WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE.

 
DECEMBER 20.
 
We shall be saved by his life.
Romans 5:10
 
THE apostle is speaking of Jesus,
  who reconciled us to God by his death;
  and he refers to the life he is now living in heaven.
 
It is a glorious life;
  a life in his Father's presence, and
  in the enjoyment of his Father's love; and
    yet he lives for his people.
 
He lives to plead for them.
 
He lives to bestow on them what he procured for them.
 
He lives to watch over them.
 
He deeply, most deeply, sympathizes with them.
 
His eyes is never off them.
 
They are never out of his thoughts for one moment.
 
His love to them is intense, a fire that is ever burning.
 
He obtained for us eternal redemption, and
  he will see that we are redeemed from all evil, and
   put into the possession of all good.
 
Blessed Saviour!  May I not only glory in thy cross,
  but often have my thoughts directed to thy life.
 
Thou didst die for me.
 
Thou dost live for me.
 
Being reconciled by thy death on earth,
  I shall certainly be saved by my life in heaven.
 
O to enter upon this day,
  believing that thou art living in heaven for me, and
  that all the influence of thy relationship,
  character, blood, and offices, is employed for me!
 
A living, pleading Saviour, will certainly save me.
 

He lives! He lives! and sits above,

For ever interceding there;

Who shall divide us from his love?

Or what should tempt us to despair?

 
James Smith 1849

O LORD, REMEMBER ME AND VISIT ME.

 

Wednesday & Thursday was both traveling days, didn't get time for computer work. 

DECEMBER 19.
 

O Lord, remember me, and visit me.
Jeremiah 15:15

 
SO sighed the prophet in his troubles, and 

   so have we often sighed.
 
Does not this prayer just suit us this morning?
 
O that the Lord would remember our weakness,
  our fears,
  our temptations,
  our many infirmities,
  our easily besetting sins,   
  our peculiar circumstances, and our many foes!
 
O that he would remember our prayers,
  our desires,
  our wants,
  our earnest longings for his presence,
    Spirit, and special grace!
 
O that he would visit us,
  for a visit from him would soften our hearts,
  sanctify our tempers,
  cheer our spirits,
  confound our foes,
  revive our graces,
  brighten our evidences,
  scatter our fears,
  inspire us with confidence,
     and fill us with courage!
 
“Lord, remember us with the favour
  which thou bearest unto thy people, and
  visit us with thy salvation;
  that we may see the good of thy chosen,
  rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, and
    glory with thine inheritance.”
 
Remember where we are going,
  what we have to do,
  what we shall be called to suffer,
  what we shall especially need, and
  visit us to bless us with all the grace we shall require.
 
If we remember the Lord, he remembers us;
  if we visit him, he will visit us.
 
Remember, Lord, thy word of grace,
Remember Calvary’s tree;
Remember Jesus’ dying groans,
And then remember me.
 
James Smith 1849

I SOUGHT THE LORD AND HE HEARD ME.

 

I sought the Lord, and he heard me.
Psalm 34:4

 
THE Lord will teach us our dependence on himself.
 
He will show us that we cannot possibly do without him.
 
We too often try to manage our trials ourselves,
  instead of taking them to the Lord at once;
  this accounts for our little troubles paining and
   perplexing us at times, more than our great ones.
 
The Psalmist was deeply tried;
  his trouble had been brought on by his sin;
  but he sought the Lord, and he heard him,
   and delivered him from all his fears.
 
Let us endeavour to learn to take every thing to the Lord.
 
Let us seek to the Lord for wisdom to guide us,
  for strength to sustain us,
  for grace to sanctify us,
  for comfort to cheer us, and
    for deliverance from every fear and foe.
 
David’s God is our God, and
  he has covenanted to give us “the sure mercies of David.”
 
O for a spirit of prayer to God !
O for a spirit of dependence on God !
 
He loves to be trusted.
He loves to be sought.
He loves to be believed.
 
Friend, have you ever sought the Lord?
 
If not, seek him at once, and
  he will be found of you,
  he will hear you, and
   deliver you from all your fears.
 

The trust him, and fear not; thy life is secure;

His wisdom is perfect, supreme is his power;

In love he corrects thee, thy soul to refine,

To make thee at length in his likeness to shine.

 
James Smith 1849

I AM WITH THEE TO DELIVER THEE.

 
DECEMBER 17.
 

I am with thee to deliver thee.
Jeremiah 1:8

 
THUS spake Jehovah to Jeremiah; and
  the privilege of the prophet is our privilege too.
 
The Lord is with us, even as he was with him.
 
But if you read his book,
  you will find that God's presence did not preserve him
  from troubles, sorrows, or foes;
  for a few men suffered more than he did.
 
Nor did he always realize God's presence with him, and
  yet the Lord never withdrew for one moment.
 
Beloved, though God be with us,
  we shall suffer from many sources,
  we shall be tried in many ways,
  we shall be troubled with many things, and
  we may conclude that even our God is turned against us;
  and yet he will be true to his word,
    and will ultimately deliver us.
 
If God is with us,
  we shall go wherever he pleases to send us.
 
We should do whatever he bids us.
 
We should expect whatever he has promised us.
 
Men may hate us.
 
Providence may try us.
 
Our hearts may sink and misgive us.
 
All things may seem to conspire against us.
 
Yet the Lord who is with us,
  is pledged to deliver us, and
  he will redeem his pledge,
    to our joy and his own glory.
 
The Lord will be with us this day to deliver us,
  here is our safety and comfort.
 

I can forward now with joy,

Though in myself a feeble worm;

For Jesus will his power employ,

And save my soul in every storm.

 
James Smith 1849

CHILDREN THAT WILL NOT LIE.

 
DECEMBER 16.
 

Children that will not lie.
Isaiah 63:8

 
THUS God describes his own,
  those whom he saves, and
   with whom he sympathizes.
 
The God of truth must hate a liar.
 
The true God must hate falsehood and pretense.
 
Lying is especially condemned in God's word, and
  all liars are excluded from the new Jerusalem.
 
It is impossible for God to lie, and
  it is equally impossible for God
  to sanction, tolerate, or allow lying in any of his own children.
 
To lie is to deceive, or to attempt to deceive,
  by word or deed.
 
The practice springs from the depravity of the heart, and
  where persevered in, or excused, is a proof that the heart
   has never been renewed by divine grace.
 
“Lying lips are an abomination unto the Lord.”
 
“All liars shall have their portion in the lake which burneth
  with brimstone and with fire;
    which is the second death.”
 
“He that speaketh lies shall not escape.”
 
“He that speaketh lies shall perish.”
 
These are very fearful passages;
  they are the true sayings of God.
 
Let us carefully examine ourselves.
 
Are we in the habit of practicing deception in word or deed?
 
Memory ! retain the fact,
“NO LIAR CAN ENTER HEAVEN !
  NO LIAR CAN ESCAPE HELL ! “
 
 

In vain we talk of Jesus’ blood,

And boast his name in vain,

If we can slight the laws of God,

And prove unjust to men.

 
James Smith 1849
 

MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD.

 
 
DECEMBER 15.
 

Making himself equal with God.
John 5:18
 

THIS charge was brought against our Lord by the Jews,
  and he did not deny it.
 
He spake, he wrought, he commanded,
  as one equal with God; and he was so.
 
Jesus, the son of Mary, was the son of God; and
  though, in his human nature,
  he was infinitely inferior to God, yet,
  in his divine nature, which was united to his humanity,
  he was equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
 
Jesus is truly, properly, and naturally, God.
 
He is the object of worship, trust, and love.
 
We cannot think too highly of him.
We cannot speak too highly of him.
 
As God, he is the rock on which we build;
  the Saviour in whom we trust;
  the Sovereign whom we obey; and
  the Source of all good, from which we expect our supplies.
 
Beware of low thoughts of Christ.
 
Honour him, even as you honour the Father.
 
Walk before him, and be sincere.
Walk with him, and be confident and happy.
Walk after him, and be consistent.
 
Jesus created all things.
Jesus upholds all things.
Jesus directs all things.
 
Jesus will be honoured by all things.
 
Jesus should be especially honoured by his disciples.
 

On him we’ll venture all we have,

Our bodies, souls, and spirits too;

He to the uttermost will save,

And he alone for us will do:

His Godhead and his death shall be

Our theme to all eternity.

 
James Smith 1849

THE SINNERS IN ZION ARE AFRAID.

 
DECEMBER 14
 

The sinners in Zion are afraid.
Isaiah 33:14

 
AND well they may be; for sinners in Zion,
  are sinners in the very worst place, and
   the most dangerous position.
 
Their sins are of a peculiarly aggravated character,
  being committed in the clearest light,
  amidst the displays of the most wonderful love.
 
They ought to be saints, or they ought not to be in Zion,
  or the Church of God.
 
Sinners in Zion,
  if allowed to partake of the gospel privileges,
  generally become hardened;
  their consciences become benumbed,
  their nourished presumptuous confidence, and
  the gospel passes through their mind
   without making any salutary impressions.
 
Nothing but some signal judgment, or
  some special display of the power
  of the Spirit will arouse them.
 
It is to be feared that when the day of the Lord arrives,
  there will be many such found in the church, and
  that his glorious appearing shall arouse them, and
    fill them with dreadful alarm.
 
Friend, where are you?
Are you in Zion?
What are you?
Are you a sinner in Zion?
 
If so, ask conscience,
  “Can you dwell with devouring fire?
  Can you dwell with everlasting burnings?”
 
 The wrath of God is most dreadful !
 
And wrath shall come upon sinners in Zion unto the uttermost.
 

This Sodom felt, and feels it still,

And groans beneath the dreadful load;

With endless burnings who can dwell ?

Or bear the fury of a God ?

 
James Smith 1849