Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: May 5th

Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me.- John 14:1.

Jesus comforted the heart of a sorrowful widow by restoring her dead son to life again. Could he not also, by the power of his Spirit, consolate the hearts of his dear disciples, without preaching outward rules and directions to them? Plainly he will be heard as our prophet. Those disciples only, who obey the word of his doctrine, shall enjoy the consolations of his love. So it seemeth good to our Lord to teach; so it is necessary for us to believe. Troubles are the common lot of God’s dearest children: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous."- Psalms 34:19. They feel and groan under heart troubles, which strangers know not of; inward disquietudes, which carnal men are utterly free from, are oft amazed to hear of; and are ready to hug themselves, and thank God they are not troubled about.

Ah, this inward insensibility is a bad sign! But disciples’ troubles are Jesus’ concerns. He has a remedy against them: he will give comfort under them. Believing in an absolute God will not do this. Nay, the glory of his majesty, the greatness of his power, the perfection of his justice, etc. appear in dread array against us. We dare not think of God out of Christ, knowing ourselves to be poor sinners. Therefore, says Jesus, "Believe also in me." Believe my humanity: that I became MAN for your sakes, died for your salvation, and am risen again in your nature to pray for you. Remember the covenant that is established between the Father and me on your account. When thoughts arise in your mind, and your poor hearts are troubled with finding you are still but "unprofitable servants," you see much cause for sorrow, mourn and complain that there are many things amiss in you; that you do not believe so perfectly, love so comfortably, obey so cheerfully as you wish; yet ever remember, I am your Mediator before the throne; you stand not in the Father’s love for your works’ sake; but the Father is ever well pleased with me. He loves you, and is well pleased with you for my sake.

Do not distress your poor hearts. Sorrow not as without hope; but believe in me and be comforted. You have no sin, but my blood dearly atoned for; you want no perfection, but what my righteousness supplies; you stand in need of no holiness and conformity to me, but what the blessed Spirit bestows. Thus believe on me as your living head, thus daily look on yourselves as my dear members, thus live on me and honor me as your Lord, and glorify me as your only Saviour. This is to obey Christ’s command. Thus is the troubled heart comforted. This is our sweetest privilege. We should be concerned to make this our daily employ on earth. Shortly all our troubles and sorrows shall end, for "we shall meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord: wherefore comfort one another with these words."- 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14.

Soldiers of Christ! hear and obey the word of command: Stand. Against every enemy, stand to your arms: against all opposition from within and without, maintain your ground. Face all: fight all: conquer all. Does sin attack, Satan assault, the world threaten? Do corruptions rage, temptations beset, and carnal nature rebel? Are thine enemies many and potent? is their fury great? is the battle strong? Stand therefore. Why? Because you have put on the whole armor of God. Jesus is with you, upon you, over you, and engaged for you: therefore, “Stand fast in the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 3:8.) “And in the power of his might: having your loins girt.” Long standing makes the loins faint and weak. Is there much pain in the loins? Here is thy Lord’s command: “Gird up the loins of thy mind.” Make thy loins strong. “Fortify thy power mightily.” (Nahum 2:1.) How? Here is a girdle for thee: Girt about with truth. What is truth? Christ answers, “I am the truth.” (John 14:6.) Christ, and the truth as it is in him, is like a girdle to the loins, to brace up and strengthen the mind. Hast thou not often found it so, O soldier of Christ? When weary and faint in thy mind, under long and sharp conflicts with the enemy, hath not thy soul been revived, and thy mind animated with fresh strength and vigor, by again girding thy loins with the love, the grace, the truth, and the salvation of Jesus? This was David’s experience: “Thou hast girded me with gladness.” (Psalms 30:11.) “Thou hast girded me with strength to battle.” (2 Samuel 22:40.) O! think not of standing, without the girdle of truth. Let Christ and his truths be the strength of thy loins and the glory of thy soul. “Having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Not our own: that is defective. As well have on a spider’s web: it will not defend the heart. The enemy will wound the breast through it. No other righteousness than that in which we stand perfectly justified in the sight of God, can effectually defend our breast against the enemy. This is the one perfect, everlasting righteousness of him, who is the Lord our righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:6.) Christ, by his obedience unto death, wrought it out; the Spirit convinces us of our want of it; God the Father imputes it; the sinner accepts it by faith, glories of it, and rejoices in it. No enemy can stand against it: It is a guard against, and repels the accusations of Satan, and is security against all condemnation.

If I could keep God’s holy law,

And ev’ry jot fulfil,

My righteousness I would not know,

But glory in Christ still.

But since I sin in all I do,

And yet would never sin,

I’ll daily to my Saviour go,

For peace and joy within.