. Therefore it is of no small moment, whether you believe Christ to be God over all, or only a mere man. Yea, it is of the utmost importance: it enters into the very life, peace, and joy of your soul. Our Lord here puts this beyond a doubt. None but God is, at one and the same time, in more places than one. But Christ declares, “Wherever my disciples are gathered together in my name, there am I.” Therefore Christ is the omnipresent God. This is the joy of our faith; this, the glory of our souls. Now, it should be our grand concern to bring this into experience and practice. (1st.) Remember “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3.) O, soul! what have you to do at places devoted to sin and vanity? Know, the eyes of the Lord are there. If he sees you there, he will surely make you smart for it. But, (2d.) Our Lord delights in the assembling of his disciples in his name. If but two or three, no matter where. O! let this call up your attention to his name. Let this reprove professors, that they do not always meet in Christ’s name, speak to each other more of his glorious person, and precious salvation: this is the way to be helpers of each other’s faith, hope, and love in the Lord. Be ashamed of yourselves, ye frozen-hearted, tongue-tied professors! who can be all talk for the things of the world, but dumb when precious Jesus is the theme. What! can you go, day after day, without calling your family together, to speak a word of Jesus to them, and to Jesus for them? O, what seasons of peace, comfort, and heavenly mindedness do you abridge yourselves of! The presence of a king makes a court. The King of kings makes a court, a temple in your houses; yea, in your hearts, when you assemble in his name. (3d.) Let this precious word encourage you to this. “There am I in the midst of them.” Have you not found it so? the unworthiest of all has. “There am I!” as thought Christ was first there, waiting for us. Can His presence be with us, without shedding his light, life, liberty, and power among us? No: no more than the sun can shine in its meridian splendor, without darting light and heat. (4th.) Remember two or three are within the compass of the promise. Not angels, not sinless men; but poor, miserable sinners, Christ delights to be in the midst of. O! love and praise our dear Lord, for his marvellous condescension, and this precious declaration. Study more and more to improve it, to build up each other’s souls in them, and to glorify his precious name. See his affectionate notice of such. Malachi 3:16-17.