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Friday, March 29th, 2024
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: March 2nd

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Morning Devotional

Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.- Matthew 7:12.

It is an observation of the Heathens, that ’if virtue was to appear in human form, men would be enamoured with her beauty.’ But, alas! this has been proved to be an idle speculation. For that glorious man Jesus, in whom every virtue centered, who was adorned with every grace; who went about doing good, and lived as never man did, yet "he was despised and rejected of men." Blindness of mind is a first-born sin. To see form and comeliness in Jesus, is peculiar to enlightened souls. To hear, love, and obey the holy precepts Christ taught, ariseth from a renewed heart. Morality and good works are at the tongue’s end of every man. The most immoral and profligate are ever ready to applaud, to boast of, and to trust in, even what they never practise. It is a certain truth, they boast most of their works who have the smallest share of them.

It is the Christian’s mercy that he is not only delivered from such awful delusion; but what Jesus taught outwardly, in word, is wrote inwardly in his heart by the power of the Spirit. Therefore obedience is delightful from inward principles. Though he is not called to merit the love of God by his moral obedience, yet love is the sweet, constraining principle to moral observances. "Love is the fulfilling of the whole law." As "whatever is not of faith is sin," so whatever proceeds not from love, is contrary to holiness. An immoral Christian is as inconsistent a character as a chaste harlot. Heathens might talk of the golden rule; the law may command it; the prophets may instruct in the nature of it; natural men may pretend to admire it; but heavenly instructed, believing souls only, are enabled to love it in the spirit of their minds, and to obey it in their life and practice.

Verily, disciple, though Jesus gave no laws, by the fulfilling of which thou shouldest obtain a title to eternal life; yet he, who fulfilled all righteousness for thy salvation, calls thee to love and obey his precepts. The moral precepts of Jesus are as much enjoined by him as when he says "Come unto me all that are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." In obeying this we find comfort to our soul. In observing the golden rule of morality, we bear a noble testimony to the honor of Jesus, to the glory of God, and to the good of our fellow-creatures. It behoves us to beware lest Jesus "is wounded in the house of his friends," and the way of truth be evil spoken of, by a contrary conduct; for, saith Jesus, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."- John 15:14.

Evening Devotional

Thou God! seest me. Genesis 16:13.

“ Why sayest thou, O trembling sinner! My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” The Lord here asks thy reason, and reproaches thy speech. (Isaiah 40:27.) Look at Hagar, and be ashamed of the unbelieving surmises of thy heart. She was a dear child of God: yet she is left to suffer sore distresses. Her mistress treats her cruelly. She flees to a solitary wilderness: here was no eye of pity, no hand to relieve, no friend to comfort her: and, what must add to her sorrow and heighten her distress, she was with child. She fled from her station in providence. But the God of providence follows her,-the angel of the Lord-rather, the Lord, the Angel, the Messenger of the covenant-the Lord Jesus the Saviour. He found her, called her by name, inquires the cause of her distress, and bids her return to her mistress. Hagar knew her Saviour. She sets up a memorial of his sympathizing love for her, and care over her. She called the name of the Lord, who spake unto her, “Thou, God! seest me.” O, how much is implied in this! In every distress, remember this for thy comfort; and, in every perplexity, think of this for thy support, “Thou God! seest me.” Let this be the daily watch-word for thy soul. For it implies, (1st.) What the church says, “I was in his eyes, as one who found favour, or peace.” (; Song of Solomon 8:10.) “Therefore, the eyes of the Lord are upon me, and his ears are open unto my prayers.” (1 Peter 3:12.) His loving eyes looked upon me, pitied me when I was polluted in my blood, and called me to enjoy his favour and his peace. But, (2d.) Have I got into a wilderness of perplexity? Do I find one who can comfort me? Do I think I have deserted the Lord, and therefore he has deserted my soul? Still remember, “Thou God! seest me.” He sees the sorrows, marks the sighs, and hears the complaints of thy laboring breast, with an eye of sympathy, and a heart of love. “Our dear high-Priest is most tenderly touched with a feeling of our distress.” (; Hebrews 4:15.) Therefore, he searches after and follows us, with this tender and compassionate call, “Return again to me.” (Jeremiah 3:1.) “Come unto me, ye weary and heavy laden, I will give rest and refreshment to your souls.” (; Matthew 11:28.) (3d.) Is there sorrow in our hearts, for the folly of our ways? and this cry in our souls, “O! that it were with me, as in months that are past?” This is because the Lord sees us in mercy, comes after us in love, and hath not given us up in his wrath. And what says he? “I have seen his ways, and will”-what? damn him? O! no. O, the riches of grace!-“I will heal him.” (Isaiah 57:18.) Lastly, If Thou God! seest me, O! may I always live, as seeing thee by the eye of faith; live in thy service, walk in thy fear, unto thy glory.

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