Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: May 9th

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.- Genesis 8:22.

"Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."- 1 Timothy 4:8. By faith we view the declarations of Jehovah as the blessings of a father’s love. The returning seasons, the revolving periods of time declare the glory of our heavenly Father; while the Christian meditates upon and gratitude inspires his heart for the innumerable blessings of time, yet far nobler subjects demand the contemplation of his soul. Happy for us, when temporal blessings are enjoyed as covenant mercies, and are sanctified to us in Christ Jesus. We see and adore the sovereignty of God in appointing times and seasons. The immutability of his will is the law by which they are governed. When the fixed period shall come, all nature shall be reduced to its primitive nothing. Time shall be swallowed up in a never-ending eternity. Happy soul, who art taught the displays of grace from the images of nature, who bows to the sovereignty of love, rejoices in the covenant of grace, and rests upon the immutability of God’s purposes and promises in Christ Jesus to poor sinners! Such are assured that as in nature, so in the kingdom of grace, seed-time and harvest shall not fail to God’s church and people, because of "his everlasting covenant which is ordered in all things, and sure."

There is a time for the immortal seed of the word to be sown in every elect soul. This is experienced by the seed striking root in conviction of sin; by its springing up in faith, desire, and love to Jesus. And because the sun of righteousness ever lives and shines upon his members, they shall most assuredly reap a harvest of eternal glory. Chilling cold and winter’s blasts may succeed the summer of love and warmth of affection. Nights of darkness, from desertion, temptation, and affliction, may follow days of peace, joy, and consolation. These various seasons and changes will pass upon and be experienced by believing souls "while the earth remaineth;" that is, so long as our earthly, sensual nature continues; but it is sentenced to dissolution. We must leave it on this side Jordan, then we shall see it no more as an enemy for ever.

But in the presence of Jesus the soul shall have fulness of joy, and the body shall be raised a glorious body, to enjoy the pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore. There shall be no night of darkness, no chill of affections, no winter of distress. At present this is our sweet consolation; of every one of his beloved members Christ saith, "Because I live, ye shall live also."- John 14:19. In the experience of faith we know "Christ is our life;" with joy we declare, "when he shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory."- Colossians 3:4.

And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of GOD. Ephesians 6:17.

Soldiers of Christ, all hail! Happy ye. Christ is your whole armor (1st.) Christ who is the truth, is the strength of your loins: his righteousness is your breast-plate of defence. (2d.) He is the sum and substance of the gospel of peace, whereby our feet are shod to march against the enemy. (3d.) The author and object of faith. Our shield, to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (4th.) Our helmet of hope. Thus, by the grace of the Spirit, put him on as your armor Then, what dangers may you not face? What enemies have you to fear? But forget not your sword. Though but just entered the field, you must know the use of it, and necessity for it. It is offensive to your enemy. Defensive of yourself. What a poor figure would a soldier cut in the field of battle without his sword? Just so would you, without the sword of the Spirit: called the word of God. For, (1st.) By it he conquers the pride of our hearts, the self-righteousness of our spirits, and the rebellion of our nature, against Christ and his salvation. (2d.) He furnishes us with it, and enables us to gain victory by it over our corrupt reason, the injections of Satan, and the objections of carnal men, against the mystery of Christ, hope in him, and salvation by him. Take this sword. Hold fast the faithful word. Abide by it. Stand to it. As a sentinel, with this sword in thine hand, guard thy heart against every intruding, insulting foe: all the lying accusations, soul dejecting, Christ dishonoring suggestions of Satan. Not only so, but like Esau, “By thy sword thou shalt live.” Live; upon what thy sword brings in from day to day, out of the precious word of God: out of the fulness of the grace of Jesus, and the precious promises in him. Having such an armor, the Lord forbid, that we should be like “the children of Ephraim, who turned back in the day of battle.” (Psalms 75:9.) Lord strengthen us that we may never be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, but manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil, and so continue Christ’s faithful soldiers and servants unto our lives end. Is this the one desire of your soul? O bless the Spirit for it. Hold fast the sword which he hath put into your hand. Hold up, thus saith the Lord-thus it is written, against every foe. Neither men nor devils can stand against the word of the Lord. “It is sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12.

O may thy word, thy precious word,

My Saviour and my God,

Against my foes, fresh help afford,

All thro’ this dang’rous road.

Spirit divine, teach me the art

Thy blessed sword to wield,

That I thereby may guard my heart,

And ever keep the field.