Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: July 16th

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. - 2 Corinthians 13:5.

NEXT to brokenness of heart and contrition of spirit, gratitude for spiritual mercies more than for temporal ones may be viewed as one of the principal evidences of our being “in the faith.” The natural man may thank God for a, safe journey, a successful stroke in business, and seasonable weather; but he does not bless God for divine mercies,-he does not thank God for his unspeakable gift. The Christian’s gratitude rises much higher when contemplating spiritual mercies, and therefore says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Love to private devotion forms another evidence of our being Christians. There may be attractions to lead persons to the house of God; there may be something in the manner of a preacher; or they may go to hear the singing, or to ease their consciences, or to please their religious connections; and yet their heart may be a stranger to divine things. If we are in a large company, and there is but one disagreeable person there, the enjoyment of the others’ society would enable us to bear with him. But suppose we were to be left alone with him: how should we feel then? And suppose we were left alone with God: how do we feel then? Let us try ourselves by this standard.

Another evidence is love to the brethren:-“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” “He that loveth him that begat loveth also them that are begotten of him;” for he is a partaker of the same divine nature. He may not be of the same religious denomination with ourselves; yet we love him, as we do all who bear the image of the Saviour, of whatever name they may be. We stretch forth our hand with our divine Lord, and say, “He who doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my mother, and sister, and brother.”

Again, a readiness to know the will of God concerning us is another evidence of our Christianity, and so is also our being angry with ourselves, rather than with the preacher who may reprove us for any fault, not “counting him as an enemy because he tells us the truth.” Adhering to God in duty, though we may have little or no comfort, is another evidence in our favour, because it shows the existence of religious principle. We can then say,-

“Should worlds conspire to drive me hence,

Moveless and firm this heart should lie;

Resolved, (for that’s my last defence,)

If I must perish, there to die.”

Another evidence is a perception of the excellency and glory of divine things. This no unconverted man ever possessed; but a Christian not only perceives their reality, but discovers their beauty, so as to long for them, saying of the Saviour, “He is altogether lovely, and the fairest among ten thousand.”

Acquiescence with the divine will is another evidence in our favour. If we love the service of God, acquiesce in his will, and glory in it and in nothing else, we have the evidence of having the peace of God ruling in our hearts. It is our possession of the Spirit of Christ that is to determine our condition; for the Apostle John says, “We know we are his, because of the spirit which he hath given us.” And we read that the Spirit “seals us.” “He bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.” What then do we know of him? Those persons are much mistaken who judge that they have the Holy Spirit because of some certain impulses they are the subjects of.

It is the Spirit alone that convinces of sin, and he is called “the Spirit of grace and supplication.” While the Christian may take courage that he will never be destroyed, yet his evidences may be removed, and in an hour of temptation he may lose what he would give worlds to regain, but never may in this life, and may at last, like an offending child, be put to bed in the dark crying. If, therefore, we would walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, we must be in the fear of the Lord all the day.

Who when he came and had seen the grace of God. - Acts 11:23.

THE dispositions of persons may to a very considerable extent be discovered by the objects which awaken their attention and desire, when they first enter a country, or a town, or a village. Some are immediately looking about for rural scenery, some for natural curiosities, some for modes and kinds of trade and commerce, some for public buildings and the mansions of the great and the noble, some for libraries, some for paintings and statuary. Barnabas was alive to something else. This was the one thing, the chief object of his solicitude and regard. He immediately looked after the cause of God, the last about which some professing Christians at this season, in their travels for health or recreation, concern themselves. In the administration of the gospel, the reception of it by those who heard it, whether it came in word only, or in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, he saw the grace of God, and was “glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.”

The discovery he here made is the subject of the present meditation. “He saw the grace of God.” The grace of God is a principle; how then could Barnabas see it? Seen it must be by God, “to whom all hearts are open, and from whom no secrets are hid;” and known it may be by the individuals themselves when they look within, and in examining themselves, become conscious of the working of their own minds. And it may be seen by others, and that by its effects, and this is the only way it can be seen. We cannot see life in itself, but we can see the individual alive and in motion. We cannot see health in itself, but we can see the freshness and vigour of the eye, and the hue of the countenance, and the eagerness of the appetite, and the strength of the arm, and the swiftness of the foot.

A tree is known not by its rind or its fibres, but by “its fruits.” God says, “I will put my Spirit within them.” But who is to know, or who can see this? Let us read on. “And I will cause them to walk in my statutes, and they shall keep my judgments and do them.” And this will be visible enough. “Show me thy faith,” says James to the professor of religion, “without thy works; I will show thee my faith by my works.” I will show thee the spring by the stream; I will show thee the sun in the shining, and I will show my creed by my conduct; I will show thee my principles by my deeds, and will “show thee my faith by my works.” This was wise and well; for though it is faith, objectively and instrumentally, alone which can justify the soul, it is its practical development, that is, by works alone, that proves it to be the operation of God.

God has determined to be glorified by his people in this world; therefore he has said, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise;” and “all nations shall acknowledge them that they are the seed whom the Lord hath blessed.” If God’s grace is to be thus visible in his people, it is necessary, therefore, that there should be something in them more than experience; though this experience in itself is invaluable, for without it there is no genuine religion.

It is the inward dispositions which must satisfy our own minds that we belong to God. But there are those around us who are to be impressed, and convinced, and edified by our religion; these cannot read our hearts, but they can read our lives; therefore the Saviour said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”