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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: December 10th

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Morning Devotional

To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied.- Judges 1:1-2.

One frequently meets with poor trembling souls, just enlightened by the Spirit to see their misery, feel their wretchedness as sinners, and who flee to Christ for hope; yet their poor hearts are greatly distressed with fear, lest they should not be sanctified, but perish in their sins, and so never obtain the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls. But that is impossible. They do not at present see the glorious order of the covenant; nor consider the certain security of all who are effectually called by the word and Spirit to the knowledge of Christ. For this is a consequence of their being sanctified, separated or set apart by God the Father, as the objects of his everlasting love. As God loves them as his jewels, he is careful to preserve them. He well knew and clearly foresaw the miserable effects sin would bring on them, therefore he chose them in Christ Jesus. He committed them into his hands. They are preserved safe and secure; not from falling into sin; for they are in themselves sinners; by nature "children of wrath even as others." And to their after shame and sorrow, many of them run dreadful lengths in sin before their conversion. Some like Saul, are mad against Jesus, the way of salvation by him, and holiness by his Spirit. But still, as with the people of old, God bears with their manners. The long-suffering of the Lord is their salvation. He is not willing that any one of them should perish. All of them are called to repentance; and to know the preciousness of Jesus, in whom they are preserved.

Disciple of Jesus, canst thou not look back on thy past life, and see thy many, many narrow escapes from death? How many dangers hast thou been delivered from; yea, when only one hair’s breadth seemed between thee and eternity! O, hadst thou died in thy unregenerate state of sin and unbelief, how couldst thou have escaped the damnation of hell! But impossible this. Thou wast preserved in Christ Jesus, therefore every snare of death has been broken. Thou wast immortal till the Spirit called thee. Think of this and be humbled. Reflect on the love of thy God; rejoice, and give him all the glory. Thou hast not only been preserved from death and hell, but art called to life and salvation by Jesus. His life is thy righteousness, his blood is thy redemption, his intercession thy salvation. And what awaits thee now? Mercy from God the Father, peace in Christ Jesus, love from the blessed Spirit. Such, such is the happy portion of all the called. May this be multiplied more and more upon thee day by day! Such is the doctrine, such the prayer of Jude, the servant of Jesus, inspiration of the Holy Spirit of truth. "Ask, that your joy may be full."- John 16:24.

Evening Devotional

Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15.

The Spirit of God never was, never is, nor ever can be the Spirit of bondage to any soul. Some have asserted it, but it is a mistake. It is contrary to his name, the Comforter. He is a free Spirit, a Spirit of liberty to the soul. It is inconsistent with his office, he takes of the things of Christ, and shews them to us-testifies of Christ-brings us into the liberty of Christ- enables us to glory in the adoption of children, and to call God Father, in the faith of Christ. When he convinces of sin, it is not to bring the soul into bondage, but to break the bondage of sin, of the law, of death, and of Satan, in the conscience, and to cast away the cords thereof, that the soul may be united to Christ by faith. In all this, he is the Comforter. What then is this Spirit of bondage? It is the Spirit of the law. Just as the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor, and made their lives bitter with hard bondage, (Exodus 1:14,) so does the law of all those who are under it. Do what they would, they could never please, never get a good word from their task-masters. So let the poor legal sinner, labour, tug, and toil, from day to day, to fulfil the law, and be made righteous by obedience to it, yet like hard hearted Pharaoh, it says, “ye are idle, ye are idle;” pay me what thou owest me, my full due. I am not satisfied. You have not fulfilled my righteous demands. You are still cursed. Thus a legal spirit is always in bondage. His soul is always subject to fear. Though he works like a slave, yet he gets nothing but slavish dread of God, and fear of being damned at last. For the law works nothing but wrath in the conscience. (Romans 4:15.) This is fearful bondage indeed. Glory to the Spirit of adoption, for bringing us out of it, and enabling us to cry, Abba, Father. How does he effect this? We receive the Spirit of adoption by the faith of Jesus. We see a righteous law, perfectly fulfilled by the one obedience of Christ’s life. By this, we sinners are made righteous. (Romans 5:19.) Here our hearts take refuge. Through this righteousness the Spirit brings peace to our consciences: discharges from the condemnation of the law: frees us from guilty fears and terrors of God, and instead thereof, breathes this precious cry in our hearts, Abba, my loving, my adopted Father in Christ. Now love takes place in the soul. Once a child of God, and for ever so. The Spirit of adoption never becomes a Spirit of bondage again. But if you do not walk in faith and love, he may leave you to the awful bondage of your own spirit, and under the terrors of a broken law. “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.” Ephesians 4:30.

“If I’ve the honour, Lord, to be

One of thy numerous family,

On me the gracious gift bestow

To call thee Abba, Father, too.”

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