September 1: Abiding in Obedience and Love
John 15:10
These things cannot be parted—abiding in
obedience and abiding in the love of Jesus. A life under the rule of Christ can
alone prove that we are the objects of our Lord's delight. We must keep our
Lord's command if we would bask in His love. If we live in sin we cannot live
in the love of Christ. Without the holiness which pleases God we cannot please
Jesus. He who cares nothing for holiness knows nothing of the love of Jesus.
September 2: Follow to Know
Hosea 6:3
Our duty is to keep to our main topic and follow
on to know, not this peculiar doctrine nor that, but Jehovah Himself. To know
Father, Son, and Spirit, the Triune God, this is life eternal. let us keep to
this, for in this way we shall gain complete instruction. By following on to
know the Lord, we learn healing after being torn, binding up after smiting, and
life after death. Experience has its perfect work when the heart follows the
trackway of the almighty Lord.
My soul, keep thou close to Jesus, follow on to
know God in Jesus, and so shalt thou come to the knowledge of Christ, which is
the most excellent of all the sciences. The Holy Ghost will lead thee into all
truth. Is not this His gracious office? Rely upon Him to fulfill it.
September 3: Out of Spiritual Death
Ezekiel 37:13
This is the greatest and most remarkable of all
changes that a man can undergo—to be brought out of the grave of spiritual
death and made to rejoice in the light and liberty of spiritual life. None
could work this but the living God, the Lord and giver of life…Glory be to God
for the stirring which that word of faith caused among the dry bones. More
blessed still was that heavenly breath from the four winds which made me live!
Now know I the quickening Spirit of the ever-living Jehovah, Truly Jehovah is
the living God, for He made me live. My new life even in its pinings and
sorrowings is clear proof to me that the Lord can kill and make alive. He is
the only God. He is all that is great, gracious, and glorious, and my quickened
soul adores Him as the great I AM.
September 4: Victory Without Battle
Hosea 1:7
Precious word. Jehovah Himself will deliver His
people in the greatness of His mercy, but He will not do it by the ordinary
means, Men are slow to render to God the glory due unto His name. If they go to
battle with sword and bow and win the victory, they ought to praise their God;
yet they do not, but begin to magnify their own right arm and glory in their
horses and horsemen. For this reason our Jehovah often determines to save His
people without second means, that all the honor may be to Himself alone.
Look, then, my heart, to the Lord alone and not
to man. Expect to see God all the more clearly when there is no one else to
look to. If I have no friend, no adviser, no one at my back, let me be none the
less confident if I can feel that the Lord Himself is on my side; yea, let me
be glad if He gives victory without battle, as the text seems to imply. Why do
I ask for horses and horsemen if Jehovah Himself has mercy upon me and lifts up
His arm for my defense! Why need I bow or sword if God will save? Let me trust
and not be afraid from this day forth and for evermore. Amen.
September 5: With Me Wherever I Am
2 Chronicles 20:17
This was a great mercy for Jehoshaphat, for a
great multitude had come out against him; and it will be a great mercy for me,
for I have great need, and I have no might or wisdom. If the Lord be with me,
it matters little who may desert me. If the Lord be with me, I shall conquer in
the battle of life, and the greater my trials the more glorious will be my
victory. How can I be sure that the Lord is with me?
For certain He is with me if I am with Him. If I
trust in His faithfulness, believe His words, and obey His commands, He is
assuredly with me. If I am on Satan's side, God is against me and cannot be
otherwise; but if I live to honor God, I may be sure that He will honor me.
I am quite sure that God is with me if Jesus is
my sole and only Savior. If I have placed my soul in the hands of God's
only-begotten Son, then I may be sure that the Father will put forth all His
power to preserve me, that His Son may not be dishonored.
Oh, for faith to take hold upon the short but
sweet text for today! O Lord, fulfill this word to Thy servant! Be with me in
the house, in the street, in the field, in the shop, in company, and alone. Be
Thou also with all Thy people.
September 6: A Strong Heart
Psalm 27:14
Wait! Wait! Let your waiting be on the Lord! He
is worth waiting for. He never disappoints the waiting soul.
While waiting keep up your spirits, Expect a
great deliverance, and be ready to praise God for it.
The promise which should cheer you is in the
middle of the verse—"He shall strengthen thine heart." This goes at
once to the place where you need help. If the heart be sound, all the rest of
the system will work well. The heart wants calming and cheering, and both of
these will come if it be strengthened.
He alone who made it can make it strong. God is
full of strength, and, therefore, He can impart it to those who need it. Oh, be
brave; for the Lord will impart His strength to you, and you shall be calm in
tempest and glad in sorrow.
September 7: The Reach of Almighty Grace
Hosea 1:10
Some of us were so decidedly ungodly that the
Lord's Word most truly said to our conscience and heart, "Ye are not my
people." In the house of God and in our own homes, when we read the Bible,
this was the voice of God's Spirit in our soul, "Ye are not my
people." Truly a sad, condemning voice it was. But now, in the same
places, from the same ministry and Scripture, we hear a voice, which saith,
"Ye are the sons of the living God." Can we be grateful enough for
this? Is it not wonderful? Does it not give us hope for others? Who is beyond
the reach of almighty grace? How can we despair of any, since the Lord has
wrought so marvelous a change in us?
He who has kept this one great promise will keep
every other; wherefore, let us go forward with songs of adoration and
confidence.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Have a great weekend everybody!
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