the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.- Psalms 119:25.
One would dread that state most of all others, which St. Paul describes, "being past feeling."- Ephesians 4:19. True, there is this alleviation, such are insensible of their deplorable condition. But if the great trumpet of the gospel awakes not the soul in this life to spiritual sense and feeling, verily the loud archangel’s trumpet will awaken it to hear its awful sentence and feel its dreadful doom in the last day. O what a miracle of grace to be quickened, to know one’s misery, to feel one’s wants, to believe the remedy, and cry for relief! This blessed work is not of the will of the flesh. No man can quicken his own soul; it is the sovereign work of almighty power; it is equally ascribed to the loving Father, the redeeming Son, and the sanctifying Spirit- John 5:21; John 6:63 -therefore gracious souls give all the glory to the ever-blessed trinity. Free-will is the child of pride, it dwells in the heads of almost Christians, and is only boasted of by the enemies of truth.
"I am come, that my children might have life," saith Jesus. He quickeneth the dead in trespasses and sins; and then they cry to him to have life more abundantly. Here is the wisdom of heaven-born souls; they deny themselves of the vain pleasures, carnal delights, and sensual gratifications of this world. They know these things oppose the life, interrupt the peace, and damp the joy of their souls. Their only happiness centers in Jesus-in life and love communicated from him; therefore they study to avoid such things as are contrary to his mind and will: and as they too often find a cleaving to dust, to the sensible, earthly, vain enjoyments of this world, this alarms them-it is a burden and grief to them: they pour out their complaints to their beloved Jesus, with, ’Master, let it not be thus; quicken my drooping spirit, enliven my declining heart, cheer my languishing soul, according to the word of thy grace, the truth of thy promises.’ Here is the blessed confidence of faith. His word is our plea; by that we have assurance of being heard and answered. The precepts of his word teach us his will; and we cannot feel a want but God’s word promises to supply; therefore that is the warrant of faith, a light to direct our feet; and so also it is our best directory for prayer. So Christ prays for all his, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."- John 17:17.
My soul at times cleaves to the dust;
Lord, give me life divine;
From vain desires and ev’ry lust
Turn off these eyes of mine.
O keep them ever fix’d on thee,
My Lord, my life, my love:
Low vanities may I despise,
And seek those things above.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Ephesians 4:5.
Jesus saith of his church, “My dove, my undefiled is but one.” (Song of Solomon 6:9.) One body, composed of various members, espoused to him, by the Spirit, as “to one husband.” (2 Corinthians 11:2.) Hence called his own body, (Ephesians 1:23.) All such are most dear to the Lord. He nourisheth and cherisheth them. For they are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, (5:30.) He is their one Lord, and his name is ONE, (Zechariah 14:9.) This is most true in doctrine. But this is not all. For it is found most sweet in experience also. This is by one faith. By this, we enjoy and walk in sweet and holy fellowship with our Lord and Head. What if I were told, there is one sun, what comfort would that afford me, if I never were to see its light, feel its warmth, and enjoy its influence? Whatever is written of our one Lord, I enjoyed in experience by this one faith. But some talk of various sorts of faith, as faith of adherence, faith of reliance, faith of assurance, etc. This only puzzles the head, and perplexes the heart of many sincere disciples of Christ, to define such notions. This one faith is very simple. By it the heart fixes upon the one atonement, the one righteousness, the one mediation, and the one salvation of the Son of God. As it looks to nothing else for hope: so by it Christ is most precious to the soul: and by faith Christ keeps the soul unto salvation. Happy partakers of this one faith!
How are we made thus happy in one Lord, through one faith? By one baptism, of the Spirit, into the saving knowledge of, and joyful hope in Jesus our Saviour. “For by one Spirit, we are all baptized into one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:13.) Water baptism is only the outward and visible sign of the inward and spiritual grace of the Holy Ghost, in this one baptism. O that the dear members of this one Lord, studied more to provoke each other to love, and good works, instead of disputing about the outward sign of baptism. The cold water of strife and contention, can never warm the heart with love to Christ, and one another. Being all ONE in Christ, let our one contention be, to live in the Spirit, and walk in love. The Lord baptize us with the fire of love! This will burn up the unhallowed strife of nature. Though we cannot think alike about baptism, yet if we have one Lord and one faith, we can, we ought to unite in this, to love as brethren. (1 Peter 3:8.) Love is a genuine fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22.) A grace, which neither carnal men nor apostate devils ever can possess; is therefore a sure evidence, that we are born of God, and dwell in God. For love is of God. 1 John 4:7.
Baptize us by thy Spirit, Lord,
With holy faith and heav’nly love,
So shall we best proclaim abroad,
That we resemble saints above.
O may it be our greatest strife,
Who most shall honour thee our Lord,
With love of heart, and holy life,
Agreeable unto thy word.
