the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.- Isaiah 28:16.
A day is coming when every man’s work shall be tried. The foundation of the Lord stands sure; but every other foundation shall be destroyed. He who is built on Jesus, and derives all his hopes of life and salvation from him, is safe in time, and secure to all eternity. Before men begin to build, they draw a plan; and every wise builder looks carefully to the foundation; for on this depends the safety of the superstructure.
The plan of salvation was drawn in the eternal council. It is founded in the love of the Father; effected by the obedience and sufferings of the Son, Jesus. Hence what was contrived in infinite wisdom above, is laid as a sure foundation in the church below, by the love and power of the Spirit, the comforter. It is his peculiar office to lay this foundation in Zion, and to manifest and make known to the prophets and apostles, teachers and saints, that Jesus is the only foundation. As a stone, for strength; a tried stone, approved of by the Father, and by his children in all ages; a precious cornerstone: the ornament and beauty, as well as strength and security of the whole church. Precious is Jesus in all his offices to them that believe; a sure foundation, sure to all the seed; certain to all the purposes of their salvation. And as the Lord the Spirit lays this foundation in the church, in the truth of doctrine, so also in the faith and experience of redeemed souls.
What the word speaks of Jesus, that we prove and find him to be. This is our mercy. "He that believeth shall not make haste." Such is his serenity and composure of mind, that he shall not be frightened in times of distress and calamity, to quit his confidence in Jesus-he shall not be ashamed of his hope in the Lord. Being well satisfied that Jesus reigns, that the government of his church is upon his shoulders, and the residue of the Spirit is with him, he will patiently wait, and quietly hope for the fulfilment of every promise. Sin and Satan shall not overcome the believer in life; in the awful article of death, he shall not be confounded, because his heart standeth fast, believing in the Lord; and when Jesus his friend appears, he shall stand forth with boldness, and shall find an abundant entrance into the presence of God and the Lamb, to live, and love, and reign in glory for ever and ever.
O, for a strong and lasting faith,
To credit what th’ Almighty saith,
To build upon God’s only Son,
And call his righteousness my own.
I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. Romans 7:18.
This is the knowledge which puffeth not up; but like love, edifieth the soul in deep humility: while it excites overflowing gratitude in the heart to Christ for his righteousness, to justify vile sinners. It is the knowledge of regenerate souls. I know: not only doctrinally, in notion and theory, but it is a confirmed truth, by heart-felt experience. I know it from day to day: I have proved it again and again: I am fully assured of it, as I am of my own existence, “that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.” St. Paul’s judgment of himself was confirmed by experience. “But was he not a most eminent apostle, and holy saint? Yes; still he confesses publicly before God, angels, and men, that he was the subject of a nature, which was earthly, sensual, and devilish. If no good thing dwelt in his flesh, is it not implied, that every evil dwelt there? Doubtless, he would be so understood. Were evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, blasphemies, etc. in the flesh of this holy saint? Yes; his knowledge of the total corruption of his fallen nature, agrees with his Lord’s doctrine, (Matthew 15:19.) He had been a murderer and blasphemer by practice. Then he was in a state of ignorance and unbelief. But now he was regenerated, his state changed, and his practice altered, therefore, surely his flesh could not be so bad. Yes, it was, just the same; the flesh-the old man-the corrupt fallen nature is, and ever will be the same, in the regenerate: “It ever lusts against the Spirit,” (Galatians 5:17.) Why is this woeful experience of the apostle left upon record? For our profit. (1st.) That we may judge and try our own by it. If we are taught by the same Spirit, we shall have the same humbling views of our flesh, which is not worse than Paul’s nor was his one whit better than ours. If we are left in nature’s pride, we shall join the ignorant cry of those who say, “all who are convinced of sin, greatly undervalue themselves.” (2d.) Not to be cast down with despondency, nor to give way to despairing thoughts, though we find every evil, and nothing but evil in our flesh. For this cures us of all self-confidence. This we are prone to: but this opposes the faith of the gospel. (3d.) Look out, and go entirely out of yourself: look wholly to, and trust entirely in the Lord Jesus and his righteousness, that though you have no confidence in the flesh, you may ever rejoice in him. This is the character and conduct of true believers, (Philippians 3:3.) (4th.) Adore the Holy Spirit, who when you had no goodness to deserve it, no meetness to qualify for it, but all in you to oppose it, gave you a birth into Christ, in whom you have every spiritual good. Therefore, “walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh,” Galatians 5:16.
Great God, assist me thro’ the fight:
Make me triumphant in thy might.
Thou the desponding heart canst raise;
The victory thine, and thine the praise.
