Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: December 30th

MORNING

Glory to God In the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14.

Thus sang the angels of God in the skies at the birth of the Savior of the world. Thus sings now and forevermore redeemed humanity. Thus sing the children of peace, who have received remission of sins as well as peace through His incarnation, and His birth. But those in whom "Christ, who is our peace" (Ephesians 2:14) is not yet born, can not sing thus. Where sin and the world yet live and rule there is no occasion for songs of peace nor for songs to the glory of God. As long as a man does not receive Him whom God has sent to his salvation, he does not give the glory to God, nor. does God give him peace. Child of man, give God the glory, and He will give you peace. He will give you His Son. Give the glory to God. Confess before Him that you are a condemned sinner for whom God’s Son must needs come down from heaven, that He may suffer your guilt of sin, redeem and save you. Acknowledge and confess this with an humble and contrite heart and ask God to give you His Son, that, through grace you may partake of Him. Thus you give God the glory, "Now God has received the glory due to Him: therefore, peace be unto this man! The good will of God rests upon him. " Of what use is the angels’ song to you otherwise? Of what use can it be to you as long as the jingle of the world and sin resounds in you, and there is no peace in your heart?

Hark, a new song rends the sky,

"Glory be to God on high,

Peace on earth, good will to men,

Christ is born in Bethlehem. "

EVENING

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. Galatians 4:19. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Why should the Holy Ghost dwell in the hearts of Christians if not to testify concerning Christ and glorify Christ in them? The Holy Ghost has no other office, no other work in man than to restore the new man, Christ, in all, that the image of God, which is Christ, once more may be renewed and glorified in us all. As Christ was formed bodily in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost, so He must be formed spiritually in every true Christian. This was also the sense of the apostles; this was the object of their work; for this they often suffered great agony and pain until Christ was formed in the believers, until they had wholly put on Christ; not in the usual, profane conception of the code of morals, not by accepting a few of his sentiments, but Christ’s own mind and Spirit, Christ’s life and essence, nature and attributes, not by human power and skill, but by being born again, begotten from above by the Holy Ghost, so that they lived no longer, but Christ lived in them. Such is a true, spiritual Christmas; thus we celebrate Christ’s nativity. He therefore, who finds and worships the newborn Babe in his heart, has become a ’partaker of Christ" (Hebrews 3:14), and can rejoice in His birth. The others know not what they do. They celebrate the festival of Christ’s birth as they might celebrate the birthday of a prince, and not even thus joyfully, for Christ does not seem to concern them as much.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King;

Born to reign in us for ever.

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit,

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.