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Daily devotions for 06-07-2005:
Devotion: Morning and Evening
Morning Title: All Have Sinned
Evening Title: Sainthood
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Morning: All Have Sinned
"Behold, I am vile." --Job 40:4
One cheering word, poor lost sinner, for thee!
You think you must not come to God because YOU are vile. Now, there is not a
saint living on earth but has been made to feel that he is vile.
If Job, and Isaiah, and Paul were all obliged to say "I am vile," oh, poor
sinner, wilt thou be ashamed to join in the same confession? If divine grace
does not eradicate all sin from the believer, how dost thou hope to do it
thyself?
and if God loves His people while they are yet vile, dost thou think thy
vileness will prevent His loving thee? Believe on Jesus, thou outcast of the
world's society! Jesus calls thee, and such as thou art.
"Not the righteous, not the righteous;
Sinners, Jesus came to call."
Even now say, "Thou hast died for sinners; I am a sinner, Lord Jesus, sprinkle
Thy blood on me"; if thou wilt confess thy sin thou shalt find pardon.
If, now, with all thy heart, thou wilt say, "I am vile, wash me," thou shalt be
washed now. If the Holy Spirit shall enable thee from thy heart to cry
Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!"
thou shalt rise from reading this morning's portion with all thy sins pardoned;
and though
thou didst wake this morning with every sin that man hath ever committed on thy
head, thou shalt rest to-night accepted in the Beloved; though once degraded
with the rags of sin, thou shalt be adorned with a robe of righteousness, and
appear white as the angels are. For "now," mark it, "Now is the accepted time."
If thou "believest on Him who justifieth the ungodly thou art saved." Oh! may
the Holy Spirit give thee saving faith in Him who receives the vilest.
Evening: Sainthood
"Are they Israelites? so am I."--2 Corinthians 11:22
We have here A PERSONAL CLAIM, and one that needs proof. The apostle knew that
His claim was indisputable, but there are many persons who have no right to the
title who yet claim to belong to the Israel of God. If we are with confidence
declaring, "So am I also an Israelite," let us only say it after having
searched our heart as in the presence of God. But if we can give proof that we
are following Jesus, if we can from the heart say, "I trust Him wholly, trust
Him only, trust Him simply, trust Him now, and trust Him ever," then the
position which the saints of God hold belongs to us--all their enjoyments are
our possessions; we may be the very least in Israel, "less than the least of
all saints," yet since the mercies of God belong to the saints AS SAINTS, and
not as advanced saints, or well-taught saints, we may put in our plea, and say,
"Are they Israelites? so am I; therefore the promises are mine, grace is mine,
glory will be mine." The claim, rightfully made, is one which will yield untold
comfort. When God's people are rejoicing that they are His, what a happiness if
they can say, "So AM I!" When they speak of being pardoned, and justified, and
accepted in the Beloved, how joyful to respond, "Through the grace of God, SO
AM I."
But this claim not only has its enjoyments and privileges, but also its
conditions and duties.
We must share with God's people in cloud as well as in sunshine. When we hear
them spoken of with contempt and ridicule for being Christians, we must come
boldly forward and say, "So am I." When we see them working for Christ, giving
their time, their talent, their whole heart to Jesus, we must be able to say,
"So do I." O let us prove our gratitude by our devotion, and live as those who,
having claimed a privilege, are willing to take the responsibility connected
with it.
====================================
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Daily devotions for 06-08-2005:
Devotion: Morning and Evening
Morning Title: Hate Evil
Evening Title: Zeal
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Morning: Hate Evil
"Ye that love the Lord hate evil." --Psalm 97:10
Thou hast good reason to "hate evil," for only consider what harm it has
already wrought thee.
Oh, what a world of mischief sin has brought into thy heart! Sin blinded thee
so that thou couldst not see the beauty of the Saviour; it made thee deaf so
that thou couldst not hear the Redeemer's tender invitations. Sin turned thy
feet into the way of death, and poured poison into the very fountain of thy
being; it tainted thy heart, and made it "deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked." Oh, what a creature thou wast when evil had done its
utmost with thee, before divine grace interposed! Thou wast an heir of wrath
even as others; thou didst "run with the multitude to do evil." Such were all
of us; but Paul reminds us, "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." We
have good reason, indeed, for hating evil when we look back and trace its
deadly workings. Such mischief did evil do us, that our souls would have been
lost had not omnipotent love interfered to redeem us.
Even now it is an active enemy, ever watching to do us hurt, and to drag us to
perdition.
Therefore "hate evil," O Christians, unless you desire trouble. If you would
strew your path with thorns, and plant nettles in your death-pillow, then
neglect to "hate evil"; but if you would live a happy life, and die a peaceful
death, then walk in all the ways of holiness, hating evil, even unto the end.
If you truly love your Saviour, and would honour Him, then "hate evil."
We know of no cure for the love of evil in a Christian like abundant
intercourse with the Lord Jesus. Dwell much with Him, and it is impossible for
you to be at peace with sin.
"Order my footsteps by Thy Word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear."
Evening: Zeal
"Be zealous." --Revelation 3:19
If you would see souls converted, if you would hear the cry that "the kingdoms
of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord"; if you would place crowns
upon the head of the Saviour, and His throne lifted high, then be filled with
zeal. For, under God, the way of the world's conversion must be by the zeal of
the church.
Every grace shall do exploits, but this shall be first; prudence, knowledge,
patience, and courage will follow in their places, but zeal must lead the van.
It is not the extent of your knowledge, though that is useful; it is not the
extent of your talent, though that is not to be despised; it is your zeal that
shall do great exploits.
This zeal is the fruit of the Holy Spirit: it draws its vital force from the
continued
operations of the Holy Ghost in the soul. If our inner life dwindles, if our
heart beats slowly before God, we shall not know zeal; but if all be strong and
vigorous within, then we cannot but feel a loving anxiety to see the kingdom of
Christ come, and His will done on earth, even as it is in heaven. A deep sense
of gratitude will nourish Christian zeal. Looking to the hole of the pit whence
we were digged, we find abundant reason why we should spend and be spent for
God. And zeal is also stimulated by the thought of the
eternal future.
It looks with tearful eyes down to the flames of hell, and it cannot slumber:
it looks up with anxious gaze to the glories of heaven, and it cannot but
bestir itself. It feels that time is short compared with the work to be done,
and therefore it devotes all that it has to the cause of its Lord. And it is
ever strengthened by the remembrance of Christ's example. He was clothed with
zeal as with a cloak. How swift the chariot-wheels of duty went with Him! He
knew no loitering by the way. Let us prove that we are His disciples by
manifesting the same spirit of zeal.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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