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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: October 12th

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Morning Devotional

Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.- Ephesians 4:30.

How affectionate and condescending is this address of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to his children! Paul writes to Philemon, "Though I might be bold to enjoin thee that which is convenient; yet, for love’s sake, I rather beseech thee." So with infinitely higher authority, the Lord might command with terror, instead of beseech with love. Astonishing expression! Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. Hast thou? Canst thou, O believer, be guilty in this matter? It is easy to conceive that we may grieve our own spirits, and the spirits of good men by our sin and folly: but to think of grieving the Spirit of God, is enough to make us cry out in amazement, What mystery of love is this?

But verily, so dear are God’s children to him, that as in love to our souls he took on him our nature, so in condescension to our weak capacities, he borrows language from nature, and assumes to himself passions like unto ourselves: for he was in all things like unto us, but without sin. So it is said, God DELIGHTS in the prosperity of his people, he REJOICETH over them to do them good. But when, through their sin and folly, they hurt their own souls, Jesus is touched with a feeling of our infirmities; his Spirit is grieved at our conduct.

Who can tell in how many ways Christians do this? Inwardly by giving way to unbelief; by low unworthy thoughts of Jesus, his blood, righteousness and salvation; his mediation and intercession, of whom the Spirit is the glorifier; so also by indulging vain, carnal, sinful thoughts: outwardly, by neglecting the gospel of grace, not walking closely with Jesus by faith, not conforming to his will in our lives and conversations: and experience woefully convinceth, that when the Holy Spirit is grieved, the poor soul is distressed. We never send the Spirit grieved to heaven, but he leaves our spirits grieved on earth. He is our comforter; by him believers are sealed unto the day of redemption. Though we are sealed by him, as the Lord’s own possession, yet if he leaves us to ourselves, the view of Jesus is obscured to us, and his comforts are withheld from us. Then natural fears, legal terrors, and desponding doubts seize on us, and evil spirits rejoice over us, with "there, there, so would we have it." Though he never becomes the Spirit of bondage to us, yet he leaves us to the bondage of our own legal spirits. What reason have we to pray daily, "cleanse thy servant, O Jesus, from his secret faults; and let not, O Spirit of grace, presumptuous sins get the dominion over me."- Psalms 19:12-13.

The Spirit, like a peaceful dove,

Flies from the realms of noise and strife,

Why should we vex and grieve his love,

Who leads our souls to heav’nly life!

Evening Devotional

Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. 1 Peter 1:5.

The wicked, who are totally ignorant of the doctrine of grace, assert this truth by their common saying, “They only are well kept, whom God keeps.” Many, who profess to preach the gospel, do not hold forth such sound divinity as this. Consider, these three points: Who are thus kept? How are they kept? Unto what are they kept? (1st.) Who are kept? St. Paul tells us, (1st.) they are the elect according to the foreknowledge of God. (2d.) “Sanctified by the Spirit unto obedience.” They obey the Father’s voice: they hear and believe on his beloved Son. Hence, (3d.) Sprinkled by the blood of Christ from the guilt of sin in their consciences. (4th.) “Begotten to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance reserved in heaven for them.” The work of the glorious Trinity has passed upon them. (5th.) Christ calls them, “My sheep.” (John 10:14.) This implies that we are very weak, timorous, helpless creatures. If left to our own keeping, to stand by our own power, and to persevere by our own faithfulness, alas! we should be quite out of heart; for we must perish everlastingly. But God does not beget children, whom Satan shall destroy. Christ doth not redeem souls, whom hell shall receive. The Spirit sanctifies none, who shall have their portion with the damned. Therefore, they are all kept. (2d.) How? By the power of God, as an impregnable garrison. They are garrisoned in Christ, in God. The power of almighty God surrounds them. This is the God-honouring, soul triumphing language of their faith, “Jehovah is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, (my Elohim in covenant) my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” (Psalms 18:2.) You see they are kept through faith. That keeps them low, humble, and dependent: that leads them quite out of self and nature, into God’s power, grace, and strength. They are sensible of their own weakness to stand, inability to persevere, and proneness to fall away. Therefore, they trust most on the power of God through faith. Their faith can never fail. Christ prays for them. As he keeps their persons, so he suffers not their faith to fail: they look unto Jesus. Is this your blessed character? Rejoice: for, (3d.) you are kept-unto what? salvation. That shall be the end of your faith? Those whom Christ has redeemed by his blood, justified by his grace, he will save unto eternal glory. These are as safe in his hands now, as though round his throne in glory.

Lord, keep me safe, and keep me near

Thy blessed self in love;

And make me ever more to fear

The ways of sin to prove.

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