Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: October 11th

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.- Matthew 5:16.

Can a lump of animated clay, a worm of the earth, a creature of a day, glorify the infinitely great and eternally glorious Jehovah? Yes: such honor, such exalted honor have all his saints. For his pleasure they were created at first; for his glory they are born again of his Spirit. Jesus commands his members to it as their duty; the Spirit enables to it as their greatest privilege. "The Father accepts, and is well pleased with, and declares himself glorified by the practice of his children."- Psalms 50:23. Did Samuel consent to Saul’s request, "Honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people?"- 1 Samuel 15:30. And canst thou, O son of the Most High, ever need a motive, or want an argument to glorify thy Father before men? It is to be the chief work of thy life. In this work, as Moses said to Pharaoh, so thy deliverer saith to thee, "not an hoof is to be left behind." With all that thou hast and art, thou art to glorify thy Lord.

Thou hast but one thing only but what thou hast received from thy Lord; this is sin: by this thou dishonorest thy God; by every thing contrary to this, God is glorified. Happy souls, who study God’s word as the rule of their conduct, consider the enjoyment of God in Christ as their greatest felicity, and direct all their views to his glory. Thus the light of Jesus, when it shines into the heart, beams forth its evidence and glory in the outward life and conversation. When the light of truth is accompanied by the warmth of love and obedience of faith, men will see that we have been with Jesus; that we not only have light in our heads, but love and zeal for God’s glory in our hearts. The former may acquire honor to ourselves of being good TALKERS for God, but the latter only can prove that we are upright WALKERS, as his obedient children; that we are his "peculiar people, by being zealous of good works."-That we are really concerned for his glory, that we have it at heart, that we love, not only in word, but also in deed and in truth. It is the genuine language of a converted soul, with Paul, "Lord what wouldest thou have me to do? It is the burden of a faithful, loving heart, that it doth so little for the glory of God, and ever longs to glorify him more. While the light of truth is our glory, and the love of truth is our happiness, we shall study to "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."- Titus 2:10.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of GOD. John 1:12.

Man lost paradise by receiving a gift from Satan: there is no way to regain it, but by receiving Christ, the gift of God. Am I one of the many, who have received Christ? This question is of eternal moment. If I have not, no matter what I profess, by what name I am called, what I think of myself, or others think concerning me; for I am certainly in a state of wrath, exposed to eternal damnation. What answer does conscience return to this important question? God may this night require my soul. I may be in eternity before the morning light. Have I received Christ or not? What is it to receive Christ? Many precious souls are sadly perplexed and greatly distressed here. But why should they? St. John plainly tells us, to receive Christ, is to believe on his name, that he is the anointed Saviour of lost sinners. Do you receive this truth into your heart? Does your mind go out after Christ? Do you hunger and thirst to know him, as your Saviour, to save you? Then so sure as you exist, you do believe in Christ’s name. Bless the Holy Spirit, who has opened your eyes to see his glory, and your heart to receive this precious Jesus. Hear and rejoice. He gives you, and all such, “power to become the sons of God.” Not merely puts it in the power of your free-will to choose, whether you will become a son of God or not; but he actually bestows this high honour upon us. He gives us the right (or privilege, as in the margin of our Bibles) of enjoying the comfort and blessing of being the adopted sons of God. O the riches of new covenant-grace and love! What a miracle of mercy is this! Of the children of wrath and heirs of hell, Christ makes us sons of God and heirs of heaven! Why then do you ever live uncomfortably, or walk unholy? It is, because you do not assert your right, maintain your privilege, and live up to your power, in your mind and conscience. Hence, love to, and delight in, your Father God, and Saviour Jesus, are wanting. O! remember, ever remember, as you received Christ by faith, all your power, peace, and comfort, flow from him through faith. Study, strive, and pray to the Spirit, to keep faith lively in act and exercise, that you may live and walk on earth, so as to glorify your Father, who is in heaven. For if you are a son of God, by faith in Christ, you have the heart of a son: the fear, the love, the hope, and the delight of a son of God. And you will rejoice to think, that you will soon be at home with your heavenly Father.

Am I a son of God, thro’ faith

Receiving Jesus Christ?

Rejoice, my soul, and glory give

To him in whom thou’rt blest.

May it my daily study be,

To live and walk by faith,

And glorify my Father God,

Obeying what he saith.