Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: May 12th

But to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.- Hebrews 13:16.

Through the artful wiles of Satan, the corrupt reasonings of deceitful nature, and the doctrines of false teachers, disciples are in danger of errors on the right hand and on the left. Because good works do not merit God’s favor, and entitle us to his acceptance, therefore, say some, ’We cannot do any thing that is good and well-pleasing in the sight of God.’ So if Satan cannot blind us by false hopes and legal confidences, he strives to poison our minds with detestable, licentious notions, dishonorable to Jesus, contrary to faith, subversive of love, and destructive of the holiness and peace of the gospel. But it cannot be so when Jesus is beheld and rejoiced in as our sacrifice and atonement for sin, as our beloved, in whom our persons are accepted. "By him we are made priests unto God." He is our altar, on which our sacrifices are offered, and which consecrates our gifts. Are we exhorted to do good, and to please our gracious God and loving Father? Faith excites most powerfully; love binds with strongest cords; and hope animates with the most prevailing pleas to this. "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." Such was his love. In gratitude for such love, to sacrifice our all to him is ever our bounden duty.

Shame to us that we should be prone to forget this. Exhortations remind us that we are apt to this; and of what our Lord expects from us. God hath not forgotten to be gracious to us. Jesus never intermits in his suit for us. Shall we forget our duty, and neglect at any time to do good on earth? Not study daily to please him who is our portion, our all in time and eternity? Doth the glorious Jehovah condescend to assure us, I am well pleased with your beneficence, your communicative goodness to my creatures, and your brethren for my sake? and shall we ever be unmindful of, and indifferent about this matter? Forbid it, Lord! animate us with more of the fire of love! To live without prayer and praise, argues insensibility and ingratitude; not to study to glorify God in our actions, shews the want of love; and where the spirit of prayer, praise, love and obedience is wanting, where, alas, is our evidence that we are the children of the gracious God, members of a compassionate Saviour, and influenced by the Spirit of love!

Thron’d on a cloud our judge shall come,

Bright flames prepare his way,

Thunder and darkness, fire and storm,

Lead on the dreadful day.

Now gather all my saints (he cries)

That are at peace with God,

By the Redeemer’s sacrifice,

Who seal’d it with his blood.

Their faith and works brought forth to light,

Shall make the world confess,

My sentence of reward is right,

And heav’n adores my grace.

Ye are called in one hope of your calling. Ephesians 4:4.

What a glorious day was that to Saul, when the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, I am Jesus, your Saviour! Says one, “O that I were as sure that Christ hath called me, as he did St. Paul! Then, how happy should I be!” Verily, thou mayest be happy: thou mayest be as sure, thou art as effectually called as the apostle was. Thy concern of mind about it is a clear evidence, and full proof of it. While in a state of natural ignorance and unbelief, had St. Paul a single wish, or desire, to be called by Christ? Nor wouldst thou, if he had not first called thee by the grace of his word, and the power of his Spirit. Therefore, doubt not of, but rejoice in the hope of thy calling. Love Christ for calling thee. Give him the glory of it. Ye are called. The effects prove it. Ye who were dead in sin, without hope in Christ, have ears to hear the word of Christ, eyes to see the glory of Christ, a heart to desire Christ, as your only hope and salvation. His day of call was his day of power, when you were made willing to have but one hope. As there is but one atonement for sin-but one righteousness to justify from sin-one Mediator between God and sinners-but one Advocate to plead for sinners-but one Jesus to save: and but one Spirit, to sanctify sinners: so there is but one and the same hope in every called sinner. They all hope for heaven, because God has declared it to be by his free gift to sinners, through his ONE beloved and only Son.

Are we called in this one hope? Then, (1st.) let us not be looking for any thing in us, nor done by us: neither to graces wrought in us, nor works done by us, as our hope. This would exalt pride against our dear Saviour, “Who is our one and only hope.” (1 Timothy 1:1.) (2d.) Let us not be dejected or discouraged, though we find ourselves imperfect creatures, unprofitable servants, yea miserable sinners. For that were to depreciate the atonement and righteousness of Christ: as though one was not fully available to take away our sins, and the other not perfectly sufficient to justify our persons, and make us acceptable to God. Blessed be God, at all times, under all circumstances, our hope is one and invariably the same; therefore, “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.” (Romans 5:5.) Well, Christian, if thou art in possession of this one hope, thou hast constant reason for joy in God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And am I called to hope in Christ,

The face of God to see?

Then my base lusts I will resist,

And from all evil flee.

But thine’s the pow’r, O God of might,

With strength my soul endue;

Let faith and love sweetly unite,

While heav’n I keep in view.