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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: April 22nd

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Morning Devotional

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.- Proverbs 13:4.

In the busy scenes of life, in the awful moments of death, the formal professor, as well as the profligate and profane, will desire to escape misery and woe, and enjoy heaven and happiness. But alas! how vain and fruitless are such desires! If these may be called good desires, ’the way to hell is paved with them,’ saith an ancient father of the church. But in this, the wisdom of the children of God is manifested. They are diligent in the use of such means, which, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, will be crowned with a blessed end. They cannot rest in desiring, but in possessing; not in wishing, but enjoying. They find and feel their souls want continual supplies of food from Jesus, support from his promises, nourishment from his word and ordinances, and life from his Spirit. And as their desires are quickened, their diligence is drawn out after these things.

Truth and wisdom declare, they shall not barely be kept from starving; just preserved alive, like Pharaoh’s lean kine; but shall be fed and nourished. Yea, like healthy sheep in rich pastures, they shall grow fat. "The soul of the diligent shall be made fat."- Proverbs 13:4. Here is encouragement for thy diligence, here is a spur to thy activity, O disciple. Here is the promise of thy Lord. Where is thy faith? Dost thou perceive thy soul decline, instead of growing fat? Do lusts and corruptions gain ground? Doth the love of the world get the ascendancy of the love of the Father in thy heart? Is the edge of thy spiritual appetite palled? and canst thou not feed nor feast on the rich repast of Jesus’ redeeming love as heretofore? wherefore is this? Hast thou not reason to charge thyself with sloth and indolence? Hast thou not been sleeping on thy bed of ease, instead of seeking the food of thy soul? Indulging thy perishing body, when thou mightest have used means for feasting thy immortal spirit? If so, the word of grace, and the testimony of thy conscience, convict thee; this is not right; thou oughtest to take shame to thyself; it is thy duty to humble thyself, and to call upon the Spirit to quicken thee. Though saved in the Lord Jesus with an everlasting salvation, yet thou art called "to give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure." In this way the Lord will nourish souls in love, and make them fat in the consolations of his grace. Consider, all are busy and active around thee-Satan to tempt, the world to ensnare, and thy corruptions within to betray thee. Remember the eyes of thy dear Lord are ever upon thee to see how thou actest thy part. Yea, more, "according to his riches in glory, to strengthen thee with might by his Spirit in the inner man."- Ephesians 3:16.

Evening Devotional

Is it true? Daniel 3:14.

A question this from a potent monarch, backed with a dreadful threatening: enough to have put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to the stand. Their answer must provoke their God, or their king. But did they hesitate a moment? were they at all in doubtful suspense? No: they had faith in their Lord; and they boldly replied, “O king, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.” Our cause lies before our God. We are not left to ourselves. Our present life, our immortal soul, is in his hands. If you command us into the fiery furnace, our God will be with us. We shall be safe: he will deliver us. Either our bodies that we have shall not be burnt; or, if they are, the burning furnace shall be only a fiery chariot, to convey our souls to heaven and glory. See the power of faith. According as they believed, so it was. The Son of God was with them: the fire could not hurt them. Hence, consider, (1st.) that God may, and sometimes does, suffer his dearest children to be brought into great straits, and threatened with the greatest dangers, so that an answer to a single question may perplex them. It is true? Are you one who follows this new way? Do you pretend to be justified by the Son of God only; to be saved by the grace of God entirely; and to have received the Spirit of God freely? On an answer to this, perhaps, depends a parent’s regard, or a friend’s kindness: the one threatens to disinherit; the other, to withdraw his favors Do worldly interest, honour, or advantage depend upon the answer of the tongue and the conduct of the life? Do poverty and want seem to threaten, if we declare ourselves for the Lord? Here is the trial of faith. But, (2d.) remember our Lord’s declaration: “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father.” (Mark 8:38.) Therefore, put this question to your heart.-Is it true, that God is my Father? is Christ my Saviour? Doth the Spirit bear witness to this in the word and to my heart? shall I then so fear a worm of the earth, as to decry the truth, and forsake that Lord who hath promised he will never leave nor forsake me: and that those who trust in him shall not want any good thing? (Psalms 34:10.) My soul starts, my heart recoils at the thought. Rather say, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Give up and forgo all for Christ. Soon we shall see these children: then they will tell us, they never were so happy in their lives, as in the fiery furnace. God is most with his children, when they suffer most for him.

O give me courage, dearest Lord,

Against my greatest foes,

To tell thy sacred truth abroad,

Nor fear their threat’ning woes.

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