Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: January 1st

January 1—Morning—Hebrews 8:8

"Jesus Christ; the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever."—Hebrews 8:8.

Precious truth to open the year with, and to keep constantly in view amidst all the fluctuating and changeable circumstances arising both within and without, and all around! My soul, meditate upon it: fold it up in thy bosom to have recourse to as may be required. Contemplate thy Redeemer as he is here described. He is Jesus, thy Jesus; a Saviour, for he shall save his people from their sins. He is Christ also; God thy Father’s Christ, and thy Christ: the Anointed, the Sent, the Sealed of Jehovah. He is the same in his glorious Person, the same in his great salvation:—"Yesterday;" looking back to everlasting: "To-day;" equally so through all the periods of time: "For ever;" looking forward to the eternity to come. And, blessed thought, he is the same in his love, in the efficacy of his redemption; his blood to cleanse, his righteousness to justify, his fulness to supply grace here and glory hereafter. And what sums up the precious thought; amidst all thy variableness, thy frames, thy fears, doubts, and unbelievings, he abideth faithful. He is, he will be, he must be Jesus. Hallelujah!

January 1—Evening—Revelation 21:5

"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."—Revelation 21:5.

My soul! thou hast been engaged in the morning of the new year, with contemplating the eternal and unchanging glory of thy Jesus, in his person, work, offices, character, and relations, as in covenant engagements for thy welfare: and thou hast found him to be an everlasting and secure foundation to rest upon, and dwell in, for time and for eternity.—Come now, in the evening of the day, and look up to thy Redeemer in another precious point of view, and behold him as creating all things new, while he himself, in the eternity of his nature, remains for ever and unchangeably the same. Behold him on his throne; and remember that one and the same throne belongs to God and the Lamb, to intimate the unity of the Father and the Son in nature and dignity; in will, worship, and power. When thou hast duly pondered this view of Jesus, next listen to the important words he proclaims: "Behold, I make all things new." Pause.-Hath he made thee a new creature? Yes! if, as the Holy Ghost saith, "old things are passed away, and all things are become new." The new creature is a thoroughly changed creature. It is a new nature, not a new name. "A new heart will I give you," is the blessed promise; "and a new spirit will I put within you." So that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." When this grand point is fully and clearly ascertained, then, my soul, let the next consideration from this scripture be, the blessed assurance here given, that Jesus himself hath wrought it. This indeed cannot but follow; for surely the same power that created the world out of nothing, must be necessary to create a new spirit in the sinner’s heart. In the old creation of nature, though there was nothing to work upon, yet there was nothing to oppose it: but in the unrenewed heart of a sinner there is every thing to rise up against it; for "the carnal mind is enmity against God." Mark it down then, my soul, that no power less than God’s could have done this, and thy Jesus from his throne declares it. Is there any thing more to be gathered from this proclamation from the throne? Yes! He that first creates the heart anew, ever lives to send forth the renewings of the Holy Ghost: for creating grace, and renewing grace, are both alike his. Hence, therefore, let thy morning and evening visits be to Him that sitteth upon the throne, and maketh all things new. The same that hath made new heavens, and the new earth, wherein righteousness dwelleth; that hath made his tabernacle with men, and dwelleth in them; that sitteth upon the throne, making all things new; the same is He, yesterday, to-day, and for ever, that giveth power to the weak, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Hither, my soul, come, under all thy weakness, fears, doubts, tremblings, and the like: Jesus can, and will renew thy strength. When I want a heart to pray, to praise, to love, to believe; yea, when my heart and my flesh faint, and hope fails: Oh! let me hear thy voice, thou that sittest upon the throne, and makest all things new: for then wilt thou be the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.