Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: December 29th

The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.- 1 Peter 4:7.

Yesterday we were born. To-day we live. To-morrow we die. The sum total of human life is justly calculated by the hoaryheaded patriarch, Jacob, "Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been."- Genesis 47:9. A truth this that lies level with the common observation and judgment of all men; but is admitted into the regenerate heart and conscience only with that importance it demands, so as suitably to affect the mind and influence the conduct. Hence, the absolute necessity of divine faith; the continual need of the believing soul exercising his meditations upon the sure and certain approaching dissolution of all things. So he learns to die daily to the perishing objects of time and sense; and to live like himself, as an immortal inhabitant of a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. To live and lean upon our beloved Jesus as the stay of one’s soul and the strength of one’s hope this is true happiness. While all things below perish in the using; invisible realities ripen in prospect, and most powerfully engage our affections; because they are durable and eternal. Hence, the soul is excited to watchfulness, that he may stand-to prayer, that he may be kept-and to sobriety, that he may persevere. O, believer, thou canst not but count drunkenness and whoredom great sins; but know also, the cares, riches, pleasures, and honors of this world, as really intoxicate the mind and cause the heart to be guilty of spiritual adultery against thy loving, lawful bridegroom, Jesus, as outward, gross sins do the body. What need, what daily need hast thou to watch constantly, to be sober continually, and to pray always? Pride is contrary to sobriety of judgment of thyself. Lust and intemperance are inconsistent with the soundness of thy faith, the stability of thy hope, and the exercise of thy love. These are ever at hand to beset thee. Say, therefore, when canst thou dispense with a watchful frame of spirit? when intermit in prayer to, and dependence on thy God? O, the sweet exercise of watching unto prayer, for divine power: in prayer, for sweet enlargements: after prayer, for a comfortable answer from our Lord! Ever may this just reflection be on thy mind, when tempted or inclined to cast in thy lot with the carnal, and to indulge thyself in attending the bewitching scenes of sin, folly and vanity: am I now acting like one who knows the end of all things is at hand? do I behave as one in his right mind? am I watching unto prayer? can I desire, pray for, and expect the sense of Jesus’s love and presence to be with me? Remember thy calling; it is to love and live upon an unseen Jesus, and to act as daily expecting to "receive the end of thy faith, the salvation of thy soul."- 1 Peter 1:9.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:4.

I have read a book consisting of stories, and to be told to the Sultan of Arabia, to prevent a bloody design of his against his Sultaness. The relater of the tales was her own sister. She always contrived to leave off in the midst of her story, which he was so delighted with, as to promise not to destroy her sister, till it was ended. Thus by protracting the execution, she saved her sister’s life. Methinks there is no end to the history of Christ. Every fresh relation of him delights the believing soul, and excites an inclination to hear more of him again and again. For he averted the bloody execution of law and justice against us.-Every fresh tale of him strengthens our faith of salvation by him: sets our minds more and more against every evil, and stimulates us to every good. For, Christ is our life. O soul, can you ever believe too much of him, or hope too much in him? It is our fault, our shame, our misery, that we dwell no more on him, and converse no more with him. Is Christ thy life, O my soul? What sort of a life do I live? Jesus, wash me in thy blood. Lord, pardon me by thy grace. Favour my soul with fresh experience, that thou art my life: so be the death of all my sins, and the life of all my graces. O appear, appear, in the power of thy Spirit again and again in me, before thou shalt appear in thy power and glory to me. Christ shall appear. What are we looking at? Why stand we gazing on perishing objects? What are we waiting for? The Saviour? He shall appear. Perhaps the very next moment, as the Lord of life and death; he may say to the last enemy, Go, bring that saved sinner to me, his life. O joyful word! Learn to welcome it. Faith will. For, “We shall appear with him in glory.” How shall we appear? In what we were by faith, were not ashamed of, but gloried in here. “Arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: the rich robe of Christ’s obedience, which is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:8.) Mind, this is granted to us. If it was our own righteousness, we have a right to appear in it. There needs no grant of it. But it is Christ’s righteousness. Therefore a gift by grant to us. O remember, it is a sure and certain thing we shall appear (all the powers of hell cannot prevent it) with Christ in glory. Only believe. And you will love Christ, rejoice to obey him, and long for his appearing. O Jesus, my life, appear to my soul this night in all the power of faith, the joy of hope, the comfort of love, and the fellowship of peace.