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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: March 27th

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Morning Devotional

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.- Acts 26:19.

One is sometimes called to bear testimony before unbelievers of the hope that is in one. It is difficult to speak of the manifestation of Christ to the heart, so that the Saviour alone may be exalted and glorified. Somewhat of self naturally creeps into the relation. It is very pleasing to nature, to be esteemed as one highly favored, and to have made great attainments in Christianity. O that single letter, with great sound, I! But it was farthest from the heart of Paul, that eminent champion for free-grace salvation, to give the least encouragement from his conversion to any fellow-sinner to talk of obedience to God’s call, or faithfulness to his grace, as conditions of salvation. The soul of that man of God would be fired with a holy zeal for his master’s glory, was he now on earth, to hear his language abused, and his meaning perverted, by the pride of men. Men of self-righteous principles oppose the truths of the gospel; deny God’s unconditional election, unmerited love, the finished salvation of Jesus, and its being sure to all his seed, through the sovereign application of the Lord the Spirit. To what end? Truly to make way for their unscriptural notions of terms and conditions of salvation. They dare proudly and arrogantly teach, that obedience to Jesus is the condition of salvation. Will they not also say, that when Jesus called, "Lazarus, come forth," his rising up was a condition of his being restored to life? How hard for pride to forsake the human heart!

Paul was favored with an extraordinary vision from the Lord Jesus from heaven, to call him to be his faithful servant. Obedient hearts are caused by effectual calls. But after Paul had laboured more abundantly than all the rest of the apostles, what was his glorying? "Yet not I, but the grace of God, striving (says he) according-to what? my power? my ability? No; to his working, which worketh in me mightily."- Colossians 1:29. O here is a blessed pattern, a profitable lesson of humility set before us! Hath Jesus appeared to us in the vision of faith by the word of truth? Hath he effectually called us to believe in his name, and to rejoice in his salvation? What shall we say, but fall upon the bended knees of our hearts, and in warmest gratitude of soul, adore grace, rich, free, sovereign, distinguishing grace! Have we been, and do we still continue obedient to the heavenly vision? What then? shall we sacrifice to our own net, and burn incense to our own drag, and say, Because of my obedience, my faithfulness? God forbid! for this is only grace upon grace. If we have obtained grace to be faithful, the comfort is ours; but all the glory is due to the giver. "Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us." Why? "for thou hast wrought all our works in us."- Isaiah 26:12.

Evening Devotional

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25.

These two things the enemy of souls works powerfully against. (1st.) To keep sinners from coming to Christ for salvation. (2d.) When they are come, to prevent their enjoying the comfortable knowledge that Christ is their Saviour. And our own legal hearts, and wicked natures, join the enemy of our peace and salvation in both. But love lives and reigns above. Our Saviour sees how it is with us, and sends the power of his Spirit to help, relieve, and comfort us. The dear Spirit, when dead in sin, quickens us: then he guides us in our walk. What need we then of exhortations? Much, very much; for, consider, The walk is ours: to order our steps aright, is the work of the Holy Spirit. (3d.) Our comfortable enjoyment of our interest in Christ, is experienced in a holy walk, or walking in the Spirit. The battle is the Lord’s. Yet David was to engage and conquer Goliath. “The Lord gave him the victory.” (1 Samuel 17:47.) Therefore, (4th.) Exhortations point out our weakness, our need of the Spirit’s help; and they excite us to pray for it. What is it to walk in the Spirit? (1st.) It is to mind the things of the Spirit. Those spiritual truths revealed in the gospel, concerning our hope of eternal life by the sin-atoning death, law-fulfilling life of the Son of God. It is to set our affections upon Christ, seek all our happiness in him, to expect daily comfort from him; to make his precious blood and everlasting righteousness our constant plea, expecting the reviving sense of God the Father’s favour and love to us, only in him. (2d.) It is to go forward, step by step, day by day, looking for and depending on the Spirit’s assistance, to keep our souls close to Jesus, and to maintain fellowship with him. And to shew that our hearts are simple and sincere, we shall be diligent in the means of grace, studious to exercise our graces on Christ, and be uniform in the discharge of every duty. What a blessed walk is this! This is the walk of comfort, peace, and holiness. Do you not find it so? Persevere in it. So will you walk above the accusing terrors of the law, the groveling life of sense, the defiling life of lusts, the vain life of worldly pleasures, and the distressing life of Satan’s power. Wouldest thou enjoy spiritual comforts? These can only be found in a spiritual walk. Dost thou complain for want of them? Examine thy walk: say not, this is legal. What! is it legal to follow the Lord wheresoever he goeth? Beware, lest carnal notions prevail; and by living after the flesh, you condemn what is truly evangelical and spiritual. “They who are after the Spirit, do mind the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5.)

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