Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: November 6th

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and, come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. - Luke 4:35.

JESUS was unwilling to receive praise from such lips. The praise of some is real censure. And, thus rebuked, the devil came forth, but not without showing his malignity on quitting his subject; for he threw him down before coming out of him: yet he injured him not. Now, this serves to explain Satan’s agency with those who are under the influence of divine grace. He would injure those whom he cannot destroy. But even what he does against them will be overruled for good.

Thus the “thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan sent to buffet” the apostle, hid pride from him. The leech sucks for its own gratification, but the hand of the faculty directs him to the part of contact, and the relief of the patient is the consequence. So will it be with all Christians with regard to Satan’s endeavours to destroy or injure them; but in all these they shall be “more than conquerors,” and in a little time “he will bruise Satan under their feet.”

Then, as to the spectators: they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, “What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.” Oh, if they had but improved as well as admired! if they had but given themselves up to him as their Portion to enjoy and as their Master to serve! But, alas, this was not the case.

Let us beware that our religion consists in nothing less than a real surrender of heart to God, “presenting our bodies and our spirits a. living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.”

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? - Psalms 24:3.

THERE are three ways in which this question can be answered respecting those who shall enter the realms of bliss. First, By ascertaining who have entered it already. This will go some way toward the decision. Who have they been from the first that have entered? Abel entered; and it is said that “he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” Enoch entered, and entered body and soul together; but “Enoch walked with God.” Elijah also entered in a similar way, and he had been very “zealous for the Lord of hosts.” The patriarchs have entered, but the Apostle tells us how, “through faith and patience, they inherit the promises.”

Secondly, By ascertaining to whom it is promised. And here we read: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” This cannot be a legal but a gospel right; it cannot be a meritorious but a merciful right, founded entirely in the grace of God. And he has given us the character of the heirs of promise. He has told us who will be partakers of eternal life. Our Saviour has said: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Thirdly, Who are prepared for it? “Heaven,” as the old writer says, “is a prepared place for a prepared people.” We read of being made “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” “Except, therefore,” says the Saviour, “a man be born again, he cannot see” (that is, he cannot possess and enjoy) “the kingdom of God.” Happiness does not depend entirely on the excellency of the object, but on its adaptation to our condition, our views, and our desires, to our hopes, and to our feelings. It is therefore undeniable that many would be miserable were they to enter. The best way therefore to determine our title to heaven is to consider our fitness for it; to go to the Scriptures, and take from them the representations which are there given of heaven, and then ascertain whether there be anything in ourselves that would enable us to enjoy it. If we are to be there raised above adventitious distinctions, we must rise above them now. If hereafter all the righteous are to be one, and all the distinctions which now prevail among them will be done away, we must now be rising above them, so as to be able to pray that now “grace may be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Heaven is a holy place, and into it enters nothing that defileth, and without personal holiness, no man shall see the Lord. And thus we are now saying: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me.” The blessedness of heaven will consist much in the fellowship of the saints. And are these, in our esteem, “the excellent of the earth, and our chosen companions now?” It will consist in the presence and glory of the Saviour. And is this dear to us now? Is he regarded by us as being “fairer than the children of men” and “altogether lovely?” And are our best moments those in which we enjoy intercourse with him? In this way the question is determined, “Who shall stand in the holy place?”