Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: April 19th

What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?- Romans 6:1.

Believer in Jesus, what are thy thoughts? what the answer of thine heart this day, in regard to thy walk and conduct in life, from the important doctrines of grace? Canst thou say, the everlasting love of God the Father, reigning through the righteousness of Jesus unto eternal life, manifested in the gospel, and applied by the Holy Spirit through faith, have the least tendency to give reins to thy lust, to open a door of licentiousness, and to encourage thee to continue in sin? Doth the belief of the guilt of sin, being atoned by the precious blood of Jesus, influence thee to the love of sin? Doth the knowledge of Christ’s righteousness imputed unto justification of life, tend to make thee delight in unrighteousness and unholiness of life? By no means: God forbid! to bring such an heinous charge against divine truths; O what daring impiety! what horrid blasphemy! Beware of such a thought; indulge it not one moment; it comes from the adversary of all truth; it impeaches the wisdom and holiness of the Spirit of truth; for he reveals these soul-saving, Christ-glorifying, God-honoring truths; and by his gracious gift of faith, sinners receive and embrace them. But to what end? Hereby they see the display of justice; mercy triumphing in righteousness; their souls established in a sense of peace and pardon, and most powerfully influenced to the love of personal holiness and obedience. Sooner ascribe midnight darkness and winter’s frost to the source of light and heat of the sun, than once imagine the grace of God leads to sin, or the aboundings of grace to continuance in sin. No; this is through the aboundings of lust-"When LUST hath conceived, it brings forth sin."- James 1:15. But grace conceived in the heart, brings forth holiness.

"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: Yea, we establish the law."- Romans 3:31. How? as a covenant of works to us? No; that it was our dear surety. "Christ is the end (the fulfiller) of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."- Romans 10:4. We establish the law, as a rule of duty to us; though not to obtain life, but according to which we ought to walk. So we follow our Lord, and are conformed to him. O may the cheering light of truth be ever accompanied with the warm influences of the sun of righteousness upon the heart! "By the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world."- 2 Corinthians 1:12.

"Then shall we best proclaim abroad

The honors of our Saviour God,

When his salvation reigns within,

And grace subdues the pow’r of sin."

I cannot love, nor live in sin,

Though sin in me doth still abide:

Though sin’s alive, I’m dead to sin,

My Saviour keeps from lust and pride.

My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me, according unto thy word. Psalms 119:28.

While the wicked are gay, alert, and merry, many of God’s beloved children go bowed down, from day to day, with heaviness of soul. When they compare themselves with the men of the world, under such seasons, they are tempted to write bitter things against themselves, and to pass a verdict in favour of others. Soul! in the heaviest season, and most dejected frame you ever experienced, say, Could you find it in your heart to wish to change lots with them? What! quit your faith in Jesus, and hope of eternal enjoyment of him-for what? the momentary gratifications and short lived pleasures of time and sense. Alas! my soul is in such heaviness, that I doubt whether I have either a spark of faith or a ray of hope in Christ. My soul melteth: it bears no image nor impression of any grace, or of the power of any truth. Faith fails: hope decays: my heart sinks. I am burdened with a sense of sin; oppressed with temptations; and, what is heaviest of all, the Lord hides his face and deserts my soul. David felt all this: Peter experienced the same. Hence he says, “For a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” (1 Peter 1:6.)

Mind those two words; there is support and relief in them: “For a season.” Blessed be Jesus, heaviness lasts not always. He will deliver out of it. “If need be.” There is cause for it: good shall issue from it. What is the remedy when the soul is in heaviness? prayer: pleading God’s word of grace, and promises of love, for strength under burdens and deliverance from soul-heaviness. “Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.” Says wisdom, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop.” The poor soul sinks under its burden. “But,” says he, “A good word maketh it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25.) Where shall ye find a good word? in the gospel of the grace of God. Here is a good word; enough to make thy heavy heart leap for joy, and thy burdened soul sing for gladness. O! meditate upon it, pray over it; and may the Lord, the Spirit give thee comfort from it. It is the work and office of thy blessed Saviour: in his own time, way, and manner, he will most surely fulfil it. “To appoint unto them who mourn in Zion; to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that the Lord may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3.

In all my burden’d frames of heart,

When sin and sorrow sinks me down,

I still will cry, my God thou art,

Thy faithful promises to own.

To thee alone for strength I’ll cry,

For strength can come from none but thee;

O Jesus, thou art ever nigh,

And full of sympathy.