Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: June 3rd

Jesus said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.- Matthew 11:25-26.

The true ministers of Christ are greatly encouraged in their labours, knowing they serve that sovereign Lord, who hath declared, "My word shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please: it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it."- Isaiah 55:11. "To some the gospel is a savour of life unto life; unto others of death unto death." To some Jesus is revealed, to others the gospel is hid. Nevertheless, his ministers "are unto God, a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish."- 2 Corinthians 2:15.

What shall we say to these things? shall we dare to cavil against the sovereign dispensations of God, or arraign him at the bar of our weak judgments? shall the potsherds of the earth contend with Jehovah, and say, What dost thou? Shall the pride of our carnal reason, and the rebellion of our corrupt nature, vent itself with, ’I will not allow it at all; I cannot believe it is just and righteous that the Lord should act with sovereignty, give or withhold his special grace as it seemeth good unto him!’ St. Paul sharply reproves such daring speeches. "Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God?"-It is plain that such walk not humbly; they have not the mind of Christ. The Father’s will was his joy: Jehovah’s purposes his delight: and with sovereign dispensations Jesus most cheerfully acquiesced; "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." Herein he hath left us an example. This is beyond all other reasons we can assign for God’s dealings in grace and providence. Such sentiments shew, that we have been taught of God, are little in our own eyes, passive as babes in our own judgment, and are submissive children to our Father’s will.

A spiritual revelation of the hope of the gospel, is by the sovereign grace of the Holy Spirit, "who divideth to every man severally as he will." It ever begets humility of heart. Why me, Lord! creates amazement of soul. What am I! ever excites love and gratitude. Am I called to the faith of Jesus, and the hope of salvation, while others, of the wise and prudent of this world, are left in the darkness, pride and rebellion of their nature? O what shall I render unto the Lord? How fearful to offend, how studious to please, how joyful to glorify the Lord my God ought I to be from day to day? "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."

Thus doth the Lord of heav’n and earth

His great decrees fulfil,

And orders all his works of grace

By his own sov’reign will.

Bow then, my Lord, my proud free-will,

To own thy sov’reign hand;

And humbly to adore thy ways

Which I can’t understand.

To them who have obtained like precious faith with us through [in] the righteousness of GOD, and [even] our Saviour JESUS CHRIST. 2 Peter 1:1.

There may be strong faith, where there is no true faith. Persons may pretend to have the assurance of faith-may believe that their sins are forgiven, without one grain of precious faith. Who believes more than a Deist does? He believes he has wisdom to guide, and power to save himself, without either the word, or the grace of God. Who has stronger faith than the self-righteous Pharisee had? He believed he had a right to go to God-to plead his works before God-and to assure his heart that he was accepted of God. He wanted no righteousness from God. This is just such a faith, which all unregenerate men have. It is not a precious faith-it is not obtained through the precious righteousness of Christ-it doth not make his glorious person, and everlasting righteousness precious to the heart-it does not cause such, to renounce the filthy rags of their own righteousness, and to delight in God, as justifying the ungodly, through the righteousness of Christ; and sanctifying the unholy, through the Spirit of his grace. That faith is ever to be suspected, as only a rank weed, which grows in the corrupt soil of human nature, if the possessors of it see not the evils of sin which is in them, the curse it has brought upon them, and that nothing can relieve their conscience, support their mind, bring hope to their heart, and joy to their spirits, but the one spotless righteousness of Christ, in which sinners stand perfectly justified before God. He, who dares open his mouth, in objections against God’s imputing the righteousness of his Son, freely to sinners, and fully justifying them thereby, is shrewdly to be suspected, that so far from having obtained “like precious faith” with the apostles, his heart is not yet convinced of sin. Precious faith will shew itself by its fruits, inward as well as outward. The heart will bow to God’s sovereign will, receive his doctrines of grace, in the love of them, and not object and cavil against them. It will glory, that salvation from first to last, is not of works but of grace. And it will experience, that the grace of God which bringeth salvation, most sweetly, and powerfully, teaches to deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil world. Most sweetly says one, “Surely, there can be no greater honor to Christ than this, in the sense of sin, wants, stains, and blemishes, to wrap ourselves in the righteousness of Christ, and with boldness to go clothed in the garments of this our elder Brother, to the throne of grace.” This is the glory of faith, Lord grant it may be ours!