BECAUSE I LIVE YE SHALL LIVE ALSO

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 28

 

John 14:9

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more;

 but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

 
Christ and his people are one.
 
He is the head, and they are the members of his body. 

From him they receive life, 

   wisdom, 

       power, 

           holiness, and 

                  every grace.
 
He has a fulness on purpose to supply them grace, as their circumstances may require.
 
Have hitherto been supplied with grace by Jesus, and he who hath supplied us until now. Will continue to do so.
 
He lives, necessarily, as God.
 
Officially as God-man.
 
He lives in high authority, possessing unbounded influence. 

He lives to use what he possesses, to fulfil his word, complete his work, and lead his people on to the enjoyment of eternal life.
 
They shall live, that is exist, as Christians, preserve in their journey, and be happy in his love for ever,
 
They shall live because Jesus who ever lives is their Life, their Representative, and their Surety, He lives for them, ruling, over-ruling, securing and loving.
 
He lives in them and their life is hid with him in God.
 
Beloved, see the ground of your safety: the source of your joy: the wisdom of your God.
 
Your life and happiness are identified with the life and happiness of Jesus.
 

If my immortal Saviour lives,

Then my immortal life is sure;

His word a firm foundation gives,

Here let me build, and rest secure.

 
James Smith
 

REST IN THE LORD .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 27

 

Psalm 37:7

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself

because of him who prespereth in his way, because of the man

who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

 
The sinner is naturally restless, he is removed from his natural basis, and the wandering of the desire keeps him in constant agitation.
 
To him Jesus says, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest.” The believer has accepted this invitation, and has found rest; but he is often led away by temptations, worldly cares, and unbelief; and then he becomes restless again.
 
Beloved, you are directed to rest, not in your circumstances, attainments, or enjoyments, but rest in the Lord.
 
Rest in the will of God, for whatever he wills is for your good, your highest good: “this is the will of God, even your sanctification.”
 
Rest in the love of God, and often meditate on the words of Jesus on this point, “Thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
 
Rest in the mercy of God, from which flows endless streams of blessings for your supply.
 
Rest in the word of God, for it is true, immutable, and pledges him to do you good.
 
Rest in the relation thy God fills to thee, he is thy Father; kind, careful, wise, and ever-present.
 
Rest in the Lord as he is manifested in Jesus, thy God in covenant; working all things after the counsel of his own will.
 

Safe in the Lord his saints may rest,

And calmly wait his will’

Though poor and tried yet are blest,

Their God is gracious still.

 
James Smith

REPENT AND DO THE FIRST WORKS.

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 26

 

Revelation 2:5

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,

and repent, and do the first works; or else I will

come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy

candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

 
Repentance implies thought, serious thought in reference to the conduct and state of the heart; it proceeds from conviction, deep and solemn conviction of our sin and sinfulness in the sight of God; it proves concern, a concern to escape danger, obtain pardon, and enjoy peace; it includes sorrow, that we have grieved the Lord, dishonoured his cause, and slighted his mercy; it always leads to reformation.
 
There may be some degree of reformation without repentance, but there can be no repentance without reformation.
 
Let us think upon our ways, reflect on the dishonour we have done to the Saviour, be concerned to enjoy anew the tokens of his forgiving love, mourn over our follies and faults, and begin again to do our first works.
 
Look to Jesus and for Jesus, and abstain from the very appearance of evil, as we did at first.
 
What love, what zeal, what caution, what carefulness, what entire consecration to God, we manifest then!
 
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
 

Recall to mind the happy days,

When thou wast fill’d with joy and praise;

Repent, thy former works renew,

Then I’ll restore thy comforts too.

 
James Smith
 

MY NEDITATION OF HIM SHALL BE SWEET.

 
EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 25

 

Psalm 104:34

My meditation of him shall be sweet:

I will be glad in the LORD.

 
To meditate is to think closely, seriously, and for some time upon one subject: if the subject is spiritual, the exercise is peculiarly profitable: if the mind is spiritual, meditation of Jesus will be sweet. 

Let us think of him frequently, intently, and seriously.
 
Let us meditate on the glory of his person,
-the riches of his grace,
—the strength of his love,
—the tenderness of his sympathy,
—the power of his arm,
—merit of his blood,
—the magnificence of his righteousness,
—the completeness of his conquest,
—the splendor of his ascension,
—the prevalence of his intersession,
—the exalted station of his people on earth,
—what he gives to them,what he requires of them
—and the glory to which he will raise them,
when he comes again the second time, without sin unto salvation.
 
Let us go over in meditation all that regards
   his person,
       his office,
           his work,
                his kingdom,
                     his humiliation,
                         his exaltation, and
                                   his character.
 
Such meditations will be sweet.
 
Let us see him in nature, in providence, and in grace.

 

Sweet are the thoughts which fill my breast,

When on his various works the rest;

God my CREATOR lifts my voice!

In God my SAVIOUR I rejoice!

 
James Smith
 

THE LORD IS AT HAND .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 24

 

Philippians 4:5

Let your moderation be known unto all men.

The Lord is at hand.

 
Jesus is coming.
 
When he will come is uncertain, therefore we should always be ready. If we realized the certainty and nearness of the Lord’s coming, we should not be ensnared by the world as we too often are.
 
Our love would be withdrawn from present things, and we should be daily laying up treasures in heaven. Jesus will come to close the present dispensation, to judge the people, to be glorified in his saints, and reward every one according to his works.
 
The Lord is at hand, we should think of this, we should realize it, it would preserve us from temptation, it would prevent our backsliding, and it would deepen our seriousness and spirituality.
 
He will come, therefore we should expect him, prepare for him, invite him, and be found waiting, looking, and longing for his appearing.
 
When he comes he will bring us grace, destroy all our foes, conform us to his own lovely image, and then introduce us to glory. When Jesus comes his people will be made completely happy; sighs, and cries, will be exchanged for pleasures, songs, and triumphant hallelujahs.
 

Saviour, hasten thine appearing,

Bring, O bring the glorious day,

When the awful summons hearing,

Heaven and earth shall pass away:

Then with golden harps we’ll sing

Glory, glory to our King.

 
James Smith
 

FOR SHE LOVED MUCH.

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 23
 
Luke 7:47
Wherefore I say into thee, Her sins, which are many,
are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little
is forgiven, the same loveth little.

 

She hath been a great sinner; convinced of her sin,

     she sought the Saviour;

         applied for pardon, and

               she found mercy.

 

Deeply affected with the love of Christ, and 

  the manner in which he displayed it, 

  her soul glowed with love to him in return.

 

She not only loved him, but she loved him much: and 

  therefore she could endure scorn, 

  contempt, and persecution,

  in order to enjoy his presence and listen to his word.

 

Her love would not be confined in her bosom,

  it sought to show itself;

  she therefore brought the alabaster box of precious ointment,

  washed his feet with her tears,

  wiped them with the hair of her head, and

  anointed them with the ointment.

 

Here is an example for us; we also are great sinners,

   Jesus has kindly received us and pardoned our sins;

  his love to us is as great as it was to this woman,

  but is our love to him, equal to her’s?

 

I fear not.

 

But why?

 

Because our conviction of sin is not as clear.

Our views of unworthiness are not as vivid,

  our apprehensions of danger are not as painful,

  our sense of pardoning mercy is not as deep.

 

We must direct our thoughts to Jesus, and

seek for the Holy Spirit to shed abroad his love in our hearts.

 

 

For love like thine, O God of heaven,

What grateful honours shall we show?

Where much transgression is forgiven,

Let love in equal favour glow.

 

James Smith

HE WILL HAVE COMPASSION UPON US .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 22

 

Micah 7:19

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us;

he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all

their sins into the depths of the sea.

 
His anger has been provoked by our sins,
  the effects of his displeasure have been felt, but
     he retaineth not his anger for ever; and
         though sin may have made us miserable,
             mercy shall make us happy.
 
He will have compassion upon us,
    because of the benevolence of his nature,
       in accordance with his word,
           to our comfort and salvation.
 
He is full of compassion:
   plenteous in mercy:
          ready to forgive.
 
These are his own words, and they contain enough,
if we did but believe them,
    to banish our fears,
         conquer our doubts, and
              fill us with joy and peace.
 
We have wandered, but he will have compassion, and
  the wandering shall be restored:
    the prodigal shall be received with music and dancing.
 
He will have compassion,
  for he has promised,
    his nature prompts him to it,
      he has done so in innumerable instances, and
          his heart overflows with it.
 
As soon as ever he sees you feel your sinfulness,
  he will have compassion,
     subdue your iniquities, and
        cast all your sins into the depths of the sea.
 

Moved with tenderest compassion,

Jesus heals each wounded heart;

And the richest consolation

To his mourners doth impart.

 
James Smith

FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 21

 

Hebrews 12:6

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and

 scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

 
Every believer is beloved of his God,
  yet every believer is chastened, and
     chastisement is a proof of love.
 
We are but children and need it, we are children and therefore receive it.
 
Some are chastened by losses,
   some by sickness,
       some by the failure of their favourite schemes,
           some by domestic trials,
                some by the conduct of relatives or Christian friends.
 
We are not all chastened with the same rod, but we are all chastened by the same hand.
 
We are not all correct in the same way, but we are all corrected by the same wise, holy, and loving Father.
 
Some suffer most in mind, others in body: some are tried most in their own persons, others more in their relatives.
 
But let us never forget, every correction flows from love; every stroke is in kindness.
 
Our follies call for strokes, and our sins for rebukes; let us therefore humble ourselves under our Father’s hand.
 
Let us not question our relationship, or his love to us, because we are so tried, neither let us think the discipline unnecessary, and so despise his chastening.
 

Afflicted by a gracious God,

The strike I patiently sustain,

Grievous to feeble flesh and blood,

Unable to rejoice in pain.

Beneath a Father’s hand I bow,

And groan to feel the chastening now.

 
James Smith

ME COUNSEL SHALL STAND .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 20

 

Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient

times the things that are not yet done, saying, Me counsel

shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

 
The counsel of man is often weak and unwise, his knowledge being imperfect, and his mind disordered.
 
But the counsel of the Lord is the effect of infinite wisdom, and is sustained by omnipotent power. Men’s purposes are often formed under evil influences, or when the mind is confused and perplexed; but the purposes of God were formed in the calm and quiet of the eternal mind, under the influence of justice, grace, holiness, truth, and love. Men’s counsels are often frustrated, but God’s counsel purposes can never be.
 
Men’s purposes are frequently defeated, but our God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. His counsel includes all that is essential to our eternal welfare; his purposes embrace all the events of this transitory life: therefore we ought to be much affected by anything which takes place around us.
 
There may be confusion, conflict, injustice, oppression, cruelty, but our God who has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, says, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Remember, beloved, our God is at work always and everywhere.
 
He doth according to his will in heaven, earth, and hell; and he says to us, “Be still and know that I am God.”
 

God will for all my wants provide,

And save me for his mercy’s sake:

Me by his counsel he will guide,

And afterwards to glory take.

 
James Smith
 

TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW.

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 19

 

Matthew 6:34

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the

morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 
That is, NO
   anxious,
      perplexing,
         distressing thought.
 
You know not that you shall live until to-morrow, the Lord may take you home to-night;
but if you do, the Lord will be
   as thoughtful of you,
   as kind to you, and
   as watchful of you,
   as he has been to-day.
 
There is daily grace as well as daily bread.
 
You cannot be fatherless, you will not be neglected.
 
Whatever your circumstances may be,
    your Father knows them,
        he has provided for them,
           he will bring you through them, and
                     get glory to himself by them.
 
Let the peace of God rule in your heart.
 
Stay yourself upon the word of the Lord.
 
Your loving Saviour wishes you to be free from anxiety, to wait upon him without distraction, to honour his Father’s love, by living in the exercise of calm, patient, waiting faith.
 
Go to rest this night, obeying your Redeemer’s word, 

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all temporal things shall be added unto you.

 
Take no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.”
 
When you awake in the morning you God will be with you, and he will not forsake you.
 

By day, by night, at home, abroad,

Still I am guarded by my God:

By his incessant bounty fed,

By his unerring counsel led.

 
James Smith

TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN .

 EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 18

 

1 Thessalonians 1:10

And to wait for his Son from heaven,

whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus,

which delivered us from the wrath to come.

 
Jesus came in the flesh to redeem us, 

   he sent his Holy Spirit to sanctify us, 

      he will soon come again and receive us to himself, 

         that where he is we may be also.
 
This is a most glorious event.

It is constantly kept before the minds of the Lord’s people in the New Testament. 

It is our blessed hope.
 
We are deeply interested in it, should frequently meditate upon it, and daily prepare for it, and be found in a waiting posture.
 
We are servants, and our master is coming to call us to account. 

We are sons, and our Father is coming to fetch us home.
 
We are the espoused bride of the Son of God, and he is coming to marry us, and introduce us to his glorious kingdom.
 
He will come when very few expect him.
 
The virgins will all slumber and sleep, but “let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.” Jesus may before morning, he will certainly come soon.
 
Are we ready for his coming?
 
Should we be glad to hear the trumpet sound, see the heavens pass away, and behold him come in like manner as his disciples saw him go into heaven?
 

The Saviour comes! he comes to reign,

To banish sorrow, sin, and pain;

Prepare my soul and patient wait,

So shall thy peace and joy be great.

 
James Smith

MY SOUL CLEAVETH UNTO THE DUST .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 17

 

Psalm 119:25

My soul cleaveth unto the dust:

quicken thou me according to the word.

 
How common is the complaint, and how discreditable!
 
What is the world? DUST.
 
Its pleasures,
    profits,
        employments,
            honours, all dust.
 
That is comparatively worthless, beneath an immortal mind, unsuitable to a child of God.
 
Yet our thoughts are filled with them, our affections are entangled by them, and our graces are weakened through them.
 
Worldlings are at home in the dust, they appear to be satisfied with it; but the Christian when he cleaves to it most, is not at home, cannot be satisfied with it.
 
This is a mercy.
 
O to look on high! To rise and plume the wing!
 
To treat the things of time as they deserve!
 
My soul, rouse and shake thyself from the dust, and put on the beautiful garments; It is the say of salvation, thy God calls thee, he waits to hold fellowship with thee, he hath blessings of immense value to bestow upon thee.
 
It is beneath thy dignity to life here.
 
It is contrary to thy profession.
 
It is opposed to thy best interests.
 
Heaven is thy home.
 
Holiness is thy element.
 
The King of kings is thy husband.
 
Glory is thy eternal portion.
 
Earth is but a wilderness through which thou hast to pass; it is not thy rest, it is polluted.
 

Strange that my soul should cleave to dust,

With death and heaven so nigh;

Begone vain world; my spirit must

Ascend to dwell on high.

 
James Smith

BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 16

 

Ephesians 2:5

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened

us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 
What a mercy to be saved!
 
To be saved by mere favour!
 
But our salvation from first to last is of grace.
 
It originated in the mind of God. before time began;
and it will be completed before the throne of God,
when time shall be no more.
 
We are chosen to salvation-chosen in Christ:
and this choice of our persons was eternal,
        -sovereign,
               -immutable.
 
Election gave us a name in God’s book,
an interest in the Saviour’s undertaking, and
 a part in the saints’ inheritance.
 
We are redeemed from among men, and this is a favour.
 
In redemption,
    a price is paid for us,
         power is exerted to rescue us, and
               a plea is put into our mouths.
 
We are called to God’s kingdom and glory, and
this is a favour: it is personal, powerful, effectual.
 
Calling gives us a new life, a spiritual taste, and
an evidence of interest in all covenant blessings.
 
We are kept by the power of God, and this is a favour.
 
Prevented from being overcome by foes, crushed by dangers, 

and from apostatizing from the faith; and 

this proves that we are appointed to salvation.
 
If salvation is a favour, then the vilest may receive it; and
all the glory of it from the first to last must be the Lord’s
 

Salvation is a favour God bestows,

Through Jesu’s blood on alien and foes;

By sovereign grace, to make his glory known

He raises sinner to surround his throne.

 
James Smith

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 15

 

Ephesians 1:13

I whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, 

the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,

 ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise,

 
The great blessing promised in the Old Testament, is the Son of God; but the great promise of the New Testament, is the Holy Spirit.
 
He was promised to Jesus as the reward of his work; and he has promised him to us, to all who ask him. Jesus gives this living water, and all who receive it, find it to be a spring of water, welling up into everlasting life.
 
The Spirit is promised to us, to teach us, to lead us, to comfort us, and assist us in every duty; and we are dependent upon him for light, life, joy, peace and power, as we are upon acceptance with God.
 
He is the Spirit of promise also, as it is part of his work to unfold, apply, and prompt us to plead the promises before God.
 
Without him we read the promises but do not perceive their fullness, realize their glory, or appropriate them to ourselves; but under his teaching, the promises appear new, exactly suited to us, exceedingly great, and very precious. Every Christian is learning out in the school of painful experience, his dependence upon, and daily need of the Holy Spirit of promise.
 
Beloved, let us guard against grieving him; with double diligence let us consult his will, and obey his intimations.
 

Father, the sealing Spirit give,

In me to live and reign!

Let me the promise now receive

And never thirst again.

 
James Smith
 

DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 14

 

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and

he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

 
As the Lord delights in us, we ought to delight ourselves also in him.
 
In order to do this, we must receive correct views of his loveliness into our minds;
we must meditate on his glorious perfections,
    as they are revealed to us in Jesus;
we must realize our interest in his love, and
    perfect salvation; and
turn from every other object to contemplate his beauty,
    his benevolence, and constant love to us.
 
We should look to him, as the fountain of all good;
   hope in him,
as the promise-performing God;
    wait on him, as our bountiful benefactor;
trust in hum,
    as our Father and Friend;
and delight in him,
    as our portion and everlasting all.
 
Let us endeavour, to take off our affections more and more from things below, and fix them upon the Lord.
 
How few delight in God!
 
How seldom do we!
 
If we read of him,
   think of him,
      call on him,
         believe in him,
             hope in him, and
                 feel a little love to him we think it enough.
 
But it is not.
 
We should delight ourselves in the Lord.
We may delight in his love, which is set upon us;
in his vast resources, which are open to supply us;
and in his grace, which rejoices to do us good.
 

O Lord, I would delight in thee,

And on thy care depend;

To thee in every trouble flee,

My best, my only friend.

 
James Smith
 

THOU HAST TRIED ME .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 13

 

Psalm 17:3

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me

in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing;

I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

 
Then prayer has been answered, graces have been exercised, and discipline has been used. The Lord trieth the righteous, and his trials discover, prove, and brighten his character.
 
His fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem; and there he tired his people.
 
Every trial is necessary for our good;
     is ordained by eternal love; and
        is continued just as long as requisite,
            but not one moment longer.
 
Every saint needs trials, and every saint is tried.
 
If the Lord intends to make us holy, he will put us into the fire.
 
Every time we pray for holiness, we pray for trials;
   but trials enhance the value of the promises,
      endear the throne of grace,
           render the ordinances profitable and
                  make the Saviour exceedingly precious.
 
In trials we learn to read our own hearts,
   see the insufficiency of the world,
       look more closely to our evidences,
            humble ourselves before our God, and
                  look with a longing eye to the end of our course.
 
The tried Christian is likely to be a stable Christian;
  very few who walk in a smooth path,
  are either remarkably spiritual,
  extensively useful, or very happy.
 
Trials, like the frosts of winter, prepare our hearts to receive the good seed of the word, and then we bring forth fruit.
 

Brought into the fire, thy wonderful pow’r,

Unburnt we admire, unhurt we adore.

Brought thro’ our temptation, we shortly shall prove

Thine utmost salvation, thy perfecting love.

 
James Smith
 

I WILL HOPE CONTINUALLY .

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

FEBRUARY 12

 

Psalm 71:14

But I will hope continually, and

will yet praise thee more and more.

 
I am warranted to do so, for the foundation of my hope remains immutably the same.
 
The character of my gracious God,
  the faithful promises of his word,
    the recorded history of his saints, and
      my own past experience,
all conspire to say, “Hope continually.”
 
I will hope, that God will be merciful to my unrighteousness;
  that he will support me under all my trials,
  that he will send me seasonsable relief, and timely deliverance;
  that good will flow from all my troubles;
  that grace will be brought unto me at the appearing of Jesus; 

 that eternal life will be my final portion.
 
“I will hope,” for I shall be injured if I do not,
   anxiety will torment my bosom,-
      despondency will brood my soul,-and
          I shall be filled with fearful forebodings.
 
“I will hope continually,” for hope honours God,
-it brightens prospects,
-it stimulates to prayer and exertion,
-and is the sweetener of human life.
 
But I will also remember, that my hope will be sorely tried;
Satan will try it,
  -the God of hope will try it,
    -a thousand things will try it
      ,-but a good hope will live, strengthen,
and work until it gives place to possession.
 
I will not despond. Why should I? I will not fear.
 

Let the winds blow, and the billows roll,

Hope is the anchor of my soul:

It fastens on a land unknown,

And moors me to my Father’s throne!

 
James Smith