Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: June 28th

Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life; and few there be that find it.- Matthew 7:14.

So Jesus taught. But teachers in every age have taught a broad way and wide gate. The greatest part of professors have readily received their doctrine. This is a melancholy truth. Therefore Jesus adds, "Beware of false prophets." It is the sole prerogative of the king of saints to open a gate and make a way to his own kingdom. Glory to our God, who in sovereign grace and everlasting love hath done this. The gospel proclaims, FREE WELCOME: COME WHO WILL: ENTER FREELY, WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT PRICE. Jesus is the strait gate of God’s love, the only gate of righteousness: by him we enter with access to God, stand perfectly justified and graciously accepted before him. Jesus is the narrow way. By the blood of his cross he hath made peace, atoned for the sins of transgressors by one offering. Hence called strait and narrow, because the only way to life is by ONE man, ONE righteousness, ONE atonement. Thus it is a gate of love: a way of grace. Too strait a gate for blind men to see: too narrow a way for proud, natural men to submit to walk in. Hence "few there be that find it." But it is very awful to think of, whoever takes any other way or aims to enter by any other gate, goeth in the broad road to everlasting destruction. His boldness and confidence is no proof that he is right; but a melancholy sign that he is blind and deceived. For "the way of a fool is right in his own eyes."- Proverbs 12:15. And "there is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death."- Proverbs 14:12. But whoever enters the kingdom by Jesus, feeds in the pastures of grace, truth and love; he drinks of the river of consolation, and shall be nourished up to eternal life. Like a person who takes up his residence for life, in a more delightful kingdom than he was born in: so the believer is conformed to the laws, speaks the language, of the New Jerusalem, and "hates the garment spotted with the flesh." Thus the Holy Spirit leads the blind by the way they knew not, even the right way to peace, love, holiness, happiness, eternal life and salvation. Thus to a "little flock it is the Father’s good pleasure to give the kingdom." By his word he directs them: by his Spirit he guides them: by his love he comforts them: by afflictions he profits them: by conviction of sin he humbles them: by the prospects of hope he animates them. All this is to make them walk steadily in Christ, who is THE WAY.

Christ is the sure foundation stone,

Which God in Zion lays,

To build our heav’nly hopes upon,

And his eternal praise.

Chosen of God, to sinners dear,

And saints adore the name;

They trust their whole salvation, here,

Nor shall they suffer shame.

I stir up your pure minds, by way of remembrance. 2 Peter 3:1.

All the children of God are the subjects of pure minds. Many of them complain of bad memories. All need to have their minds stirred up, and their memories quickened. There is no doubt but Peter had a pure mind, when he denied his Lord. But he seems to display a very treacherous memory, in sadly forgetting himself, his Lord, and his words. Forgetfulness of dangers, causes us to fall into them. Forgetting our own weakness to stand, causes us to fall. Consider, (1st.) What is a pure mind. That which we are all destitute of by nature. “Our mind and conscience is defiled, and unbelieving.” (Titus 1:15.) Our mind is made pure, when our hearts are sprinkled from an evil or guilty conscience, by the blood of Christ through faith. (Hebrews 10:22.) So that a pure mind is a believing mind, which receives the truth as it is in Jesus, in the power and purity of it; and holds the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. (2d.) Such pure minds want stirring up. Do not you find it so day by day? Alas! how prone are we to neglect, forget, and let slip out of our minds, the glorious truths and precious promises of our Lord? Then we grow weak in faith, dejected in hope, cold in love, and negligent in duty. This is not right. It is an offense to our Lord, and uncomfortable to our own souls. It is neither a fit frame to live, or die in. When a fire burns dead, we stir it, to promote flame and heat. Lord grant that our souls may not burn dead, but flame in love to thee. (3d.) “I stir up.” Could St. Peter stir up their minds? Doubtless, instrumentally. Beware of that cursed notion, which genders to sloth, because you have not the power to do any spiritual act effectually, that therefore you may neglect the means. St. Paul calls on Timothy, “Stir up the gift of God that is in thee.” (2 Timothy 1:6.) He could, and so we ought, as those alive to God, use the means, and look to God’s power to bless them. This is the genuine actings of a lively faith. (4th.) The manner of doing this. “By way of remembrance.” Refreshing the memory, is stirring up the mind. Says St. Peter, “I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to do this.” We have all need of it. We ought also to stir up our own, and one another’s mind, by word, and epistles, of free grace truths, everlasting love, and precious promises of God in Christ to sinners: of his finished salvation for them: the eternal glory which awaits them, and which they shall soon enjoy in his kingdom. The Lord help us thus to stir up each other’s minds, while in these tabernacles.

Come Christians, stir each others’ minds,

Lest slothfulness prevail:

O think and speak of Christ’s designs,

Whose grace shall never fail.

We ought to help each other’s faith,

And hope and joy in God:

Attend to what the Spirit saith

And spread Christ’s fame abroad.