Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: May 30th

Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me, a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury, yet every one of them doth curse me.- Jeremiah 15:10.

It is sweet consolation to new-born souls to know the state they are come to. Verily, saith Paul, "unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, and unto the heavenly Jerusalem."- Hebrews 12:22. Even to all the glorious privileges of Jesus’ church and kingdom, of love, grace and peace. The utmost stretch of thought comes infinitely short of our highly favored state. See also the blessed company you are come to, "an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling." Hebrews 12:23-24. And hath distinguishing grace thus honored us? Shall the church our mother bring us forth? And will not the world take knowledge of us, that we have been with Jesus? That cannot be, for then we should be bastards, and not sons. For all are partakers of the world’s hatred, as soon as they appear to be the object of God’s love, and live as his adopted children, by faith.

What a strict harmony is there between the prophets and saints of the Old Testament, and the apostles and disciples of Jesus under the New! What strong confirmation, that both are taught by the same Spirit! In this one truth they both perfectly agree, "We are not of the world, therefore the world hateth us."- John 15:19. But marvel not, saith our loving Jesus, it is not you, but me they hate. I am the principal object of hatred, you only for my sake. But poor souls are ready to cry out, "Woe is me." What am I always to live thus in strife and contention? Is not my deportment and carriage towards the children of this world quiet and inoffensive? No; they will not think so, unless you do as they do, live as they live, follow their vain customs, and partake of their carnal joys. "I have neither borrowed nor lent." Verily, this plea of excuse is the cause of offence. For this they will curse us as over-righteous, precise fools. But stoop to borrow their ways, and lend yourself to their customs and practices, cast in your lot with them, and all will be well; peace and friendship will subsist. But no; we prefer spiritual fellowship with Jesus above all: we dare not forsake him, nor incur our Father’s displeasure. We know "the friendship of the world is enmity with God."- James 4:4.

Hast thou thy Saviour’s mark, my soul?

Hated of men for Jesu’s sake?

Such honor is thy chiefest joy;

Christ’s glory, thou shouldst ne’er forsake.

My Jesus, teach me, day by day,

To glory in thy cross.

O may I live and prove this truth,

All gain but thee, is loss.

-And confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Hebrews 11:13.

O, ye worldly-minded professors, can ye read this without being ashamed and reproved? What will bring a man to this confession? Will sickness, and a near approach to death? O! no. Men return from the most dangerous illness, to greater love of the world, and more ardent pursuit after the things of it. Look at a dying worldling. See him, like a drowning man, clinching the faster what he has grasped for his hope and help. Men not only live fools, but die fools too. Their senses beguile them: their reason befools them: they reject the plainest truths before them. Nothing will kill the love of a bewitching world in a deceitful heart, but the view of heaven by faith. No man will confess himself a stranger to the world, and a pilgrim on the earth, until he sees himself “a fellow citizen with the saints, and of the household of God.” (Ephesians 2:19.) As we say, we will not quit a certainty for an uncertainty. Admire these ancient heroes of faith. View and imitate their conduct. What caused this confession? (1st.) They had not received the promises. The Messiah was not then come from heaven, with all the inestimable blessings of his kingdom. Yet they believed in him, looked to him and lived by faith upon him, as promised to come. For, (2d.) though they saw the precious promises afar off, yet they were realized to their hearts by faith: the distance of them did not weaken their confidence in the existence of them. Faith brought them nigh to their minds. For, (3d.) they were persuaded of them, and embraced them. They esteemed the promises of God as the chief delight, and greatest joy of their souls. Carnal men cry, O, faith is to do all for you. No, not so: Christ has done all for us. By faith we enjoy all the comforts of it. Hence we commence followers of Christ: “Strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” and travellers to our Father’s kingdom. Have you had no respect paid by carnal men? Do they see nothing about you to laugh at, and deride you for? No: then you have great reason to question, whether you are a real follower of a despised, crucified Lord. The world will love its own. Are you striving to keep God and the world? Of all men upon earth, you are most to be pitied; for you will be most miserable. Most joyful to say, “I am a stranger and sojourner, as all my fathers were.” Psalms 39:12.

My heart, my hope, my portion is

In Christ, my Lord, above:

I wander here, and find no bliss,

That’s worthy of my love.

Men think me strange that I can’t join

With them to take my part,

In carnal joys, in mirth and wine,

But, Lord, thou hast my heart.