Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: November 28th

Zealous of good works.- Titus 2:14.

Call to mind, disciple of Jesus, how in times past thou didst walk according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and yet the god of this world so blinded thine eyes, and so deceived thine heart (strange infatuation!) that thou didst talk of and trust in even what had no existence, thine own good works. Glory to the rich grace of our Saviour, who delivers us from the natural notions of our corrupt reason, the pride of our free-will, and the vain confidence of our own righteousness! Now all our glorying is in Jesus; for though by nature we are slaves to our lusts, in bondage to iniquity, our minds defiled, our consciences impure, and therefore to every good work reprobate, yet such was the love of Jesus to us, that "he gave himself for us." He hath redeemed us from all iniquity; he hath purified us unto himself as a peculiar people, "zealous of good works." By the knowledge of faith we are persuaded Jesus loves us, delights in us, grants us peculiar familiarity with himself, bestows peculiar blessings on us, and hath made peculiar provisions for us, both in time and eternity.

Hence Christians are inspired with a peculiar zeal for good works; a zeal according to godliness. We love our God and only Saviour; therefore we delight to serve and study to glorify him in our souls and bodies. Our sinful lusts and passions are contrary to him; therefore, as assisted, we daily strive and pray to mortify and subdue them. To do good to the souls and bodies of all men, especially to them that are of the household of faith, is well-pleasing to the Lord; therefore it is the joy of our hearts to abound in those things. Here true zeal centers, that we do good from a good principle, love to God; from a good motive, Jesus hath commanded it; with a good aim, that the glory of his name, the honor and interest of his cause may be advanced in the world by us. Such a zeal stabs the pride of self-seeking and vain glorying; for our best works, our chiefest good, is to glorify our God and Saviour. Godly souls blush therefore, and are grieved to the very heart when a thought arises of doing any good work to procure the favor of God or to secure his love to our souls, or to entitle us to his kingdom. This is to glorify ourselves. But we have not so learned Christ as to oppose God’s free-grace truths, dishonor a God of love, degrade the glory of our precious Saviour, for we give all the glory to him, as having done all for us. We see salvation finished by him, and glory secured to us IN HIM; therefore, in love we desire to be wholly devoted to him, and to do those things that may glorify him ONLY "who hath bought us with his blood."- 1 Corinthians 6:20. This is truly a zeal according to knowledge.

I say unto all, watch. Mark 13:37.

It is very awful, when God’s precious promises are opposed to his righteous commands. Hence some get above and beyond duty: they cannot bear the word duty! O say they, don’t tell us of duty, it is such legal stuff! We are at liberty. We are not under the law, but under grace. True, indeed they are at liberty, but it is to pervert the gospel. They are awfully under the law of sin; not under the law of love, but the spirit delusion. Their ears are closed, and their hearts shut against the sweet voice of our loving charmer, Christ. O my soul, watch against such, and their licentious notions of liberty, as you prize the love of Christ, and sweet communion with him. He who sees no danger, and thinks he has nothing to lose, will give no attention to this command, Watch. It is here opposed to sleep. Sin is not dead. Satan never sleeps. The world ever invites and enchants. All is war against thee. Therefore, thy Lord in love calls unto thee, watch. And you have a most treacherous, most deceitful, and desperately wicked foe within, who ever takes part with your enemies without, even your heart, “out of which proceeds all evil,” (Matthew 15:19.) There is not an evil in our thoughts, in our tongue, or in our life, but what is first hatched there, and springs from thence. If there was no evil within, there would be none without. Satan finds something within us to work upon, or we might bid him defiance. We cannot say as our Lord did, “the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me,” (John 14:30.) No, but we have, as St. Paul had, an evil nature, “flesh, in which dwelleth no good thing,” (Romans 7:18.) O then, watch continually over the motions of your wicked heart and evil nature. Watch against high thoughts, which spring from pride: against carnal reasonings, which exalt themselves against thy Lord, and his truths, and tend to rob thee of thy peace, thy hope, and thy joy. Watch against that vile offspring of pride and carnal reason, cursed unbelief. O this is a many-headed monster. He will suggest, that truth is fiction: the way of holiness, folly; and the paths of sin delightful. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation,” (Matthew 26:41.) Join prayer to watching. The diligence and number of our enemies should urge us to watch, that we be not surprised: our weakness and proneness to presumption, should make us pray to be powerfully strengthened. For though the devil takes part with all evil in us, Christ takes our part, and is before the throne for us. Hebrews 9:24.

My soul, be ever on thy guard,

Still watch and keep thy armour on,

Be ever looking to thy Lord,

And know thou can’st not stand alone.

O may I ever hear thy voice,

Jesus, thou Captain of my soul,

So live and walk, as to rejoice

In grace which does my pow’rs control.