Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: August 3rd

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say it is my people; and they shall say, the Lord is my God.- Zechariah 13:9.

O, Give me comforts or I die, saith the soul! for surely was I a child of God, I should not be thus tried, afflicted, and distressed. Nay, saith the Saviour, "ye know not what ye ask." Dost thou forget the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children? "My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him."- Hebrews 12:5. Did I bid thee believe on me? Believe also my words: "it is through much tribulation thou must enter my kingdom."- Acts 14:22. This profitable lesson, though grievous to the flesh, must be learned. Like Peter, we pray to be excused being washed by our Lord. But we consider not his love, nor our own advantage. "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me," saith Jesus. "If ye are without chastisement, then are ye bastards and not sons." "I WILL bring thee through the fire; I WILL refine thee; I WILL try thee." Why? Because thou art not reprobate silver, nor counterfeit metal; therefore I WILL take pains with thee. "I WILL purge away thy dross and thy sin, and purify thee in the furnace." Verily, thy graces shall shine brighter, thy faith grow stronger, thy love burn more fervent, and thy obedience be more cheerful. Therefore "I chasten whom I love," saith the Lord.

Nothing can reconcile souls to afflictive allotments, but looking on them as covenant-dispensations. The loving Father’s promise is the beloved children’s portion. "I will never turn away from them to do them good."- Jeremiah 32:40. Such is the covenant-love of our covenant God. Here faith fixes its hold, and waits the promised blessing. Though saints desire to be passive, yet they cannot be silent; "for they shall call on my name," even the name above all other names, Jesus the precious Saviour. Saith the Lord, "I will not only hear, but answer." "It is I," saith Jesus to the terrified disciples, "be not afraid." "It is my dear people that call," saith the Lord. As the affectionate mother knows the voice of her own dear child, she listens, she runs to its relief. So the Lord speaks with affection and love, "MY PEOPLE." So souls reply in faith, with Thomas, MY LORD, MY GOD. O, happy to live, not so much on comforts as on "the God of all comfort."- 2 Corinthians 1:3.

Blest is the man thy hands chastise,

And to his duty draw;

Thy scourges make thy children wise,

When they forget thy law.

But God will ne’er forsake his saints,

Nor his own promise break;

He pardons his inheritance

For their Redeemer’s sake.

Whose names are in the book of life. Philippians 4:3.

How did the apostle know that? Had he seen the book of life, when caught up to the third heavens? No: but he very plainly and evidently saw, the work of God’s Spirit upon these persons’ souls, by their fruits of faith, and labours of love, to the glory of the Lord Jesus. Hence, he speaks so confidently of them. This furnishes us with these glorious truths. (1st.) That the names of all God’s chosen people are registered in the book of life, called the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27.) This implies the eternal love of God to them, his choice of them, personal knowledge of each of them, value for them, care over them, and their certain enjoyment of him in heaven and glory. For, “Says the Lord of hosts, they shall be mine in that day when I make up my jewels.” (Malachi 3:17.) But may not the name of a believer in Christ be blotted out of this book of life, and he suffered to perish? No; saith the Lamb, I will not blot his name out of the book of life. (Revelation 3:5.) It is his book: they are too dearly beloved, and too dearly bought, to be blotted out. Not all the powers of sin, earth, and hell, can make him a liar. He hath said, “I give unto my sheep eternal life; they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28.) Say, believer, what hadst thou done to deserve thy name to be enrolled in the annals of eternal love? What canst thou do to merit its continuance in the book of life? Methinks thy generous, loving soul recoils at these thoughts. Love did the mighty deed: grace reigns: salvation from first to last is all of free gift to God’s glory. (2d.) Those whose names are written in the book of life, may attain to a comfortable knowledge of it. How? Not by seeing this book: not by any voice, visions, and fresh revelations from heaven. But, says St. Paul of these, “They laboured with me in the gospel.” This implies, faith in the Lord Jesus, love to him, delight in him, and in the gospel of his grace. When the gospel is indeed good news to us miserable sinners; when we see the glory of Father, Son, and Spirit, shine in it; when it captivates our affections, enlivens our hearts, invigorates our minds, animates our hopes, brings peace to our consciences, and subdues the whole man, to give up all for it, and to live under the influence of it, we may be well assured our names are written in heaven. For the power of God hath effected this upon our hearts, as a consequence of it, and a sure evidence to prove it. Hence, (3d.) you see the genuine effects of God’s electing love. “We are chosen from the beginning to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13.) Without a holy faith in Jesus, a holy life from him, and a holy walk before him, we can enjoy no comfort from electing love. But these are evident tokens of the salvation of God. Philippians 1:28.