Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: August 8th

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.- 1 Peter 3:15.

When the Lord Jesus is the glory of the soul, it is the soul’s glory to sanctify him, and him only. How joyful to have one’s heart detached from every other object and hope, and its whole delight to glorify our Saviour! How ravishing to dwell on the wonders of his love, the riches of his grace, the greatness of his sufferings, the fulness of his redemption, the perfection of his righteousness, the prevalency of his intercession, and all issuing in the eternal life of such vile sinful wretches as we are! Verily, under such views, most cheerfully does the believer sanctify the Lord Immanuel in his heart. Hence, how powerful is his soul animated with holy boldness against the fear of man! Yea, inflamed with love to the truth, how ready to give a reason of his hope! Perhaps, through the warmth of his zeal, and the heat of his affections, he does not always act wisely herein; but does what he is forbid by his Lord, "casts his pearls before swine." Hence he finds, as they were ignorant of the worth of his jewels, they turn upon him with wrath. The apostle seems to guard against this.

Christian, thou art to be always ready to answer, and to give a reason of thy hope. But to whom? Every man that asks with meekness and fear: meek to receive instruction; fear of error; and desires to know the truth as it is in Jesus. As the Christian has freely received, so it is his delight freely to give to others. He hopes the Lord may make him the happy instrument of conviction, conversion, and, edification to other souls. Far is it from the nature of a Christian "to eat his morsel alone." He is to imitate the meekness of the lamb in his temper. The boldness of the lion is to accompany his concern for God’s glory and the cause of his truth. Meek in speech, but not with timid fear to answer. When God’s truth is the subject, the strongest confidence and the greatest courage are our glory. What is thy hope, O Christian? Is it any other than "God’s mystery, CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory?"- Colossians 1:27.

Dost thou see such infinite charms, such inestimable glory in that despised Jesus, who was hanged upon a tree as an accursed malefactor? that he is the ONLY hope of thy soul? the ONLY glory of thy heart? O, blessed, highly favored art thou! Is it not thy joy to say, "Come and hear, all ye that fear GOD, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul?"- Psalms 66:16.

Let the vain world pronounce its shame,

And fling their scandals on our cause;

We glory in our Saviour’s name,

And make our triumphs in his cross.

With joy we tell the scoffing age,

He that was dead has left the tomb;

He lives above their utmost rage,

And we are waiting till he come.

Are changed. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

What a blessed and glorious change has passed upon our souls! Lord help us to consider it this night to thy glory, and our comfort, how, by whom, and why are we changed. (1st.) How are we changed? From sinful into sinless creatures? No. Some speak of this change, as if it were a total change of our corrupt nature. Hence, many dear children of God, finding and feeling all the ruins of their fallen nature from day to day, are surely distressed, and conclude that no spiritual change has passed upon their souls. But this change is purely spiritual. It passeth upon the spirit of our minds. These were enmity against God. Now they love God, and delight in the law of God. Our souls, once dead in sin, are now alive to God. We are translated from darkness into light. We see with open face, in the glass of the gospel, the glory of Jesus, in all his offices and precious salvation. Hence our minds are changed into his image. We are united to him, and are one with him. The image of God, lost in the fall, is restored to our souls in Christ. We are in him, as righteous before God as though we had never sinned: as holy and without spot of sin, as though we had never lost our innocence. Such is our glorious change.

This is the joy of faith. This is above nature: beyond carnal sense. (2d.) By whom are we changed? By the Lord the Spirit. Being loved of God the Father when dead in sin: being redeemed by God the Son from our sins: God the Spirit changes us from dead sinners, into living saints in Christ. (3d.) To what end? That we should admire ourselves, glory in ourselves, and so trust in ourselves as to expect God’s favour and eternal life, for what we are in ourselves? O no. Though changed into the image of Christ, yet we shall find all the evil of sin in our flesh. Though new creatures in Christ, still the old man, with all his corrupt lusts and carnal affections, is alive in us. This is enough to humble us. But the Spirit changes us, that we should glory in, and glory of Christ. That all our joy and rejoicing should be in the Lamb of God, who hath taken away our sins, for ever saved our souls, and brought us into sweet peace and holy fellowship with God, that we may enjoy him in love, and walk before him in holiness below, and live and reign eternally with him above. These are the great and glorious ends of our being changed. One change more, and we are in glory. We shall all be changed, body and soul, into the image of the heavenly Jesus.

Chang’d in my state, my heart and ways,

By power of the sacred THREE:

My soul adore this Lord of grace,

And walk in love and purity.

Rejoice, another change awaits

Thee, a new-born child of God:

Thou soon shall pass the heav’nly gates,

Free from all sin with glory clad.