Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: September 22nd

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.- Romans 12:1.

Just before our dear Saviour left his apostles, he gave them this commission, "Preach the gospel;" glad tidings of the everlasting love and mercy of God, in Christ, to poor sinners. By this truth, through the power of the Spirit, souls are brought to repentance, faith, and salvation; and by the sweet force and constraining influence of the same truth, believers are to be exhorted, animated, and stirred up to glorify God in their souls and bodies which are his. This was the apostles’ practice. With what affection and love do they address the members of Jesus! The sound of wrath and terror, the thunderings of hell and damnation are not used to soldiers in the camp of Jesus. No; they are exhorted by love and mercy. So we delight to hear: and from these most powerful motives we cheerfully obey. We present our bodies a living sacrifice upon that altar which consecrates the gift, even Jesus. We are holy in him, acceptable unto God through him. We own it "our reasonable service;" we are not our own. We acknowledge it our bounden duty. Christ hath bought us with the price of his own blood. Lord, give power to obey, and command what thou wilt. Consider, O Christian, while thy poor soul was dead in trespasses and sins, thy body was a wretched slave to the drudgery of Satan and thy vile lusts. Now a better master demands its service. It is of God’s mercies in Christ thy soul is quickened, and by the same mercies thou art required to yield thy body as a living sacrifice. It is now the temple of the Holy Ghost, therefore to be consecrated to holy purposes.

Was David so struck with the distinguishing favor of being a king, as to dance joyfully before the ark?- 2 Samuel 6:14. O, consider our eternal mercies in Christ, being kings and priests unto God! Meditate daily, hourly on this. How should it affect our hearts with love, raise our spirits in triumph, inflame our affections with zeal for God’s glory! Our spiritual mercies are not common to all. Carnal men are ignorant of, and despise them. O study then to approve yourselves as the peculiar, highly distinguished favorites of heaven. As the elect of God, be clothed with humility: yet, as kings’ sons, live upon heavenly food; and act as those who dare not demean themselves by a practice below their royal dignity. "He that saith he abideth in Christ, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."- 1 John 2:6.

The tender mercies of thy God

O live and spread his praise abroad,

Daily recount my soul,

While love thy pow’rs control.

Thy soul and body offer up

Holy to God thro’ Jesu’s love:

A living sacrifice,

Let nothing less suffice.

If ye do these things, ye shall never fall. 2 Peter 1:10.

What things? add to your faith every Christian grace and good work. If ye live in the exercise of grace, and the discharge of duty, ye shall never fall. But it is here plainly implied, if ye do not these things, ye certainly will fall. How fall? Into all manner of sin; yea, and into hell too, if the Lord Christ keep you not. But he most assuredly will keep all his sheep from thus falling. For he hath said, they shall never perish-I give unto them eternal life. But what evidence can any one have that he is Christ’s sheep, if he do not hear his voice, and obey his word? My dear fellow-sinner, deceive not thy own soul. Beware of corrupt notions, and unscriptural ideas. It is most true, salvation is sure. Every one who believes in Christ shall most assuredly be saved. But surely there is such a thing, as living and walking close with Christ-cleaving to him with full purpose of heart, cheerfully obeying him in love, and studying to glorify him in righteousness and true holiness. And there is such a thing also, as falling away from this lively exercise of grace, this firm stedfastness in the faith of Christ, and this warm love to Christ. Hence, great dishonour is brought upon the Lord-great grief to his dear disciples, and great darkness and distress upon the souls of such professors. Is it not to be dreaded, to have Christ withdraw himself? to have guilt, and fear, and terror, let loose upon thy conscience, while the enemy is saying, where is now thy God, thy Saviour, thy salvation? Peter thus fell: David thus fell: saints, in all ages, have thus fallen. They have told us, and the sinner who writes these words can tell thee, somewhat of the gall and wormwood of this falling. Are you ready to say, this is very legal and very terrifying? Not legal. For this text is an evangelical exhortation. Much of the preciousness of gospel salvation lies in it. It is a mean to keep from falling: it is a spur to final perseverance. As to terror: take warning by the assertion, and thou hast nothing to dread from the circumstance. Absolute declarations of salvation are to strengthen the faith, and comfort the hearts of God’s people. Precious promises support them. Suitable exhortations quicken their diligence. Assertions of their danger of falling, are to convince them of their weakness-excite their cry unto the Lord-and cause them to walk close with Him, “who is able to keep them from falling, and to present them faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy.” Judges 1:24.

In Christ I stand, by faith I work,

My God will me uphold:

But if I’m careless in my walk,

I soon shall leave the fold.

Fresh unction from thyself, dear Lord,

Pour out upon my heart;

Make me take heed unto thy word,

Lest conscience feel the smart.