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Daily devotions for 05-11-2005:
Devotion: Morning and Evening
Morning Title: Christ is Risen
Evening Title: Our Testimony of Christ
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Morning: Christ is Risen
"But now is Christ risen from the dead." --1 Corinthians 15:20
The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that "Christ is risen from
the dead;" for,
"If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also
vain: ye are yet in
your sins." The divinity of Christ finds its surest proof in His resurrection,
since He was
"Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the
resurrection from the dead." It would not be unreasonable to doubt His Deity if
He had not
risen. Moreover, Christ's sovereignty depends upon His resurrection, "For to
this end Christ
both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and
living."
Again, our justification, that choice blessing of the covenant, is linked with
Christ's triumphant
victory over death and the grave; for "He was delivered for our offences, and
was raised again
for our justification." Nay, more, our very regeneration is connected with His
resurrection,
for we are "Begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead."
And most certainly our ultimate resurrection rests here, for, "If the Spirit of
Him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you."
If Christ be not risen, then
shall we not rise; but if He be risen then they who are asleep in Christ have
not perished, but
in their flesh shall surely behold their God.
Thus, the silver thread of resurrection runs through all the believer's
blessings, from his
regeneration onwards to his eternal glory, and binds them together. How
important then will this glorious fact be in his estimation, and how will he
rejoice that beyond a doubt it is established, that "now is Christ risen from
the dead."
"The promise is fulfill'd,
Redemption's work is done,
Justice with mercy's reconciled,
For God has raised His Son."
Evening: Our Testimony of Christ
"The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
--John 1:14
Believer, YOU can bear your testimony that Christ is the only begotten of the
Father, as well as the first begotten from the dead. You can say, "He is divine
to me, if He be human to all the world beside. He has done that for me which
none but a God could do. He has subdued my stubborn will, melted a heart of
adamant, opened gates of brass, and snapped bars of iron. He hath turned for me
my mourning into laughter, and my desolation into joy; He hath led my captivity
captive, and made my heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let
others think as they will of Him, to me He must be the only begotten of the
Father: blessed be His name. And He is full of grace. Ah! had He not been I
should never have been saved. He drew me when I struggled to escape from His
grace; and when at last I came all trembling like a condemned culprit to His
mercy-seat He said, 'Thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee: be of good
cheer.' And He is full of truth. True have His promises been, not one has
failed.
I bear witness that never servant had such a master as I have; never brother
such a kinsman as He has been to me; never spouse such a husband as Christ has
been to my soul; never sinner a better Saviour; never mourner a better
comforter than Christ hath been to my spirit. I want none beside Him. In life
He is my life, and in death He shall be the death of death; in poverty Christ
is my riches; in sickness He makes my bed; in darkness He is my star, and in
brightness He is my sun; He is the manna of the camp in the wilderness, and He
shall be the new corn of the host when they come to Canaan. Jesus is to me all
grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of truth and grace He is
full, infinitely full. My soul, this night, bless with all thy might 'the only
Begotten.'"
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Daily devotions for 05-12-2005:
Devotion: Morning and Evening
Morning Title: Sunlight When the Candle is Gone
Evening Title: Joy in Courage
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Morning: Sunlight When the Candle is Gone
"I am with you alway." --Matthew 28:20
It is well there is One who is ever the same, and who is ever with us. It is
well there is one
stable rock amidst the billows of the sea of life. O my soul, set not thine
affections upon
rusting, moth-eaten, decaying treasures, but set thine heart upon Him who
abides for ever faithful to thee. Build not thine house upon the moving
quicksands of a deceitful world, but found thy hopes upon this rock, which,
amid descending rain and roaring floods, shall stand immovably secure.
My soul, I charge thee, lay up thy treasure in the only secure cabinet; store
thy jewels where
thou canst never lose them. Put thine all in Christ; set all thine affections
on His person,
all thy hope in His merit, all thy trust in His efficacious blood, all thy joy
in His presence,
and so thou mayest laugh at loss, and defy destruction. Remember that all the
flowers in the
world's garden fade by turns, and the day cometh when nothing will be left but
the black, cold
earth. Death's black extinguisher must soon put out thy candle.
Oh! how sweet to have sunlight when the candle is gone! The dark flood must
soon roll between thee and all thou hast; then wed thine heart to Him who will
never leave thee; trust thyself with Him who will go with thee through the
black and surging current of death's stream, and who will land thee safely on
the celestial shore, and make thee sit with Him in heavenly places for ever.
Go, sorrowing son of affliction, tell thy secrets to the Friend who sticketh
closer than a brother.
Trust all thy concerns with Him who never can be taken from thee, who will
never leave thee, and who will never let thee leave Him, even "Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." "Lo, I am with you alway," is
enough for my soul to live upon, let who will forsake me.
Evening: Joy in Courage
"Only be thou strong and very courageous." --Joshua 1:7
Our God's tender love for His servants makes Him concerned for the state of
their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a
small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks
not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled
with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without
cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When
we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with,
but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see
our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the
king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for
we may come mourning as we are; but still He would have us put off the spirit
of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to
rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he
may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful
and fainthearted, it will dishonour his God. Besides, what a bad example it is.
This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon
spreads amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad.
Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let
your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your
strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice
throws down the banner. Moreover, labour is light to a man of cheerful spirit;
and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God,
believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall
reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, "be thou strong, and very courageous."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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