Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, March 28th, 2024
Maundy Thursday
There are 3 days til Easter!
Attention!
We are taking food to Ukrainians still living near the front lines. You can help by getting your church involved.
Click to donate today!

Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Devotional: December 11th

Resource Toolbox
Morning Devotional

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.- Luke 12:32.

When poor sinners are converted to Jesus, they become little in their own eyes, and they see but few comparatively who follow the Lamb. Their former friends turn their enemies. Their former hopes are cut off. They know their own strength to be perfect weakness; and they feel the burden of a body of sin and death. Hence their poor hearts are often exercised with anxious cares and distressing fears. Their Saviour knows this; therefore he speaks to them in love, forbids their fears, and administers the most reviving draught of consolation. Ye children, consider your dignity as adopted sons of God.

Call to mind your honorable state, heirs of a kingdom, heirs of God the King of kings, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ your elder brother. Though at present ye are in a state of exile. The world knows you not. Your kindred after the flesh despise you. Carnal professors revile and persecute you. Satan is enraged to tempt and accuse you. Yea, and your worst foes are most nearly allied to you; the flesh, with its corruptions and lusts, sin and unbelief. Yet, saith the head, in glory, to his conflicting members on earth, "Fear not." Why? what consideration can dispel the anxious fears, and alleviate the distressing doubts of drooping disciples? Verily the good pleasure of their Father: the eternal purposes of his grace: the immutable designs of his love. A kingdom is prepared for you. Earth, with all its power: sin, with all its malignity: hell, with all its rage and malice, shall never deprive you of your Father’s patrimony. O disciple! how does this heighten the mercy and secure the inheritance? It is a FREE GIFT, by Jesus Christ. Poor soul, thou art fearing about thy interest in and title to the kingdom of glory. Verily, thou canst find nothing in thyself, to give thee a right thereto. But thy Saviour plainly assures thee, it is of "thy Father’s good pleasure." What power can avert that? Hast thou an heart to seek the kingdom? Dost thou believe in, and follow the Lamb? Dost thou see somewhat in Jesus, which attracts thy affections? Is the desire of thy soul after him, and to the remembrance of his name? Then hath the glory of the kingdom, by the Spirit, shined upon thine heart. No marvel sin is thy grief and burden, while Jesus is the delight and hope of thy soul. May it suffice to quiet and still thy mind, that the Father’s gift is sure. And so is the way also; it is by Jesus. And "through much tribulation thou (and all the heirs) must enter into the kingdom."- Acts 14:22.

One of thy little flock, my Lord,

I’m call’d to follow thee:

But fears prevail and say that I,

Shall ne’er thy kingdom see.

Ah! Saviour, speak away these fears,

From my poor doubting breast:

Assure me, ’tis thy Father’s will,

That I in thee am blest.

Evening Devotional

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. Exodus 33:11.

In the opinion of infidels, Moses is as vile a hypocrite, and as great an enthusiast as ever existed. You see your calling, brethren. What shall be done unto the men, whom the King of saints delighteth to honour? Treat them as the filth and offscouring of all things, say the world. Thank you, ye sons of folly. You give us an evident token of our salvation, and that of God. (Philippians 1:28.) If Moses is not to be credited, Christ is to be rejected. He puts his cause upon the testimony of Moses. “Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.” (John 5:46.) He was a friend of the bridegroom. He was admitted to close and intimate converse with him, before he appeared in flesh. Our Saviour saith to all his disciples, “ye are my friends,” (John 15:14.) He admits them into sweet fellowship, and free communion with himself. A precious minister of Christ, late on earth, now in glory, says in his diary, “I walked in the fields, and conversed much with our Saviour, about the wickedness of my heart,” etc. St. Paul says, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty:” freedom from the vail of nature’s blindness and ignorance. Liberty, to draw nigh to God, and to pour out our hearts before him. For, we as all true believers in Christ, “behold as in a glass,” the clear glass of the gospel, “the glory of the Lord,” in the face of Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth to poor sinners. That is God’s greatest glory. That is our highest mercy. This unspeakable privilege, believers in common are admitted to. This constitutes our heaven below. It creates heaven in the soul. It brings God and the soul near: yea, face to face. God’s face is towards us in Christ. Our face is towards him by the faith of Christ. His countenance smiles upon us. That makes us of a joyful heart. “My sheep hear my voice,” says Christ, (John 10:27.) Yes, saith the soul, “it is the voice of my beloved.” (Song of Solomon 5:2.) See then your calling, O believer, and thou, my soul. Live not below your exalted privilege. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Speak humbly to God, of your sin, misery, and wretchedness. He will speak graciously to you, of his love and salvation in his Son. “I said not unto the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness”-“Am mighty to save.” (Isaiah 45:19; Isaiah 63:1.) O the blessedness of thus beholding the face of the Lord! We are changed into the same image, by the Lord the Spirit. For God hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6.

“Shine, mighty God, with vigour shine,

On this benighted heart of mine;

And let thy glories stand reveal’d,

As in the Saviour’s face beheld.”

Subscribe …
Get the latest devotional delivered straight to your inbox every week by signing up for the "Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God" subscription list. Simply provide your email address below, click on "Subscribe!", and you'll receive a confirmation email from us. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your subscription to this list.
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile